It’s not as easy for an online retailer to establish a personal connection with a shopper as it is for a salesperson in a store who can see and talk to the consumer. Crutchfield has found a way to get a little closer to that type of relationship with its Connect ID utility. When a web visitor calls or chats, a Crutchfield advisor asks him to provide the unique Connect ID number shown on the web site. “Using an In-house-developed tool, the advisor can then send Crutchfield.com pages to that specific customer’s screen and even add items to the customer’s shopping cart,” says Todd Cabell, senior manager of e-commerce. Though he would not disclose Connect ID’s impact on sales, Cabell says it provides the convenience of online shopping with the benefit of live, expert guidance.

Purchase the 2013 Hot 100 Issue of Internet Retailer

View the entire 2013 Hot 100 List