New York SBDC Research Network

From MarketingProfs As an online retailer, you have many options for fulfilling orders from customers, so it's important to figure out which business model is best for your goals. In this article, we'll cover the difference between dropshipping and other order-fulfillment options. We'll also detail the pros and cons of each order-fulfillment method so you can decide which option is right for your business and needs.

 Obtained From: MarketingProfs When planning a website for your business, half the battle is won if you can successfully identify your target audience : You can better customize your website to meet your audience's needs when you have a clear idea of who your prospective consumers are. But what do those visitors want, exactly, and how do those wants differ by age? In its infographic on generational marketing, custom writing service Handmadewritings examines what online content different age groups prefer . The graphic is based on several research reports and studies, and it offers insights that you might consider factoring into your marketing strategies and analysis as you plan efforts to reach the six major consumer generations in the US. To learn more about the various generations and understand where you might need to tweak your website and content to attract more visitors and improve customer engagement, check out the graphic.

From the Federal Trade Commission : “Free” and “risk-free” trials come with hidden charges The Federal Trade Commission has charged a group of online marketers with deceptively luring consumers with “free” and “risk-free” trials for cooking gadgets, golf equipment, and access to related online subscription services. According to the FTC, the defendants asked people for their credit card information to cover shipping and handling, and then charged them for products and services without their consent. The FTC’s complaint alleges that Brian Bernheim, Joshua Bernheim, Jared Coates, Robert Koch AAFE Products Corp., JBE International LLC, BSDC Inc., KADC Inc., Purestrike Inc., and BNRI Corp., formerly known as Bernheim and Rice Inc., violated the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act. According to the complaint, the defendants’ websites, TV infomercials and email deceived consumers by prominently claiming that their products and services were free, without clearly d...

If you operate a “local business” (meaning one that gets most of its customers from your local area), don’t overlook the Internet as an important way to attract new customers and stay top of mind with existing customers or past customers. According to  Google research , having good online information gets more people to shop in brick-and-mortar stores and businesses. For local businesses, there are some specific steps to take to make sure that your business can be found by searchers in your geographical area.  Because after all, you want local shoppers.  So being found by local searchers is the name of the game for you -- not just Web visibility in general. HERE   a checklist of important steps to take for local SEO: