In the Spotlight: How we determine Yahoo! Network orders
-- Real-time 30-day cookie determines your Yahoo! Network revenue share.
-- Referrer URLs provide "after the fact" stats for merchant use only.
-- View your Yahoo! Networks orders under Stats in the Store Manager.
Premium Service: Remodel your Store with Website Pros
Customer Service Tips: Getting in shape for the holidays

In the Spotlight: How we determine Yahoo! Network orders

Apologies -- there seems to be confusion about the technology used to assess Yahoo! Network orders, and the referrer technology, which provides a snapshot of where visitors to your Store are coming from.

Real-time 30-day cookie determines your Yahoo! Network revenue share:

On October 1, 2001, at 1:00am PST, we began using real-time cookies as part of our overall pricing change. Here's how this tracking system works: When someone visits your Yahoo! Store for the first time, we place a cookie on that visitor's computer. A cookie is an information token commonly used to track web site visits and exchange information efficiently between a web site and a web browser.

This cookie records the exact time that the customer lands on your Yahoo! Store. It also records your store name and looks at the last URL visited by the user prior to arriving on your store page. If this origin URL contains the domain "yahoo.com" (except for mail.yahoo.com and store.yahoo.com) then the web visitor is designated as having arrived at your store via the Yahoo! Network and the cookie is marked "yes" at that time. This is how we determine whether or not a transaction is a Yahoo! Network transaction. Please note: Network revenue share is not assessed on orders from users who receive the Yahoo! Network 30-day cookie when arriving via Yahoo! Mail (mail.yahoo.com) or via another Yahoo! Store page (store.yahoo.com). The cookies these visitors receive are marked "no."

Referrer URLs provide "after the fact" stats for merchant use only:

The Yahoo! Network cookie technology is implemented in real time. It tracks orders to determine Network revenue share. This technology is completely independent of the Yahoo! Store referrer URLs that show up under Process > Orders in the Store Manager. Referrers are attributed to orders after the fact, as an approximation or best guess of where a given order might have originated. Sometimes, an order is subject to the Yahoo! Network revenue share and the referrer is not a Yahoo! Network URL. Sometimes it's the opposite -- the referrer appears to be the Yahoo! Network, but the cookie indicates otherwise, and Network revenue share is not charged.

For a detailed description of "referrer URL" technology please visit: Referrer Help Page.

View your Yahoo! Networks orders under Stats in the Store Manager:

The Yahoo! Store information saved in the cookie is invalid after 30 days. Any order placed at your Store by a visitor with a "yes" cookie during those 30 days is considered a Network order, and we assess the 3.5% revenue share for this order. You can view network orders in your Store Manager 24 hours after they are placed. Go to Statistics : Reports and you'll see a daily breakout of all your Yahoo! Network orders -- clickable by order ID. Or you can visit Statistics : Graphs to view network orders in a variety of display formats. Please note that Yahoo! Shopping orders are included within the network order, although they are also viewable separately in the Graphs section of the Manager.

To learn more about the 30-day cookie, please visit: 30-day cookie help page.

Premium Service: Remodel your Store with Website Pros

Have you been dreaming of a makeover for your Yahoo! Store but haven't had the time to find a professional for the job? We've teamed with Website Pros to offer affordable, professional design and development services. Their Yahoo!-trained designers can help you create a state-of-the-art Yahoo! Store to meet your current and future business objectives.

The basic $640 Yahoo! Store design package from Website Pros includes five essential store pages: home page, item page (for products or services), info page (with contact information), privacy page, and one custom page. Expert store builders assess your needs and goals in a phone interview, and guide you from the initial account setup through a hands-on tutorial that teaches you to update and maintain your own web store. They'll work with you to create a distinctive look and feel for your storefront; expand your image library; crop, scan, and resize graphics as needed; and help with copy writing and editing. When their job is done you'll be ready to open for business and manage your Yahoo! Store account.

Website Pros also offers a wide range of design and development services for established store merchants. Learn more about their offering.

In addition to Website Pros, we also maintain a directory of web designers with proven experience building Yahoo! Stores. View the Designer Directory.

Customer Service Tips: Getting in shape for the holidays

As you well know, careful planning and preparation can help prevent retail nightmares. In the event of an unanticipated problem, smart retailers respond swiftly and honestly to meet customer needs. Here are some common-sense solutions to customer-service complaints from past holiday shopping seasons at Yahoo!:

1. Stock up to avoid running out of popular merchandise.

Identify your best-selling products and stock up ahead of the holidays. Popular toys and electronics products have been especially susceptible to sellouts in years past. Identify alternate suppliers if necessary.

If an item is back-ordered, let your customers know as soon as possible. Email the customer with an estimated delivery date and provide weekly or biweekly order-status updates. Keep in mind that a cancelled order will probably cause fewer headaches than an angry or disappointed customer.

2. Package and ship your items with extra care in 2001.

In light of recent threats to U.S. mail safety and security, and real concerns about shipments of hazardous materials, we urge you to take extra care in packaging your shipments. Printed shipping labels are strongly recommended. Provide a large, legible return address. If you are unable to create printed labels, be sure to display the recipient's address as well as the return address in bold, clearly printed easy-to-read letters. Mailrooms and post offices nationwide are on alert -- shipments that lack return addresses will be treated as suspicious. These items may even be destroyed. Do the right thing for you and your customers, and label your shipments with professional concern.

3. Publish shipping and handling information prominently to avoid confusion.

Publish your shipping and handling charges, policies, and estimated delivery times so that they are easy to find and understand. It's good business practice to under-promise and over-deliver. Update the "Shipment Status" of your orders from within the Store Manager (under "Order Settings")-- this generates an email status update for the customer, and updates the "Order Status" page accessible to Yahoo! Shopping customers after they log in. Keep in touch with the U.S. Post Office and other shippers to anticipate and work around delays.

4. Simplify and prioritize your communications for speedy response times.

Consider using email aliases or incoming mail filters to prioritize your email, so you can answer the most urgent messages quickly. For greater efficiency, write short "canned" responses to frequently asked questions. If you anticipate delays or problems, let your customers know promptly to reduce their uncertainty. Consider providing phone support, even if only for limited hours. A thoughtfully composed voicemail message on your answering machine should include email contact information, phone support hours, and reassurance for customers with urgent concerns.

5. Display your return policy on your site and in your shipments.

Make sure it's easy for shoppers to locate return policy information on your web pages, and link to your return policy in email communications. Include a printed copy of easy-to-follow return instructions and contact information in every package you ship.