|
The secret
science of online shopping
Copyright 2004 John Taylor
In theory you
could create a retail web site with a limitless selection; an online store
where every kind of merchandise known to man could be sold. Would people
be interested in buying from such a huge enterprise?
Why do people buy
online?
Location: You can shop online from almost anywhere as long
as
you have access to a power supply and a telephone connection. You can shop in
the comfort of your own home or you can shop in your office. You can even
shop while on the move, if you have a laptop connected to a mobile
telephone.
Convenience: You can visit a web site almost whenever
you want, you can browse through it at your own pace and you can make a
purchase at any time of day or night. The internet makes it possible to shop
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Information: The internet makes
limitless amounts of product information available to the online shopper.
You can access product specifications, brochures, product comparisons and
all manner of other information with just a few clicks. You no longer have to
wait for a brochure or a catalogue to come to you.
How do people shop
online?
What are the factors that determine the buying
decision?
Just like in the real world where shops are built of
bricks and mortar, the online store needs to welcome the shopper and make
them feel comfortable and safe.
Once a shopper arrives at your web site
they need a little time and space to familiarise themselves before
being bombarded with information or choices. If you put too
much information on your home page then the average shopper will miss a
large proportion of your content. Likewise, if you present too many choices
you will overwhelm the shopper and it is very likely that they will leave
straight away.
The purpose of your home page should be to simply tell
the
shopper where they are and to ensure that the general layout of your
online store is easy to understand. Your customers need to know if they are
in a vast warehouse or a small boutique! They need to know where the
entrances to each department or section are located; their question
is often quite simple how do I find what I’m looking for?
Your web
site should be attractively designed, with enough white space to make your
content readable. You should choose a web friendly font in a size that is
large enough to be read on an average monitor.
Navigation is critical.
Your web site’s navigation should be obvious; it should be laid out in a
simple and logical way. Your customer should be able to navigate within
your web site by using the navigation buttons and links that you provide
without having to use the browser back button. Shoppers should be able to
navigate inside your web site without leaving.
Consider how you could
make the online shopping experience
fun and interesting. The technology is
now available to provide live customer support; you can now guide and
advice shoppers as they browse your online store. You can add sound to
welcome people to your store or to add an audio description to your products.
You can demonstrate your products in action using video technology.
It
never ceases to amaze me just how many web sites simply
don’t work. Broken
links, missing images, badly installed scripts. Payment processing that is
incorrectly configured; too many clicks to get from the product to the
checkout; forms that require too much mandatory information. The list of
problems is endless.
Here is a simple checklist for a successful web
site:
1. Make it easy for your customer to find what they are
looking for
with a minimum number of clicks.
2. Provide accurate and full product
descriptions. Ensure
that your images are of good quality and that they
show
your product in the best possible light.
3. Make sure that your
products are competitively priced
and that you clearly state the total cost
of purchase
including taxes and shipping costs where appropriate.
4. Make
it easy for your customer to complete their order
and to process their
payment. Provide payment options where
possible. Ensure that your payment
process is secure.
5. Be responsive with your support. Shoppers are
looking
for a speedy answer. If you don’t provide it, then
your
competitors will. Provide online help or an Autoresponder.
Keep your
promises.
6. Deliver your product on time and meet, or exceed,
your
customer’s expectations. If you demonstrate a reliable and
quality
product delivery you will get repeat business.
7. Follow up. If there is
going to be a delay, let your
customer know. Don’t just make the sale and
then ignore
your customer, keep in touch with a polite follow up
message
or special offer.
There are a number of very important factors missing
from the online shopping experience. People can’t smell the freshness or
the perfume of your product. People can’t touch your product and they can’t
feel the quality or the texture. You must compensate for these gaps by making
the online shopping experience for your customers the best it can
be.
It is vital that you test and track your visitors’ behaviour and
try to improve the experience through careful analysis of your testing and
tracking results. You have visitors arriving. Now is the time to take
action!
About the Author:
John Taylor is the author of "Learn
over Twenty ways To
Improve Your Conversion Rate and Multiply Your Profits" -
A Special Report that contains a wealth of information on professional
testing and tracking techniques that can boost your conversion rate and
generate increased profits. To learn how testing and tracking can boost your
profits click this link now: http://www.test-and-track.com
|
