Social Commerce Growth Will Be Powered By Commerce. Are You Ready?
By Erik Harbison on Tuesday, April 26, 2011
In recent weeks it has been hard to not see an article, blog post or Tweet about social commerce. Specifically around topics like anticipated growth, best practices, why it’s here to stay and why it’s a passing fad. Part of the reason for its extreme coverage is because its definition has grown to include so many types, iterations (mobile, tablet commerce, Facebook) and versions (transactional and experiential). What’s missing in all the coverage is the concept that success in social commerce will be defined by a brand’s ability to remember and execute against the commerce fundamentals.
Where does social commerce go from here? And what commerce fundamentals should you leverage?
GSI Commerce Today
By Jose Mallabo on Tuesday, April 12, 2011
In February GSI Commerce was penned as the “Biggest Ecommerce Empire You’ve Never Heard Of” in this Business Insider story.
Maybe that’s still the case. Maybe it’s not. But here is what GSI Commerce looks like today as an organization that has evolved and grown to include three business divisions and several brands since 1999. Mouse over the graphic below to learn more about GSI Commerce:
[VIDEO] Don’t think fulfillment is competitive? Talk to Craig Hayes
By Jose Mallabo on Monday, April 4, 2011
Craig is vice president of fulfillment at GSI Commerce. I go into Craig’s office and introduce myself and immediately think:
Gosh, he’s really upbeat, affable and charismatic -- not exactly the image I associated with fulfillment and shipping. And, who the heck is this guy? On the wall is a picture of Craig shaking hands with vice president Al Gore. They look like they actually know each other. This photo is only outdone by the one above it – Craig with President Bill Clinton. Is he ex-Secret Service?
I had a list of probing questions ready and immediately nixed the first one: If fulfillment is so important, why is it the most forgotten and least sexy part of ecommerce? Check out the rest of my chat with Craig on the role of fulfillment in ecommerce.
It’s a part of who we are: Charity & Events
By Jose Mallabo on Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Even on a light work week, most people spend more of their waking hours at work with colleagues than they do with their own families. Imagine volunteering to spend more time with co-workers to raise money for local charities and organize events for employees and their families.
Who would do that?
The GSI Charity and Events Committee, that’s who.
I sat down with Helen Debus, human resources coordinator at GSI Commerce and the chairperson of the C&E committee, to get a sense of what her team has been up to and what’s up.
Local retail: Know before you go
By Fiona Dias on Monday, March 14, 2011
Last week, I was at the aptly named NRF Innovate 2011 conference in San Francisco. There has been an explosion of innovation in the digital space, especially in the social, mobile, and local arenas.
While it's exciting to see so much digital innovation and funding from the venture community, I'm disappointed with how many start-ups are leading with deep discounts as the core of their value proposition.
Multichannel vs. Cross Channel
By Michael Sonier on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Multichannel. For being such a universally used and important term, you’d think we’d have a singular definition for it by now, but we don’t. In fact, it remains the “Lady Gaga” of ecommerce and retail - everyone has heard of it but no one can quite explain it.
Instead of trying to play lexicographer on this, I think the easiest way to talk about multichannel is to simply look at how consumers gain awareness, research and/or buy things today: across multiple online and offline channels.
Retailers see it. They see consumers researching online before they buy in-store (45% of visitors to Home Depot visit their website first) and the rapid growth of mobile commerce with 62% of consumers with web connected phones buying something with their mobile.
Live from eTail West, Day Two
By Tony Terranova on Friday, February 25, 2011
A highlight at this year's eTail West conference was a presentation by Stephanie Brocoum from Rue La La and Laura Saati from e-Dialog. Together they presented the "7 Habits of Highly Effective E-Mail Marketers" to a standing room only audience.
With drama and flair, Laura and Stephanie delivered a set of take-aways for any online retailer:
- Stop yelling at your customers and start listening
- To listen, you must continually engage with your customers across all touch points
- Engaging means always asking yourself as a Marketer, are you empowering, educating and helping your customers, are you providing timely, exceptional and unique information and are you being completely transparent to your customers
Live from eTail West, Day One
By GDJ Dorai on Thursday, February 24, 2011
The eTail West conference is once again in Palm Springs this year, with the theme, “The Future is Now: Managing ‘What’s Next’ While Remaining Focused on Today’s Brand Experience.” It’s a timely theme -- with the pace of change in ecommerce, the challenge is definitely in executing today while planning for tomorrow. GSI comes to eTail for the obvious marketing benefits. We meet with current clients and prospects, but each of us also attends to learn the various approaches that retailers are taking to succeed in multichannel commerce.
Day one kicked off with an interesting panel discussion on “Moving Beyond Internal Challenges to Create Effective Multichannel Experiences.” The panelists were Ron Boire, President and CEO of Brookstone, Shery Clark, President and CEO of Boston Proper and Mark Pierce, CEO of MarketLive.
Expanding the licensed sports merchandise business: GSI Commerce agrees to acquire Fanatics, Inc.
By Jose Mallabo on Wednesday, February 9, 2011
In addition to announcing Q4 and fiscal year 2010 operating results today, GSI Commerce announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Fanatics, Inc. today. See full press release here.
The combination of Fanatic’s position in the collegiate sports category with GSI’s existing licensed sports merchandise business – which already includes the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR and ESPN – will strengthen GSI’s position in this $15 billion market.
After the Super Bowl: Pass the mouse!
By Jose Mallabo on Tuesday, February 8, 2011
You know the scene. It’s the same every year – only the teams change, sometimes. The final gun of the Super Bowl sounds, players on the winning team pour on to the field high-fiving and hurriedly pulling on “Super Bowl Champion” shirts and hats. It turns out the scene isn’t too different in living rooms around the country. Big difference is that the fans at home don’t reach to team assistants for gear, they reach for their mouse and go online.
Following the end of Super Bowl XLV, shopping activity on NFL Shop peaked at 10:42 p.m. Eastern with fans placing 460 orders during the peak minute for licensed NFL apparel. The most purchased item on Sunday night: Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XLV Champions Trophy Collection Hat.
That was just from Sunday night.
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