14 Ecommerce Blogs You Should Already be Following
Raise your hand if you were the last to hear about Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods.
If you’re always the last to hear about newsworthy events in ecommerce, it’s time to fix that.
Not only is it annoying to be the last to know about Google’s latest change to Shopping, it can also be dangerous if you don’t know about changes to channels you rely on for sales.
You already know CPC Strategy is obsessed with finding the best news and sharing it on our blog, but we also consulted with our in-house experts to find out where they get their news.
Prepare to be…well, more prepared.
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1. eMarketer
Started in 1996, eMarketer currently monitors over 3,000 retail technology sources and holds over 200,000 subscriptions, including those of two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies.
The website includes free articles in areas such as marketing technology and media buying, and more in-depth reports for paid subscribers on subjects such as B2B and artificial intelligence.
One of the best the features of eMarketer is their pro research coverage, which allows users to search for ecommerce insight via subtopics (e.g. geolocation for mobile and tablets or baby boomers for demographics).
2. Retail Dive
Retail Dive is helpful for its combination of e-commerce information and editorial oversight.
You’ll find feature-length articles on relevant subjects such as mobile, logistics, and loss prevention. In addition to deep analyses, the website offers industry events and job opportunities.
“While Retail Dive has a larger retail focus including offline, their ecommerce coverage and analysis is robust, usually publishing news before other publications.”
– Kyle Wielbalk, Senior Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
3. The Wall Street Journal
We know–technically The Wall Street Journal isn’t a retail news source.
However, it is a good source for all business news, both online and off. They do have some of their articles for free, but mostly it’s ‘paid’ content–but in our opinion, it’s worth it for the robust editorial oversight.
“Because the WSJ looks at larger trends than just the micro chasm of online retail, readers can see trends throughout the economic universe.”
– Kestrel Lemen, Email Marketing Manager at CPC Strategy
4. Practical Ecommerce
Founded over a decade ago, Practical Ecommerce is one of the oldest sites covering retail technology news. Their staff writers specialize in fields such as conversion, management, design, and development.
Practical Ecommerce is frequently updated with content regarding search engine optimization, affiliate marketing, and email marketing. In addition, you can get access to sixty-minute essential skill webinars to learn new tactics to get an edge on the competition.
5. Forbes Retail
While many of us are familiar with Forbes, the retail section is easily overlooked.
Granted, as our in-house experts point out, the browsing experience isn’t great due to the number of interruptive ads, but the content is usually solid–offering unique insights from industry experts and thought leaders all over the globe.
“Forbes offers a holistic view of retail–not only e-commerce, but also with big picture takeaways in every article. I also enjoy the ‘Forbes Under 30’ podcast which is found there.”
– Lewis Brannon, Senior Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
6. Retail Wire
Retail Wire is an online discussion forum overseen by a group of ecommerce experts and general readership–and it’s super addictive to browse.
Head to the retail news portion to get general retail technology news from around the United States and visit the “Braintrust” section for the latest commentary on marketing trends from various business owners and CEOs.
Retail Wire also presents a useful discussion section with direct engagement with experienced professionals and links to resources such as whitepapers and webinars.
You won’t find another site with this much commentary from peers and influencers in online retail.
7. Digiday
We got several votes for Digiday from CPCers, and for good reason. Digiday covers everything from content marketing to advertising in a clean format that’s a breeze to browse.
“Although Digiday’s focus is more on the overal digital realm, they also have a “Retail Revolution” hot-topic section where they cover the changing retail landscape.”
– Alexi Parker, Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
8. Digital Commerce 360
Encompassing Internet Retailer and B2B E-commerce World, among other databases, Digital Commerce 360 is a solid source for research and digital marketing news.
The website offers both a free source of consistent updates every business day on the latest trends, and a more in-depth paid subscription model with access to guides covering everything from the best ecommerce platforms to how to improve web design.
Digital Commerce 360 is also particularly useful in identifying new events including webinars and conferences.
9. Internet Retailing
The UK-based website Internet Retailing provides an invaluable window into overseas markets with breaking retail technology reports from across Europe.
While the site is pretty cluttered, don’t be deterred–IR excels at providing the studies and insights you need if you’re thinking about expanding your online retail operations abroad.
10. Website Magazine
Website Magazine covers a wide range of topics including: SEO, CMS, mobile app design, and general social platforms.
While they’re not as deep on the individual platforms compared to some other publications, they offer a great general overview, particularly for retailers with a focus on app and ecommerce site development.
“Website Magazine helps me learn more about the social world so I can offer even more feedback to clients who ask questions about how SEO and PPC work together, or discuss customer engagement.”
– Eliza Cuevas, Senior Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
11. E-Commerce Nation
Initially launched for the French market, ECN has since expanded internationally.
The website consists largely of blog posts divided into sections covering topics such as conversion, e-fulfillment, marketing, platforms, and m-commerce.
You’ll also get access to podcasts, webinars, and even a calendar of upcoming retail industry events throughout Europe.
12. Marketing Land
No list of ecommerce sites would be complete without Marketing Land.
On top of breaking news (they’re particularly good at being on top of Google’s changes and the consequences), the combined websites feature editorial columns on issues such as search engine marketing, analytics, and display advertising.
Bonus: Check out sister site Search Engine Land, which reports on popular platforms utilized by search marketers to find online customers, and MarTech Today, which serves a similar purpose for marketing technologists.
13. Smart Insights
Smart Insights functions as a kind of advice blog for business owners interested in ecommerce.
The posts range from strategies to maximize email engagement to the best tools for SEO benchmarking. This website is filled with articles from professional experts and features a robust, moderated online community.
Furthermore, Smart Insights offers a more structured approach for those expanding into online retailing with planning templates, ebooks, and online training courses.
“With larger digital marketing coverage, they surface tips and useful surveys that often impact the ecommerce space.”
– Kyle Wielbalk, Senior Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy
14. Retail News Asia
Plenty of online retailers have their sights set on China, and not just for manufacturing reasons (although they are winning that, too).
Retail News Asia is a dependable source for independent businesses and online-only retailers looking to expand their market to the East.
The articles are organized by sector (e-tailing, logistics, etc.) and country (most of Asia, plus Australia). You’ll get an overview of each country’s ecommerce retail market through the use of webinars, charts, graphs, and other digital media, which is extremely helpful as you’re weighing your options.
BONUS: How to Get All of Your News
You can still keep inbox zero while getting your news–all you have to do is use RSS.
And if you use a program like Feedly, it’s not nearly as complicated as it sounds.
“Feedly is basically an RSS feed reader without the code,” says Alexi Parker, Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy. “You can organize sources and view all of your news on one page, or view specific topics. It also has sharing buttons built in, so it’s all around a good resource for industry news.”
50 Ecommerce Experts You Should Be Following in 2017
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