7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Harnessing the Power of Search Engines: Mastering the Complexities of Pay per Click and Optimization

Introduction: Search engine marketing remains one of the most popular ways of driving online sales. But between pay-per-click search marketing and optimizing a web site's natural search engine results, web search marketing is a complex and ever-changing form of marketing with many brand new technical and operational developments that even experienced e-retailers must understand. In addition to these challenges, e-retailers must also recognize that the competitive landscape in search engines is rapidly changing, with different search engines attracting different loyal audiences.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will walk e-retailers through the complex maze of search marketing options and point to strategies that are designed to work for them. It will focus on:

• Understanding how the users of Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask and the other search engines differ from one another.
• Making sure that your search marketing spend is effective.
• 5 steps to identifying the right keywords—for paid and optimization programs.
• Trends in keyword prices—how to beat the high prices of keywords and still get listed high in the results.
• Using new bid management tools.
• Identifying and combating click fraud—how to tell if it's happening, what to do about it.
• Understanding how the effectiveness of search terms changes over time, what today's hot terms are—and what tomorrow's will be.
• How to identify the search marketing agency that's right for you.
• Managing the agency relationship.
• How to scale a program to improve ROI.
• Why yesterday's page optimization won't work today.
• The long tail of optimization—how today's strategies affect tomorrow's sales.

About the Instructors: Tom Tweedie has more than 20 years' experience in direct marketing and heads up e-commerce initiatives and customer acquisition programs for Day Timers Inc., a unit of the $2 billion office supplies company ACCO Brands. Cory Nielsen, Internet marketing manager at Woodwind & Brasswind, has an extensive background in search marketing and is responsible for pay-per-click and page optimization search marketing at Woodwind & Brasswind. Rahmon Coupe, president & CEO of Your Amigo, heads up a leading search engine marketing company that includes dozens of leading retailers as its clients.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m.

10:45 a.m - 12:15 p.m.

E-mail Marketing: Being Persuasive, Not Offensive

Introduction: In spite of all the bad press a few years ago, e-mail remains one of the tried-and-true methods of effectively driving retail web sales. But e-mail marketing has evolved over the years, influenced by consumer outrage over spam and increasing resistance to the ever-expanding stream of legitimate, business-oriented e-mail that also fills up consumer mailboxes. For e-mail campaigns to remain effective, retailers must stay up to date on the latest techniques and tactics to skirt this resistance and influence—rather than upset—potential buyers. Today's e-mail marketing efforts focus on engagement and retention—enticing customers to open their e-mail, act on the contents and bypass the unsubscribe button.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will help retailers:

• Personalize their e-mails beyond the salutation line.
• Segment their customer e-mail lists by their web buying behavior, e-mail open rates and purchases (conversation rates) from previous e-mail marketing efforts.
• Gain a deeper understanding of how frequency of e-mailing affects response.
• Learn how to use transactional e-mail messages to cross-sell and upsell.
• Keep e-mail lists current and grow lists without alienating customers.
• Learn which web site offers work best to induce customers to sign up for e-mail.
• Understand what certified e-mail is and how to make it work for you.
• Implement event-triggered e-mail marketing that is more customer friendly.
• Integrate e-mail with web site analytics to improve message targeting.

About the Instructors: Ryan Hofmann, email marketing manager of Overstock.com, has crafted an e-mail marketing program that not only calls shoppers to immediate actions but solidifies the company's relationship with customers by alerting them to upcoming specials; Mike Hilts, president & general manager of YesMail, directs one of the oldest e-mail marketing agencies and brings to the conference his company's experiences with hundreds of retail customers. Vicki Updike, who oversees web initiatives at cataloger Miles Kimball, has extensive experience in using e-mail to acquire and retain customers.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.

Affiliate Networks: The New Muscle in Web Marketing

Introduction: The affiliate marketing landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. Affiliates once were sites that wanted to pick up a little extra cash by posting a link to a retail site and hoping their visitors would click on it and buy something. Now the affiliates themselves have become big-time shopping sites with loyal, repeat customers. Furthermore, because they engage in online marketing themselves, affiliates have proven to be fertile ground for e-retailers to find new Internet shoppers to add to their loyal customer base. As a result of these trends, affiliate networking is emerging as a new powerhouse in retail web site marketing.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will examine the new realities of the affiliate marketing world and will help retailers:

• Identify and reward best affiliates.
• Devise strategies for developing affiliate relationships.
• Balance quantity with quality.
• Deal with spyware that some affiliates employ.
• Make sure the affiliates are engaging in legitimate marketing tactics.
• Sort through the issue of what terms, including the retailer's brand, affiliates should be allowed to bid on in search engine marketing.

