Buy a Web 2.0 dream for a steal!
For the price of a new Sentra, or 1-year's tuition at that fancy private school for your kids, you could get this and declare yourself a web 2.0 video share site-guy entrepreneur. You really can get ANYTHING on EBay, including, it appears, a life. Note to self: make video of me buying this web site and put it up on same. But wait! Paul Anzarotti has beaten us all to it. Congratulations, Paul.
Rich Internet Applications and Online Retailers
Jupiter Research, which provides unbiased research, analysis and advice, backed by proprietary data, to help companies profit from the impact of the Internet and emerging consumer technologies on their business, has issued its latest report on Rich Internet Applications and their impact on online retailers.
According to their latest findings based on a recent survey of shoppers, 56% cited multiple product pictures as most helpful when considering a purchase; 50% also reported they like product quick views; 46% reported utilizing color change and zoom ; and 26% cited 'recommendation' products or 'matching suggestions' helpful.
In short, visualization tools have become the most important part of a site's sales and conversion process. However, they conclude, not enough online retailers measure their site's metrics carefully in order to choose which RIAs are most effective for their customers. The analysts at Jupiter Research stress that in the coming months and years, online retailers take a proactive approach to introducing RIAs only after doing careful ROI and site metrics analysis. Furthermore, retailers should follow up the introduction of these tools with careful measurement of customers' use of these tools. The outcome would likely be a decrease in shopping cart or product page abandonment rates. Even the most successful retailers online, according to Jupiter Research surveys, report proactive and reactive analysis and strategy processes only about 50% of the time.
"Incorporating a system of proactive measurement, analysis, and strategic decision-making against specific goals for Web 2.0 appropriation will be essential to retailers' success."
The first Wii-site? Not quite.
This entire website is navigated without clicking. Hmm. Cool. But did I have a problem with clicking to begin with? Oh sure, I've had problems with jittery rollovers and broken links and drop-downs that don't drop down, and the usual mystery-meat navigation. But, perhaps, just maybe, it was inside the action of 'click' where I have always felt most safe, in control and certain about my choices. It was my un-vetoable vote about what I wanted next. In this system, like in an auction, if I leave my mouse on any part of the site for too long I'm swept away into someplace I wasn't intending.
At first try it's a little unsettling for this and other reasons. Try it and see what I mean. But don't give up until you've taken a tour of their 'sweep' functions. There's something worthy here, I just need time to figure out what that is. Regardless, it's what's new and being checked out around here.
Regardless, it's what's new and being checked out around here.