Tony McGrath
30 June 2010
Knowledge of the customer is one of the primary rules of business - and it applies to ebusiness as well.
Lauren Freedman, president of the research firm The E-tailing Group, addresses the issue in a webinar called "The Emerging Retailer - A Guide for eCommerce Powerplays."
Internet Retailer magazine reports that in the webinar, Freedman says merchants should know everything from what sizes to stock in apparel, to which products customers will want to customize and just how long customers will wait for shipping.
Freedman also says that consumers are choosing to do more and more of their shopping over the internet, "making a strong web presence a must-have for both smaller merchants and global manufacturers," Freeman said.
Additionally, she says customers expect a 24-hour turnaround on their e-mails and a knowledgeable customer service staff - conditions that businesses should put a high priority on meeting.
According to statistics found on Internet Retailer's website, online retail sales in the U.S. have grown to US$134 billion, gaining US$28.3 billion in the last four years.
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