About the Instructors: Gordon Magee, director of Internet marketing and analysis for Drs. Foster & Smith, is an experienced practitioner of marketing for online sales. He recently launched an affiliate program that involved reviewing all the major affiliate providers as well as hundreds of applicants from affiliate sites. Adam Silverman, director of e-commerce at The Wet Seal Inc., has created a carefully crafted program of affiliates that were screened to make sure they suited The Wet Seal's image. Stuart Frankel is president of Performics. Having worked with more than 300 affiliate marketing clients, Stuart brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this workshop.

2:45 - 3:00 p.m.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

New Age Marketing Tools: Is Today's Hype Tomorrow's Help?

Introduction: As if dealing with the complexities of search engine, affiliate and e-mail marketing were not enough, the Internet has given rise to all kinds of new age marketing tools, every one of them hailed by its touts as the latest must-do tactic. But some are more successful than others, all have their specific applications and all have their benefits and drawbacks. For e-retailers who are more merchants than technical whiz kids, it is a daunting task to cut through all the hype regarding RSS, blogs, podcasts, viral marketing, social networking and other forms of new age marketing to discover their real potential for generating e-retailing sales.

Workshop Content: The last session of this year's marketing workshop will walk retailers through all of these newest forms of online marketing and help them understand:

• Which new marketing methods they should invest in and why.
• Which products and types of retailers get the most out of which kind of new age marketing tool.
• Which are must-haves right now and which can safely be ignored until the technology is more developed or more proven.
• What types of consumers respond best to what new marketing formats.
• What types of consumers are turned off by new age marketing.

About the Instructors: Pinny Gniwisch will discuss Ice.com's use of blogs and how the blogs have not only helped sales directly but also allowed Ice to appear higher up in search engine results. Boris Wertz will discuss Abebooks' acquisition of the LibraryThing.com social network, the challenges of operating it and the benefits that Abebooks has derived. Jeremy Lockhorn, who monitors the market for online companies' new forms of marketing, will talk about new marketing that he sees coming and will discuss the effectiveness of some of the new approaches that marketers are engaging in today.

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Champagne Welcome Reception (Exhibit Hall)

7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Beyond Credit Cards: E-Checks, PayPal, Google Checkout & Much More

Introduction: Some e-retailers have long been looking for additional payment options and since the dawn of the Internet era, vendors have been willing to offer them. So far, however, most online payments are straightforward credit card transactions. But there are many new offerings in the market now that promise to change the way that retailers and consumers alike think about how to pay for goods purchased online. Retailers who have adopted some of these alternatives report they attract new customers and increase average ticket. But some of the new methods are easier to implement than others, meaning that there could be hidden costs in employing them.

Workshop Content: This workshop will:

• Examine alternative forms of payment, including Google checkout, PayPal, ACH debits, cash and non-card credit.
• Assess the strengths, weaknesses and risks of each option.
• Help retailers understand which new forms of e-payments are really worth while to implement and which may be better left in the box.
• Discuss the technology requirements for making the option available to shoppers.
• Detail the staffing and training issues that come with accepting new kinds of payment.
• Discuss how to market each application to attract new customers or to entice current customers to spend more.

About the Instructors: Kelly Day, senior vice president, Discovery Interactive, heads up the e-commerce operations for the Discovery Channel, an online and chain retailer as well as cable TV Network. Her responsibilities include constantly reviewing online payment alternatives. Alicia Berry, director of operations for pure-play online retailer DVD Empire, has added alternative payment options to DVDEmpire.com. She will discuss the challenges to making them work—and the benefits of accepting them. Jay DeWitt, partner, Glenbrook Partners, is a leading payment consultant who has advised numerous clients on the pros and cons of payment types.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m.

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Getting a Better Deal: Negotiating Lower Discount Fees

Introduction: One of e-retailers' favorite pastimes is complaining about the high cost of accepting cards for online payment. But as online retailing has become more mainstream and more bank card transaction acquirers are competing for web merchant business, processors have become willing to negotiate acceptance fees. Retailers who demonstrate a clean record with few chargebacks and no fraud, understand the fine print of contracts, develop specific requirements and shop around can negotiate substantial savings with their card processors. The bottom line is a fatter bottom line.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will detail:

• Which discount fees are negotiable and how to negotiate to get them.
• How to find information that can be used as leverage in negotiating with card processors.
• What kind of savings to expect.
• What else e-retailers can do to reduce the cost of card acceptance, such as preventing chargebacks.

About the Instructors: Derek Kleinow, CEO of electronics retailer TigerGPS.com, found that as his company grew, payment companies were open to negotiating rates and fees. In the process, he has learned a lot about how to craft deals with payment providers. Steve Mott, principal, BetterBuyDesign, is a payment systems consultant who has advised clients on finding better deals. Greg Worch, senior vice president, national accounts, Chase Paymentech, is a senior executive with a payments processor. He will tell attendees what the payment companies look for when retailers come seeking a better deal.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.

