In general, tablets seem to be a great outlet for most ecommerce business. Since people seem to be more likely to be accepting of advertising, it’s a smart move for both current businesses and up and coming ones. And since people can order on the go, it helps bring up the count on impulse buys. The ease of ordering through a mobile device makes people more apt to just do it right then and there, instead of waiting to get home to their computers, where in that time they may change their mind on the purchase.

Chances are, even though this study was done in the UK, it can greatly apply to the United States as well. It should be something that all ecommerce websites  consider as part of their business ventures.

Open Graph will let customers on Facebook easily mark items they want, already own, or are looking to definitely buy. It gives the companies information on what customers are looking for and leads more traffic from Facebook to them, which considering how many millions use the social networking site, is a pretty huge deal.

Timeline itself is helpful because in using Open Graph, that information will automatically get transferred to that user’s timeline put it on display much more prominently than the old ticker.

As an ecommerce website, you should be looking in to ways you can integrate yourself into these new changes to boost traffic to your site as well as use Facebook as a marketing tool for you and your products.

Right now by federal law, retailers only have to collect tax in states they have a physical presence. Amazon now has a warehouse in Indiana, so collecting tax has become mandatory. It’s the reason why many ecommerce sites can offer their products tax free, though.

Of course, there are many people out there who want to change the law completely and make it mandatory for every online store to tax their items and there are plenty of sites who want to fight that change.

Would it necessarily deter people from buying online? Probably not, but it may disgruntle those of us who love to search for coupon codes just to get 10% off. So paying an extra few dollars on tax may not be the most embraced  change for online shoppers.

Not only can you make purchases easily online, most of the time you don’t even have to open a web browser to do it. With apps coming out left and right for most major retailers (and even the smaller ones), you can use them to make purchases and store your information so it makes everything that much quicker. Probably a bad idea for the shop-a-holic, but over all a really convenient way of shopping online.

Some smartphones have capabilities to scan bar codes and make purchases on site for vending machines and specific brick and mortar stores.  So not only is it opening up the ability to buy online, but it’s making in person purchases that much easier as well.

Now with the advent of mobile devices we’re seeing this process evolve. Companies like Amazon, Apple, Target, and Starbucks jumped on the mobile app bandwagon. You can now access your accounts, add payment options, and order directly from your tablet or phone. You can be out on the go and still not have to set foot in a shop. So, even when you are outside being active you don’t have to participate in the madness that is in-store shopping. And, should you feel so inclined to head to the stores yourself you can download a bar code scanner to give you product details.

The items are delivered to your door within a few days time and you can get other chores done. Or, more than likely you’re getting leisure-time in the ever-expanding time gap. This is why we created the internet. To make our lives easier and so we relieve ourselves from the stresses of everyday shopping.

There always needs be a search bar for those of us who know exactly what we want. Each product should have plenty of pictures and a zoom option. I can’t hold this item in my hand so I want to know what every nook and cranny looks like. Descriptions need to be…well descriptive! I’ve seen too many websites that offer practically no information about the product. I don’t want to know just measurements and weight. I need to know how it was made, what features it has, everything I could possibly want to know about it. Customers don’t need a novel, but they do need relevant information that could push them along to make the purchase.

The bottom line is that you need a great website. Without one, customers will X out and find somewhere else to shop. Make web design a number one priority in your office.

Of course in time Google will expand to the outer reaches of cyberspace. But when that day arrives, I still wouldn’t recommend bothering. Sure Google saw millions of people sign up within the first  few weeks, but the hype is long gone. Numbers are slowly tapering off, mostly due to the fact that you need to be invited by a friend to join. Who really needs another social networking site though? Do you really have time to update your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter? Maybe your company even has a Foursquare and a YouTube page. That’s a lot of updating and you have a business to run.

My prediction is Google+ will soon join MySpace in a cyber graveyard. Be social, but don’t let it reach the point of overkill.

On Klout normal people tend to hold quality numbers while businesses who’s Tweets are purely promotional fall by the wayside. In this environment it is hard for a business to stand out, however there are ways. The Subway restaurant chain for example offered gift-cards to folks with relevantly high Klout scores and influence within Subway’s targeted subject. This meant that there would be influential networkers mentioning Subway just to get the gift card.

Contests are a fantastic way to get people Tweeting your name and engaging with those who do is a great way for businesses to pick up heat on the web. Each tweet is a valuable way for your business to connect with a wider audience but you must also be fully prepared to answer individual customers concerns in a public way that remains fun and professional.

For example, this March, Denmark launched digital stamps, which can be bought online as a code. Write it down on an envelope and it’s as good as a stamp. And for a year or so, apps such as Square have accepted payment by credit cards. Cashless economy here we come.

Everyone wants to feel special, and companies are taking notice. A bunch of companies such as Men are Useless and Jangeus Design offer male grooming products and eco-friendly kitchen tablecloths, respectively, delivered monthly to your door.

With consumers lives becoming ever-faster, a desire for newer stores, more sales and more accurate information is all on the rise. We want to know about all the latest, and sites such as Speedsale demonstrate that. This site offer deals on books and DVDs, but only for four seconds. Moda Operandi allows invitation-only members to buy runway fashions for only 48 hours after a show. And 1band1brand offers one of each weekly with discounts for subscribers.

So it’s important to pay attention to what’s happening in the world of online shopping. Because more and more the online world is leaving lasting effects on the offline world. Keep up with the trends and shop online and all of your friends will start reporting to you to see what’s new and cool.

But I digress. The point is that apparently one thing that is actually no good in Canada is their e-commerce. According to Ali Asaria, the fact that he was able to recognize this is what has rocketed his business to success.

“We think this is a huge, huge opportunity,” he said of Well.ca, now the largest health and beauty web store in Canada. “We’re seeing spikes we’ve never seen before.”

Well, it’s aboot time! Amirite?