Wholesale News & Articles

INDEPENDENT RETAILER magazine is now the official news outlet for Wholesale Central visitors. Each monthly issue is packed with new product ideas, supplier profiles, retailing news, and business strategies to help you succeed.

See new articles daily online at IndependentRetailer.com.

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Your Search for "merchants" yielded 197 matches

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04/01/2013 - Order Fulfillment
In a retail environment where customer loyalty is increasingly rare and customer expectations are higher than ever, MERCHANTS should be constantly searching for ways to improve the way they do business. For a retailer or wholesaler who sells online, the struggle to provide excellent value and an ideal customer experience without a physical presence can be difficult. The key to a successful ecommerce channel ultimately hinges on one important area-the warehouse.

04/01/2013 - Guide to Product Listing Ads
Google Product Listing Ads are a type of advertising that follows the pay-per-click (PPC) model. This kind of promotion, however, presents a greater opportunity than a typical text-only ad, which was long the cornerstone of PPC advertising. With Product Listing Ads, businesses can include rich product details, including MERCHANT name, product images, product name, price and message

03/01/2013 - Increasing Sales with CRM
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a top priority for many e-tailers this year, as customer expectations regarding the online experience are at an all time high. In order to contend in the ecommerce arena, some e-tailers are turning to service providers to gain an edge on the competition. Below is an overview of four providers and the products and services they offer to support online sellers.

03/01/2013 - Google Feeds Your Appetite for Success
When it comes to the recipe for Internet sales success, brand and product exposure are key ingredients, and organic search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click (PPC) are just two ways of gaining publicity. A third, often overlooked, option for product awareness is the use of shopping comparison sites, such as Google Shopping, which is fed through the Google MERCHANT Center.

03/01/2013 - ASIA AMERICA - Where Smart International Buyers Go in Miami
The Miami wholesale ASIA AMERICA trade show, now in its fourth year, is being held October 1-3, 2013, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The trade show has made history by becoming the "show to go to" for Caribbean, Central and South America buyers as well as for over 6,000 exporters and importers in the Miami area. More than 8,000 buyers who attended the 2012 show have done more than $50 million in business, according to exhibitors' estimates.

03/01/2013 - A Message from the CEO
This year marks our 25th anniversary serving the wholesale and retail merchandise industry, and I want to thank you for choosing us to help you grow your business. It is an honor to bring you the news, business insights and, most importantly, new product information you need to succeed. Throughout the years, our motto has been to under promise and over deliver, and we are dedicated to connecting reputable wholesalers with the most active buying audience across all venues.

02/01/2013 - mCommerce: Adapt or Die
Shoppers are quickly moving to mobile commerce, or mcommerce, with more than 50 percent of U.S. consumers saying they plan to use smartphones or tablets to make purchases over the Internet, according to research giant Nielsen. In addition, research firm Canalys notes that, in 2011, for the first time ever, shipments of smartphones (487.7 million) exceeded shipments of personal computers (414.6 million).

01/16/2013 - GoliathFalls.com Launches, Supercharges the Buy Local Movement
New site is dedicated to promoting locally owned independent businesses nationwide.

01/01/2013 - Mobile Sales Drive Profits
Mobile payment apps are fast becoming a popular mode for web wholesalers and online retailers to generate more sales at offline venues, such as tradeshows and conventions. Various mobile payment platforms enable MERCHANTS to accept PayPal, cash, credit cards, invoice or checks, wherever they are, on the phone they already carry.

01/01/2013 - Fight Online Fraud
Nine out of ten online MERCHANTS may be vulnerable to credit card fraud, according to a survey by SignatureLink, an online security firm, and payment industry communicator CardNotPresent.com. The survey found that only ten percent of websites surveyed require shoppers to accept the terms and conditions of payment to the site via e-signature, vocal consent or a physical signature. Agreement to site terms and conditions along with data breaches are areas of focus for ecommerce businesses that process payments online.

