However Google Analytics provides the statistics in a historical manner.   It’s not real time. Following a recommendation on Twitter we have recently installed OpenTracker, a real time web analytics system. We signed up for a free one months trial. It’s easy to install – just add some code to the site – and off you go. It’s early days yet, we only have it running for around a week but I’m really impressed with the stats available.

You can see the real time visitor data, visitor by visitor and see exactly what paths they take through the site.  THis is all available in real time. For each visitor you get the following information

• country, city and region
• IP address
• browser
• operating system
• screen resolution
• time spent on site
• number of pages viewed
•  time spent on each page
• total duration of all visits
• first-time or returning visitor
• search terms / keyword entered
• search engine used
• exit link

Already the data we have analysed has started to drive improvements and changes to our site. I thoroughly recommend it. 

You can check out OpenTracker here.

Go to RollerCoaster to enter here.

PuddleDucks Everyday Dungarees

Alyssa on the Boat

The latest in our PuddleDuckers Out and About series comes from Mary Palmer, showing photos of her daughter Alyssa on holiday in Oslo in January.  Over to you, Mary …

I went to Oslo, Norway with my 4 year old Daughter in January. She wore her PuddleDucks gear and had an absolute blast. She was kept toasty warm and dry the whole time, despite -21 temperatures. Thank you for such a great product!  

Alyssa buried in the Snow

Alyssa is wearing an earlier style of our Fleece-lined Waterproof Set. See this year’s style here. 

Alyssa having Fun in the Park

Many thanks Mary and Alyssa again for sharing your story and your photos. If you’d like to be featured in the next “PuddleDuckers Out and About” please email us at info@puddleducks.ie.

We’d love to hear from you.

Visit our page on Facebook now. Sign up as a fan and leave a comment.

The closing date for the draw is Saturday 27th February.

Best Business Blog Nominations

All you need to do is make an enquiry to any childcare facility with a premium advert on MyChildcare.ie and you will automatically be entered into the draw. Get all the details here.

Win PuddleDucks on MyChildcare.ie

Here’s a screen shot of the forum (translated)

I have to rely on the Google toolbar translation service to see what they are saying about us. Accepting that a lot of the meaning gets “lost in translation”,  here are a few of the quotes about PuddleDucks on the forum.

•  liked the surprise was the sweater (ordered as a gift to the village district.) had a button with a picture of a tractor and he growls and pants in all keys))) Fleece myagchyayshy, my child is fussy (he agrees to wear clothes selectively) got no calls.
• And this sweater bought as a gift, so bright! Its main chip-rychalka and gudelka, clicking sound типо tractor rides, the most interesting that there are no restrictions on the label does not wash, can be washed in the machine
• Vasche I love this story, it is warm, lightweight, easy to wash, dries quickly, presentation for a long time to lose. In blue sweaters lightning in green. sweater wide neck, his head is not stuck.

I know it does not all make complete sense but I think we can safely say that the Russian customers like their PuddleDucks gear.  And we’re delighted that we are reaching satisfied customers – not just in Ireland but all over the World too.

There’s a link to the Russian shopping forum here.

A message to our visitors from Russia (apologies for any mistakes in language):

Привет. Мы очень счастливы иметь клиентов из России. Пожалуйста пошлите по электронной почте нам в info@puddleducks, если Вы имеете какие-нибудь вопросы.

Purple Rain Coat

It comes in sizes from (4-5 years) to (7-8 years). It costs €34.50 and you can get all the details and buy online here.

2009 was another good year for PuddleDucks. We are surviving the recession, we won an award, added reviews to the site and much more. Rather than write a long wordy post about all the good things that happened in 2009, here’s some photos and images of our high points of last year.

1. Irish Internet Association Best Online Trader Award

Winning the IIA Award was such a big deal for us. It added credibility and trustworthyness to the site which helped in increasing sales. It was especially sweet because the award was voted on by the public

2. Adding LouderVoice Reviews to the site

Adding customer reviews - powered by LouderVoice - to the website was a major step forward for our business. It built on our word of mouth referrals and allowed customers to share their feedback in a user friendly and easily accessable way.

3. Suzanne’s interview on The Business on RTE Radio

Suzanne's interview with John Murray on The Business on RTE Radio 1 on November 14th brought loads of visibility, increased interest in our products and sales. It demonstrated the great value to a small business of a high profile media appearance

4. Our Facebook Fan page

Of all the social media platforms we are involved in, the most impotant to us is now the Facebook Fan Page. During 2009 it went from a small beginning to now having over 500 fans. It is a great platform to engage with our community of customers and "fans".

Roger takes up the story “Just a quick pic of William in his first outing in his Puddleducks outfit.  He is just over 18 months old  and when he unwrapped the parcel on Christmas Day he immediately knew what the jacket was for but had a bit of trouble with the trousers putting them on his head!  This was in fact his first outing in the snow.”

Many thanks Roger for sending the photo. Looks like William is having fun. I’m sure there will be many more opportunities for him to wear his PuddleDucks gear in the snow and rain.

If you would be interested in featuring your children’s photos and experiences in their PuddleDucks gear,  please drop us a line at info@puddleducks.ie