Optimised email creation enables organisations to respond to a customer’s online behaviour in real time, combining valuable customer analysis and segmentation information with on-site web activity to create a far more relevant marketing message, explains Maxymiser’s Mark Simpson

A custom category made up of traditional high street department store websites saw a traffic gain of 21% in the week ending 28th March, although overall Shopping and Classifieds sites saw a rise of only 0.9%, says Hitwise

Profits will be ahead of market expectations for the year to end March 2009, says Asos in its pre-close trading update

Following a ground-breaking EU decision, mail order and delivery businesses that have contracts with Royal Mail are advised to make a protective VAT claim now

Customers of the baby goods specialist can now choose to pay in cash for their online shopping, using Paysafecard’s new payments system

Online sales were 9% higher in March than in February and were up 19% on March 2008, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index

In the first three months of 2009, Amazon has seen sales increase by 18% and profits by 24%

In its preliminary results for the year to the end of January, Game has reported an increase in online sales of 85% and of 109% in online profitability

The fashion retailer joins Tesco and Shop Direct in choosing ATG to power its next ecommerce platform

The retailer has reported an increase in profits for the six months to the end of February, including strong growth at Debenhams.com

The Findel-owned home shopping retailer is switching from the free-to-use Google Analytics in a bid to fine tune its website and drive conversions

“We are continuing to see robust growth in customer and order numbers,” says Tesco in its preliminary results for 2008/09 — and clothing will be added to the retailer’s online offer later this year

The new Outlet store allows the retailer to market its clearance items throughout the year

A separate microsite has been opened by Reevoo to highlight the top scoring consumer technology and appliance products from its more than half-a-million consumer reviews

The UK’s search engine advertisers have improved their return on investment by 25% between Q4 2008 and Q1 2009 while spending 10.5% less, according to the latest report from Efficient Frontier

86% of finance directors and managers in the retail sector consider loyalty schemes critical to preventing customer defection, maintaining competitive positioning and supporting commercial health in the current recession, according to research from GI Insight

As the recession inevitably puts pressure on marketing departments and service levels, the Direct Marketing Commission’s Matti Alderson offers online retailers advice and best practice tips to ensure that their email marketing remains compliant

Shoppers can now buy Waitrose branded food and drinks from Ocado for less than it costs to buy the same goods in the supermarket

Dance music, club and lifestyle brand Ministry of Sound, whose site was forced to shut down when its ecommerce provider ceased trading in February, has developed and launched its own ecommerce platform in only six weeks

The supermarket chain is now offering free delivery as standard to all WaitroseDeliver customers