12/01/2012 - eCommerce Musts for SEO Success
Online MERCHANTS who are serious about success must have a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. In order for any ecommerce strategy to have SEO legs, there are important points to consider when picking your shopping cart platform. Optimizing your ecommerce site will help improve your search rankings on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Below are some features that your ecommerce software must provide for you to effectively sell your products online.

10/01/2012 - Sterling Reduces B2B Credit Card Processing Fees
Sterling Buying Group (SBG) has been around for more than six years, spearheaded by credit card processing industry veterans Howard Cooper and Kevin Schifrin, who have grown the company in excess of 40 percent annually. To Cooper, running the business is not just about getting clients in the door, it is about taking care of those clients and making sure that customer service is consistently at the forefront of every client interaction.

09/01/2012 - Ecommerce Essentials to Grow Your Business
Efficient ecommerce platforms are a vital part of Internet wholesalers' and retailers' businesses. They provide a variety of tools that automate web based sales, such as creation and maintenance of product catalogs, shopping cart services, payment processing and order tracking.

09/01/2012 - Sterling Helps Reduce Costs
Sterling Buying Group has been around for more than six years, spearheaded by credit card processing industry veterans who have grown the company in excess of 20 to 40 percent annually. To managing partner Howard Cooper, running the business is not just about getting clients in the door, it is taking care of those clients and making sure that customer service is consistently at the forefront of every client interaction.

08/01/2012 - Google Search Goes Shopping
Starting this fall, just when the retail holiday shopping season is in full swing, Google will do away with its free Product Search platform in a move to a paid format called Google Shopping.

08/01/2012 - Mobile Online Transactions
Online shopping cart abandonment rates are sky high, topping 70 percent according to some studies, and incomplete sales can be a problem for today's online retailers.

07/01/2012 - There's an App for That
Mobility changed communication. Freedom from wires and landlines, freedom from cables, cords and tangles has spread like wildfire in a culture that prizes speed and efficiency. The demand for mobility has affected the way we live and, in turn, the way customers shop. Text-ready thumbs are now interested in making purchases, placing orders online via cell phones and tablets.

07/01/2012 - The Right Renovations at Accessories Palace
Accessories Palace Inc. has offered many stellar fashion wholesale products for over a decade, enabling independent retailers to acquire stylish items and sell to customers hoping to reinvent their look.

07/01/2012 - Social Gifting Trend
The Official MERCHANT Services Blog keeps its finger on the pulse of ecommerce, and recognizes the latest hot trends by staying ahead of the technology curve. Trending now is Social Gifting, the activity where consumers on social media channels like Facebook can individually, or in groups, purchase gifts for friends.

07/01/2012 - Marketers React to Google Changes
Google recently upended the ecommerce marketing world with the announcement of upcoming changes to what will now be called Google Shopping. Many retailers and marketers we spoke with are positive about the switch. One might think taking a product from free to paid would cause an outcry, but for many it is an answer to long time concerns about control.

06/01/2012 - The Live Chat Choice
The face-to-face service of brick and mortars has been replaced by an overwhelming favoritism towards digital convenience offered by ecommerce sites.

06/01/2012 - Conversion Funnels for Web Profits
Conversion funnels help website owners understand the online behavior of visitors during a conversion process.

05/01/2012 - Web-Only Retailers See Growth
Digital shopping channels are undeniably a growing trend among bargain hunters, special occasion shoppers and even shoppers looking for everyday merchandise.

04/01/2012 - Online Payment Trends
Online Payment Processing is an ever-changing industry.

04/01/2012 - Global Imports Offers Wholesale Bargains
Global Imports, Inc., selling online at Hunnt.com, is a wholesale and closeout company that provides high quality goods at low prices.

02/01/2012 - Google Takes On Amazon
After seeing Amazon increase its sales 42 percent in the first nine months of 2011, Google is looking to launch a service that will allow the search engine giant to act as a middle man between shoppers and a local seller.

