Backcountry.com Launches Onsite Comparative Pricing

High-end gear e-tailer takes the next step in commitment to be the center for gear knowledge

PARK CITY, UTAH (Nov. 10, 2009) — In an effort to inch closer to the goal of being the ultimate center for gear knowledge and to provide customers with the best shopping experience possible, Backcountry.com and Dogfunk.com will be rolling out an onsite comparative pricing test on Wednesday, November 11. The test will include competitive pricing on approximately 20% of the products on the two sites.

Onsite comparative pricing on these stores is a no-secrets way to share with customers the current prices for the same gear on other sites. Sometimes it will be more, sometimes it will be less, but now customers will have all the pricing information they need to make an informed purchasing decision without ever leaving our stores.

Considering the following facts about customer online buying habits, this decision was a no-brainer:

-51% of customers visit at least four sites before finalizing a purchase

-36% of customers spend more than 30 minutes, and 65% spend more than 16 minutes shopping around before making a purchase.

-94% of online shoppers take the time to find the lowest price.

So packaging the research up for them and giving them all the answers saves them time, energy and even money. The intent is to keep customers on the sites and increase conversion rates at the same time.

“We’re all about doing everything we can to give our customers a remarkable experience,” said Dustin Robertson, CMO of Backountry.com. “If we serve up all pricing across competitors’ sites, and team that information with hundreds of user-generated community reviews, we’re doing our best to be the center of gear knowledge for them. When we add this availability of information to our standout customer service and superfast shipping, we hope it’s obvious that we’re working hard for our customers’ business and loyalty.”

Comparative pricing will affect tracking and commissions for the stores’ affiliates:

-Links leading to competitor sites will open in a new window. The affiliate cookie will remain set for customers who return to Backcountry.com or Dogfunk.com for the purchase.

-Links going to a competitor’s site are set up on a CPC model, and affiliates earn their normal commission on any click they help generate.

“The expectation is that this test will work and will be an innovative way to create a revenue opportunity for the traffic that does not currently convert,” said Rett Clevenger, Online Media Manager. “We want to increase overall conversion on these sites, while still rewarding our invaluable affiliate partners for the customers they work hard to bring to us.”

If you’re interested is seeing an example of how the product detail page will look, click here. For additional questions on how onsite comparative pricing will impact affiliates, please contact affiliates@backcountry.com.