Data Central: How Overstock Leads by Detecting Needs

As the holidays approach, many consumers turn to online shopping for inventory that is rarely out of stock, favorable pricing, and the convenience of home delivery. Considering Overstock.com’s longevity and e-commerce success, it is an ideal subject to study in terms of web analytics and search engine optimization.

Whatagraph Paints a Picture of Google Analytics Data

Google Analytics (GA) analyzes traffic to approximately 55% of websites around the world. Dozens of other web-metrics solutions are attempting to chip away at its market share; still, Google Analytics’ closest competitor claims its technology is used by only 5% of global websites (W3Techs, 2016).

Some Challenges. The popularity of Google Analytics may be owed to the fact that it produces a wealth of powerful insights at a bargain price – $0. Alas, the technology’s robust set of features is also its undoing for some users. The following remark sums up that sentiment (Karr, 2016).

“Let’s face it, Google Analytics is a mess for the average business…As an agency, we are not the average business, but even we have issues dissecting the data at times.”

Yes, GA is fairly difficult to learn, never mind to master. It requires an investment of time and mental energy. In a dynamic industry driven by deadlines, both can be hard to come by. Under-utilized or inactive GA accounts in marketing departments are not that uncommon. Fortunately, a variety of free apps ease the pain.

I Googled "Alternatives to Google Analytics" and Discovered Piwik

Website metrics tools enable organizations to understand their audiences’ online experiences, and leverage insights to achieve strategic goals.

Google Analytics is the towering giant in the web-measurement-technology space, dwarfing all global competitors. Even so, a dynamic marketplace is teeming with solutions, both established and emerging, some claiming new customers while others struggle for relevance.