Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
E-Commerce for Small Business: 10 Tips For An Effective Online Store
Friday, October 15, 2010 by David Mason
It's not surprising that modern consumers are opting to purchase
goods and services on the internet. Consumers can shop from the
comfort of their home, compare prices, and forgo the dread of
dealing with pesky salesmen. With ecommerce sales expected to reach
$173 billion in 2010, it's important for small business to have an
effective ecommerce site if they wish to tap into the
marketplace.
For small businesses, a good product or service is not enough to
be successful in the online marketplace. Since the internet is full
of scammers and phony banner ads, consumers have become
increasingly critical about the companies they do business with
online. To have a site that sells, there are a few things to take
into account. When purchasing online, users want a site with easy
navigation, security, and a convenient checkout process. Here are
10 tips to help you on your ecommerce venture:
Core Values. People not only buy your product,
they also buy your company. Clearly defined values help potential
customers identify your company's goals and philosophies, helping
to build trust and credibility. These values help differentiate
your company from its competition, a crucial component to a
successful ecommerce strategy.
Provide visitors with different ways to find your
product. The best ecommerce sites give users many
different ways to find a product. Suggestions of other similar or
popular products are useful in the decision making process as well
as reviews to see what other customers are thinking. Consumers
often browse products without knowing exactly what it is that they
want, so giving them a multitude of options for searching and
finding products will help them make the choice when it comes time
to check out.
You can never have enough detail. Since
consumers won't physically experience your service or product until
they purchase it, pictures and product detail are wholly important
to your ecommerce site. Your goal should be to provide enough
detail for them to imagine owning the product. Be very descriptive
with every product or service. Provide a summary for people who
might not be interested in reading all of the technical details.
Pictures are indispensable. Sites with large, vivid pictures and
many views are eminently more successful than those that provide
fewer visual details.
Make use of Facebook and other social media.
Over 1/3rd of the U.S. has joined some form of social media-
Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, for example. From these sites, you
can drive relevant and interested leads to your site. You can post
deals, new products, and industry news to devoted fans. This will
also allow fans and returning customers to stay up-to-date on your
business and participate in a larger discussion, while showcasing
your brand to prospective customers.
Accessibility. Your site should provide a
uniform user experience, regardless of web browser, operating
system, or user disability. Making sure that every piece of
functionality and design on your site works regardless of the
user's platform will ensure that everyone has access to your
site.
Creative Design. Design can help to set you
apart from the crowd. It's vital to establish the uniqueness of
your brand on the internet. Since competition can sometimes be very
intense, a run-of-the-mill ecommerce site is likely to be bland and
encourage shoppers to look elsewhere.
Usability. Creative design is important to
establish your company's brand, but awkward placement of user
features can assure the visitor will be annoyed into abandoning
their experience on your site. The effect is analogous to physical
stores- some are likely have the same products as another down the
street, but some are easier to navigate, feature better lighting,
and friendlier employees. Despite the similar products offered, the
store offering a more positive shopping experience will thrive.
Check out process. This should be as easy as
swiping your card at the local supermarket. If at all possible,
avoid forcing your customers to register before checking out. This
puts another barrier between the consumer and your product or
service, and consequently, the consumer and the purchase. Make
checkout seem as easy as purchasing a pack of gum at the local
convenience store. Services such as PayPal and Google Checkout are
considered best-in-class providers for streamlining the purchase
process- minimizing the time spent at checkout.
Security. With consumers highly aware of faulty
deals, identity theft, and scamming online, people want to know
their financial information is safe before submitting it. You'll
need to acquire a solution that ensures secure data transfer, or
you'll lose customers who are cautious with their information. SSL
(Secure Socket Layer) encryption creates secure connections for the
transport of personal and financial data, and is relatively
inexpensive to install and maintain. You can also implement
external shopping carts such as PayPal and Google Checkout,
allowing them to deal with the transaction as an intermediary. This
way, you never have to deal with the financial data and the
customer feels his financial information is safe.
Customer service. Throughout the
purchasing process, knowing that someone can be reached for help is
reassuring to a customer on the verge of purchasing. A customer
should have the option of reaching a person at any point before and
after the sale. An exceptional ecommerce site will have multiple
ways to reach the company, such as a contact form submission, live
support chat feature, email and a phone number for those who just
want to talk to a person.
Until next time -
David Mason
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester IT Support &
Consulting
Outsourced Marketing
Services
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