Connecting Ecommerce & Centralized Analytics to Cascade Server

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Connecting Ecommerce & Centralized Analytics to

Cascade Server

Mark DirksCEO/President

mdirks@beacontechnologies.com

• Developed in 2000, initially as a custom ecommerce solution for eWeddings.com

• Fully functional ecommerce software product that

• is SEO Friendly

• functions as a true “web store front”

• is easily customized and flexible, especially to support marketing

• Has processed over $250M in transactions (secure, solid)

• Has continuously evolved over the last 13 years

• Most Prominent BeCommerce Customers

• Bassett Furniture (since 2005)

• Burton+Burton (since 2002).

• Both sites also use Cascade Server CMS

Back Office Systems (JDE)(accounting, inventory, shipping, CRM, ordering, etc.)

Order StatusProduct Data Orders

ADMINProduct ManagementOrder Management

CMS Controls (includes) allow the user to update the footer, header and side tab content within CS. Publish from one page without requiring a full site publish.

Master Page Templates are created in CS to contain all global elements such as header, footer, body container and script files. Publish from these files without requiring a full site publish. A master template was created for standard and secure pages on LAL.

Internal View Formats are created so the users see the page the way it will be published in CS. Therefore, to the user, the setup does not appear any different. The content is published out as a control file that can be pulled into the master template.

Control NameIn the custom metadata, the developer or user can add a control name to call a transactional control. For example, on the “login” page, the user can add content in the WYSIWYG editor above the transactional content and the developer can control the content below in the control file called “login”. This allows more independent control for the CS user and developer.

Other Ecommerce Requirements?

History• In Development for about 9 months.

• Retail GAF Beta Testing in late 2013, completed in Feb 2014.

• Production Launch in Mar 2014.

• Great response at the Internet Retailer Conference - Chicago

• Higher Ed GAF Beta Testing (currently taking place)

• Connects online marketing to offline transactions (applications, enrollment, sales)

• Brings these offline transactions into Google Analytics alongside online transactions.

Organic

Website

Contest Form

In-Store or PhonePurchase

Golf Club

Website

Email Signup (10% off)

MBA School

Referral

Website

Info Request

College

PPC, FB, Email

Website

Tour Request

How do you connect these OFFLINE actions back to ONLINE marketing efforts?

Application & Enrollment

RETAIL HIGHER EDScenarios

RETAIL

HIGHER ED

GAF Tracker

higher revenue from SEO than they realized!

…expanding SEO strategy now.

higher revenue from Email than

they realized!…more attention

to Email now.

higher ROAS than they realized!

…investing more in PPC now.

What does GAFUSION provide for Retailers?

Primary Conversion Goal Apply to College1. Apply online directly2. 3rd Party App (Common App, Banner, Jenzabar, ApplyYourself, etc.)3. Download/Print/Mail

Issues with Conversion Goals in Google Analytics for Higher Ed:4. Not Setup5. Setup, but not registering any data (e.g. zeros)6. Setup, but simply registering a count of the number of visitors that

reached the page about Applying – before clicking to go to the application.

What does GAFUSION provide for Higher Ed?

Identify Marketing Sources that are Driving Applications

Goal 3: Application Submission

Application Submission (Goal 3 Conversion Rate)

Application Submission (Goal 3 Conversion)

Application Submission (Goal 3 Value)

facebook.com/referral

• Identify Keywords that Drive Applications from Students

• Evaluate Social Media’s affect on Applications & Enrollment

• Evaluate Enrollment by Application Method

• Identify the Landing Pages Driving Applications (by Medium)

Connecting Ecommerce & Centralized Analytics to Cascade Server

Software