For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Hunter Douglas Europe Grows Via Distributed Content Management Platform

ChannelNet Solution Improves Network Of Web Sites For Local Dealers

by Chad Mitchell, November 16, 2009

Hunter Douglas, a leading manufacturer of window coverings and architectural products, distributes its products through thousands of local dealers. Hunter Douglas saw an expanding online consumer retail market in Europe and wanted to use eBusiness to . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

To Invest Wisely, Know The Business Value Of Diverse CRM Solutions

by William Band, September 30, 2009

To help customer relationship management (CRM) professionals make smart decisions and navigate the complex CRM technology landscape, Forrester surveyed 286 companies. The goal was to determine the business value-add adjusted for uncertainty of 19 types . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The State Of Fraud In eBusiness

eBusiness Panelists Report That 0.6% Of Orders And Transactions Are Fraudulent

by Carrie Johnson, Elizabeth Davis, August 17, 2009

Forrester recently surveyed its eBusiness And Channel Strategy Professional Research Panel to gauge the current landscape of fraud in the online channel. Forty percent of our panelists have seen an increase in fraud incidents in the past 12 months and . . .

For CIOs

Retail CIOs: Prepare For Retail 2020

Well-Conceived Options For Game-Changing Technologies Will Catapult Your Perceived Value

by George Lawrie, August 10, 2009

Retail in Europe and North America is in the eye of a storm. Battered first by the fragmentation of traditional mass markets, then by the challenge of cross-channel interaction, and finally by a global recession and transfer of economic power to Asia, . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Keys To Successful eCommerce Platform Projects

Ten Key Tactics For eBusiness Leaders To Achieve Their eCommerce Business Goals

by Brian K. Walker, August 3, 2009

A solid technology foundation is one of the keys to success for eCommerce businesses looking to optimize their customer experiences, market effectively and creatively, and scale their business to make more meaningful contributions to their companies. . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Open Source eCommerce Solutions: Truths And Myths

Is Using An Open Source eCommerce Platform Solution Right For Your Business?

by Brian K. Walker, July 14, 2009

Open source eCommerce solutions are gaining the attention of eCommerce business and technology leaders, who are curious about their viability and applicability to their business needs. While open source offers many potential benefits, Forrester uncovered . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

TechRadar™ For BP&A Professionals: The Extended CRM Application Ecosystem, Q3 2009

Social Applications Stimulate Innovation But Sales, Order Management, And Service Hold The Keys To Your Revenue Engine

by William Band, July 9, 2009

Locking in customer loyalty through deeper engagement and differentiated experiences will continue to be critical priorities for organizations in all sectors in the decade ahead, but navigating the complex customer relationship management (CRM) technology . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The Future Of The eCommerce Platform

Dropping The "E" In eCommerce

by Brian K. Walker, May 18, 2009

eCommerce has come into its own as a key channel for both direct-to-consumer and business-to-business (B2B), and platform solutions to enable them have followed suit. But eCommerce continues to evolve quickly. With the channel increasingly being at the . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Market Overview: Digital eCommerce Solutions

The Landscape Of Digital eCommerce Solutions Continues To Evolve

by Brian K. Walker, May 5, 2009

Digital products have become a ubiquitous part of the modern lifestyle as consumers buy and download software and digital media of all types to consume — on their PCs, mobile phones, handheld devices, and increasingly on their TVs. To meet this demand . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Security And Data Management: What The Global eCommerce Leader Needs To Know

An Ever-Increasing Set Of Regulations And Standards Drives Complexity

by Brian K. Walker, April 23, 2009

Security and data compliance are issues that can be easily ignored in the face of the next product launch or marketing campaign. But global eCommerce leaders need to take control of these issues and marshal their resources, including vendors, to ensure . . .

For Marketing Leadership Professionals

Can The eCommerce Platform Do It All?

Direct Marketers Will Find That Some Tools Are Missing

by John Lovett, March 9, 2009

Forrester Research recently reviewed B2C eCommerce platforms on their current offerings, strategy, and market presence. This research reveals that eCommerce offerings have progressed in strength and capabilities, leaving in-house development as an unflattering . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Global Web Site Spending: Benchmarking Spending On International Offerings

by Zia Daniell Wigder, February 12, 2009

Despite the belt-tightening taking place at many businesses, the majority of companies do not plan to curtail spending on global Web initiatives in 2009. A survey of 250 Web site decision-makers revealed that almost two-thirds operate international versions . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: B2C eCommerce Platforms, Q1 2009

ATG And IBM Lead, With Fry, Hybris, And Demandware Close Behind

by Brian K. Walker, January 27, 2009

In Forrester's 100-criteria evaluation of the top 10 enterprise-class eCommerce platform vendors, we found that Art Technology Group (ATG) and IBM led the pack with their comprehensive eCommerce features, effective business tools, and flexibility. Fry . . .

