Over 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that in 2007, the highest category of complaints was identity theft, attributing 32 percent of total complaints received to the category. Consumers reported fraud losses totaling more than $1.2 billion, almost double that of 2005.

Shopping online safely helps you prevent your own identity theft. Parents teach us to look both ways before crossing the street, but most of us didn’t grow up hearing “make sure your password contains a number” or, “look for an SSL connection when shopping.” All retailers should help inform consumers about safe practices.

Do’s and Don’ts Security Tips to Prevent E-commerce Identity Theft This Holiday Season:

1. Download Updates. Do click “Update Now” when you receive security updates from Microsoft, Apple, and Adobe. Don’t avoid these updates that arm you with the latest fixes before starting to shop. Web application exploits are very common now and can harm you if you simply go to a bad website.

2. Create Complex Passwords. Do mix letter cases and use at least seven characters when placing an order online. Don’t choose a word from a dictionary as hacker programs guess passwords very quickly.

3. Thwart Hackers. Do use your wireless router’s security features when surfing the web. Don’t let hackers join your network where they can try to listen in on your shopping experience. Hackers can use network sniffers to eavesdrop on you.

4. Use Onetime Credit Cards. Do shop online using a virtual credit card that expires after one use. Don’t use your actual credit card numbers on less familiar websites.
Some websites masquerade as shops but really just steal your credit card numbers.

5. Verify Secure Connections. Do make sure the padlock symbol in your browser’s status bar shows that you have a secure connection when conducting online financial transactions. Don’t press submit if there is no padlock at a store. Padlocks represent an SSL connection, which protects any information you send.

6. Check Your Credit. Do visit annualcreditreport.com before and after the holidays. Don’t wait until you receive a bill for a credit card that isn’t really yours. Your credit report shows all your accounts and overdue balances.

7. Lock Up Your Passwords. Do use a password manager to save all your passwords. Don’t save passwords in your web browser without a master password to protect them. Password managers encrypt all of your passwords with a master password so you only have to remember the one.

8. Enter Web Addresses Manually. Do go directly to a store’s website by typing its address into your web browser manually if you plan to buy something. Don’t click on links from an email message. These are known as phishing attacks and are very common.

9. Shop From Your Terminal. Do shop online using your own computer. Don’t shop online using a public computer at a hotel or airport. Public computers can have spyware that records your information as you type it.

10. Communicate Securely. Do call a business and read them your credit card information if you trust them and want to buy a present for someone. Don’t e-mail or instant message personal information. E-mail and instant messenger are insecure.

Todd Feinman is CEO of Identity Finder.

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“Marketing takes a day to learn. Unfortunately it takes a lifetime to master.” ~ Philip Kotler, U.S. marketing guru

I think the quote above succinctly sums up one of the truisms known to marketers. The business school practice of breaking down the definition of marketing into the 4 Ps is really oversimplifying a complicated art and science process that is fundamental to business success and growth. If you are developing a smart marketing mix, you must also toss in gut instinct, research, sales history, customer patterns, trends, competitive analysis and so many more factors. Even with all of this, success can explode from unexpected opportunities while sometimes the most thoroughly researched, planned and executed campaigns can fail miserably. Still, that is the beauty of marketing: it is never dull or routine. And today, marketers have far more resources to help drive sales and engagement than ever before.

As I begin a new chapter in my career by joining ERA in March, I think about the resources available to us today. In doing so, I can’t help but to reflect back on my first entree into the workforce, then too, in the marketing arena. It’s easy to dismiss as simpler times. It was the mid 1980s: typewriters outnumbered PCs, printed mailing labels predated Excel files and voice mail and fax were office novelties. By evaluating the bottom line and ROI, we believed our marketing efforts were successful back then. But who could predict that the introduction of the Internet and email to the masses was just around the corner? This would forever change the way we, as a society, communicate and access information and entertainment. It would also open the door to new strategies and tools to add to the marketing mix.

Today, it is much more than access to the Internet that allows marketers to brand product, advertise value and engage customers. Video streaming, HDTV, HD Radio, podcasting, TV on demand, mobile devices, blogging, wikis and online social networks have all played a role in expanding the marketing function and enhancing the customer experience. Some might suggest we are on the brink of the golden era of marketing. Perhaps. But what is certain is that today’s consumers have become more integrated into the marketing process. For marketers, this is a time of unleashed creativity. There are more opportunities than ever before to connect with customers, track patterns and utilize multiple formats to convey messages. Direct mail, TV/print advertising and other more traditional forms of marketing are still certainly relevant, but marketers no longer have to rely on a finite number of tactics to promote product. And few industries are leveraging these platforms as aggressively as the direct response community.

It makes for smart practice then that the association that represents this community would also leverage multi-platforms as necessary. At ERA, we too are on the brink of entering our golden era of marketing. Not because of my new role, but because it is what our community will expect and demand. I hope that you will check out the new ERA website, which debuts next month, and I encourage you to pay frequent visits to this blog. These enhancements are just the start of many advancements ERA will introduce to allow us to better brand ourselves, fine tune messaging, build member integration and promote the industry and its value and services through new and emerging technologies. These extensions and improvements in communications help us to better enforce our mission to drive, grow and shape the future of electronic retailing. Let’s master the marketing mix together.

Tom Quash is ERA’s vice president of marketing

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According to ERA’s most recently commissioned paper, Mapping the Path to Purchase, Forrester Research suggests that television drives online sales. Indeed, 44 percent of the study’s respondents went to retail to find a product they saw on an infomercial or home shopping channel and more than one-third of consumers visit engines (eBay, Yahoo, Google, etc.) to compare prices, with more than 50 percent of those making a purchase.

But wait, there’s more; now it’s the consumers themselves who are creating pathways and signposts. It’s interesting, looking at the apparent quick rise of the “consumer influencer.” It seems just yesterday when branding was king and PR, marketing, research and agencies pushed sales. But today, through the power of blogs, online communities, forums, boards, videos on YouTube, Facebook and more, customers are definitely in charge.

I wonder what retailers think about how this will all shake out? How do retailers leverage those consumer influencers?

Sieglinde Friedman is ERA’s vice president of strategy

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Fellow electronic retailers, direct marketers, distributors, inventors, entrepreneurs, brick-and-mortar retailers and, last but now not least, online retailers: People of all selling platitudes lend me your ears and your wisdom. Let me share something that I have noticed happening over the past year. It has to do with the way consumers are buying the stuff that we sell. It has everything to do with the way we “tell” or “convince” them to buy something. I know what I’m saying is true, because it has been backed up with research results I have received from focus groups that have seen two variations using different selling methods of a campaign I created.

OK, enough suspense. Here’s the observation: Since the beginning of the modern day infomercial, consumers have been yelled at, told what to buy and forced to act quickly to get a great deal. Well folks, for the most part, the suspense and excitement of missing out on something extraordinary is wearing off. However, it’s not wearing off because the products aren’t great or the offer isn’t enticing. The motivation to buy is not wearing off because of a lack of trust, market saturation or boredom either. The number one reason why consumers are not buying now is because they do not like being told what to do! The intent to buy has never been stronger. Consumers are smarter than ever and are more educated. They’re not as gullible as they used to be. What I have found is that consumers are more than willing to buy your product and even replace the same categorical products they already own if you can convince them that your product is better; not tell them that it is. It’s so very subtle. Anybody else see this happening?

Jeff Meltzer, president of Meltzer Media Production

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