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Archived news of: February 2010
2010-02-17
Best iPhone apps for internet merchant account holders
Internet merchant account holders with an iPhone can use the handheld gadget to help them run their online store more efficient and effectively, it has been suggested.
Internet merchant account holders with an iPhone can use the handheld gadget to help them run their online store more efficient and effectively, it has been suggested.
Ecommerce advice firm ZippyCart has pointed out that online business owners can use their smartphones to manage retail operations on the go and over a range of sectors.
There are iPhone apps to aid social media optimisation, which will help to connect with customers and improve search engine rankings, website analytics programs to compare traffic and product successes and content management services to add blogs and news to a site, ZippyCart commented.
Furthermore, for sites that accept credit cards online there are mobile payment processing applications.
Online retailers have also been advised to partner with high street stores to give shoppers an extra way to receive their goods.
Tim Danaher, editor of news provider Retail Week, suggested that accepting online payments then delivering to a nearby shop could work "very well".
read more 2010-02-17
Expert: Avoid losing customers at online payment processing stage
Once online firms have encouraged consumers to browse the site and commit to buying, they must ensure that business is not lost at the online payment processing stage.
Once online firms have encouraged consumers to browse the site and commit to buying, they must ensure that business is not lost at the online payment processing stage.
Retailers must focus on smoothing out any rough spots in the transaction process, Bobbi Leach, general manager at e-business platform RevenueWire, said in an article for AuctionBytes.
She explained that the success of online retailers this year will depend on their efforts to squeeze inefficiency and confusion from their shopping processes.
Providing clear and strong calls-to-action will help to reduce the number of customers lost at the online payment processing stage, as will consistency on the sales path, keeping content targeted and closing the sale as early as possible, Ms Leach continued.
The importance of demonstrating security when accepting credit cards online was also highlighted by the ecommerce expert.
This has also been shown in a study by Vanson Bourne and GfK NOP for CyberSource, which revealed that consumers believe retailers should be responsible for making online shopping safer.
read more 2010-02-17
Online retailers 'should partner with high street stores'
Firms running internet merchant accounts should look into partnerships with high street retailers, it has been suggested.
Firms running internet merchant accounts should look into partnerships with high street retailers, it has been suggested.
Accepting credit cards online and then delivering goods to a local store run by another firm could work very well, said Tim Danaher, editor of news provider Retail Week.
"The last mile of delivery is the big challenge," he commented, pointing out that sending items to a high street shop for collection by a customer could solve potential delivery issues.
"All stores have storerooms and they keep quite a low inventory down there and they've got space to play with, so it could be quite low-cost," Mr Danaher explained.
His comments follow news from Alliance Boots that it plans to let other retailers use its 2,600 stores as pick-up points for goods bought online.
The move would drive footfall into high street stores and comes in response to Boots' own figures, which show that 40 per cent of online orders made over the festive period were collected in store.
read more 2010-02-16
Visa online payment processing called for in Bali
Tour operators in Bali are calling for an online payment processing system to be set up to allow visitors to pay for their visas over the internet, it has been reported.
Tour operators in Bali are calling for an online payment processing system to be set up to allow visitors to pay for their visas over the internet, it has been reported.
By accepting credit cards online, the visa payment process will be simplified and queues at Ngurah Rai International Airport will be cut, the Jakarta Post suggested.
"As people become more technologically savvy, it would be better to implement an online visa payment system," Aloysius Purwa, chairman of the Bali branch of the Association of the Indonesia Tour and Travel Agencies, told the news provider.
Not only would an online payment processing service cut queues at the airport, a particularly important benefit for those arriving late at night after long-haul flights, it would also minimise corruption, Mr Purwa added.
Furthermore, security would not be compromised as applicants' identities would be verified before visas are issued at the airport, Mr Purwa explained.
The UK already operates an online application and payment process for visa applications, with the majority of internet-based applications coming from the Americas.
read more 2010-02-16
More consumers 'prepared to pay for online content'
More consumers are prepared to use online payment processing to pay for content than previously thought, a survey has revealed.
More consumers are prepared to use online payment processing to pay for content than previously thought, a survey has revealed.
The report by global information firm Nielsen found that a third of the 27,000 people questioned in 52 countries would consider paying to access a newspaper website, with those under the age of 35 more likely to do so.
Just under one in ten revealed that they already use online payment processing to access news online.
The results are "remarkably promising", Nic Covey, who compiled the research at Nielsen, told the Financial Times.
"Digitally native people have developed an appreciation of the value of online content and of platform-agnostic content - they see as much value in content online as offline, so show a higher propensity to pay," Mr Covey said of younger internet users.
One of the other key findings from the survey was that nearly a third thought there should be no advertising on sites they had paid to view.
