IRCE 2009 Session Descriptions

Listed below is the individual session description. To view a speakers' bio simply click the links inside the session description.

Day One—June 15, 2009: Small Retailers' Survival Guide Workshop

Web Site Design, Navigation & Usability: A Small Retailers' Survival Guide
As retailing remains in a challenging economic environment, the competition for online customers will be fierce. One way to ensure that you get your share of online shoppers is by creating a compelling shopping experience. The stakes will be even higher for small retailers who will find themselves facing large chains and established online retailers with the resources, even in a less-than-ideal economy, to invest in attracting and retaining customers. This day-long workshop will feature expert and retailers who will address specifically how smaller retailers can create sites that will allow them to compete with the biggest.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Optimizing a site for Internet search engine results—without breaking the bank

Ross Lasley, Chief Geek, The Internet Educator

Danielle Leitch, Executive Vice President, Client Strategy, MoreVisibility

Dan Seligson, Senior Vice President, Direct, PartStore.com

Site design is inextricably linked to search engine optimization, which creates sites that Internet search engines can easily find and index. How the two work together is a delicate balancing act. Designed only for shoppers, a site might not show up well in search engines. But designed primarily for search results, a site will be difficult for consumers to navigate. Some companies charge tens of thousands of dollars a month to optimize and maintain a web site—a price that is beyond the budget of many small retailers. This session will lay out low-cost ways that a retailer can meet both needs of a site design.