Press Release: 23 November 2005

Embracing eCommerce

eCommerce is part of everyday life for many, and is here to stay, but how can technology help streamline and secure the process for both retailers and consumers? This was the question answered by speakers at "Open All Hours - Trading in the Information Age" on 23 November 2005 as part of ict forum wales.

A presentation from IMRG, the industry body for eRetail, set the scene with statistics showing that eRetail continues to grow apace and a prediction at the market will be worth £60 billion by 2010.

Security is a big concern for many shoppers, but schemes including IMRG's "Internet Shopping is Safe" can provide confidence. Payment solutions were also discussed, with mention made of the standards being adopted by all retailers holding consumer payment information.

Sarah Richards of the Welsh Consumer Council followed with comprehensive research carried out to monitor consumer habits in Wales. Her presentation detailed the reasons why people shop online, citing convenience; and also why many do not with security concerns and a lack of understanding of consumer rights being highlighted. The good news is that Welsh consumers are growing in confidence, and the proliferation of broadband is now making it easier than ever for shoppers to get online.

Stephen Whittle of eCIC presented the business to business eCommerce message, and described trading relationships between local authorities and SMEs. With procurement now moving online, Whittle said that SMEs had a great opportunity to bid for some of the £3 billion public sector spending in Wales every year.

Jeremy Wyman of B&Q told delegates to think of eCommerce as "information broking", and expressed the importance of delivering information in a way that customers understand. He said that his shop floor retail experience meeting customers clutching an unknown widget and asking "Do you have one of these?" needs to be transferred online. It is no good referring to stock by number or code, but instead to use descriptions that customers actually understand, so that they can convert their "...one of these" into something they can easily find on a website.

Chris Barling of eCommerce solutions provider Actinic, urged delegates to think like a customer, saying "A website with no visitors is useless." He developed the point by describing many of the ways retailers could attract customers to their website - in thinking like a customer, the retailer should know which websites would feature among their favourites, which newsletters or newsgroups they subscribe to, and which traditional marketing tools should be used in conjunction with online. Barling also stressed the importance of the big 3 search engines, Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

Consumer confidence is key to making that sale, and Barling made several suggestions to reassure customers, including security measures, alternative payment options and customer endorsements. He also recommended listing best sellers and special offers on the home page to sell to customers the minute they arrive at the site.

Swansea Bay IT Support Centre offer eCommerce advice and support, and Martin Upton provided case studies for two clients that had successfully launched sites with their assistance. In presenting details about Get Yourself Noticed and Call of the Wild, Upton expressed the importance of measuring return on investment, and developing a strong brand to support the company.

A workshop from Chris Barling of Actinic had delegates discussing ideas that they considered important in eCommerce. Topics discussed including starting the process of developing an eCommerce site; attracting customers; safe transactions and the importance of customer care.

The event was supported by Swansea Bay IT Support Centre.

ict forum wales 2005 is organised by ITWales in collaboration with Swansea University and the University of Wales Bangor. The programme is supported by the Welsh Development Agency and part financed by the European Social Fund.

For further information and interviews please contact Sali Earls, ict forum wales press office, tel: 01792 513382, or email: info@itwales.com.

Useful Links:
ITWales - www.itwales.com
Welsh Development Agency - www.wda.co.uk
IMRG - www.imrg.org
Welsh Consumer Council - www.wales-consumer.org.uk
eCIC - www.ecommerce.ac.uk
B&Q - www.diy.com
Actinic - www.actinic.co.uk
Swansea Bay IT Support Centre - www.swanseabayit.net