Innovators never stop coming up with new ideas for e-commerce sales and marketing. But once a year B2BecNews and Internet Retailer’s editors stop, take stock and recognize the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers whose innovations and achievements have made the greatest impact on e-commerce.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2017 awards, the third annual edition of the Internet Retailer Excellence Awards. The awards are handed out annually at a gala in conjunction with IRCE, the largest e-commerce event in North America. This year’s awards banquet will take place Wednesday evening, June 7, at the Hyatt McCormick Place Ballroom in Chicago.

Awards will be presented in 13 categories of business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce. Selecting the winners are panels composed of Internet Retailer editors and industry experts.

“We received hundreds of nominations last year and expect to receive even more in 2017 as the Internet Retailer Excellence Awards become better known with each passing year,” says Molly Love, CEO of Vertical Web Media LLC, parent company of B2BecNews and Internet Retailer. “There’s so much exciting and creative work being done in e-commerce, and we’re excited to be able to honor the best of the best each year at our awards banquet.”

Taking home the 2016 award for B2B E-Commerce Player of the Year was MSC Industrial Supply Co., a distributor of metalworking tools and services that is No. 74 in the B2B E-Commerce 300, Vertical Web Media’s ranking of North America’s top online sellers to businesses and other large organizations. The top award in the business-to-consumer category, Internet Retailer of the Year, went in 2016 to Wayfair Inc., the fast-growing, web-only retailer of furniture and home furnishings that is No. 24 in the Internet Retailer Top 1000, which ranks retailers and brands in North America by their online sales.

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Companies and their technology providers can submit nominations now for nine of the 13 awards. Companies are nominated in the other four categories by Internet Retailer editors and outside experts based on Internet Retailer’s data and the expertise of its editors and the consultants and analysts who join in the nominations process.

Here is a description of each of the 13 Internet Retailer Excellence Awards, with a link to the page to submit nominations for the nine awards for which nominations are accepted:

B2b E-commerce Marketer of the Year

Manufacturer, wholesaler or distributor that makes the best use of a range of online marketing channels, including social networks and blogs, to expand its reach, boost its reputation and increase website traffic and sales. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

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B2b E-commerce Website Design of the Year

The e-commerce website of a manufacturer, wholesaler or distributor that most effectively guides customers to the products they want, provides needed information, allows customers to configure products and request price quotes, offers flexible shipping options, connects to approval and workflow systems, and leads to higher online sales and new customer acquisition. Consideration will also be given to manufacturer web videos provided to distributors and other downloadable marketing materials that manufacturers provide to distributors, wholesalers and resellers. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

B2b E-commerce Player of the Year

Manufacturer, wholesaler or distributor that most effectively uses a B2B website to increase online sales to business customers, addressing the particular needs of its customers, and which is considered a pioneer in business-to-business e-commerce development. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

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Emerging E-retailer of the Year

The retailer that grew its sales most dramatically to emerge from relative obscurity to a first-time ranking in the Internet Retailer Top 1000 of North American retail websites. Nominees chosen by judging panel.

E-retailer Growth Award

A website that has been ranked in the Internet Retailer Top 1000 for at least two years and which achieved the highest growth rate in the current year. Nominees chosen by judging panel.

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Web Redesign of the Year

A website that shows a major improvement in its appeal, functionality and customer friendliness and meets the future requirements of online retailing. The new design must also produce improved results (higher average ticket, conversion rates and higher sales, lower bounce rates). Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

E-retail Marketer of the Year

The Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide retailer that most effectively uses all forms of online marketing (based on email, paid search, SEO and social marketing metrics tracked by the Top 500 Guide) to achieve above-average sales growth in its merchandise category. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

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Best Marketing Video of the Year

A retail video that is well produced with high entertainment and promotional values that result in higher sales, brand recognition and a high level of viral distribution and awareness. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

Best Product Video of the Year

A retail video that effectively explains a product and its benefits, and which leads to higher sales and fewer returns. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

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Mobile Commerce Award

The retailer showing the greatest creativity, performance and sales growth from a mobile-specific website and/or apps. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

Global E-retailer of the Year

A retailer that has invested heavily in online markets around the world and has produced the highest ranking and/or growth rate in all markets compared to other global websites. Nominees chosen by judging panel.

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Omnichannel Retailer of the Year

The retailer that does the best job of using its web and mobile assets to complement other selling channels, such as bricks-and-mortar stores, printed catalogs and TV shopping shows. Companies will be able to nominate themselves or be nominated by their solutions providers for this Award. Nominate

Internet Retailer of the Year

A Top 1000 retailer demonstrating extraordinary performance in all aspects of e-commerce activity and on all major e-commerce metrics. Nominees chosen by judging panel.

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The Internet Retailer Excellence Awards website provides full information about the awards, including sponsorship opportunities.

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