High Level Re-Platforming Goals, Changing eCommerce Platforms

The following is an excerpt from a recent presentation we did for Tenzing Managed IT Services, a leading Managed Hosting provider focused on large-scale SaaS and eCommerce websites. We helped them map out some of the common, high-level goals most online merchants share when migrating to a new eCommerce platform provider.

Goal #1: Building Traffic

•Introducing new traffic sources to diversify sales by major traffic segments (i.e. Paid vs. Organic Search or Shopping Sites, Referrals, Affliates)

•Requires strategies for SEO (on-page and off page), social networking, shopping aggregators, contact acquisition, affliates

•Setting goals for growing specific sub-segments of traffic (advanced segmentation and digital analysis)

Goal #2: Increasing Conversions

•Many times there are significant opportunities to grow sales simply by increasing conversion rate vs. traffic

•Deals with: ability to find, research, and buy products quickly and easily

•Conversion rate data is available by industry and website (i.e. IR Top 500)

Goal #3: Website Control for Marketing

•Many marketing teams have limited or no control over the website and have to “go through IT” to make changes; marketing teams want to make changes quickly

•Common controls needed: Promotions, Targeted Content, Product Carousels, Cross Sells, Banners, SEO

•Launching new products, categories, and brands; customer segmentation

Goal #4: Integration with Business Systems

•Reduce manual efforts for Order Management, Customer Care, Fulfillment, Fraud; enable the Order Maintenance team to “pull up orders, customers, manage orders”.

•Enable access to leading 3rd party services; Marketing services, Social Networking, Payments, Search

•Streamline business processes related to eCommerce (re-educate, adjust workflow); legacy systems integration to automate ERP/POS -> eCommerce

For more information, Contact an OrderDynamics representative today!

ShopDiabetes.org Successfully Launches on the OrderDynamics eCommerce Platform

OrderDynamics, Canada's leading On-Demand eCommerce Platform Provider, announces another successful website migration to their eCommerce SaaS Platform. Over a 5 month period, The American Diabetes Association's flagship eCommerce website was completely redesigned and re-launched on a new technology platform, allowing them to service more customers and attract business away from leading retailers like Amazon.

The new ShopDiabetes.org website is a fun and fast way to shop for diabetes books, gifts, apparel, and other great diabetes products. In addition, shoppers who buy from the official store of The American Diabetes Association help fund important diabetes research, education and advocacy efforts around the country. Last year alone, the Association funded more than $33.5 million for diabetes research.

"We're very excited about the new website and the strong position we're in with the OrderDynamics team" explains Brian Waller, American Diabetes Association's Director of Applications Solutions. "We've come a long way in a short period of time and look forward to growing with the solution" continues Waller. The new eStore features the latest frontend and backend eCommerce tools and best practices such as SEO, Navigation, Promotions, Merchandising, Recommendations, Product Personalization, Content Personalization, Rich Imaging, and more. In addition, ShopDiabetes.org allows shoppers to preview the pages of over 80 Diabetes Books and conveniently place a donation to The American Diabetes Association right from their shopping cart, making donating quick and easy.

"The ShopDiabetes.org project is very special and we're glad to be part of such an important cause" says Michael Benadiba, CEO of OrderDynamics. "We look forward to helping the ADA team reach new customers and deliver exciting new products and services on their website".

The new ShopDiabetes.org was visually designed by UXER Design (http://www.uxerdesign.com) and the website went live November 1st 2010 in time for American Diabetes Month.

About The American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to stop diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit http://www.diabetes.org.

Happy Holidays From OrderDynamics!

Season’s Greetings,

The team at OrderDynamics would like to thank our Clients, Partners, and Vendors for making 2010 an amazing year! With holiday consumer sales already ahead of estimates, many online merchants will enjoy higher order volumes throughout November and December. As a result, many retailers have recently been reminded how badly they need a new eCommerce platform provider, one that will help them grow and convert traffic while streamlining order management.

Give us a call to discuss upgrading your platform. Contact Us!

This past year, OrderDynamics has made significant investments in our On-Demand eCommerce Platform technology, making it the ideal choice for high-growth B2C and B2B merchants that are being held back by their platform.

In October, OrderDynamics achieved Verified Status with FitForCommerce, being one of the first mid-market platform providers to complete the program which gives retailers confidence in the platforms their evaluating.

Throughout 2010 we've had many successful website launches and the pleasure of working with really great people on exciting new projects. We want to congratulate and thank our Clients for another great year together!

