Don't Give Discount Holiday Shoppers Any Reasons to Walk Away

The holiday shopping season is rapidly approaching, but optimism is fading for many online retailers, with sales growth expected to trend negative through the remainder of the year. As frugal shoppers continue to cut back on discretionary spending, retailers have responded with deep discounts and special offers. These promotions will have varying degrees of success due to competitive pressures that are pushing down prices, as well as the explosive growth of coupon and comparison shopping Web sites.

Charles Wiedenhoft at E-CommerceTimes.com news site offers several ideas for retaining customer during the checkout process this holiday season and beyond...