Global downturn ‘forces change of online marketing direction’

The global financial crisis has resulted in a shift of marketing focus among online retailers in the US, it is claimed.

Customer retention has now become a “critical” priority in the e-commerce sector, according to the State of Retailing Online 2009, published by Forrester Research.

Some 88 per cent of retailers said email is a high priority this year, with the primary aim of retaining customers.

The study found that one in four retailers (24 per cent) will spend more on their online business than they originally planned.

“Because consumers continue to spend online, interactive marketing spend to drive web sales remains a lucrative investment,” said Sucharita Mulpuru, principal analyst at Forrester Research and author of the report.

Meanwhile, a separate study from eDigitalResearch and IMRG has suggested that customer satisfaction levels in online retailing have fallen.

However, the latest e-CSI quarterly survey found sales on fashion websites are performing strongly.