Question

Topic: E-Marketing

How Web Site Vendors Know That They Got Customers

Posted by Anonymous on 7/17/2010 at 10:00 PM ET 65 Points
Our web site is directory which features variety of retailers, restaurants, and deals which they offer. It works as follow. Visitors have to sign in, giving us their e-mails, in exchange they have access to the directory of vendors but we do not know what shops visitors choose to shop in. We do not sell anything, simply customers will find shops and deals. The crucial question is how we can collect data which inform our vendors that they got some customers because of their posting on our web site. Some web sites use coupons made by vendors only for them, other have their own value cards. Is there any way to avoid use of coupons or value card but be able to collect that data?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 7/17/2010 at 10:37 PM Accepted
    Eli

    Step back a moment and put yourself in the visitors shoes.

    You're asking them to log in to see what - a directory?

    Then what? Do they simply have access to a list of stores to physically visit, or are you showing them deals on products they are looking for which they can get at those stores?

    If the former, then you have a problem that you're not really adding much value to the transaction. So asking someone to come back and tell you - with proof - what they bought is asking too much of them. There's no incentive.

    If the latter - then you have an ideal opportunity to give them a "web discount" on products they want to buy. Which means they would print a coupon to present to the store. You get the evidence trail, the store gets the physical proof of where the sales lead came from, the consumer gets a better deal. Everyone is happy.

    Otherwise I can't immediately see any other way to get you the info you seek.
  • Posted on 7/18/2010 at 6:37 AM Author


    Chris:
    We do list deals and coupons of our vendors. If there is a sale in the store or discounts in the restaurants the sales items and discounts are posted on our web site or visitor redirected to the store/restaurant web site. Yet the vendor does not know that customer came from us. Many visitors tell us that they do not like to print coupons because it is tedious, takes time and effort, so we thinking how to avoid coupons or value cars but most probably it is impossible.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 7/18/2010 at 7:53 PM Accepted
    Unless someone purchases from the vendor as a direct link from your website (with a referral code), you have no way of knowing if your lead resulted in a sale w/o a tracking code/coupon.
  • Posted on 7/18/2010 at 8:06 PM Author
    Jay:

    Thank you for your suggestion. We considered to use tracking codeS. Craiglist , for example, uses code "Craiglist."
  • Posted on 7/18/2010 at 8:15 PM Author
    kAREN:

    Thank you for advise. Unfortunately. it is to much to ask vendors to look at such reports. They are too busy.
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