eStar’s customers showed average online transaction growth of over 300% on normal trading during the 2015 Christmas / Boxing day period.

While eStar’s clients increase exceeded 300%, during the period page load times showed no degradation of services despite extra customer visits, orders and sales occurred.

Slow loading websites costs retailers millions and has a direct correlation on conversion rates, especially with the increase in mobile usage.

Page load speeds are driven by a host of factors such as page design, content, eCommerce solution used, and if the infrastructure / hosting environment is not equipped to handle the increased volume of traffic. It is important to get the balance right.

Retailers can do more to meet consumer expectations. eStar can help ensure retailers have a sound digital strategy in place to deliver the best customer experience.

Opinion Piece by Andrew Buxton, CEO eStar

Major expansion in retail means acquiring new customers. In simple terms that is done either through the expansion of products, services, or brands offered, or by expanding into new markets. Traditional market expansion has been through adding more physical retail stores.

Traditional store growth for retail chains in New Zealand, with our small population of 4.5 million, usually reaches saturation at about 50-70 stores for most brands. For successful retail brands the next step is to look overseas. While there are many retail examples of international store expansion, such as Pumpkin Patch, Kathmandu or Rodd & Gunn, many have struggled to make such international expansion a financial success. Expansion through physical stores has a large commitment – store leases, fit-out costs, people costs, stock holding and distribution costs in market, not to mention market entry and store promotion. It’s a big commitment with high risks.

Opinion Piece by Andrew Buxton, CEO eStar

With the continuing growth in online shopping a less glamorous side of this trend is the increase in online fraud. As we head into the major shopping season of the year, expectations are that this year will be no exception.

Globally online retail fraud now accounts for over one per cent of all online sales, and with annual growth at nearly 24 per cent per annum it presents a clear and real threat to Australasian retailers. In this online environment, merchants are liable for every payment they receive. With credit cards without a signature being the most common payment method accepted, there is no fallback to the banks - online, merchants are responsible for their own security.

Services to help identify individuals – such as the MasterCard Identity Check are helpful and have some impact. But online fraud is largely “friendly” fraud, which means better verification of an individual won’t make any difference.

First Published in NBR - 19 October 2015 by Joshua Riddiford

eStar launches risk management profile as a stand alone service

A Christchurch based E-commerce company is expanding access to a software tool which uses a wider range of factors to help kiwi and aussie retailers crack down on online fraud.

eStar online launched their risk management profiler as a stand-alone service providing real time information on fraud risks associated with online transactions. The service has already been available as part of a wider package to existing customers.

eStar online’s risk management profiler uses patterns and analysis gained from 12 years of e-commerce fraud data from a client base including some of the largest retailers in NZ and Australia to identify warning signs and allocate a risk score to transactions.

Retailers gain real time access to risk profiles based on more than 12 years of retail transaction data

Christchurch, 19 October 2015 – eStar, Australasia’s largest specialist eCommerce solutions company, has launched a standalone SaaS-based tool to protect retailers from fraud by automating risk analysis of online orders.

Risk Management Profiler (RMProfiler) aims to reduce fraud experienced by local retailers. eStar’s clients using the tool have seen fraud rates of between 0.2% - 0.05%, against a global average of 1%.

Configurable to suit individual merchant risk profiles, RMProfiler uses patterns and analysis gained from eStar’s 12 years of analysing eCommerce fraud data to achieve this, from a client base including some of the largest retailers in New Zealand and Australia.

22 October 2015 - 9am to 5pm

Aotea Centre Auckland

According to BNZ, online retail spending in New Zealand is now exceeding $3 billion and “customers’ digital addiction” is a growing trend in the country.

Retail technology has transformed the way people browse, interact and shop. Customers are in control of the relationship, and are hyper adapting to new trends.

So, how are retailers meant to keep up?  

To find out more, eStar will be exhibiting at Online Retailer New Zealand, and has access to some discounted rates for attendees.  If you are thinking about attending this event, please contact us, through the form here or call our team to enquire about tickets. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible!

onlineretailer.co.nz