An evolving marketplace is driving a lot of creativity in membership packaging and models. In Abila’s 2016 Association Predictions, we highlighted an emerging shift away from traditional membership models, focused on a one-size-fits-all dues structure.

A real-time communication channel provides website visitors with an engaging and satisfying experience, while its effectiveness increasing conversions and reducing support costs makes it a smart choice for businesses.

We've all been there - shamelessly sacrificing our emails or phone numbers to get an extra 20% off when shopping online. If you're an eCommerce merchant, this strategy can be a blessing and a curse - but when done correctly, discounting can, of course, be effective.

Your customers are unique and ever-changing people with many layers. Understanding them can feel like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s where qualitative and quantitative research strategies can unite to provide a clearer picture of your customers.

It’s no secret that when consumers feel loyal to a brand, they’re more likely to buy the brand’s products. This principle is especially true when it comes to international eCommerce.

So, you started Facebook advertising…and now you want to quit! You want to quit for so many reasons: it’s time consuming, you’ve spent a lot of money with little return on investment, and you’re seeing engagement but no conversions. Consider these four pieces of advice to reignite your Facebook advertising efforts.

Health IT Security recently published the results of Akamai's latest State of the Internet report, emphasizing that "Distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks are up during the third quarter of 2015,

Customer loyalty is the key that unlocks long-term e-commerce profitability. For many years now, digital marketers have been searching for ways their existing customer base to buy repeatedly. According to Gartner, 80% of all future customer revenue will come from just 20% of your existing customers. SEO and content competition is the highest it’s ever been, making it harder to retain the customer’s attention. There must be a way to ensure the continued growth of sales, right? Enter the new-age customer retention strategy, driven by a strong website-based 360 degree loyalty program that allows you to continually engage and convert your existing customers. This post will help you understand how this kind of loyalty program can explode your sales.

Before you can save money on shipping, you must first understand how and why you are spending. By understanding how and why you are spending, you are better equipped to negotiate your shipping agreement and save money in the long run. It’s a good idea to enlist the help of an expert when reviewing your contract to find ways to save.

DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks continue to be a significant problem for online businesses. In addition to the threat of financial losses, they can also irrevocably damage critical client relationships. Today, the wide availability of DoS tools and services that enable execution of DDoS attacks has lowered the bar for perpetrators, creating a reality where every online business is a potential target. If your company has a web presence, the need for reliable mitigation solutions and a strategic planning has never been more important.

Pay with Amazon helps grow your business by extending the Amazon checkout experience to your site and apps, making it simple for hundreds of millions of customers around the globe to check-in and check out using information stored in their Amazon account. It’s familiar and trusted and doesn’t require customers to create new accounts and passwords. Americaneagle.com and Amazon Payments have teamed up to provide a simple integration so you can get up and running fast.

Your website and your users’ interactions should not be in separate silos. The two can work together in a cohesive online environment where information and resources are constantly circulated. The ideal online experience can be achieved by bringing your collaborative networks together.

Video is hot! As a content type, it’s rapidly taking the lead in what people want to consume. In fact, according to Cisco, 80% of Internet traffic by 2019 will be comprised of video. But you probably already know this, at least intuitively.

November and December are no “ho-ho-ho” laughing matter for retailers. Seasonal shopping is serious business. Nearly 20% of total retail sales occur during this period. But shopping trends are a lot like fashion trends; what was hot last year may not be now. Here’s a closer look at some key takeaways from 2014 as well as a “nice list” for what retailers can do this year to keep customers happy and keep them spending.

As you probably know by now, the world of paid search is a very fluid one. Technology changes quickly, even weekly - often leaving retailers scrambling to stay on top of their paid search marketing game. Sometimes these updates are small and don’t noticeably affect your paid search strategy. Other updates are substantial in nature. These changes will affect your performance unless you adjust your strategy accordingly.

Selling internationally can be daunting for any retailer. As the range and number of digital devices has soared, customer expectations for instant gratification and more personalized service have followed suit.

Location, location, location. The number one rule in real estate is now the tipping point in the debate on Internet sales tax. Battling legislation calls into play the fairness of destination versus origin sourcing when applying sales tax rules. While lawmakers continue to drag their feet on a formal decision, there’s no shortage of options (or arguments) for who should have the power to collect should a federal remote seller sales tax law go into effect. In June, another proposal hit the hopper, this time from Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, bringing the official bill count up to three.

There are over 1,000 manufacturing systems in North America and yet The Wall Street Journal has stated that “73.8 % of all manufacturers are dissatisfied with their current ERP systems.” Why?

Guess what? The easiest way to understand why your visitors aren’t converting is to ask them. And that’s just one example of how asking your users questions can lead to growth. In fact, getting direct feedback from your users and potential customers is the fastest way to finding opportunities for improvement and growth. This is why at Hotjar, we have created a tool that combines both analytics and feedback, allowing you to see what your visitors are doing, as well as why they behave the way they do.

Optimizing your retail website for international SEO can be a bit like packing your wardrobe for an overseas trip. Certain items are essential for adapting to the new culture and climate. Certain others you’ll bring only if there’s room in your already-overstuffed carry-on.