From all of us, we wish you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,
OrderDynamics Team
1 (866) 559-8123

P.S. Be sure to visit us at Internet Retailer Web Design Show in February and Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition in June.

Group-Buying: Long-Tail Marketing with Big Payback

It seems despite the economic disaster from which the world is struggling to recover there is constantly a plethora of new products and services wriggling their way into the North American market – there are more things to buy, but less money to buy them with. Product developers essentially need to contend for the consumers’ money to get by. So how can today’s merchants compete for exposure without breaking the bank? Apparently, with group-buying – an online trend that is rapidly growing in popularity – this is entirely possible.

Group-buying is a concept originally introduced in China with a site called Tuangou and has popped up in the North American online marketplace this year. With highly successful copycats such as TeamBuy.ca, Groupon.com, and Wagjag.com - to name a few - as well as several other smaller franchises, the concept is spreading like wildfire. How does it work? These dealers are fuelled by a group of up-and-coming companies offering a daily new product bargain at steep discounts in exchange for the site’s promise to rake in plenty of customers – the catch is, you only get the deal if a minimum number of people sign up for it by the end of the day. This leaves the consumers working together and providing cheap, word-of-mouth advertisement. Suddenly a new and unknown brand becomes a little familiar.

Timer and Deal Tracker on Teambuy.ca, similar to those used on group-buying sites.

Aptly nick-named social commerce, group-buying has been racking up the brownie points in Canada through putting itself out on Facebook, Twitter and the like, taking full advantage of the relationships deeply entrenched within these social networks. It’s brilliant, really. Most offers are presented anywhere from 50-90% off – so cheap, it no longer matters that the company offering it is virtually unheard of; and given the current economic climate, treats such as fancy dinners and spa packages are a luxury – one can’t help but spread the word by posting it on their News Feed or sending a little Tweet in hopes that their friends, and friends-of-friends, and maybe even complete strangers catch on and sign up for the deal to make it a ‘go’. It sounds remarkably simple - and borderline viral - but it works.

Groupon.com’s list of daily deals. Group-buying sites often promote a large daily deal, with several smaller ones in the hopes of multiple purchases.

The interesting thing about group-buying is how similarly to traditional online ads it is presented to consumers, yet its virility gives it an extra push. Facebook displays ads along the side panels of its web page and I’m exposed to at least 3 new ones every time I refresh the page. Yet one might share my sentiment in that during the 6 years I’ve been subscribing to Facebook, I can’t ever recall clicking on one of those ads. Why? Well, how do I know that there is any truth to the deal? It may well be a waste of valuable time (it’s depressing for the producer, considering what I imagine the price of ad-space on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in and such to be). However, since first being introduced to the concept of group-buying a few months ago, I frequently sign-on to Facebook and notice a posting by friends about some kind of great deal for bedding, jewellery, even cheeseburgers; sometimes, I go so far as to check the website out.

This is where the group-buying model gets it right: they provide a vehicle for relatively small firms with low advertising budgets to acquire highly coveted ad-space on social networking sites without the social networking price. And since this allows the offers to be presented to consumers through their friends rather than by the retailer, the predisposed level of trust leads to an automatic subconscious absorption of the information, rather than unnoticed exposure - if my friend likes it, it must be good, right? Many group-buying sites boast thousands – Groupon.com brags about millions – of dollars worth of savings, allowing them to creep up from “fad” to investment-worthy.

A typical Facebook posting from a group-buying website.

Group-buying is still in its early-stages but has proven to be a medium of advertising worth considering and capitalizing upon. For companies looking for a bigger bang for their buck, this will grow to be a hot commodity as social commerce sites become more prevalent. As Mashable’s Pete Cashmore says, ‘it’s a good idea’, and the success stories speak for themselves.

Melissa Itwar

OrderDynamics Upgrades Embedded SEO Technology for Large Catalog Merchants

OrderDynamics, Canada's Leading On-Demand eCommerce Platform Provider has recently deployed upgrades to its multi-eStore Search Engine Optimization (SEO) system, specifically designed for large catalog merchants to grow organic traffic and avoid duplicate content.

