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Douglas Marks
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Coren Cometics Advanced Skincare & Cosmetics got a new Ecommerce Website Design Face-Lift and it didn't cost them a dime!
A huge advantage Website Forge has over other Ecommerce Web Designers and Ecommerce Shopping Carts is that the owner of the web site can actually change the appearance of the Shopping Cart themselves without costly programming other companies charge.
Coren Cosmetics was able to change the way products were displayed, background and page colors, the ability to load new images to the site, change the shopping cart location and much more!
If your Ecommerce Shopping Cart can't do this, then call Website Forge Today! 1-888-558-2446 x 208.
April e-commerce sales increased 15.6% year-over-year, according to MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse report, which also found the average price of an online transaction was up 0.2% compared to April 2009.
During last month, the luxury category posted a 15.5% year-over-year increase, paralleling its 15.2% jump in February. Electronics sales increased 8.5% year-over-year in April 2010, while women's apparel saw a 4.1% decline and men's apparel dropped 0.5% during the same period.
“The recession has been e-commerce's best friend,” said Fiona Dias, EVP of strategy and marketing at e-commerce firm GSI Commerce. “If you look at [fourth quarter] 2009 for retail stores, retail started to cut costs. They took associates out of their store; they took inventory out.”
She added that retail will eventually recover, “but not at the same pace as e-commerce.”
Mike Berry, director of industry research at MasterCard SpendingPulse, noted that “in many sectors of the retail marketplace, e-commerce is the only major growth sector.”
“The retailers who are growing are the ones who are growing e-commerce traffic,” he said. “Many of the drivers of the e-commerce space are pure e-commerce players. They don't even have a bricks-and-mortar presence.”
North Carolina's Department of Revenue launched a program on April 23 to help e-commerce retailers with affiliate programs in the state “resolve issues of tax liability.”
The “Internet Transactions Resolutions Program,” a result of several months of dialogue between the state and e-commerce merchants, is available to “any e-commerce retailer that has operated an affiliate program at any time in the state of North Carolina,” said Beth Stevenson, director of public affairs for the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Retailers that successfully complete the program will not be assessed tax penalties or interest prior to September 1. The state will also not try to obtain consumer information from retailers to collect tax liabilities prior to the same date. Tax penalties will not be waived for retailers who fail to participate in the program.
The state recently demanded in a federal lawsuit that Amazon.com provide the names and addresses of buyers for tax purposes. Numerous states, many of them cash-strapped as a result of the recession, are considering ways to tax out-of-state e-commerce purchases.
The state will contact “at least 350 retailers” for participation, according to Stevenson. Retailers that fit the eligibility criteria must register to participate by June 30.
E-commerce retail sales will jump 12.7% in 2010, according to a forecast released last month by eMarketer. This projected growth dovetails with a recent Census Bureau's report showing that online sales grew by 14.6% during last year's fourth quarter.
E-commerce merchants, catalogers and direct marketers are partnering to fight a recently enacted Colorado law that requires online retailers to notify the state of all purchases made by residents so it can collect sales tax from them.
"We think it's unconstitutional," said Jonathan Johnson, president of online retail giant Overstock.com.
Retailers are questioning whether this Colorado law, which became effective May 1, violates the 1992 Quill Corp. v. North Dakota case in which the US Supreme Court ruled that retailers who do not have a physical presence in a state do not have to collect and remit sales taxes there.
"We think it's problematic for several reasons," Johnson said. "They're imposing a burden on an out-of-state retailer that has no footprint in the state of Colorado. Secondly, the costs are significant to us. We're going to mail out at the end of the year a notice to each of our Colorado customers and a list to the state. That's a burden that no [bricks-and-mortar] retailer doing business in Colorado has."
Chris Bradley, president and CEO of Cuddledown, a Maine-based e-commerce company specializing in home furnishings, said his company will comply with the law but expressed concern that future legislation could invade consumer privacy.
"We sell pretty pedestrian stuff — no one should be embarrassed that they get pillows — but there are a lot of companies out there that people buy from because they buy through the mail and don't want anyone to know about it," he said. "If we do it in Colorado, what happens with other states if they're successful? It seems to be a very problematic law from everyone's standpoint."
