Tag: E-Commerce

E-commerce: Expert says Posts must act more quickly

Posted by | Oct 2, 2008 | |

Posts have about 500 days left to grasp the opportunities being offered to them by e-commerce, estimates James ROPER, head of a global e-retail intelligence firm based in the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the UPU’s World Postal Business Forum, as part of POST-EXPO 2008, ROPER said e-retailing represented a “huge opportunity” and deplored Posts’ “inertia” in responding to this immense challenge.

Roper urged postal operators to act now in order to become “the” deliverers of choice for merchandise purchased online.

He stressed that Posts could play an important role in resolving the trust issue that still plagues the development of e-retailing. Posts must leverage their reputation as trusted third partners and their extensive networks to benefit from e-commerce, which is expected to increase dramatically over the next few years. Research shows that some 20% of the world’s population, or 1.4 billion people, already use the Internet, and an estimated 90% of sales will be affected by the Internet by 2020.

For that reason, ROPER strongly supported the UPU’s .post initiative, which aims to give the worldwide postal sector a unique secure and trusted identity on the Internet.

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Kesko and Itella to expand their E-Commerce cooperation

Posted by | Sep 23, 2008 | |

Kesko and Itella have made an extensive cooperation agreement for developing electronic business operations. The aim is to use the service packages offered by Itella to help Kesko’s divisions launch their online trade projects. The agreement now signed will first be leveraged in Kesko’s home technology and sports trade. The new cooperation agreement is a further step in the long-established cooperation between Kesko and Itella.

Electronic customer communication and related services are developed intensively in the trading sector. The availability of Internet services is highlighted in the service offer of the K-Group stores. Kesko has designated the development of electronic customer communication as one of its strategic projects. The online retail services for customers produced by Kesko’s divisions are part of this project. Itella’s e-commerce service package is unique as it covers services for both information and material flows.

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Catalogues are a hit with ‘Tech Generation’ of younger shoppers (UK)

Posted by | Sep 22, 2008 | |

Almost two thirds of young consumers use a catalogue to shop, new Royal Mail research revealed.

Royal Mail’s Home Shopping Tracker Study 2008 revealed that 54 per cent of all adults use catalogues, either for buying directly or helping them with online or in store purchases. But for the 16 to 34-year-old age group this figure is even greater at 62 per cent – demonstrating that the ‘tech generation’ of young shoppers is embracing catalogues in the greatest numbers.

The annual study also revealed that the 37 per cent of shoppers who consulted a catalogue before making purchases online in the past year spent 13 per cent more than those who did not. Online shoppers spent GBP 1,502 on average but the figure rose to GBP 1,694 for those who used catalogues first.

The research also revealed:
• 62 per cent of consumers now shop from home – the highest ever recorded level, representing a 35 per cent growth since 2005
• Online shopping grew by 13 per cent in the last year with 44 per cent of adults now shopping via the web
• 98 per cent of consumers are highly satisfied with online shopping, with convenience being the key driver for 69 per cent, ahead of price, which was singled out by 33 per cent of online shoppers
• 71 per cent of home shoppers and over half (56 per cent) of non home shoppers like to receive catalogues, most preferring to get them through the post
• One in three non home shoppers browse a catalogue for at least one store purchase
• 75 per cent of home shoppers keep catalogues as a reference source for prices, browsing and ideas – and two fifths keep catalogues for over four months
• 85 per cent of home shoppers say that they recycle their catalogues

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eBay focused on reducing shipping & handling charges

Posted by | Sep 4, 2008 | |

eBay updated two listing tools so sellers can update the shipping details on all of their listings at once as part of the new requirement that sellers specify at least one domestic shipping service when listing an item. eBay said it has added new bulk-edit functionality, available on Friday, to its Selling Manager and Turbo Lister listing tools.

To comply with eBay’s new rule, sellers must either select a flat-rate shipping rate, or they must use eBay’s shipping calculator that displays actual charges in their listings based on the shopper’s zip code. The calculator supports USPS and UPS, but it does not support other carriers, such as FedEx and DHL.

eBay has been focused on getting sellers to reduce shipping & handling fees and make it clearer in search results and in listings what those charges are. In an unprecedented move, eBay recently announced limits on shipping and handling charges in the media category (Books, DVDs & Movies, Music and Video Games). Beginning next month, media sellers must offer at least one shipping option within the specified limits. Maximum shipping & handling costs vary by subcategory.

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Singapore banks rush to heed e-commerce call

Posted by | Aug 1, 2008 | |

With more Singaporeans shopping on U.S. Web sites, banks are scrambling to partner logistics providers to take care of an existing hole in service-many sites do not ship to Singapore.

These banks are offering a packaged service where shoppers can pay by credit card and have the item processed by the banks’ delivery service provider partners, regardless of whether the sites offer international delivery.

Card merchants are hoping the one-stop service will hit a high note with the current rise in demand in online shopping in the country.

Radha Suvarna, Director of Portfolio Management and Cross Sell, Credit Payment Products at Citibank Singapore, said in an e-mail interview: “Citibank’s service comes at a time when online shopping is a fast-growing trend in Singapore. More secure shopping websites and a favorable U.S. currency conversion have helped boost the popularity of such services.”

Customers are also interested in shopping online for exclusive deals and products that cannot be found in physical shops here, he added.

The bank has a five-year contract with U.K. based e-commerce service provider, Borderlinx, which provides a U.S. mailing address for users to use with U.S. sites that only provide domestic shipping. Borderlinx has its own agreement with third-party logistics giant, DHL, to complete the loop and provide shipping back to Singapore.

Feedback the bank gathered reveal customers were drawn by the convenience of the packaged service as well as the brand name of DHL.

Another bank, OCBC Bank, has also been eyeing the e-shopping market.

Lynn Gaspar, Head of Lifestyle Credit at OCBC said Internet shopping has become “such an integral part of our cardmembers’ lifestyles”, adding that response has been positive to the “lower delivery rates” the bank has offered.

OCBC’s partner, comGateway, provides the logistics backend for the service, providing the U.S. mailing address and shipping for customers.

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