How to increase the return on CSE spending

Consumer shopping engines (CSE) are becoming much more integral to ecommerce but many etailers are still unsure how to ensure the best return on their spending. While nothing beats the tried and true "try it and adjust" philosophy, here are two ways to increase the ROI of CSE spending from the start.

by Kristina Knight

First, don't go it alone. Marketers can spend all day tracking down the metrics of a campaign. Instead of doing this yourself, consider using an analytics program, like Chanalytics from MerchantAdvantage, to offer technical support. Chanalytics regularly feeds the data merchants need as they need it; it can also process any technical issues that face the marketer before those issues become huge, time consuming matters. Managing the CSE channel from the beginning can free up time so that etailers can focus on selling more products.

Second, don't stop reviewing the information sent from feeds and the responses received directly from consumers. Consumers feelings can change in an instant. Most want a simple shopping experience, fast shipping and a good product; one misunderstanding because of a missed customer service email can derail the brand quickly. By reviewing how a campaign is doing from a metrics standpoint, marketers can see how consumers continue to respond to the products through the CSE interface. By reviewing customer contacts regularly, marketers can quickly note a problem and make adjustments. Was a product late in arrival? Did something happen to the product in-transit, are consumers complaining because of a problem with the shopping cart or ordering software?

In short, being prepared means tackling all of the information as soon as possible. Having an aggregator to feed relevant information will free etailing staff to deal with consumers which, in turn, will help build your brand.

Tags: comparison shopping engines, ecommerce, etail, MerchantAdvantage, online shopping