02/01/2012 - Abandonment Update
A new study by SeeWhy's Conversion Academy declares that despite most companies' fears of cart abandonment, for many customers it is, an important part of the normal buying cycle, and not a rejection of the company or the store.

01/01/2012 - Mother's Day Gifts
Every mother is different. Some moms love cute, sentimental gifts, while others prefer more practical items.

12/01/2011 - Effective Email Marketing
It seems like many are ready to anoint marketing through social media the wave of the future, and relegate email marketing to a relic of a time gone by.

12/01/2011 - Google Trusted Store Program Revealed
Google has announced it will be rolling out a Trusted Store program, through which MERCHANTS with proven track records of reliable shipping and excellent customer service will be able to display the "Google Trusted Store" badge on their websites.

11/01/2011 - Profits & Pitfalls of Global eCommerce
The old adage, "Think global, act local," is increasingly obsolete.

11/01/2011 - Novelties & Souvenirs Forecast
Although the economy continues to be sluggish, innovative gift and novelty dealers are finding ways to engage shoppers and bring some fun to a marketplace that desperately needs a few smiles.

11/01/2011 - Bethel International markets college products
Bethel International, a wholesaler with a proven track record in the handbag business, found the need to change with fashion trends and the market.

11/01/2011 - Cart Abandonment?
A study revealed, shoppers frustration with the amount of shipping costs and a desire to comparison shop for a lower price.

11/01/2011 - More Buying at Lower Price Points
While more shoppers are buying online and total U.S. sales are up, the average sale per transaction continues to decrease.

10/01/2011 - Google Universe: Tools To Build Your Business
For any retailer seeking low cost tools to boost the bottom line, the first place to look is Google.

10/01/2011 - Wholesalers Find Profits By Expanding Sales
In this continually slow economy, shoppers are not flocking to department stores or high-end shops like they once did.

10/01/2011 - Web Tax Issues
Strapped state legislatures, hungry for new revenue, are looking to tax ecommerce sites such as Amazon.

10/01/2011 - Online Sales Rise
There is currently a need for brick and mortar sales in this economy, but there is some good news for ecommerce MERCHANTS.

09/01/2011 - Optimizing Search Results for Ecommerce
For many ecommerce MERCHANTS, customer traffic arrives primarily through search engines, including Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

09/01/2011 - Google + Ecommerce
Google+, the new social media and networking offer from search engine goliath Google, is offering Facebook its first real competition.

09/01/2011 - Online Sales Maintain Double Digits
Three recent reports say that online retail sales are on the rise. According to MasterCard, ecommerce sales rose 15.2 percent annually in June, the eighth straight month of double-digit growth.

08/01/2011 - Good Videos Can Boost Web Business
Would you watch a video of two dull people talking in a studio for 30 minutes?

08/01/2011 - Gift And Decor Wholesalers Adapt and Thrive
The gift and decor industry covers a wide range of merchandise, but some universal trends can be found when taking a closer look at the industry?s suppliers.

08/01/2011 - Facebook & eCommerce
With 700 million users worldwide and 150 million in the U.S. alone, Facebook is a platform of potential shoppers to many ecommerce innovators looking to make Facebook a part of online retail.

08/01/2011 - Investing In Web MERCHANTS
As the economy continues its slow recovery, venture capitalists, investors, and acquisition specialists are taking a new look at ecommerce companies.

08/01/2011 - Banner Ad Boom
Online advertising is enjoying a banner year, and that presents opportunities for ecommerce MERCHANTS, say tech writers and pundits.

07/01/2011 - New Payment Frontiers: Smart Phones
With smartphone use growing in America, the technology exists for anyone to process a credit card when it comes time to check out a customer.

07/01/2011 - Footwear Suppliers Basic Styles And Tropical Sandals Are Hot
From sandals on the Fourth of July to toe socks at Christmas, footwear and hosiery are always in season.

07/01/2011 - SEO Tips for Electronic Retailers
Search engine optimization goes beyond landing a top keyword, says Danielle Sharpe of PromotionWorld.com.