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FEATURE ARTICLE
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Know your site better : the basics of web analytics
By Erin Eschen
Web Content Editor, MonsterCommerce
Web traffic reports provide you with useful data that can give you a competitive advantage. I speak with many e-commerce site owners every day, and I can tell you that you are not alone if you don’t make a habit of viewing and using this data on a regular basis. MonsterCommerce has partnered with Urchin Web Analytics to ensure that every MonsterCommerce merchant has free access to detailed traffic reporting.
There are many things you can find out about your site and your visitors by accessing your site's traffic data. This information can help you make more informed decisions about your business. That’s why we’ve decided to help you. First, we'll tell you what you should be looking for and why, and then we'll tell you how to find it:
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Take Five
Each month, we ask a different MonsterCommerce merchant the same five questions regarding their online business and its success.
 SkiTube.com
MonsterCommerce Merchant since: 8/22/2003
Owners:
Brandon & Cindy Zuck
Best-Selling Product:
Wet-n-Wild Flier
- What is your favorite feature about your site right now?
That would have to be our simple, clean interface. We wanted a site that was easy to use and navigate. MonsterCommerce really made that possible. We also have to add that having the shopping cart in the right column and live inventory updates really separate us from our competition.
- What was one major obstacle to your store's success, and how did you overcome it?
Getting the volume up to the point at which we can afford to do this full time. It was really hard to do this as a side business with long hours, replying to calls and emails after work and on weekends. It's taken us five years, but now with almost one million dollars in sales, we can afford to devote all of our time to it.
- What do you attribute most to your site's success?
Finding a niche and playing it up big. We are seen as the experts, and no one comes close. Others may sell for less, but we have the widest and deepest selection in stock. Customer find us as they are looking for the one-stop place where they can find any tube, compare them all, and buy what is best for them. For whatever their need is, we aim to provide the solution.
- What is the best or most rewarding experience you've had so far with selling online?
Being interviewed and featured in the LA Times as one of the outdoor sporting good companies to watch in 2005. Also, being able to wake up every day and work with something we created ourselves.
- What Web site or online tool or resource would you not be able to live without?
Google AdWords: A great way to find new markets and target our product offerings daily.
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MonsterMarketplace
Congratulations to April's MonsterSellers
The MonsterSeller Award medal is awarded to those merchants who sell a specified number of products through MonsterMarketplace in any particular month. Their listing is marked with a Platinum, Gold or Silver medallion, which helps enhance credibility. Click here to view the MonsterSellers for April.
 MonsterMarketplace Merchant Spotlight
Congratulations to Caroline and David Moretto. Their store, StandsAndMounts.com, was chosen as the Merchant Spotlight for May. Read more about their success here.
New subcategories added to MonsterMarketplace
In response to the increasing number of stores being added to MonsterMarketplace, we have created three new subcategories within the past couple of weeks to accommodate them. Check them out today!
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Press
 MonsterCommerce adopts new Google search appliance mini
The Google “Mini” Search Appliance is designed to enhance search results across several of MonsterCommerce's web properties. Stephanie Leffler, MonsterCommerce CEO, says the appliance will "save our clients time by providing relevant and fresh search results.” Read More
 MonsterCommerce partners with LivePerson for live chat
MonsterCommerce has partnered with LivePerson to offer discounted live chat services. Merchants who wish to communicate with their customers in real time can purchase the industry-leading live chat software for only $49 per month and will receive other value-added services such as online training and consultation with a LivePerson expert at no additional charge. Read More
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Departments
This month's new QuickGuides
The MonsterCommerce team has released two new QuickGuides for its KnowledgeBase. The first covers best practices for ensuring the security of your online business. The second covers site design and includes detailed information about font and color settings for your site. Please visit the links below for the QuickGuides.
Business Security
Site Design
New MC Team Members
The past few months have brought an incredible amount of growth to MonsterCommerce. We have added twelve new team members to various departments. Last month, we added three more talented members to our team of server administrators, SEO specialists and client services.
- Chris Stoddard, Senior Systems Engineer
- Olivia Sanders, Inbound Call Coordinator
- Erin Steinbruegge, HTML Developer
Recent Forum Hot Topics
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Industry News
 Google introduces "My Search History" feature
Yahoo Launches My Web Personal Search
Adobe merges with Macromedia
Studies reveal online entrepreneurship thriving
Google Unveils "Budget Optimizer" for AdWords
Overture becomes "Yahoo Search Marketing"
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We hope you enjoyed this month's edition of the MonsterCommerce e-newsletter. Please visit the newsletter subscription page to view the archives.
Regards,
The MonsterCommerce Team
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