13th in a series about website basics

E-COMMERCE: SAFE SHOPPING

Have you ever had a negative experience trying to purchase online? You never wanted to go back, right? Maybe you told your friends, too . . . which brings me to another item of interest about e-commerce. While it’s true that your e-commerce website can provide your company with the revenue and business expansion that you seek, there is still plenty of resistance to online shopping. Here’s an infographic from SiteJabber, "Why Are People Afraid of E-Commerce?" (which also includes some excellent tips for online shoppers.)

Some of the fears or objections are about

• \tNot being able to track orders
• \tNot being able to see the actual product
• \tNeeding assistance
• \tBeing afraid of not being able to return something.

With good tracking systems, excellent product photos and videos, contact forms and phone numbers for assistance, and an excellent return policy, you can overcome those objections.

However, the #1 obstacle to online shopping is fear of compromised credit card information. As the operator of an e-commerce site, you’ll have an enormous responsibility to keep that and other information secure. An investment in security software and tools is mandatory to keep your relationship with your customers one of complete trust.

A few tips:

• \tSSL keeps your customer data encrypted and protected; and there are visual cues to show customers that your site is secure, notably “https” in the address bar.
• \tBe sure to keep your site current with the latest release of your e-commerce system.
• \tUse payment processing that is reliable; and try to avoid redirects to third party payment sites unless they are well-known, such as PayPal. Payment methods differ on how much they cost and how easily they integrate into your site. Your website professional can advise you

Next: User Experience

Comments or questions are welcome!

12th in a series about website basics

E-COMMERCE: CHECKIN’ IT OUT - ONLINE!

In my last message, I listed some of the advantages of having an e-commerce site. No doubt it can be a real revenue builder. There are some real challenges, too, several of which are common to any business selling products and services. Besides reliable suppliers which all businesses require, you need to think about the customer services you offer and what kind of relationship you want with your customers.

The thing about e-commerce is, you’re not the only store on the block. Unless you have a well-designed, well-advertised site that’s different from your competitors’, easy to navigate, and – most important – really easy and secure to purchase from, with a top-notch shipping system, it’s doubtful you’re going to maximize your returns. And, as with any business, you need to keep in mind that your prices are extremely easily compared online.

Planning ahead is important when building your e-commerce site. There are some very desirable functions of an e-commerce site which are difficult (and costly) to add later, such as:

• \tgift-sending capability
• \tspecial discounts
• \trepeat customer programs
• \tseasonal sales
• \taffiliate programs
• \tcertain shipping and payment options

You may also want to strategize how you’ll interact with your customers in a way that will keep them coming back, along with the people they refer to your site. There’s an abundance of ways to interact: social media, newsletters, forums, email, suggestions, chat, and blog response forms, for example, but the benefit to you of customer feedback only comes when you use it to make the improvements or changes that your customers ask for.

11th in a series about website basics

E-COMMERCE: CHECK IT OUT!

Ever bought something on line? You’re part of the burgeoning world of e-commerce; part of recent studies!  According to data from Forrester Research:

• \tIn 2011, 54% of people in the U.S made a purchase on the Internet.
• \tOnline sales are foreseen to increase from $202 billion in 2011 to $327 billion by 2016.

As the owner of a website, if you’ve got a product or service that you want to sell, you may have already thought about some of the advantages:

• \tLower costs for order taking and for customer service in filling orders

• \tAutomated business tasks can be done 24/7

• \tOpportunity to sell more, as customers can easily find other similar products, and if your site offers reviews, satisfied customers can help increase sales!

• \tMore information for the customer, regarding tracking orders and available on-line help

• \tLarger catalogs are possible. Imagine if Amazon.com or other huge online retailers had to create and mail a catalog of their products. NOT happening!

• \tAutomated customer care, with customized email follow-ups and information about sales events and product information

• \tPotential customers can shop and browse whenever they want. The idea of going shopping while you’re home in the comfort of your PJs seems ubiquitous today, although I’ve seen statistics about online shopping that indicate more of it takes place during the week than on the weekends – and- most of that, on Mondays. Hmm . .  . Could that perhaps indicate people are using online retail therapy as a curative for the proverbial Monday morning blues?

Next: More about e-commerce

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