In a blog post last month, Mr Covey suggested that "good and useful" content will always find patrons.
read more 2010-02-15
UK gov't to tackle cybercrime
The government has set up a specialist cyber enforcement team to aid the fight against fraudsters who target those using online credit card processing and other internet users.
The government has set up a specialist cyber enforcement team to aid the fight against fraudsters who target those using online credit card processing and other internet users.
Each year, scams hit three million UK consumers and con them out of £3.5 billion, with fake emails the most common approach taken by fraudsters.
Consumer minister Kevin Brennan said the new team and extra funding for Trading Standards will ensure the UK remains ahead of cybercriminals.
"It presents massive opportunities for consumers, but unfortunately it also harbours fraudsters who can leave consumers upset and out of pocket," he commented.
A total of £4.3 million will be invested over three years, with money used for specialist equipment and training.
The initiative will give the public even greater confidence to use online credit card processing, added Heather Clayton, senior director of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Everyone shopping online should ensure the website they buy from uses a secure method of online credit card processing or other payment, the OFT advised.
read more 2010-02-15
Smartphone security market 'will increase alongside their use'
With smartphones being used for an increasingly wide range of purposes, including online payment processing and finding local services, the need for improved security for the handheld gadgets will also grow.
With smartphones being used for an increasingly wide range of purposes, including online payment processing and finding local services, the need for improved security for the handheld gadgets will also grow.
Although features such as anti-theft devices are not likely to be provided as standard with smartphones, they will be easily available as optional extras, said Natasha Stokes, editor of Mobile Choice magazine.
"It's increasingly likely for your mobile to be your internet hub and hence the place where you store and access sensitive information, from account passwords to conducting bank transactions," she commented.
Research being carried out at the University of Leicester highlights that criminals are increasingly turning away from household burglaries to personal muggings, as the technology people carry around with them, from mobile phones to MP3 players, becomes more advanced.
Strategy Analytics said that global smartphone shipments jumped 30 per cent year-on-year during the final three months of 2009.
read more 2010-02-15
Different browsers useful for different purposes, IT commentator says
People organising their online billing solutions could look to a different browser than a consumer using credit card processing for a purchase, it has been suggested.
People organising their online billing solutions could look to a different browser than a consumer using credit card processing for a purchase, it has been suggested.
In future, users will be happy to use more than one browser for a variety of reasons, suggested John Dunn, associate editor at IT news website Techworld.
The market share of Microsoft's Internet Explorer has already been in steady decline for some time, he explained, although it will probably remain the single biggest browser.
At the end of 2009, the European Commission (EC) adopted an offer from Microsoft to give European users of the Windows operating system a choice of browsers.
The move addresses EC concerns that the computing giant may have breached EU rules on abuse of a dominant market position in tying the browser to Windows.
Under the change, manufacturers can now install other browsers and turn Internet Explorer off.
read more 2010-02-12
Retailers warned not to ignore Twitter
Internet merchant account operators are being warned against ignoring Twitter, even if they are unsure of diverting resources towards social networking.
Internet merchant account operators are being warned against ignoring Twitter, even if they are unsure of diverting resources towards social networking.
Retailers must realise that Twitter is as much a customer relationship management channel as it is anything to do with sales and marketing, said Andrew Girdwood, head of search at marketing agency bigmouthmedia.
"Once that's realised it means rather more resources than one person occasionally tweeting away need to be assigned to the site and this keeps many retailers away from Twitter; even those who'd like to be there," he commented.
With the weaker recovery only just getting underway and budgets still tight, it can be difficult for firms to justify spending time, money and human resources on social media.
They should remember that there are many benefits to be had, Mr Girdwood continued, using Google Buzz as an example of the use of social networking to deliver traction and exposure.
read more 2010-02-12
Ecommerce firms 'must embrace social media'
Ecommerce businesses should embrace social media sites, as a survey has revealed that more than half of shoppers have connected with retailers through the likes of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Ecommerce businesses should embrace social media sites, as a survey has revealed that more than half of shoppers have connected with retailers through the likes of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Such people using online payment processing options are the most loyal customers, ForeSee Results explained.
The customer satisfaction measurement company highlighted that shoppers use the social media pages of their favourite retailers to find out about the latest offers and sales and for product information.
Ultimately, they are looking for a reward from the internet merchant account operator, so marketers for ecommerce firms can take a "salesy" attitude in the use of social media, it suggested.
"Make sure you have someone to monitor it [the social network account] and post good, timely information," advised Kevin Ertell, vice-president of retail strategy at ForeSee Results.
"Promote it to your most loyal customers through your regular communications venues - emails, ads, stores, coupons, etc."
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