Back-to-School Retailers Get Education in Power of Social Media

TAMARAC, Fla., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As kids of all ages prepare for their return to school in a few short weeks, online retailers are already getting high marks for their use of social and mobile media to create community—and sales—via Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs, as well as smartphones and other channels.

Reaching consumers via these new forms of Internet access has proven to increase traffic and revenue for online sites of all kinds, and online stores selling back to school merchandise are no exception.  E-commerce providers, like 3DCart, are facilitating this trend by launching social media packages to help merchants easily explore social channels.  Such packages allow merchants to create and manage shopping opportunities directly from the store's Facebook page; they also let users write and publish blogs and Tweets featuring shopping links, post YouTube videos, and leverage iPhones and smartphones to facilitate store management.

Montessori for Everyone (www.montessoriforeveryone.com), which sells a full lineup of curriculum materials for Montessori and home schools, is one online retailer that has seen the power of social commerce.  Over 6,000 Facebook fans now follow Montessori for Everyone and its integrated Facebook store through its 3DCart-powered social interface.

"Our Facebook page has become one of my favorite places—a way to interact with existing customers and meet new people all at once.  By sharing a wide variety of helpful links, I can attract people to my Facebook page and then introduce them to my business," said Lori Bourne, owner of Montessori for Everyone.  "Using social media is double-edged; it appears simple but actually takes time and thought to do it well.  However, done correctly, social media is a tool that can have powerful results for small business owners," she added, saying that her blog allows customers to receive knowledge and inspiration from someone they trust.

"With over 500 million users, Facebook can outperform virtually any other single media outlet ever in history.  Its reach exceeds any television network, major newspaper, magazine or other channel," said Gonzalo Gil, CEO of 3DCart.  "When you look at the potential of social networks to build relationships and disseminate information instantly, at little to no cost, there's no question they will transform the e-commerce landscape."

"What many online retailers are finding during the Back-to-School season, is that dollars shift during this period to the Back-to-School specialty merchants," stated Jimmy Rodriguez, Chief Technical Officer for 3DCart.  "Social networks allow online stores that are not typically seen as Back-to-School destinations to be creative in their customer messaging.  The immediacy of social platforms allows these retailers to quickly establish sales, gift ideas and other promotions that put them into the Back-to-School mix."

3DCart's Social Packages are now available for users of 3DCart 3.2.  For complete information including pricing and package demos, go to http://www.3dcart.com/social-commerce-packages.html.

About 3DCart:

3DCart (www.3DCart.com) is a complete e-commerce solution for new or existing websites.  The company's services include the tools, advice, support, and technology to manage an entire online operation, so clients can focus on managing their orders.  3DCart is able to design and implement innovative web solutions to meet a company's specific requirements.  Whether clients are looking to update their existing web store or develop a completely new design, 3DCart maintains a flexible approach to ensure they provide the right solution for the company.  One monthly fee pays for the store setup, security, design, and maintenance.

SOURCE 3DCart