Complying with the New Card Company Security Rules

Introduction: Several recent high-profile compromises of customer credit card data have shaken the retailing and payments world and underscored the necessity of protecting such data. While MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover all have requirements about the storage of customer card data—what can be stored, how it can be stored and who is responsible for data breaches—enforcement has been on a spot basis until now. But the card companies are promising to step up their enforcement, meaning that non-compliant retailers could lose their credit card status, lifeblood of an online retailer.

Workshop Content: This workshop will:

• Lay out in detail the credit card company mandates for securing online payment data.
• Explain what e-retailers must do to meet the mandates and the penalties for not doing so.
• Help retailers identify potential vulnerabilities in their systems and web sites and how to fix them.
• Address the specific questions that retailers should ask payment processors to make sure their processors are in compliance with security rules.

About the Instructors: Scott Sweren, national practice manager, Fortrex Technologies Inc., is a payments data security expert who will walk attendees through what they need to know to comply with the card company standards. Dave Glaser is vice president, professional services with CyberSource, a major provider of payment services. He will tell retailers how to know if their processor is providing the required level of security. TBA.

2:45 - 3:00 p.m.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Web Security: Identifying and Avoiding the Scam Artists

Introduction: The fraud game is a never-ending upping of the stakes. As soon as one fraud is tamped down another pops up. Often it's an old one in a new guise that gets around the safeguards that e-retailers and fraud fighters had put into place to protect themselves from the first version of the scam. For example: one of the biggest online frauds right now is the old re-shipping scam, in which a criminal orders merchandise with a stolen credit card, has the goods shipped to an unsuspecting accomplice who then re-ships the goods out of the country. The latest twist is that criminals have found a way to get more legitimate pieces of information related to the credit card than they ever did before. Worse still, the online bandits are recruiting unsuspecting accomplices on legitimate online job boards, promising high rewards for work at home.

Workshop Content: This session will focus on the latest web frauds and:

• Outline what telltale signs to look for to spot fraudulent transactions.
• Tell retailers what they can do to fight the ever-evolving scams.
• Discuss what retailers need to know from policy, procedures and management perspectives to protect themselves.
• Talk about how to make sure senior-level executives are on board.
• Detail how to invest in fraud protection without overprotecting.
• Discuss the latest technology and how to implement it.

About the Instructors: Timothy Laudenbach is an expert in online credit risk and will discuss how companies can identify and then prevent fraud. Julie Fergerson, director, Merchants Risk Council, vice president, emerging technologies, Debix Inc., is a leading risk expert who will tell retailers about the latest scams and how to avoid them.

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Champagne Welcome Reception (Exhibit Hall)

7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

The Latest Concepts in Retail Site Design

Introduction: Web site design seems to exemplify the notion of "Internet years." Design changes so fast that web sites require constant refreshing to keep up. After a decade of online retailing, however, certain fundamentals of good web store designs have emerged. These are constantly being modified and enhanced as cutting-edge e-retailers continue to test and prove the innovative designs that increase sales. Home pages, for example, are becoming a hybrid of beauty shots and calls to action; such designs must entice the customer to move deeper into the site, but also must offer the customer the immediate opportunity to buy. Furthermore, no longer do online shoppers take the time to click here and there to learn more about the product; product pages must be a combination of romance and action, with the focus on the buying opportunity. While it sounds intuitive, striking the right balance is a challenge and takes much design testing to get right.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will feature actual before-and-after examples of retail web sites that have undergone major redesigns, highlighting why the site needed renovation and reviewing the positive results achieved by the design improvements. Our speakers will explain the latest design elements of retail web design and help retailers understand the basics of good design, including understanding how much is too much, what should go where and which bells and whistles sites should employ—and avoid. Our speakers feature two design experts who have worked with retailers in creating the right design. They will discuss not only design concepts, but also how to make sure that outside designers and inside managers are working toward the same goal, the technology needs to make sure designs can be executed properly and the complex relationship between marketing and site design. They will be joined by an executive of a leading retail chain who will discuss his first-hand experience in redesigning and revamping what was already a successful web site.

About the Instructors: Harold Ferrari recently presided over the successful redesign of InterstateBatteries.com. Howard Kaplan, vice president of marketing, Future Now, is a leading expert on web site design. He has helped dozens of online retailers create successful web sites. Neil Clemmons leads the strategy and planning at Critical Mass, providing executive level leadership to clients and internal teams on issues of design and usability.

