Murray Kenneth's Catalogue & e-Commerce Blog

A course for ecommerce success

Many niche multi-channel retailers don't have an organisation big enough to support the in-house marketing expertise they need to grow their business at the pace they'd like. Often, the owner/manager will be working with limited resources, trying to navigate through an array of online tip-sheets and free advice to discover a strategy that's effective, economical and sustainable.  I know, because that was me.

I'd make the annual pilgrimage to events like ECMOD and listen in awe to the quality of expertise on offer, wishing I could afford to bring my whole team, or even better, bring the experts into my own business and 'internalise' the learning.

So you can imagine how excited I was to get involved, through Gramar Investments, with the development and launch of an innovative online training program for ecommerce merchants.  The course mixes advice from many of the real-life experts I might encounter at ECMOD or equivalent events in the US, with the fictional story of a young, glamorous entrepreneur and her blossoming online cosmetics business. 

 The story is told through the eyes of Frank, a private investigator working for an undisclosed jealous rival.  His files, consisting of audio, email correspondence and notes, make up the course materials that are used to reinforce the key learning points of the program in a compelling, memorable and fun way.

Delivered online and on-demand, Frankly eCommerce enables your whole team to participate by working through the course materials collaboratively: tagging, sharing and commenting on lessons in a way that works best for your company.

The course is released to limited number of users in March 2010 however we're currently inviting e-commerce retailers to sign up for free beta access in February, qualifying them for priority access when the full course is released.  Please register your interest for the free trial at www.franklyecommerce.com.

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Why independent retailers are worth the effort

Between Tesco and Amazon, I could buy everything I need this Christmas.  I'd be confident about having huge choice, paying reasonable prices, and getting decent service.  It sounds like a no-brainer - so why would I rather sell my soul to the devil than make my holiday shopping so simple?

The answer is that I'm passionate about independent retailers.  Whether that's local bricks and mortar or niche online specialists, I believe they're the grass roots of our retail economy and the lifeblood of many local communities.

It's easy to see this in our high streets and town centres.  Independent retailers are part of our national fabric, making each town distinct from the next, supporting the local economy, and absorbing the money we spend into the local community rather than syphoning it off to institutional shareholders. 

And when you think about it, it's no different online.  Specialist independent online retailers don't inhabit cyberspace - they're based in local communities too; providing employment, spending money, supporting local causes.  In fact, for many small communities that were previously 'geographically challenged' for retailing, the internet has provided a new lease of life for the local economy.

Good independent retailers - whether online, on the high street, or both - very often offer surprisingly competitive prices, excellent service, and plenty of choice.  What makes them different is the selection they make on your behalf of what to sell, the guidance of personal recommendation, the feeling that you're really valued as a customer, and the knowledge that you're supporting the sort of independent business that you'd never want to disappear.  For me, that's a no-brainer.

Happy shopping!