Was The Toys R Us SEO Problem Unavoidable?
Written by Evan SchumanMarch 31st, 2009
When Toys.com got delisted from Google after it was apparently forwarded—rather than transferred—by its new owner, Toys R Us, many (including us) were quick to point fingers at Toys R Us. But one SEO consultant penned a fascinating piece that questions whether Toys R Us had much choice in the matter.
“Did Toys ‘R’ Us goof by redirecting Toys.com to ToysRUs.com and losing the existing Google rankings? I doubt it. There are simply bigger fish to fry at this time,” wrote John Andrews. “It is important and usually profitable to consider SEO aspects of a site move or relaunch, but Toys ‘R’ Us must also pay attention to opportunity costs.” Andrews took the time to craft a well-reasoned and detailed look at the Toys.com issue. Worth a read.
Cards issued by European banks when used online cross border don't usually support AVS checks. So, when a European card is used with a billing address that's in the US, an ecom merchant wouldn't necessarily know that the shipping zip code doesn't match the billing code.
-Marc
