Earlier this week the market researcher the e-tailing group put out its 7th annual Merchant Survey. The study reveals that merchants are taking a laser focused approach, doing more with less online and streamlining for performance and profitability.

According to Lauren Freedman, president of the e-tailing group, “On all fronts we see a ’split personality’ as some merchants aggressively pursue business online and across channels while others, with resource constraints, strive to do more with less,” she says. “Merchants are making the choices that are most germane to their categories and their customers via a laser focus on critical elements where strong results and the greatest ROI can be achieved.”

Here are some suggestions from the e-tailing group for merchants that are looking to maximize their online efforts.

1. Deploy tactical strategies; from search to content, integrating tools that elevate the user experience, enabling your customers to make the right choices smartly.

2. Tailor shopping to your category, while differentiating your site to achieve a competitive advantage.

3. Tweak the feature-sets on your site, streamlining onsite merchandising and the shopping cart to deliver a “simple, efficient, and effective” experience.

4. Target customers, leveraging analytics and data-driven insights to deliver relevant cross-sells and emails.

5. Track shopper behavior to wisely build a relationship and keep them coming back via well edited assortments and timely communication.

6. Test results consistently to be sure you are achieving desired ROI and branding goals.

7. Ensure a “total experience” that gives consumers confidence to buy - including the right assortment, ample product information and inspiring merchandising.

Read the entire survey.