Scott Sanfilippo's Blog

Yesterday’s blog post about making employees happy has quickly risen to the second most popular post on my website. Hopefully the people who are reading it are taking some of the things I talked about and are making plans to implement them in their own businesses. I’ve gotten quite a… Read More "“Following Up on Happy Employees.” Or, “Take Your Hat Off.”"

I spend a lot of time writing about how to keep your customers happy. Yeah, I’m sure you’re sick of me telling you that a six step return policy isn’t what one would consider “customer friendly.” But keeping customers happy is just one part of making sure your business is… Read More "“Happy Employees = Happy Customers.” Or, “Let Them Eat Cake.”"

Time for answer some questions from the folks who care enough to ask for my opinions and chide me for picking on ladies who use handkerchiefs.  So, after a word from our sponsor, I give you today’s batch: I read your comments the other day about the new store owner… Read More "“Pay-Per-Click, Videos and SEO Oh My!” Or, “The Answer Man Cometh.”"

The thunderstorm just passed and the sky began to clear as we sipped Chardonnay at a quaint cafe tucked away on one of Worth Avenue’s vias. As the steam rose from the drying cobblestone, I grabbed my napkin to dab the bit of moisture accumulating on my brow as I… Read More "“Handkerchiefs. S’not for me.” Or, “Gesundheit!”"

I wish there was a taxi-like meter I could install on my laptop, phone and iPad that would track the amount of time I spend doing email. With each passing day, it seems the list of messages in my inbox gets longer and longer and more and more time is… Read More "“Will Social Media Kill Email Marketing?” Or, “You’re No J. Peterman.”"

When you’re looking to purchase an item, do you read reviews about the product before making a decision? If you answered, yes, you’re among the the 78% of American’s aged 18-64 who say product reviews help them decide whether or not to buy a product. (Source: RetailWire) I include myself… Read More "“To Delete or Publish a Product Review.” Or, “Let Me Tell You About My Underwear.”"

If there’s one thing that bothers me about eCommerce, it’s the misconception many people have about opening and running an online business. There seems to be this belief out there that running an online store is simple and you’re going to make so much money in a short amount of… Read More "“eCommerce Isn’t the Field of Dreams.” Or, “Answering a Question as Old as the Internet.”"

Yesterday, I attended a webinar called “SEO 101” presented by Bing’s Duane Forrester and put on by eCommerce shopping cart provider, 3dCart. (Before you get all, “you’re watching a competitor’s webinar” on me, let me digress for a moment. When Joe Palko and I sold Solid Cactus to web.com in… Read More "“SEO 101 With Duane Forrester from Bing.” Or, “Take Aways on Social Media, Mobile Commerce, Page Rank & Webmaster Tools.”"

By now you’ve probably heard plenty about the Marketplace Fairness Act. This is the bill that, if Congress passes it, will require online merchants who make more than $1M in annual sales to collect sales tax on purchases in states that have a sales tax. Right now, the way sales… Read More "“Thoughts on the Marketplace Fairness Act.” Or, “Entrepreneurs Overcome. And Bet on Oxbow in the Derby.”"

Those of you who follow me regularly know that cruising is one of my favorite activities. I love boarding a vessel, hitting the ocean and marveling in the vastness of the world that surrounds you as the ship glides through the waves. I’m not loyal to any particular line and… Read More "“A Cruise Ship Fire is a Lesson in Crisis PR.” Or, “What to Do When Your Company is in the Hot Seat.”"