E-Commerce Merchants Trade Association
By Donna Talarico on Wed (9/3/08) in E-Commerce Operations | 1 Comment
How can small businesses find great
rates on healthcare? On shipping? On other ancillary services? Trade associations have long been the answer to bringing those in a particular trade or industry together to advance the industry, as well as to pool resources for shared benefits among members.
In 2005, online merchants were for the
first time able to join a trade association geared toward e-commerce with the formation of the E-Commerce Merchants Trade Association, or ECMTA.
According to ECMTA.org, the organization was formed when a small group of online merchants got together to share ideas on improving their business. The group quickly acknowledged that learning how to optimize every aspect of a business was virtually impossible for a small business, so they decided to rely upon each others’ expertise. ECMTA proudly claims to be the only trade association dedicated to educating small to medium-sized online merchants on how to grow their businesses for very low monthly membership fees.
Cresta Pillsbury, Executive Vice President for Business Development for ECMTA, says since 2005, the association has evolved to include more and more benefits.
“Over the past year the organization
has formalized its Partnership program, which is like a Consumer Reports for Internet vendors,” she said. “The organization has worked hard to compile a comprehensive list of the industry leaders and negotiate special offers and pricing for our members so they get the best service and rates available.”
Special pricing is key for independent merchants. ECMTA is able to use its muscle to negotiate rates for services such as shipping, payment processing and other pertinent e-commerce necessities.
“The benefits of joining E-Commerce Merchants are numerous and we’re adding more regularly,” said Pillsbury. “I think the most popular include our merchant processing deal with Pivotal Payments and our BoldChat deal is also very popular. We recently introduced a special Control Scan offer for website security about which we are very excited. Plus, since we’ve already negotiated the best rates with our benefits providers, our members receive the most competitive pricing available.”
Aside from special pricing, ECMTA provides educational materials and events for its members. Pillsbury says that since 2005, the association has held over a dozen events in cities around the country and even Australia.
“Our events are a way for merchants to interact with the people they know ‘virtually’ in an intimate and professional setting,” she said. “Our members want to learn about improving their businesses all year-round, not just when they attend a conference. That is why we host an interactive community website that includes a very active chat board. We also send newsletters and host webinars and conference calls on a regular basis.”
So, who is a good candidate to benefit from ECMTA? According to Pillsbury, everyone in e-commerce should take a look.
“Most of our members are busy executives, many are do-it-all entrepreneurs and all of them are interested in being more efficient with their time,” she says. “E-Commerce Merchants helps them locate the best tools for optimizing their businesses. Anyone who is using the Internet to promote a business or to sell a product will benefit from joining E-Commerce Merchants.”
“Our goal is for every small business to enjoy the benefits of membership in E-Commerce Merchants. We plan to continue providing valuable services and benefits to any merchant interested in improving e-commerce,” she added.
While it’s true that there is strength in numbers, it is important to be part of the right numbers to truly benefit. If you’re an e-commerce operator, chances are you need help somewhere. The ECMTA may have the answers you seek.
Senior Account Mananger at Solid Cactus
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gwafa_darren responded on Sun (10/19/08) at 7:34 am
this is a very good association..