Search engine advertising in web retailing : an efficiency analysis

This study examines the efficiency of search engine advertising strategies employed by firms. The research setting is the online retailing industry, which is characterized by extensive use of Web technologies and high competition for market share and profitability. For Internet retailers, search engines are increasingly serving as an information gateway for many decision-making tasks. In particular, Search engine advertising (SEA) has opened a new marketing channel for retailers to attract new customers and improve their performance. In addition to natural (organic) search marketing strategies, search engine advertisers compete for top advertisement slots provided by search brokers such as Google and Yahoo! through keyword auctions. The rationale being that greater visibility on a search engine during a keyword search will capture customers' interest in a business and its product or service offerings. Search engines account for most online activities today. Compared with the slow growth of traditional marketing channels, online search volumes continue to grow at a steady rate. According to the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, spending on search engine marketing by North American firms in 2008 was estimated at $13.5 billion. Despite the significant role SEA plays in Web retailing, scholarly research on the topic is limited. Prior studies in SEA have focused on search engine auction mechanism design. In contrast, research on the business value of SEA has been limited by the lack of empirical data on search advertising practices. Recent advances in search and retail technologies have created datarich environments that enable new research opportunities at the interface of marketing and information technology. This research uses extensive data from Web retailing and Google-based search advertising and evaluates Web retailers' use of resources, search advertising techniques, and other relevant factors that contribute to business performance across different metrics. The methods used include Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), data mining, and multivariate statistics. This research contributes to empirical research by analyzing several Web retail firms in different industry sectors and product categories. One of the key findings is that the dynamics of sponsored search advertising vary between multi-channel and Web-only retailers. While the key performance metrics for multi-channel retailers include measures such as online sales, conversion rate (CR), c1ick-through-rate (CTR), and impressions, the key performance metrics for Web-only retailers focus on organic and sponsored ad ranks. These results provide a useful contribution to our organizational level understanding of search engine advertising strategies, both for multi-channel and Web-only retailers. These results also contribute to current knowledge in technology-driven marketing strategies and provide managers with a better understanding of sponsored search advertising and its impact on various performance metrics in Web retailing.

Bright’s Wines Limited fonds, 1983-1989

One of the oldest wineries in Ontario, Bright’s Wines is now a part of Vincor International Inc. and still producing wines today. In the year 1874 Thomas G. Bright and Francis A. Shirriff came together in a partnership and formed a wine company in Toronto, Ontario. As the company began to prosper the gentlemen decided to move the location to Niagara, Ontario. Sixteen years later the Niagara Falls Wine Company opened on Dorchester Road. In 1911, Bright bought out all of Shirriff’s shares in the company and the name became the T. G. Bright and Co. Limited. A few years later in 1933 Harry C. Hatch bought the wine company from the Bright family and began changing how Bright’s operated through greater, more diverse wine production, as well as research and development. Bright’s leadership in wine research and development in Canada helped bring Canadian wines to their position of respect around the world. In 1934 Bright’s began a viticultural and vinicultural program, changing the way the Canadian wine industry worked. They put more money into research and development than any other winery in all of Canada. Soon, gold medals and “best of class” international designations were being awarded to Bright’s wines. As a result of their success, the founders soon discovered that they needed additional money to develop their business. So they borrowed money from a local bank and other lenders, or creditors, and used the funds to expand the business. Subsequent acquisition of other companies and consolidations in the wine industry led to the creation of Vincor International in 1993. Today, Vincor has established itself as a major participant in the North American super-premium wine market. By acquiring other companies, Vincor has fuelled growth in its sales from $114 million in 1995 to $654 million in 2005. The company’s success attracted the attention of its competitors. On September 27, 2005, Constellation Brands, Inc. announced its intention to buy Vincor and subsequently acquired the company in June 2006.

Niagara South estate and legal documents collection, 1752-1937, n.d. [non-inclusive]

The documents in the collection include the names of families residing in Stamford Township, Welland County, which today is considered Niagara Falls. Some names are: Allan, Barnett, Brokenshaw, Buchanan, Cadham, Clark, Dalton, Dell, Fell, Garner, Hemmings, Kent, Lightbody, Orchard, Perry, Pew, Ross, Street, Thompson, Willox, Willson, Wright. For a more complete list of names consult the finding aid.

William B. Rollason fonds, 1930-1934, 1936, 1941-1947, 1950-1952, 1956-1958.

William B. Rollason was a businessman from St. Catharines. His business interests included insurance sales, real estate and housing development. He was an active Rotarian, serving as president from 1945 to 1946. He served on the Niagara Parks Commission Board from 1944 until his death in 1959. Mr. Rollason was the president of the St. Catharines Chamber of Commerce, president of the Lincoln County Conservative Association, a member of the Navy Island Peace Capital Group, vice chairman of the War Savings Committee and part owner of the Welland House Hotel in St. Catharines.

Broadside advertising a Real Estate Auction in the Village of Niagara Falls [New York], July, 1836.

Benjamin Rathburn (1790-1873) was a builder, banker and hotel-keeper who was well-known for his work in the development and expansion of Buffalo in the 1830s. He also conducted business in the Village of Niagara Falls. He purchased large tracts of land (largely on credit) with the intent to sell the land at a profit. However, the sales did not meet his expectations and Rathburn found himself over-extended on credit, ultimately leading to his financial ruin.Jesse P. Haines (1793-1877) was an American cartographer who is credited with mapping the Villages of Lockport and Niagara Falls, New York.

Broadside advertising a Real Estate Auction in the Village of Niagara Falls [New York], July, 1836.

Benjamin Rathburn (1790-1873) was a builder, banker and hotel-keeper who was well-known for his work in the development and expansion of Buffalo in the 1830s. He also conducted business in the Village of Niagara Falls. He purchased large tracts of land (largely on credit) with the intent to sell the land at a profit. However, the sales did not meet his expectations and Rathburn found himself over-extended on credit, ultimately leading to his financial ruin. Jesse P. Haines (1793-1877) was an American cartographer who is credited with mapping the Villages of Lockport and Niagara Falls, New York.