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Pindar Graphics has taken over Acorn E-commerce, extending its range of ecommerce services and its customer base.

The UK’s largest independent printer and multi-channel publishing business already provides fully bespoke and integrated ecommerce websites to larger retailers.

With Acorn, it hopes to cater for smaller customers too, E-consultancy.com reports.

Acorn’s full online self-service platform will improve the ease of maintenance and upgrades.

Roger Willcocks, director of Pindar Graphics, said: “Acorn has proven expertise in the marketplace and offers a very saleable product.

“Using the Acorn platform, it can take just a matter of days from creation of concept to developing an online shop that can take orders.

“This is important for customers who want a product that is easy to use, offers best-practice ecommerce in packaged form and will help them maximise their internet sales potential without investing significant sums of money.”

Founded in 1836, Acorn has over 170 years of experience in the printing industry.

Multi-channel retailers need to provide comprehensive descriptions to their customers if they want the technology to have an impact on sales, the e-tailing group has warned.

Some 77 percent of respondents to a survey the group conducted last month said that their interest in buying from a particular merchant was ‘very to somewhat’ influenced by the quality of content on its website.

Clothing and accessories, computer hardware and software and consumer electronics were the products for which consumers regarded detailed information as most essential.

Jay Heavilon, president of ARS eCommerce, said: “It is apparent that everyone wants more information. In fact, 91 per cent of those who completed this online questionnaire responded that they ‘almost always to frequently’ click to learn more when they find a product of interest.”

Lauren Freedman, president of the e-tailing group, echoed his sentiments: “Conversely, limitations in product content prohibit consumer decision-making and can result in lost sales. We cannot emphasise enough the need for comprehensive content on ecommerce sites.”

The survey found that 66 per cent of people research for products online half the time or more.