"Clearly the interstate commerce will be something that we're going to be using as grounds [to challenge this law]," said Jerry Cerasale, SVP of government affairs at the Direct Marketing Association.
The DMA sent members a call for contributions to fund a federal lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction on April 30, saying that "a suit in federal count is the next reasonable course of action."
In addition to concerns about the constitutionality of the law, most online retailers and direct marketers believe that the tax is part of the state's strategy to replenish its cash-strapped coffers, he added.
"The law itself was included in a budget package that was passed by the [Colorado] legislature and signed by the governor," Cerasale continued. "It's all part of the economic situation that all of us are finding ourselves in. It was likely the trigger for this law."
In a letter dated April 27, Hamilton Davison, American Catalog Mailing Association president and executive director, implored members and non-members alike to make monetary contributions that would fund litigation against the state of Colorado.
"What's worse than having to pay sales taxes in every state?" he wrote. "Having to report to every state every purchase your customers have made so the taxing authorities can start chasing your customers down and ordering them to pay back taxes."
Davison told DMNews that the law, which he says Tennessee and California are watching closely to possibly emulate, is "an opportunity to get revenue for the state without making the constituents angry."
"It's basically the government putting us against our customer. It's a dangerous precedent and an unfair tax," he said. "It's an egregious burden, and it is just very wrong on every level. It has to be opposed quickly and challenged quickly."
His plea has generated sympathy from Johnson, who said he not only will support the fight against the tax, but "we will participate in the funding of the DMA lawsuit."
"We'll be compliant with the law that's on the books but we'll fight to show it's not constitutional," he continued. "As more states [enact similar legislation], we are likely to see that we have no nexus in those states so we have no affiliates there, which is hurtful to the local businesses who are employing people there."
To strengthen its legal stance against the state of Colorado, the DMA has hired George Isaacson, a senior partner in the Lewiston, ME law firm of Brann & Isaacson, to act as attorney.
Davison added that the Multistate Tax Commission, an organization that coordinates state government policies on interstate commerce, is citing the Colorado law as a model for other states to consider. Tennessee and California, both of which are suffering fiscal difficulties, may follow suit with similar legislation, he said. North Carolina's Department of Revenue launched a program on April 23 that urged Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on products sold online in order to "resolve issues of tax liability."
The "Internet Transactions Resolutions Program," the result of several months of dialogue between the state and e-commerce merchants, is available to any e-commerce retailer with an affiliate program in the state. Merchants that complete the program will not be assessed tax penalties or interest prior to September 1.
The Colorado tax bill's sponsor, State Sen. Rollie Heath, a Democrat, told the Associated Press that "there's no new tax."
"We're just collecting what's already on the books," he told the AP.
Monica Smith, CEO of Marketsmith, a marketing services company, said her firm is advising clients to consult with attorneys on the issue and formulate a state-by-state strategy for dealing with potential future taxes.
"Colorado's got through, but a company shouldn't just focus on Colorado. It should focus on the fact that each state needs to generate revenue," she said. "You should be prepared to manage e-commerce in each state."
Smith noted that the Colorado law also affects eBay sales, commonly used by both companies and individuals.
More than one-half of smartphone users checked out websites of a company before doing business with them online with their phone according to "Q3 2009 Smartphone Intelligence Survey" as cited in a press release January 4th, 2010.
If your website is not compatible with mobile technology and upgraded with new updates like what WebsiteForge offers it's clients, then your site runs the serious risk of not being able to be viewed by potential buyers of your product or service.
More and more people are using smartphones like Blackberry, Droid and the IPhone instead of there computer. Research also shows the people who use their phones to shop and collect information with are in the demographics most business websites want to reach.
This first quarter, WebsiteForge plans on spending $50,000 back into our core coding to ensure our clients are always able to be found. The question is... are our competitors doing the same for their clients?
For more information on how WebsiteForge builds better business websites, please send back an email with a time or call me, otherwise I hope you enjoy your week! Thanks,
Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant www.websiteForge.com E-mail - dougmarks@websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208 Fax - (517) 338-5064
Business Hours: (Monday - Friday) 10 AM - 6 PM Eastern Standard Time
Most US economic indicators were down in Q1 2009, but online sales were the exception.
