Raising the Bar on Retailer E-Commerce
Over the past five years there has been a significant shift in the way we use the Internet. We have heightened expectations and want to interact with websites in different ways. The biggest trend that has impacted behavior is the growth of social media. The Pew Internet Project reports that 35% of adults online now have a profile on a site like Facebook, LinkedIn or MySpace, up from 8% in 2005.

As Jim Novo of Marketing Productivity puts it, “Until fairly recently the online space was about brand and advertising, not relationships. Now the web has decided it will be all about relationships, which is very cool. The web is perfect for that approach.” Is your website helping to include you in the conversations that are happening online?

At Beverage Media Group, we have unveiled a new platform that raises the bar for the online wine shopping experience. This new platform allows a retailer to execute a social strategy that strengthens a customer’s relationships with his or her friends. The goal is to unlock the group dynamics potential of social networks to spread word of mouth about your store.

On our system we make the sharing of links very easy. The ShareThis icon appears both on search results and the product pages, allowing for messages to be posted to Twitter, Facebook and emailed directly from the website.

We make prominent use of customer reviews that are displayed alongside ratings from wine critics. When visitors to your site leave a comment they are asked to enter their email address. If this address is registered with Gravatar (globally recognized avatars) your customer’s image will automatically show alongside their review. Facebook and Twitter logins can be offered as alternatives which place your customers’ profile pictures alongside their comments. For stores that want to take this even further, Facebook Connect can be configured so customer reviews written on the website are posted directly to your customer’s news feed.

Our platform includes several other upgrades which raise the level of the shopping experience:
A mini shopping cart sits on each page and updates automatically when items are added to the cart.

The product browse on the left navigation narrows dynamically as a customer makes their way through your inventory. This makes it easier for them to find the most relevant set of products.

Product pages have their information organized in tabs instead of a long list, making it easier to identify relevant information.

A list of related products shows recommendations for products in a similar category or price point.

You can become a part of the conversation online by attracting customers to your Facebook page or Twitter account. But you will reach a new audience when your customers are sharing information about your website with their friends.