(Source: MARKETWIRE)
In order to help online retailers achieve their holiday sales
objectives, web optimization firm SiteSpect is advising marketers to
develop their testing plans beforehand to prepare for a successful
holiday shopping season. Although signs of recovery are starting to
appear, the softened economy has been tough even in the usually
robust e-commerce sector. According to comScore, Inc., Q2 2009
represents only the second quarter on record where e-commerce spending
has been lower than the same quarter the previous year. U.S. online
retail spending totaled $30.2 billion in Q2, down 1 percent versus a
year ago. Online retailers are now doing everything they can to
increase conversion rates, enhance average order value, and minimize
shopping cart abandonment.
In new research recently released by SiteSpect, companies who have
achieved the highest success with testing and optimization have a
well-defined process for planning and running tests. The reality is
that effective testing requires deliberate, well-managed execution
and results are usually commensurate with effort. Without a
structured plan for testing, companies can often end up with the
wrong type of data, wasted time, and frustrated internal
stakeholders.
Fortunately, developing a test plan is quite simple. The major areas
that should be addressed include:
1. What is being tested?
2. Why is it being tested?
3. What are the expectations for the test?
4. What are the measures of success for the test?
5. What are the risks associated with running the test?
6. What internal resources are required to run the test?
7. Who is requesting the test?
8. By when are results needed?
Individually, each of these questions is relatively easy to answer.
Some are technical ("what risks are there" and "what resources are
required"), some are theoretical ("what are the expectations"), and
some are basic ("who is requesting" and "by when are results
needed?"). The best answers are not page-long explanations; rather,
they are concise explanations designed to help your company plan for
the deployment of the test.
An in-depth test planning template is part of a new whitepaper
released by SiteSpect titled "Successful Web Site Testing Practices:
Ten Best Practices for Building a World-Class Testing and
Optimization Program." The whitepaper, written by Eric Peterson of
Web Analytics Demystified, can be downloaded for free at
http://www.sitespect.com/testingsuccess (registration required).
"Online retailers know that this year's holiday shopping season is
expected to be tough and they are being very resourceful in doing more
with less," said Eric J. Hansen, Founder and CEO of SiteSpect.
"Optimizing websites with multivariate testing helps our customers
lift their conversion rates, increase their overall sales volume, and
foster a more compelling user experience for their site visitors."
About SiteSpect, Inc.
SiteSpect enables web marketers to optimize website and mobile web
effectiveness through multivariate testing and behavioral targeting.
By testing variations of landing pages, product descriptions, search
results, and buy-flows, SiteSpect allows marketers to fine-tune every
aspect of their website on a segment-by-segment basis. As the first
and only non-intrusive solution available, SiteSpect empowers
marketers to optimize their sites without the need for ongoing IT
involvement. SiteSpect's patent-pending technology is used by some of
the world's largest and most successful online businesses, including
Cabela's, iProspect, Overstock.com, ShopNBC, and VEGAS.com. For more
information, visit www.SiteSpect.com or call 617-859-1900.
Note to Editors: SiteSpect is a registered trademark of SiteSpect,
Inc. All other product names, service marks, and trademarks mentioned
herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Kim Ann King
Chief Marketing Officer
SiteSpect, Inc.
617-859-1900, ext. 706
kking@sitespect.com
SOURCE: SiteSpect
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