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Making Rich Media A Rich Source of Sales

Introduction: With the use of rich media, a web site can efficiently provide so much more information—and so many more interesting customer experiences—than can ever be conveyed in print. As a result, many web site developers load up the site with all the content they can get their hands on. But there are costs—both hidden and obvious—to overloading a site with flashy media content. The key is to add rich media content that invites shoppers to the site, encourages them to buy and creates customer loyalty that brings them back. Adding the wrong rich content or too much content can create confusion or, worse, turn off web shoppers altogether. Knowing where to draw the content line is crucial to developing site designs that sell.

Workshop Content: This workshop session will help retailers understand the kinds of rich media content that creates buyers at web sites. Our first speaker, usability expert Jeff Schueler, will report the results of an exclusive study that he conducted for this conference on which kinds of rich media are the most influential to buyers. He will include detailed reporting on how consumers use rich media, how the rich media performed in real-world settings and what strengths should be exploited and weaknesses beefed up. Jeff will be joined by Craig Horsley, site operations manager at J.C. Penney, who will discuss the challenges and benefits of employing rich media at JCP.com. and how customers use it, and by Tari Huddleston who will discuss how The Home Depot uses rich media; how the applications are a driver to higher conversion of customers; which rich media (demos, interactive catalogs, video, showrooms) perform best; and tactics and considerations in deploying rich media.

About the Instructors: Jeff Schueler is president of Usability Sciences Corp., a leading consulting and research company that has helped many leading brands create web sites where the disparate elements all work together. Craig Horsley, web site operations manager, JC Penney, is in charge of smooth execution of the rich media offerings at JCP.com. Tari Huddleston manages HomeDepot.com’s implementation of rich media, which includes extensive product and how-to videos.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.

Site Usability: Better Navigation Keeps E-Shoppers On Board

Introduction: Retail web sites are very complex systems and the task of assessing their usability from the shopper's perspective can be equally complex. The flaws in a site are not always obvious to developers or to company insiders who may be so involved in web site design and operations that they simple do not see what the real world shopper experiences when using the site. Retailers have adopted a number of ways to identify and fix such usability problems to make web sites work for the primary constituent—the customer.

Workshop Content: This session will reveal the lessons of those who have studied the usability of their web sites and acted on that information. Our first speaker's company has conducted usability audits for dozens of well known brands, including Best Buy, Borders, JC Penney, Lands' End, Harley-Davidson, Hotwire, Eastern Mountain Sports, Tower Records, American Girl, and Bluefly. She will discuss the more than 2,000 variables that her audit process uses to identify potential web site problems. Our second speaker, from manufacturer Hewlett-Packard, will discuss how her company assesses its web site's usability and navigability to increase conversion rates. Our final speaker will outline the steps his company undertook to ensure that a new site design represented forward movement in usability. Our speakers will also address how to make sure that product display technology does not interfere with site performance.

About the Instructors: Patricia Graca will discuss the ways that HP monitors its web site use to make sure that customers are finding their way through the extensive content to what they want. Jennifer Bailey is principal of Red Spade Inc., a company that specializes in web site usability audits and has applied its proven audit methodology for web site operations to dozens of retail web sites. Bill Cronin was a consultant when he helped develop Vermont Teddy Bear’s web site and, as a result, was able to bring a broad perspective to the navigation issues that retail web sites face. He joined Vermont Teddy Bear in 2005.

2:45 - 3:00 p.m.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Search & Destroy: Removing Obstacles to Site Effectiveness

Introduction: If you think there's not much room for improvement in retail web sites, think again. A recent study showed that 89% of consumers have experienced a failure of some sort when accessing a web site and 34% of those switched to a competitor as a result. The reasons for such failures are numerous, including browser incompatibility, consumer-controlled browser settings that disable site functions (cookie rejection, image blocking, etc.) and disrupted access. In most cases, the e-retailer doesn't even know that a failure occurred and so is not only unaware that there was a problem but has no idea of how to fix it. In addition, consumers are finding very different experiences when they access a web site through one browser, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer, vs. another, Mozilla's FireFox, for instance.

Workshop Content: This session will provide detail as to the various ways that consumers fail to gain access to a retail web site and what e-retailers can do about it. Our first speaker has consulted with numerous retailers about how to make their sites more accessible. He will talk about how to analyze whether consumers are able to access your site and how to make sure that the door is open to all comers. Our two retailer speakers will discuss the measures they undertook to make sure that their sites were easily accessible to shoppers with all sets of Internet skills and access devices.

About the Instructors: Richard T. Litofsky, president and CEO of cyScape Inc., has helped dozes of leading marketers identify and remove the obstacles to web site navigability and successful operation. Tim Wolfe heads up Foot Locker’s efforts to ensure that the web site is available to all shoppers at all times.