I just completed a fun project that I’ve been working on since the beginning of the year. It’s for VeriSign and launched yesterday morning. The biggest problem online businesses face is getting customers to actually complete their order. One of the big reasons people don’t complete their order is a lack of feeling that the website they’re on is secure. The rate of online cart abandonment is very high and VeriSign is on a quest to change that with their new extended validation site seal. As part of the launch of this new site seal, McCann put together a campaign revolving around Liberty Fillmore, a Cart Whisperer who travels the world seeking to rescue abandoned shopping carts (the metal and plastic, not online, kind). He’s a man on a mission and feels strongly about what he does. Who better to speak to the plight of abandoned shopping carts, both real and virtual, than the world’s only cart whisperer? Here’s a message from him…

—————————————————————————

Let’s cut to the rocky mountain oysters: this here’s one of them chainmails.
Or chain letters. Whatever. It’s galldurn serious stuff. See, the spirit of a shopping cart that was abandoned just up and takes the spirits of anyone who don’t forward this message and its correresponding interweb site onto at least 10 friends. T-E-N. An idiot’s dozen. But, fear not, it ain’t all curses and fire & coldstone. If you do forward this on to your interweb pardners, you just might get the name of your crush on your pager machine or in a text or dream or something.

The site?

www.NoMoreAbandonedCarts.com

It’s about me, Liberty Fillmore: the world’s only Cart Whisperer, a lone wolf in a world of coyotes, a sprinklefied donut in a pretendgious muffin world. I rescue abandoned carts. And this interweb site tells my story.
Please take a look-see. And look-see that your friends look-see as well.

Preciate cha!

Liberty
Sworn Defender of Abandoned Carts

—————————————————————————

So get on over to the site and check it out. There’s some fun stuff. Currently our YouTube video, the “World Premiere”, is in 3rd place for most viewed with almost 1 million viewings since yesterday. And if you happen to upload any of your own photos of abandoned carts you can be entered in a weekly drawing for an overstock.com gift card.

So I mentioned that I’ve been in Redmond, Washington on the Microsoft campus since Wednesday for some training on the Windows Live platform. Lots of cool things that may or may not be practical and/or applicable to the types of work I’m doing. It’s been a fun trip though. My first impression was that I couldn’t believe how big this campus is. It’s truly a campus, easily bigger than BYU. There are over 30,000 employees that work here in some 45 large buildings. It’s really it’s own city. Really incredible. I think I’ve eaten more and better food than any 3 day period in my life. Our first night, we went to this great Oyster bar restaurant but got no oysters – instead Filet Mignon that was perfect. I’m here with 2 co-workers, Jason and Buster. The next day Microsoft provided a big breakfast and then a very good prime rib and tortellini lunch with awesome deserts. Then, last night a bunch of us training attendees here, went to this great Italian restaurant in Bellevue, called Maggiano’s. Everything was served family style and included a bunch of different appetizers, great green salad, the best baked ziti I’ve had, mushroom ravioli, loin tips, salmon, calamari, oysters, tiramisu and blueberry cheesecake. There was a ton of food and it was all excellent. Unfortunately I was dumb and left my camera at home, but I do have a few pictures from a Korean guy who was here. This was quite an international group. Microsoft brought in about 35 developers from all over the world. I met guys from Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Korea, Japan, and England.

Well, it’s been a LONG time since I last blogged.  Julie and I have been barely able to stay awake a lot of the last month so that’s my excuse.  I am currently sitting in a conference center on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington attending some training.  I’ll write about that a bit later.  The important thing though is that Julie is home alone with 6 kids.  And it hasn’t been easy.  I flew to Washington last night and called Julie to get the update.  Soren had drawn all over Peyton’s whale report that was due this morning.  Eden was busy throwing up and dry-heaving.  And the twins were both screaming.  Fortunately, there has been some help.  Megan came up and stayed the night, taking Maren with her in the guest room.  And then this morning Julie’s mom came up to stay for today and tonight and I guess a lot of tomorrow too.  We have received and continue to receive so much service.  We’re definitely blessed.

This morning Julie and her mom took the babies to the doctor.  We’ve been pretty excited for this visit just to be able to see how much they’ve grown in the last 6 weeks since their 2 week check-up.  I knew they’d grown quite a bit, but I was surprised by how well they’ve done.  Roman is 10lbs 2 oz and Maren is 9lbs 5 oz!  And they went from -3% (not even on the chart in other words) to 30% height and weight.  So they’re really packing it on and the doctor said they look super.