Ecommerce fared well in 2002, showing a 17 percent increase over 2001 (Jupiter Research). A major contributor to the increase was the pervasive free shipping giveaways. Ecommerce sites, having wizened up to the fact that shoppers tend to consider the total costs of purchase rather than just cost of goods, doled out coupons to stimulate shoppers to rack up the sales. Not knowing whether the free giveaways can be financially sustained, e-tailers are looking for other methods for sustaining traffic and sales.

The same holds true for your business, whether you sell products or promote information. With still taut budgets, how do you efficiently promote loyalty without relying on costly coupons or marketing campaigns?

Let's think about other ways to keep the customers of 2002 coming back in 2003. The most poignant solution may be to add value to your site while offering savings for the customer.

What do your visitors value most? Not free shipping or another promotional offer. Time.

Today's users are more rushed, impatient and task-oriented. They have high expectations and usually arrive at sites with a specific purpose in mind. Browsing isn't usually a part of that purpose. They have limited time and much to accomplish. What are you doing to enable their goals?

When they arrive at your site, they expect answers in an instant. You need to attract their attention immediately and motivate action. The faster you can elicit action and deliver response, the more likely that user is to become loyal.

Although your site may be a graphic feast with an intricate directory structure and brilliant java-script menus, wouldn't you rather take the user's opinion of what they want? Do you really want to know? Because it may surprise or even disappoint you.

They're favorite feature is search. The search box is the first feature they look for and the most influential in terms of branding, sales (February 2001, NPD Group) and return visits ("Sticky Is as Sticky Does", ClickZ). It appears so simple. You're probably thinking, "Oh, we have search. We're fine, thanks."

But do you have search that really works? Because what's important to your users is what should be important to your business.

Your visitors are using search because it saves them time. Subconsciously, relevant search is like a discount coupon for your user only it saves them time, not money. This year, make sure your site objectives are aligned with your user's needs.

To consistently save your users time, your search solution should be customizable and trackable. Site statistical search behavioral reports reveal their every word and click when it comes to search. Now you don't have to guess. Learn what your visitors seek, then put that data to work. Customize the results so all the top searches are showing the most relevant results.

Relevant search is an ongoing promotion that will keep visitors coming back and will produce loyal communities centered on your brand.

What are you waiting for? The first quarter of the New Year is ideal for implementing new systems that will turn your company into an Internet success in 2003. Assuredly, saving your users time through relevant search will yield positive results for your company. And in the long run, it might save you some time too.

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