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How expensive is a professional online store?

09/08/2023 | By: FDS

The cost of creating a professional online store can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, including the size of the store, the features desired, the e-commerce system chosen, the design, and the integration of payment gateways. Here are some of the factors that can affect the cost:

E-commerce platform:

The choice of e-commerce platform affects the cost. Popular platforms include Shopify, WooCommerce (for WordPress), Magento, BigCommerce, Wix eCommerce, etc. Some platforms are free, while others charge monthly fees.

Design and user experience: having a professional design that improves the user experience is important. Costs can vary depending on the custom design and number of pages needed.

Features: The features you need in your online store, such as product catalogs, shopping carts, checkout process, customer accounts, product reviews, discounts, inventory management, etc., will affect the cost.

Payment gateways: integrating payment gateways for secure online payments may require additional costs.

Shipping and delivery options: Implementing shipping options, shipping cost calculations, and integrations with shipping service providers may impact costs.

Security and Compliance: The security of your customer and payment data is critical. Implementing SSL certificates and other security measures can add costs.

Mobile Responsiveness: responsive design that looks and works well on a variety of devices is important. Adapting the website for mobile devices can impact costs.

SEO and Marketing: If you want SEO optimization, online marketing, and integration with social media platforms, there may be additional costs.

Maintenance and updating: regular maintenance, updates and technical support may incur ongoing costs.

Hosting and Domain: The cost of web hosting and domain registration should also be considered.

The price range for creating a professional online store can range from a few hundred euros to several thousand euros. It is advisable to get quotes from different e-commerce developers or agencies and clearly define what features and requirements you have. Remember that the quality of the online store can have a great impact on the customer experience and the success of your e-commerce business.

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How to recognize fake stores & online shops on the Internet

08/25/2023 | By: FDS

In today's digital era, online shopping and e-commerce have undoubtedly revolutionized our consumer behavior. But with the rise of online commerce, fraudulent activities such as fake stores have also become a serious threat to consumers. These enticing but fraudulent websites lure unsuspecting shoppers with supposed bargains and high-value products that are often never delivered. So how can consumers distinguish between genuine online stores and scams? Here are some important tips for spotting fake stores online and protecting yourself from fraud.

1. Check the URL and website details

The first step to identify a fake store is to carefully check the website address (URL). Scammers often use similar-sounding URLs to mimic real online stores. Look for typos, unusual subdomains or extra words in the URL. A secure website should also have a "https://" instead of "http://" to ensure data encryption.

2. Research the online store

Conduct a thorough online research to find out if the online store is reputable. Look for reviews, customer ratings and experiences of other buyers. Authentic stores usually have an online presence on social media and platforms like Google My Business. If any trace of a store outside its own website is missing, beware.

3. Watch out for unusual payment methods

Fake stores tend to offer unusual or questionable payment methods. Be skeptical if only bank transfers, cash shipments or prepaid cards are accepted. Reputable online stores offer a wide range of secure payment options, including credit cards, PayPal and other established service providers.

4. Too good to be true? Be skeptical!

Offers that are too good to be true are often just that. When an online store offers extremely low prices for products that are normally much more expensive, alarm bells should ring. Scammers use this tactic to grab buyers' attention and lure them into the trap.

5. Check the imprint and contact information

Every reputable online store should have an imprint with clear contact information. If this information is missing or the contact information is vague and incomplete, it indicates a possible fake store. Verify the information provided by doing a quick online search for the company or people responsible.

6. Trust your instincts

In the end, your gut instinct is often a good indicator. If something about an online store strikes you as odd, or if you have an uneasy feeling, it's probably better to back off and shop elsewhere.

The rapid increase in fake stores requires consumers to be highly vigilant. By following these tips and being discerning about their online purchases, they can protect themselves from fraudulent activity and ensure that they spend their hard-earned money with trustworthy merchants.

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Why it is becoming increasingly difficult for B2B companies and service providers to cover their costs with Google advertising

08/25/2023 | By: FDS

The digital advertising landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Especially for B2B companies and service providers, it is becoming increasingly difficult to break even with Google advertising. In this article, we will look at the main reasons why these changes have taken place and what challenges this poses for B2B companies.

Growing competition:

The number of companies using Google advertising has increased significantly in recent years. As a result, competition for limited advertising space on search results pages and in Google Ads has increased significantly. As competition increases, so does the cost per click and per conversion, resulting in higher ad spend for B2B companies and service providers.

