A01 chaf6542 06 se fm indd

Purpose

To develop skills in selecting appropriate techniques for measuring digital business 

effectiveness.

Activity

This activity acts as a summary to this section on digital business measurement. 

Review Table 12.10 and assess the frequency with which metrics in each of the follow-

ing categories should be reported for a  sell-  side e-commerce site and acted upon. For 

each column, place an R in the column for the frequency with which you think the data 

should be recorded.

Answers to activities can be found at www.pearsoned.co.uk/chaffey

Promotion

Behaviour

Satisfaction Outcomes

Profitability

Hour

Day

Week

Month

Quarter

Re-launch

Table 12.10

Alternative timescales for reporting e-commerce site performance

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Part 3  Implementation

In Chapter 1, we started this book with a case study of the world’s largest digital business 

retailer. We conclude with a case of the world’s second largest e-retailer, showing how the 

culture of test, learn, refine is key to their success.

Case Study 12.1

Learning from Amazon’s culture of metrics

Context

Why a case study on Amazon? Surely everyone knows 

about who Amazon are and what they do? Yes, well, 

that may be true, but this case goes beyond the sur-

face to review innovations in Amazon’s business and 

revenue model based on a historical review from their 

published annual reports (United States SEC filings).

Like eBay, Amazon.com was born in 1995. The name 

reflected the vision of Jeff Bezos to produce a  large- 

 scale phenomenon like the River Amazon. This ambition 

has proved justified since, just 8 years later, Amazon 

passed the $5 billion sales mark – it took  Wal-  Mart 

20 years to achieve this.