For Customer Experience Professionals

Improve Online Check-Out Functionality

by Marta Baigorri, December 22, 2008

Cart abandonment remains a huge source of lost revenue for eCommerce companies. Users struggle with poor site error handling, cluttered pages, excessive information requests, poor process flows, and unclear language. To successfully improve check-out . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Order Management Hubs, Q4 2008

Sterling Commerce, Oracle, SAP, and Epicor Emerge As Leading Solutions That Support The Delivery Of A Perfect Order

by R "Ray" Wang, November 14, 2008

In the second update to the industry's only process-focused order management assessment of its kind, Forrester evaluated eight leading order management solutions in a 152-criteria evaluation. We found that Sterling Commerce and Oracle E-Business Suite . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The Impact Of The Economic Crisis On eCommerce Technology Investment

Turning Down The Volume From Eleven To Eight

by Brian K. Walker, November 7, 2008

The global financial crisis and resultant impact on consumers and business has been profound. But how is the crisis affecting companies' plans to invest in the eCommerce channel? How will the economic shift affect eCommerce technology vendors? Forrester . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Market Overview: Full-Service eCommerce Solutions

The Landscape Of Full-Service eCommerce Solutions Continues To Evolve

by Brian K. Walker, October 31, 2008

Full-service eCommerce solution providers represent an intriguing opportunity for companies faced with a lack of resources, competencies, and capabilities to do eCommerce well. Forrester advises that companies evaluate their specific needs and, in addition . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How To Pitch eCommerce Replatforming

Preparing And Selling Your eCommerce Platform Overhaul Project

by Brian K. Walker, September 29, 2008

For many organizations, the decision to invest in a new eCommerce platform is largely emotional. Often, during the decision-making process, the pre-game favorite is given preferential treatment, risks are downplayed, and the benefits of the new reality . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Recommendation Technologies

Analyzing Recognition, Relevance, and Returns

by John Lovett, September 15, 2008

Customer-behavior data are rapidly amassing for online retailers in both volume and valuable insights. Site operators are seeking methods to glean knowledge from the data to provide the right products to the right customers at the right time.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

B2B eCommerce Shows Signs Of Hope And Dismay

Don't Let Fragmented Strategies And Overconfidence Stall Your B2B Engine

by Pete Marston, August 15, 2008

When Forrester polled a panel of 33 business and IT decision-makers to rate their B2B eCommerce capabilities, we found that their feelings were mixed. Ten of the respondents rated their competencies "very good or outstanding," while another 10 viewed . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The State Of Retailing Online 2008: Merchandising And Web Optimization Report

by Sucharita Mulpuru, August 15, 2008

This report summarizes the merchandising and Web optimization findings from the 11th annual fielding of "The State of Retailing Online," a Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research. In this study, retailers reported that the top investment priorities . . .

For Technology Sales Enablement Professionals

Industry Essential: Global Retail Industry

eCommerce Revitalization And "Legacy Lifelines" Dominate Retailers' IT Plans Around The Globe

by George Lawrie, August 13, 2008

IT spending and interest in new initiatives follows the sun, with optimism waning from Asia Pacific to Europe and then to North America. But retailers across the globe share many priorities — notably, common interest in prolonging the life of legacy apps . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Retail Interactive Marketing Spend Grows Steadily

by Shar VanBoskirk, August 1, 2008

Retail marketers are responsible for more than one-third of all interactive marketing spend: an expected $8.2 billion by year end 2008. As veterans in the interactive space, retailers will grow IM investments at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Retail Multichannel IT Road Map

How Can Retail IT Support Multichannel Trading Without Ripping And Replacing Everything?

by George Lawrie, July 7, 2008

While many retailers still trade via isolated channels, sometimes even referring to the online channel as "store 999," consumers demand a complete shopping experience across channels that includes interactions such as researching or reserving merchandise . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Maximizing eCommerce Content To Drive Sales

The Weak Muscle Of eCommerce Technologies And The Need To Improve

by Brian K. Walker, May 5, 2008

Rich and accurate product information is critical when it comes to selling online today — yet most eBusiness leaders at online retailers struggle with managing even the most basic content successfully. Inefficient and poorly supported homegrown tools . . .