As part of their quarterly feature release strategy, OrderDynamics delivers another important upgrade to its frontend presentation engine to help organically grow traffic to their Client's websites. The recent upgrade extends the capabilities of their already powerful SEO metadata toolset that allow merchants to optimize Product, Category, Brand, and Manufacturer landing pages. The upgrade enables control over all dynamic pages, referred to as Faceted Navigation (sometimes called Guided Navigation) pages and Search Results pages, a major contributor to the cause of duplicate content on eCommerce websites. The OrderDynamics platform now allows point-and-click control over SEO metadata for any URL, even dynamic URLs, including Page Title, Link Title Tag, Meta Keywords, Meta Description, Vanity URL, and Link Canonical tag. OrderDynamics also offers the ability to generate metadata using formulas and a combination of phrases and source data such as product names, descriptions, etc.

"OrderDynamics is squarely focused on helping our Clients grow their business by leveraging the latest traffic building and conversation best practices" explains Michael Benadiba, CEO of OrderDynamics. "We continue to lead in the area of on-page SEO and we are investing heavily in this area because of the significant benefit it brings to our Clients". The latest upgrade allows merchants to quickly optimize strategic landing pages, instantly improving organic traffic from search engines and reducing pay-per-click (PPC) advertising costs through increased page quality scores.

By enabling control over the Link Canonical Tag, OrderDynamics Clients can avoid duplicate content issues, a hot topic for all online retailers especially large catalog merchants that offer multiple points of navigation like brand, category, and search. In addition, OrderDynamics has provided the ability for keyword rich Product Attributes used in Guided Navigation to be appended to the URL to further optimize pages with no merchant intervention.

OrderDynamics made the feature live in its On-Demand eCommerce Platform in August as part of their Summer 2010 release.

OrderDynamics Achieves Verified Status from FitForCommerce

OrderDynamics, Canada’s leading On-Demand eCommerce Platform Provider, announces recent achievement of “Verified” status for its eCommerce Platform by FitForCommerce, a recognized leader in eCommerce consulting.

As part of their long term platform development strategy, OrderDynamics has recently completed a comprehensive assessment and verification of its On-Demand eCommerce Platform with FitForCommerce. FitForCommerce Verification, or “FFC Verified”, is a structured evaluation process by which a certified analyst reviews claims and proof points for over a hundred pre-defined features and capabilities important to an eCommerce website and online business. FFC Verification has recently become a widely recognized industry standard evaluation method for eCommerce technology. This is the first year FitForCommerce has made the certification available to platform providers and OrderDynamics is one of the first platforms to complete verification process.

“FitForCommerce provides the only comprehensive benchmark for the delivery of online retailing technologies. The verification process delivers Client value through transparency and access to technology that continuously meets the latest industry standards” explains Michael Turcsanyi, President of OrderDynamics. “We are thrilled about the program and excited to be one of the first mid-market eCommerce platforms to achieve this status” continues Turcsanyi.

“The process of selecting an eCommerce platform and moving a high-volume website is a complex undertaking for many online retailers.” explains Bernardine Wu, CEO of FitForCommerce. “FFC Verified helps retailers by giving them the comfort that the technology they’re considering has been vetted by an accredited third party, and more specifically rates the completeness of each feature at a detailed level.”

By achieving and maintaining FFC Verified status each year, OrderDynamics clients also benefit from any new features and enhancements needed to meet the latest eCommerce best practices.

About FitForCommerce
Sixty-seven percent of eCommerce projects end in failure due to poor planning or choice in solution. Working to bring that percentage down on a case-by-case basis, FitForCommerce has established itself as the leading boutique eCommerce consultancy by helping hundreds of online and multichannel retailers and manufacturers make informed eCommerce investment decisions. Using years of experience, state-of-the-art tools, strategic diligence and tactical planning, FitForCommerce helps retailers define business and technical requirements and find their "best fit" technology solutions - including eCommerce platforms, back-end systems and critical points solutions including mobile. eCommerceKnowHow.com, managed by FitForCommerce, is the eCommerce industry’s most comprehensive knowledge base and educational resource. For additional information, please visit www.FitForCommerce.com and www.eCommerceKnowHow.com or email media@fitforcommerce.com.

Congratulations on the Launch ShopDiabetes.org!

We congratulate the American Diabetes Association for the successful re-launch of their flagship eCommerce website on the OrderDynamics platform!

The new ShopDiabetes.org website is a fun and fast way to shop for diabetes books, gifts, apparel, and other great diabetes products. Shoppers who buy from the official store of the official American Diabetes Association help fund important diabetes research, education and advocacy efforts around the country. Last year alone, the Association funded more than $33.5 million for diabetes research.

The new eStore features the latest frontend and backend best practices such as SEO, Navigation, Merchandising, Recommendations, Product Personalization, Content Personalization, Rich Imaging, and more. The ShopDiabetes.org website allows shoppers to preview the pages of over 80 Diabetes Books and conveniently place a donation right from their shopping cart.

