Happy On-Line Holidays For 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) October 26, 2010 -- In a study released by Shop.org, the nation's retailers anticipate that web-based sales will increase 15% for the 2010 holiday season. The projected returns for internet-based sales reinforced retail expectations for a solid holiday season in 2010, and companies are expanding on-line services in anticipation of increased seasonal volume.

The survey showed that on-line merchants are investing in marketing campaigns that feature improving visibility on social network sites. 72% of respondents reported that they intend to use Facebook pages for product placement, while 43% said that they will establish company links through Twitter to boost holiday sales. The retailers also noted that improving site search capacities and offering customer ratings and reviews will be an integral part of the holiday campaign.

Recent third-quarter reports from Amazon reflected the growing strength of web sales for the nation's retailers. Amazon, which is the world's largest on-line retailer, reported that internet sales for the period ending September 30 increased by 38.7% over last season's figures.

The Shop.org survey noted that on-line shopping appeals to customers who don't wish to fight the large crowds during the holiday season. 30.8% of respondents reported that they prefer the ease of internet shopping over trips to brick-and-mortar stores, while 35.1% said they enjoyed the 24 hour availability that on-line markets provide. Another 33.1% of shoppers indicated that they appreciated the price comparisons that on-line stores offered customers.

Trey Preston, marketing consultant for Top Ten Imports, noted that investing in social media sites has become an important marketing strategy for many retailers in the current economic climate. "It's becoming necessary for companies to take full advantage of Facebook and Twitter accounts to reach customers," Preston said. "The extreme growth of networking sites in the past four years has opened opportunities for additional sales that simply didn't exist in the pre-internet era." Preston noted that Top Ten's leading product, the iHeater, has established a strong presence on Facebook and Twitter and that the company will continue to innovate its web site with blogs, product pages, and customer advice.

The iHeater is an infrared heating unit that has been shown to cut heating costs by 50%. Preston reported than on-line sales for the iHeater have shown steady percentage increases since the product's debut in 2008, and that initial forecasts for 2010-2011 indicate that a 12-15% gain in sales is projected. Preston said that a bold new warranty policy for the iHeater in 2010 is expected to generate additional on-line interest for the product.

More information can be found online at http://www.toptenimports.com

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