PETALUMA, CA--(Marketwire - January 29, 2009) - MarketLive® Inc., www.marketlive.com, a leading eCommerce software and service provider for midsized retailers, today released the "MarketLive Performance Index™ Volume 6, 2009 Priorities: Small Projects, Big Wins" report. The Performance Index is MarketLive's quarterly analysis of the aggregate performance data from approximately 100 online retailers that use the MarketLive® eCommerce Suite. This edition explores eCommerce trends for Q4 2008 and details tactics for building trust, earning loyalty, and differentiating retail brands.

The MarketLive Performance Index Volume 6 reports that despite overall challenges faced by retailers during Q4 2008, many experienced modest growth. Total visits, orders, and revenue edged up year over year, while conversion and cart abandonment rates slowed. These statistics reflect the cautious mindset of shoppers as they researched products extensively and shopped for bargains.

--  Overall visits: up 19.04%
--  Orders: up 10.34%
--  Revenue: up 4.17%
--  Conversion rates: fell 14.58%
--  Overall cart abandonment rates: up 2.14%
--  One-and-out rates: up 2.57%
--  Engagement rates: fell 3.04%
    

"While we were glad to see an increase in revenue year-over-year, we also noted shoppers are being much more cautious, and are researching products and prices, which affects conversion and cart abandonment," said Ken Burke, MarketLive Founder, Executive Chairman. "The online channel will continue to drive overall retail growth, but we believe retailers must merchandise and market wisely, build trust and customer loyalty, and differentiate their brands from the competition. Now is the time for merchants to invest in fine-tuning their sites and implement technologies that help them attract and retain shoppers."

This edition of the Performance Index recommends ten short-term projects to help retailers drive growth in 2009. Tactics include refreshing site design, rethinking product pages, implementing customer reviews, adding transparency to the cost of purchase in the cart, smoothing the checkout process, creating personalized branding, improving pre- and post-purchase service, optimizing site performance, and closely tracking performance so that adjustments can be made along the way.

The MarketLive eCommerce Suite, combined with proven best practices and current eCommerce strategies, provides the foundation for retailers of all sizes to achieve optimal business performance. The Performance Index Volume 6 2009 Priorities, Small Projects: Big Wins report is available today at www.marketlive.com.

About MarketLive

Since 1995, MarketLive, Inc. (www.marketlive.com) has provided enterprise-class eCommerce retail technology and services that help fast-growing companies successfully sell goods and services online. Designed to meet the unique requirements of catalogers, retailers, direct marketers, and manufacturers, the extensible MarketLive® eCommerce Suite and MarketLive's best practices-based Intelligent Selling® methodology enable merchants to enhance their customers' experience online while dramatically improving acquisition, conversion, and retention rates. The MarketLive platform is the most retail-targeted, fully featured, customizable eCommerce solution on the market today. MarketLive powers successful retail eCommerce sites, including Peruvian Connection, Bon-Ton Stores, Sports Chalet, Vanity Shops, Gaiam, Wakeside, and TruSnow and many others.