According to a survey by Forrester Research and Shop.org, US online retail sales rose an average of 11% in the first three months of 2009.
Of the 80 companies studied, 58% saw online sales increases compared with the same quarter last year.
Looking further into the findings, 44% of the e-tailers reported increases of over 10%, 14% showed increases up to 10% and 13% reported flat sales.
In the survey, about 70% of both consumer brand manufacturers and multichannel retailers reported online sales increases.
“It seems that consumer confidence is getting better,” a Forrester analyst, told Bloomberg News.
Looking ahead, Citi Investment Research projects that US retail e-commerce sales will grow 4.4% in 2009 to $141 billion—and jump to 16.5% growth in 2010.
This is a perfect time to get an Ecommerce web site with WebsiteForge!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT WebsiteForge, LLC P.O. Box 2199 Byron Road Howell, Michigan 48844 1-888-558-2446 support@websiteforge.com http://www.websiteforge.com Partsguysusa.com is sold on WebsiteForge Jerry Simon, president of partsguyusa.com, sings the praises of WebsiteForge for their excellent customer service and numerous free upgrades. Howell, Michigan, January 6, 2009 – When Jerry Simon was looking for a web design company that could customize partsguyusa.com and drive customers to his sight, he had tried other e-commerce specialists before going to WebsiteForge for his business. He then clearly saw the need for a company that can drive traffic to a website and maximize sales and deliver on what they say they will deliver, with excellent customer service. WebsiteForge is a leader and a visionary when it comes to website design, e-commerce, search engine optimization and customization. It prides itself not only on keeping current with the latest technology, but providing small and medium sized businesses with personalized customer service that customers rave about. “WebsiteForge has exceeded my expectations with their numerous upgrades (at no charge) and have gone the extra mile for my organization,” says Simon. “I have dealt with Fortune 500 companies that could learn a thing or two from their excellent customer service.” Customer service combined with technological expertise makes WebsiteForge a leading website designer and consultant for small and medium size businesses. They were the first to understand the importance of search engine optimization to increase a website’s rank when their name or keyword was mentioned in a web search. The higher the ranking, the more traffic a website gets. Businesses like partsguyusa.com turn to WebsiteForge for a full range of services and they find a partner in their business who can improve visibility, customize a website that is tailored for the needs of the business and help companies make a profit from their e-commerce efforts. More and more businesses are turning to WebsiteForge for their e-commerce and website needs. WebsiteForge stays current with the latest trends in technology and software. Websites will never become obsolete or lose their standing in search engine ranks because WebsiteForge is always at the cutting edge of the latest developments and passes this on to their clients. Jerry Simon and partsguyusa.com switched to WebsiteForge.com because he saw the value in personalized service and technical acumen that you just can’t get anywhere else. WebsiteForge helps businesses maximize their efforts on the web and allows them to easily control content without the additional cost of a webmaster. Partsguyusa.com is one of thousands of satisfied customers who sing the praises of WebsiteForge. For additional information, visit http://www.websiteforge.com or call 1-888-558-2446.
