Tag: Online retail
Retail Sales: Chase the right dollars
October 28, 2019Kamal Haddad
A. Short answer: it's a waste of money for most HME providers. Have you been told otherwise? It is probably from folks that sell marketing services. And, if you have tried it, it probably has not provided a good return on your investment.The reason I say it's a waste of money for most has to do with the hierarchy of what is more important and what is most relevant in establishing a foundation for an online retail sales strategy. Let's assume this question comes from a provider that already has a...
Oris acts as enforcer
April 24, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
Patrolling and enforcing prices online is an around-the-clock job, says Pam Springer, CEO of Oris Intelligence, a company that helps manufacturers enforce their minimum advertised pricing (MAP) programs.
That's why Oris' Prowl Software-as-a-Service tool monitors online sellers every three hours, every day.
“You have some sellers who try to play games after 5 p.m. or on weekends,” Springer said. “With Prowl, no one gets away with that.”
Why you never want to...
Online retail: Avoid feeling duped
March 27, 2017Kamal Haddad
A. The buzz around the HME industry is you must sell retail and you should have an online store so you can sell more items to your patients. While that may be mostly true, I do not think people in this industry are being completely honest with respect to e-commerce, including the investment that is required or the actual return on investment.Of course, companies that build e-commerce websites think you should have one. Their objective is to sell you what they offer. That is how THEY make money. But,...
Online retail: Create a 2017 checklist
January 30, 2017Kamal Haddad
A. A website is a must-have to market your business, draw new visitors and inform your customers. The bigger question is, “What objectives are you trying to achieve with your website?” It's the beginning of 2017 and a great time to honestly compare what you have with what you want. Here are three website features to consider:Does your website look good? Is it easy to navigate? How does it look on a tablet or smart phone? Does it properly communicate your brand? You have one chance...
Providers stay grounded in retail
January 20, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - The larger trends in retail may point to the cloud, but for HME providers, it's still all about bricks and mortar, according to a recent HME Newspoll.A large majority of respondents to the poll (71%) say they are focusing their retail efforts in-store, not online. That's because, according to a large majority of respondents (78%), their customers prefer to buy HME in-store.“Our elderly clients still want to touch the item before they buy it,” said Kevin Jones of Travis...