Part 2: Targeted email, listfeed programs and becoming global

Why is Targeted Electronic Direct Mail, as you write, a good strategy to grab the attention of existing customers?
With targeted electronic direct mail (EDM), you have obtained permission to contact people before you do. The idea with EDM is to add value to your customers' life by telling them about things they've asked to be told about as frequently as they've asked to be contacted. EDM is very inexpensive when you're sending messages to your own customers. As long as you respect your customers' mailboxes, you can stay out of trouble with them.

How can a company use a listfeed program to increase the visibility of their product, and why is that important?
A listfeed program is the way a site gets its products listed with shopping Bots, such as BizRate and MySimon. You gain online if you have your products in as many places as possible. By having your products listed with shopping bots and comparison engines, you are where your potential customers are.

It's folly to think that everyone who wants what you are selling will come to you; they might not even know you exist. Instead, go to them. Put your products everywhere your target customers are likely to be. Affiliate programs facilitate this, as well.

Why do companies selling products on the Web need to accept multiple currencies and ship internationally?
Already, there are more non-US residents online than there are US residents online. If you want to get at this diverse customer base, you need to display prices in multiple currencies and be able to deliver the goods to where they are. The US is a declining percentage of the online shopping population. You forgo a huge audience when you only speak English, only deliver to the US and only bill in dollars.

Finally, what is the single most important step a "brick and mortar" company competing in the "click and mortar" marketplace can do to forward their profitability via the Net?
There are many advantages a brick-and-mortar store has over a pure play dot-com: existing brand, ability to accept returns, the perception of stability. I would say the most important thing a company wants to do when getting into the clicks and mortar space is to integrate all channels as far as customer service and sales go.

A customer should have the same positive experience whether shopping online, by phone or in the store. Research shows that customers that use multiple channels to purchase, spend more with each successive channel. Make that easy for them and be consistent. The catalog houses like Eddie Bauer and Lands End have shown the way in this regard.