About WebsiteForge LLC – WebsiteForge LLC pioneered search engine optimization to help businesses increase their website traffic and profits. They offer a full range of web design and e-commerce solutions to small and medium size companies looking to get the maximum results from their web efforts.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT WebsiteForge, LLC P.O. Box 2199 Byron Road Howell, Michigan 48844 1-888-558-2446 support@websiteforge.com http://www.websiteforge.com WebsiteForge Pushes KnowYourNanny.com to the Top of the Search Lists WebsiteForge pioneered organic search engine optimization and their software helped propel Michael Giordano and KnowYourNanny.com to the top of the search engine lists and to amazing profits. Howell, Michigan, January 6, 2009 – If you have a product or service to sell on the Internet, it is crucially important that when people are searching for that product or service that your website comes up in the top tier of a search engine list. Companies that come out on top usually see more sales and more hits on their website that those buried down in the pack. When Michael Giordano of KnowYourNanny.com was looking to make sales of his pocket DVRs, he turned to WebsiteForge and their SEO software after a frustrating two years of no sales. WebsiteForge has been helping thousands of clients like Giordano propel their sales because they were the ones who pioneered organic search engine optimization technology, and have updated their software constantly to stay current with the market trends. Other companies may have outdated software that results in flat or no results. With WebsiteForge software, companies can see almost immediate results in terms of search engine placement and a spike in revenues. When Giordano was looking to move some pocket DVRs from his KnowYourNanny.com website, he went to WebsiteForge.com and within 30 minutes of using their software and being listed with Google, he made two sales. With the KnowYourNanny.com website that was created by WebsiteForge, Michael Giordano began to make between $20,000 to $30,000 in sales per month. This is after two years of making no sales at all with his previous company. Companies like KnowYourNanny.com can realize similar returns on investment when they use WebsiteForge’s expertise. WebsiteForge designs a website that is tailored to the requirements of a business. They utilize their expertise in search engine optimization and help their small and middle sized business clients get Fortune 500 results. They realize the value of being on top in search engine results, and they are constantly upgrading their software so their clients can stay on top of search engine results and continue to win new customers and make more sales. WebsiteForge provides a full array of services from design of informational and e-commerce websites to hosting and search engine optimization that gets results. They were the first to realize that many businesses needed an easy way to manage the content of their websites without having to hire a webmaster or an expensive IT department. KnowYourNanny.com is just one of many clients who have achieved remarkable results and realized tremendous profit gains when they teamed up with WebsiteForge. KnowYourNanny.com has recently climbed to number one on Google searches and number four on Yahoo searches. The sales keep coming in strong, with numbers growing to $40,000 a month. For additional information, visit http://www.websiteforge.com or call 1-888-558-2446.
About WebsiteForge LLC – WebsiteForge LLC is one of the oldest and most respected web design company in the country. Their expertise in web design and search engine optimization as well as offering affordable and reliable services is helping small and medium size companies maximize their websites and e-commerce capabilities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT WebsiteForge, LLC P.O. Box 2199 Byron Road Howell, Michigan 48844 1-888-558-2446 support@websiteforge.com http://www.websiteforge.com WebsiteForge Helps Launch DiveProDiveGear.com to Healthy Profits When Kevin O’Brien was looking to launch a website for his diving gear company, he needed a company that was experienced with e-commerce solutions designed for business without a brick and mortar operation. WebsiteForge built DiverProDiveGear.com a website and helped them on their way to making profits. Howell, Michigan, January 6, 2009 – Launching an online business is never easy, especially when you are starting from scratch and do not have the benefit of a brick and mortar operation to serve as a foundation. Kevin O’Brien was looking for a website design and e-commerce solutions company that could help build his business website from scratch and start moving product over the Internet. WebsiteForge stepped in and today DiverProDiveGear.com is a going concern making $30,000 in sales. WebsiteForge is the oldest website design company with the most experienced staff and a dedication to keeping current with software and technology updates. They help businesses like DiverProDiveGear.com get off the ground by offering a wide range of design, hosting and e-commerce solutions that are specifically tailored to needs of the business. O’Brien credits WebsiteForge’s excellent customer service and understanding of the whole design and e-commerce process as well as a creating website that is easy to use and maintain. WebsiteForge had the vision to realize small and medium sized companies had the desire to control the content on their websites, and also have the capabilities to manage their websites without an expensive webmaster or IT department. They provide all the services a small business like DiverProDiveGear.com needs to get their business off the ground from day one, to attract customers to the website through organic search engine optimization and by offering e-commerce solutions designed to ease transactions and maximize profits. While being one of the oldest website design companies in the country, WebsiteForge continues to remain at the forefront of the latest technology, and offers their clients the most up-to-date software technology and unparalleled hosting services. When DiverProDiveGear.com needed to launch its website, they relied on WebsiteForge for a professional custom design, reliable hosting services, organic search engine optimization and content management tools that allow companies to have a robust, professional website that is tailored to their needs. For additional information, visit http://www.websiteforge.com or call 1-888-558-2446. About WebsiteForge LLC – WebsiteForge LLC provides small and medium sized business with website design, hosting, e-commerce development and search engine optimization designed to allow a company’s website to shoot right to the top of search engines and realize profits from the day they start. They are the leaders in website design with the most dedicated and experienced staff.
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