Archives: August 2011

There are clear pros and cons of selling on Amazon. The Harry Potter franchise of e-books has recognized this and will not be depending on Amazon. Author JK Rowling has teamed up with Sony to launch a direct outlet, called PotterMore.

If you’re in the ecommerce business, and have ambition, then perhaps like JK Rowling, you shouldn’t sell on Amazon. But if your ecommerce business is funding your lifestyle, and you have no great ambition to change the world, then Amazon could be an important channel for you. (…)

The shopping cart abandonment rate has increased to 75% in the first 6 months of 2011. The rate, which averaged 71% for 2010, measures the proportion of online shopping carts that are started, and then abandoned.

Normal seasonal trends have the rate decreasing in the first half of the year, declining further over the summer months, then spiking in anticipation of holiday promotions being rolled out.

Once the holiday promotions are widely available, the rate declines again as shoppers make their holiday purchases online in volume.

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