Magazine editors have always sold things. A recommendation in a trusted title moves product, and ecommerce is the attempt to get paid for that influence directly rather than through the advertising around it.
There are several ways in. Affiliate links in reviews and buying guides earn commission when readers already intend to buy. Others go further: Marie Claire built a shopping platform carrying more than a million products, while the London Review of Books grew a small online shop into a business with its own US warehouse. Hearst has turned the Good Housekeeping Institute's product testing into accreditation and licensing.
Get it right, and the revenues will flow. Get it wrong, and you’ll wish that you’d stuck to the knitting.
Jim Bilton The Ecommerce Challenge
For most publishers commerce is still a small share of revenue, and the risks are real, from culture and technology to the trust readers place in editorial. Disclosing commercial links tends to help conversion rather than hurt it, and smaller publishers have done well by testing cheaply before committing.
The ground is shifting as well. Shoppers increasingly research products through AI search and social creators, and much of the credit for a sale ends up with cashback and voucher sites.
Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on ecommerce and affiliate revenue for publishers, from affiliate content and online shops to licensing and trust, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.
Ecommerce – the future of media or a dangerous distraction? Get it right and it can transform your company’s financials. Get it wrong, writes Jim Bilton, and it can destroy your business. And there are plenty of examples of both.
Inject personality into e-commerce content by showing audiences the individual recommending the products, and why they’re qualified to do so, says Beth Crane, director of commercial growth.
In a time when consumers are being offered content for free, new revenue streams for publishers are always worth exploring. Keith Walker explains the lessons learned regarding affiliate revenue and what it means for your brand.
One publishing brand that seems to have nailed ecommerce is Marie Claire, both in the UK and, more recently, in the US. Ciar Byrne looks at its winning strategy.
LRB’s strategy is to engage its audience with new and exciting products as well as creating new iterations of its cult ranges, says Jill Tytherleigh, head of e-commerce and product development.
The future of Singletrack World’s e-commerce strategy focuses on two key areas: reducing friction and consolidating touchpoints, says Mark Alker, co-founder.
Consumer magazine media has a bright future, James Wildman tells Meg Carter, because of the substantial opportunities to build new revenue streams on the back of deep reader engagement.
The border busting reality of digital publishing has radically altered the traditional licensing model. But opportunities still abound to leverage your brand in overseas markets. Peter Houston reports.
Ecommerce is often cited by publishers as an obvious area for revenue diversification. But how to make a success of it?
Imagine Publishing launched eight years ago, with six magazine titles. Now, the company publishes twenty magazines, 275 bookazines alongside numerous website and apps, and it is highly profitable. Meg Carter talks to Group Managing Director Damian Bu
Cosmopolitan, Hearst’s women’s monthly magazine, has launched Cosmopolitan Fashion.
In the second of our new series by leading figures in the world of digital publishing, Rebekah Billingsley tells us why she particularly likes Lakeland Magazine.
Condé Nast International has led a $20m investment in Vestiaire Collective, the resale community dedicated to trend driven luxury fashion and accessories, it was announced today by Jonathan Newhouse, Chairman and Chief Executive.
ELLE UK, the fashion magazine and website published by Hearst Magazines UK, has launched its first ever ELLE beauty online shop: SHOPELLEUK.COM
18 July: Forbes Media and Lot 18, the New York-based wine e-commerce company, announce the launch of Forbes Wine Club.
David Hepworth's regular column, in the July / August 2013 issue of InPublishing magazine.
The independent magazine scene is thriving. It is a corner of the magazine market where passion pays. Peter Houston looks at what lessons we can learn from the vibrant Indie scene.
The Specialist Media Conference was held in April at the British Library; a fascinating day of panel discussions, presentations and round tables, attended by some of the leading lights of the specialist media world. James Evelegh was there too.
We Love Pop is celebrating the launch of an exclusive T-shirt range and distribution of We Love Pop magazine in 57 Primark stores nationwide.
For the 4th year in a row, Condé Nast Digital Day last week brought together over 500 leading marketing and communications professionals from the luxury industry.
Songlines, the world music magazine, has been growing its flagship Songlines Music Awards, building new media partnerships and launching on tablet, writes Carolyn Morgan.
Guardian News & Media has launched Guardian Destinations, a new hotel booking site giving readers access to some of the best independent hotels from around the world.
As specialist publishing becomes more and more about reaching an audience across digital, live, social and print channels, so niche consumer and B2B publishers must rethink where their revenue comes from and how they grow their business. Carolyn Morg
Group FMG is reflecting the increasing focus on e-commerce and content with a raft of senior level appointments across these growing sectors of its business.
