MarketingSherpa’s 2009 Ecommerce Benchmark Report

Defend Your Ecommerce Projections Based on Real Data

Ecommerce marketers are taking the heat for not meeting unrealistic goals. Set realistic expectations based on the current economic condition – not last year’s numbers.

There is still growth potential in ecommerce across the board, even in a recession. MarketingSherpa’s 2009 Ecommerce Benchmark Report shows you ways to take advantage of this growth by helping you drive new sales, attract new customers and quickly build brand.

All New Research from 1,481 Ecommerce Marketers

It’s been two years since our last ecommerce report. We analyzed surveys from 1,481 ecommerce marketers to provide practical benchmarks and guidelines to help you:

• Raise shopper–to–buyer conversions
• Lower shopping cart abandonment rates
• Budget for tactics that are working for your type of ecommerce business
• Identify new initiatives in search, email or social media to move the needle

Discover Lessons from the "Highly Knowledgeable"

In ecommerce, not all organizations are equal. Some lead the way in advanced web analytics and marketing automation. We’ve separated data from these "High Knowledge" ecommerce organizations to show you how they conduct and value their marketing tactics and testing.

Real–life Benchmark Data for B2B and Consumers

What works in one industry doesn’t necessarily work in another. Furthermore, when making your projections, make sure you’re basing them on real–life data (and educate your boss on real expectations). That’s why we break down data into 4 major groups:

1. Business Products
2. Business Services
3. Consumer Products
4. Consumer Services

In many areas, the data is isolated in other ways, such as company size or organizational attitudes.

Top 10 Questions MarketingSherpa 2009 Ecommerce Benchmark Report Answers

1. How can you lower shopping cart abandons?
2. Customer reviews, limited time promotions, on–site videos, loyalty programs. What tools and promotions are most effective in improving conversions?
3. Twittering or blogging? Which social media tactics are actually moving the ecommerce needle?
4. What are the key challenges facing ecommerce businesses?
5. What percentage of repeat customers should you expect?
6. What motivates online shoppers to buy?
7. How can you increase customer loyalty and lifetime value?
8. How can you improve your affiliate program results?
9. What marketing tactics bring the best ROI?
10. What’s the average ecommerce search click conversion and how does your site’s search presence stack up against your competitors’ visibility?

Table of Contents: MarketingSherpa 2009 Ecommerce Report

(Abbreviated: For full table of contents go to Executive Summary)

• Executive Summary
1. A Brutal Fourth Quarter – Change in Total Orders
2. Assertive Marketing & Optimism – Especially from SMBs
3. Abandonment is Down...Why?
4. Social Media is Here, But...
5. Social Tactics Role Varies by Organization
6. What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us
7. It’s Not All About Price
• Section 1: Ecommerce Industry Trends & Benchmarks
1. Changes in Growth, Marketing Budgets, Trends and Attitudes
2. Challenges to Ecommerce
3. Business Products Companies
4. Business Services Companies
5. Consumer Products Companies
6. Consumer Services Companies
7. Large Organizations (Over $50MM in Sales)
8. Tracking Financial Metrics
9. Offline Commerce Metrics
• Section 2: Ecommerce Sites & Metrics
1. Sources for new visitors, website tactics usage and efficacy and shopping cart tests
2. Cart Abandonment
3. Tools & Promotions
• Section 3: Marketing Tactics & Testing
1. How Marketing Tactics Are Managed – B2B
2. Tactics Compared – Free Media
3. Tactics Compared – Paid Media
4. Tests Compared
5. Affiliates
6. Email Tactics
7. Offline Tactics
8. Search
9. Social Media & Web 2.0
• Section 4: Conversion Rates
1. Conversion: One Metric with Many Definitions
2. Tracking Marketing Statistics
3. Business Products
4. Business Services
5. Consumer Products
6. Consumer Services
7. "High Knowledge" Organizations
• Glossary of Terms
• Research Partners
• Appendix: Demographic Profile of Survey Respondents