Two eRetail Analytics Success Stories:

The first eRetailer, Bath and Body Works, recently implemented a new analytics and tracking program into their website using LIVEmark technology and services by Coremetrics. LIVEmark basically collects data from more than 400 eRetail brands and is designed to shed light on the most important areas that an eCommerce store can enhance or make better. Bath and Body Works was able to track and identify several important areas across their site which need improvement including product page design, site search, navigation and landing pages.

The new implementation of Coremetrics analytics solution has helped Bath and Body Works increase 13% of visitors who reach a product page, a 31% increase in site search visitor conversions and the overall average order size increased ten-fold.

“The tools helped us identify key growth opportunities,” says Shannon Glass, director of Internet operations at Bath & Body Works.

The second eRetailer, C28.com, reports that their recent implementation of Web analytics has helped them to keep more shoppers on their pages for longer periods of time compared to past years. C28.com specializes in Christian themed clothing, apparel, shoes and other products for teens and young adults. Web analytics has helped C28 choose the best images that their shoppers hope to see upon entering and navigating their site.

C28 uses Google Analytics, a free Web based analytics and tracking software by Google. Through the use of Google Analytics, C28 was able to determine that some of their landing page images were causing a 25% abandonment rate on some products and over 30% increase in page abandonment on other items.

Since making the appropriate changes to their landing pages, images and replaced the ones that hindered performance, C28 has noticed an increase in the number of pages viewed per visitor. They credit being able to spot these issues with an analytics program and by implementing more user-generated content onto their products pages (user reviews and comments).

eCommerce Web Analytics & Adwords:

Besides being able to help you improve your page design, layouts and other factors that effect how visitors interact with a site, analytics tracking tools can also help eCommerce merchants to improve their ad spend and conversion rate from sponsored listing programs like Google AdWords.

One merchant, Golfballs.com, has recently found that by being able to properly analyze what happens when an AdWords referred visitor arrives on their site that they were able to double revenue generated from AdWords visitors. Golfballs.com uses an analytics tracking program by Omniture.

Golfballs.com indicated that by analyzing their visitors “bounce rate” that they were able to build better landing pages, make their pages more relevant and increased conversions by redesigning their checkout button appearance and placement.

If a page has a high bounce rate we see if the ad copy needs to be revised, if the landing page is right, that is if the data we’re providing on the page is relevant to what people are searching for, and, third, if we’re having a problem with the pricing of the item.

Warnings of Using Free Web Analytics:

So, we have determined that using Web analytics and tracking programs can help merchants improve conversions, increase ad revenue from sponsored listing programs and also improve the overall site design, layouts and appeal to visitors. The question to answer now is, which analytics programs should I use to track visitors on my site? The answer, try to get by with a free one to start with and once you become familiar with the processes then move onto or possibly consider a purchased analytics program like ClickTracks.

However, before you run out and subscribe to a free analytics and tracking program it is wise to know the risks and warning involved with using these free services or programs. Although many eRetailers currently use free analytics programs, it’s often times harder for users to get sufficient value from such tools due to lack of knowledge, help resources or training materials.

Web analytics is hard, and when companies aren’t fully invested in understanding what analytics data mean, they’re likely to make wrong decisions based on it. One person’s interpretation of data can give a thumb’s up or down to an entire project, but that person may not be getting the big picture and making decisions only on what he thinks is important.

The main thing to remember here is that if you are using a free analytics tool it is better to actually understand what the data you are looking at is telling you and how you can best use that data to improve the experience for your visitors. If you have an office manager running your tracking data, who doesn’t know what any of it means, you will most likely not be getting the most from the tool you are using.

Both free and paid analytics programs can be valuable to merchants. Just remember to learn how to use the one you choose and possibly try using different ones to find the best fit for your eRetail business. To learn more about the ins and outs of Web analytics visit Web Analytics Demystified Blog.

Company stats and quotes on Web analytics via Internet Retailer.