The State of Retailing Online 2009 reports that ecommerce spending will rise 11% to $156 billion this year from $141.3 billion in 2008.

Although many retailers have experienced lower sales, four out of five online retailers surveyed think the web is better suited than other channels to withstand the recession. Furthermore, one-third of the retailers said the downturn has helped them capture greater market share. Retailers report their conversion rates continue to run between 3% and 3.5%, as they have for years.

What can a wholesaler or retailer do to weather the economic downturn? Most businesses are doing more with less by making smart spending decisions and using effective, affordable tactics to grow their businesses.  Search Engine Marketing is ideal because it’s both accountable and cost-effective.

According to comScore, $595 million was spent online on Black Friday 2009, making it the second best shopping day of the year.  With over $10.5 billion spent during the holiday season so far right now is the best time for internet retailers to ensure their websites are getting the traffic they need to help their business grow.

Search Engine Marketing for Wholesalers

The benefits of paid search advertising are many. Directory listings in particular are extremely cost effective. With a small initial investment, you get tons of qualified traffic, unlimited category selection, ample keyword selection, a site description, and options for premium listings, banner ads and more.

Paid search advertising is realistic for every type of business, small or large. It is an excellent way for small businesses to level the playing field and for big businesses to get found. Your listing has a chance of placement right above or below a larger competitor or national chain. A wholesaler can easily be found by retailers looking for its products, and retailers get the benefit of quickly sourcing products.

The beauty of paid search is immediate results; your listing can be up in a matter of days as opposed to the time it takes for natural search listings to materialize. This is not to degrade organic listings, because the best of all worlds is to have both organic and paid listings for conversions and branding galore.

The biggest advantage of directory listings is targeted traffic. While it’s difficult to target your message with traditional media, directory listings zero in on your target audience through your selected keywords. You’ll be pre-qualifying your customers before they land on your site.

Lastly, you get branding with directory listings. Top placement on sites like WholesaleU or OffPriceNetwork is proven to be very effective for promoting your brand.

In closing, let me remind you that the Internet gives you top value for promoting your business and results are accountable. WholesaleU helps wholesalers connect with thousands of resellers looking to order their products online every day. What’s not to like?