This website was designed by UXER DESIGN (www.uxerdesign.com) and the eStore fully integrated with the ADA’s Inventory, and Fulfillment systems.

ShopDiabetes.org went live November 1st 2010 in time for American Diabetes Month.

OrderDynamics featured IR: SaaS – The fast track to the latest technology

We recently participated in the November 2010 Issue of Internet Retailer Magazine discussing On-Demand eCommerce Platforms. Here is an excerpt: "Accessing software as a service lets an online retailer get up and running quickly and benefit from vendors' ongoing enhancements. And, because they're not paid a lump sum up front, on-demand vendors have a strong incentive to keep clients happy."

Internet Retailer November 2010: SaaS – The fast track to the latest technology

Read the artcile here

Digital Magazine to this Artcile here

OrderDynamics has entered the 2010 Canada’s Hottest Innovative Companies Contest

OrderDynamics has entered the 2010 Canada’s Hottest Innovative Companies contest put on by the Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX), a must-attend conference for over 400 of the principal players in the innovation economy.

Every year CIX conducts an exhaustive search for the most innovative ideas, products, services and companies in the country. Last year, 20 technology-based companies were selected via a qualified Selection Committee to showcase their innovative product and services in front of the CIX community.

Taking place in Toronto on December 7, 2010, CIX is a gathering of the key players in the innovation economy which will showcase and accelerate the development of the great technology-based innovation emanating from Canada.

GoVacuum.com Re-Launches on OrderDynamics eCommerce SaaS Platform

Toronto, ON - OrderDynamics, Canada’s leading On-Demand eCommerce Platform Provider, announces the successful migration of GoVacuum.com, a leading retailer of vacuum cleaners and accessories for over 30 years who previously operated their eCommerce site on Yahoo! Stores.

GoVacuum.com has re-launched its high volume consumer website to deliver a better shopping experience, packed with the latest merchandising, promotional, and navigation technologies. The new GoVacuum.com website was completely redesigned to make shopping for vacuums and accessories fun, easy, and fast. Offering over 5,000 items from 150 brands, the new site streamlines navigation across categories, brands, and site search while dynamically driving cross sells and up sells. Shoppers can also use the “My Vacuum Accessorizer” tool to quickly zero-in on anything they need for their vacuum in 3 easy steps. In addition, the new GoVacuum.com is packed with valuable resources such as Video Reviews, the Research Center, the GoGreen Blog, Gift Options, and the Coupon Center.

“We’re very excited about the launch onto the OrderDynamics platform” says Sachin Anand, Director of Business Development for GoVacuum.com. “OrderDynamics is enabling us to implement more sophisticated merchandising tactics, while optimizing our order pipeline and customer service processes” he adds. OrderDynamics has significant experience migrating high-volume websites from Yahoo! Stores, which GoVacuum.com previously used for over 10 years.

The new site uses the OrderDynamics advanced on-page SEO system that includes canonical name support for guided navigation pages. This will help GoVacuum rank higher in organic search results and reduce their paid advertising spend through higher quality scores and more targeted landing pages. The OrderDynamics Order Management System (OMS) is also integrated with GoVacuum’s eBay store. This gives GoVacuum.com a single dashboard and fulfillment pipeline for web, call center, and eBay orders.

"The GoVacuum team is a great group of experienced online retailers that have grown tremendously over the past few years” says Michael Turcsanyi, VP of Sales and Marketing at OrderDynamics. “We are very pleased to be part of their story, and look forward to a great holiday season together” continues Turcsanyi.

About GoVacuum.com
Family owned and operated for more than 30 years, GoVacuum ships popular vacuums and hard-to-find replacement parts to customers throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. GoVacuum.com, in existence since 1999, has an impressive record of friendly customer service and great frequent-buyer-discounts. Customers love the site's ease of use, huge inventory, and unbeatable prices. GoVacuum.com sells a full range of vacuum cleaners, air cleaners, bags, belts, filters, parts and accessories for Dyson, Riccar, SEBO, Kirby, Electrolux, Hoover, Eureka, Powr-Flite, IQAir, Blueair, Roomba, AirFree, Bissell, Bosch, Dirt Devil, Earlex, Karcher, Koblenz, Ladybug, Love-Less Ash Fireplace Vacs, Lindhaus, Oreck, Royal, Rainbow, Sanitaire and more.