Rising click prices:

Click prices in Google Ads have risen sharply in many industries. Especially in B2B areas with expensive products or services, the cost per click can quickly skyrocket. It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to find cost-effective keywords to reach their target audience.

Long sales cycles:

B2B companies and service providers often have longer sales cycles than B2C companies. Business customers tend to take longer to make decisions, which can lead to higher costs per conversion. Tracking conversions and accurately measuring advertising success becomes more complicated as a result.

Ad blockers and ad blindness:

More and more Internet users are using ad blockers to protect themselves from advertising. As a result, ads are less visible and thus less noticed. Even when companies invest in Google Ads, a significant portion of their target audience may not even see the ads.

Complexity of Google Ads:

Google Ads is an extremely complex advertising tool with many setting options and features. For small and medium B2B companies, it can be difficult to set up and optimize an effective advertising campaign, especially if there is no designated Google Ads expert in the company.

Shift to other platforms:

With the rise of social media and other advertising platforms, some companies are shifting their advertising budgets away from Google Ads. Depending on the target audience and industry, advertising on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook or specialized industry portals may be more cost-effective and targeted.

Conclusion:

B2B companies and service providers are finding it increasingly difficult to cover their advertising costs with Google Ads. Increasing competition, rising click prices, long sales cycles, ad blockers and the complexity of Google Ads are just some of the challenges they face. It is important that companies carefully rethink their advertising strategies and possibly consider alternative advertising platforms to effectively reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals.

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Creating a press review - This must be observed from a legal point of view

08/21/2023 | By: FDS

A press review helps companies, organizations and public institutions to get an overview of the reporting in various media. It offers the opportunity to track one's own presence in the press and to control public perception. However, when creating a press review, certain legal aspects must be observed in order to protect copyright, data protection and personal rights.

1. Observe copyrights:

When preparing a press review, it is important to respect the copyright of the media content in question. Copying and posting articles, or excerpts thereof, without proper permission from the copyright holders may constitute copyright infringement. In order to be on the safe side legally, you should adhere to the principles of the right to quote. This means that you may only use short excerpts that are relevant to the press review, and you must always correctly state the source.

2. References and references:

Each media contribution used in the press review must be provided with correct source information. This applies to both print media and online articles. The information should be as precise as possible and include information such as author, title, publication date, publication name and URL, if applicable. Exact source information ensures transparency and strengthens the credibility of the press review.

3. Data protection and personal rights:

When preparing a press review, you must be careful not to use personally identifiable information or sensitive information that could invade the privacy of individuals. This applies in particular to private contact data, health information or confidential personal details. Comply with data protection laws, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and avoid using content that could unreasonably embarrass or defame individuals.

4. Obtain usage rights:

If you hire an external service provider to create the press review, make sure that you have the necessary usage rights to use the media content. This applies to the rights to the texts as well as to images or graphics. Clarify in advance with the authors or publishers how the content may be used and whether license fees may apply.

5. Self-interest and transparency:

A press review often serves to increase your own visibility and reputation. Make sure that the press review is not misleading and gives a realistic picture of the reporting. Avoid selectively selecting reports to create a distorted picture. Transparent representations contribute to credibility.

All in all, it is important to pay close attention to the legal framework when creating a press review in order to avoid legal conflicts and to maintain the integrity of the press review. Research the current laws and regulations relating to copyright, data protection and privacy rights to ensure you are acting in accordance with the law.

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Decline in the German parcel market after nine years of growth

08/18/2023 | By: FDS

The German parcel market has seen a decline in deliveries for the first time since 2013. According to research by Pitney Bowes, an international postal services provider, parcel shipments in this country fell nearly 7 percent year-on-year to 4.2 billion. This is partly due to normalization after the surge during the corona pandemic.

Industry leader DHL, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post, lost nearly 9 percent of its market share. Other companies such as Hermes, GLS, UPS and DPD also saw slight declines. In U.S. dollar terms, the overall German parcel market shrank 12.9 percent to $25 billion.

This development is attributed to weak consumer sentiment in Germany and a decline in online sales. Year-on-year, online sales fell 12.2 percent to 19.17 billion euros in Q2 2023.

In contrast, the global parcel market nevertheless saw growth of 1 percent to 161 billion shipments, with India standing out with an 18 percent increase. DHL has benefited from this boom in India after it acquired Blue Dart, an Indian delivery company, in 2006.

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