IKitchen.com cooks up 28% web sales growth

Web-only retailer iKitchen.com reports 28% sales growth for the first quarter of 2007, to about $2.33 million. Better Internet platform and e-mail marketing technology contributed to the upswing, David Balas, president and CEO, tells Internet Retailer.

IKitchen.com, No. 472 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, continues a growth trend from 2006. The company reported sales of $7.3 million for 2006, up 12.3% from 2005.

Internet platform and e-mail marketing technology contributed to the Q1 sales increase, Balas says. IKitchen.com enlisted ClearSaleing Inc., an Internet marketing software and services vendor, to provide “personalized Internet marketing solutions for our company, which allow us to profitably manage our marketing campaigns,” he says.

IKitchen.com also linked with e-mail marketing services vendor GOT Corp., Balas says, to create “an inexpensive way to regularly reach out with specials and promotions to existing and potential customers. E-mail marketing was the ideal medium to enable iKitchen.com to reach a large audience, respond quickly to customers’ interests and showcase new and existing products.”

E-mail marketing enabled iKitchen.com to build customer loyalty, gain new customers and book increased revenue, Balas adds.

IKitchen.com also has been working with UPS technology personnel to improve on its shipping processes, essentially enabling a small retailer to perform like a large one. Michael L. Eskew, UPS’ CEO, recently visited iKitchen.com to view the e-retailer’s technology tools, Balas says.