9 Killer Tips & Guidelines For A Successful E-commerce Website
- Date: 2010-08-21 - Word Count: 1280
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Having a successful offline business venture does not guarantee an automatic success-replication in the online world. Undoubtedly, mere thought of expanding an established offline business into the online territory is pregnant with tremendous worldwide opportunities that are hard to resist. However, in your enthusiasm to tap this vast business opportunity, you must not forget the importance of getting to know the working of online business model, and to channelize your energies towards this end. The processes involved in setting up a successful web-based business may be a little intricate and slightly technical for some, but its understanding is indispensable if you were to experience the same level of success in your online initiative as that achieved in the offline model.
Internet offers level playing field for every business - big or small. All you need is the basic business etiquettes and ethical online conduct to compete with your rivals. Of course, as mentioned above, a little technical knowledge about ecommerce websites must be acquired before setting your foot in the wild horizons of cyberspace.
The success or failure of your online business is directly proportionate to the performance of your website. A user-friendly website bereft of any faulty working and patchy functionality goes a long in satisfying this basic criterion for a successful online business. Of course, a good product or service is important but if the website is scratchy, even the most saleable goods or services won't sell! Another important aspect is the accurately and convincingly written content that precipitates response time (in the affirmative!) of the prospective customers, but again, if the website misbehaves, even Shakespeare won't succeed in selling your products or services.
So, here are my tips for good web design that I think, if followed, can go a long way in ensuring an error-free, impressive, and a good salesman-like ecommerce website. (Spare me the abuses if it sounds a bit detailed, but I've tried to dot all the i's and cross all the t's that are there in designing an apt ecommerce website.)
1. Latest and Stable Technology
More than understanding the technological aspects of an ecommerce website, it is its comprehension in letter and spirit that plays a pivotal role in making your e-business a success. In other words, automation of sales is not the only function of an ecommerce website; rather it's the potential of the website to act as your relationship manager that is now being increasingly accepted as the true realization of IT goals within an organization. The ability to effectively interact with the existing and potential customers online should be the true aim of any ecommerce website.
Not just software, even the hardware supporting the applications on your website, like the multiple servers, must be of same latest and stable standards as the software.
2. Good Design
Handsome functionality will count for nothing if your website can't boast of visually appealing outlook. Exterior is as important, if not more, than the interior. If the design of your ecommerce venture is pedestrian, no one will even care for a second look. The best way to settle for a good design for your website is to test multiple designs in the initial few days of your website launch. The yardsticks for judging should be the bounce rates and time-on-page. The target should be minimum bounce rate and maximum time-on-page.
3. Easy Navigation
I can't stress enough on the importance of easy navigation on your website. The users can easily get frustrated when, for instance, they are impressed by your offering but don't know how to proceed for ordering the product or service. Window-dressing of webpages is fine, but any visitor should be able to easily know where he/she is and how to go to somewhere else on the same website. Therefore, usability and navigability play an important role in ensuring repeat visitors and retaining the existing customers.
Some of the basic rules of making an easily navigable website include:
(a) provide clear labels that unambiguously tell the users what to expect if he/she clicks the link;
(b) navigation labels should be placed at a predictable place on the website, like top, left, right, front, center, or bottom;
(c) try to make your website disabled-friendly, who use aids like screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, magnifiers, or other helpful devices, to read the websites (read World Wide Web Consortium's How People with Disabilities Use the Web to learn more);
(d) don't feel shy to experiment with new technologies, like breadcrumbs, that help in better navigability on the website; and
(e) lastly, always have a sitemap that systematically tells the user what's there on the website and its precise location with direct links.
4. Internal Search Feature
If your ecommerce website has several pages, Internal Search functionality is indispensable. As your website grows in page numbers, a Search feature will ensure that the users who have already decided what to look for can easily reach their destination in double quick time. Since Internet users are fed and nourished by search engines, like Google, to direct them to their desired location, a similar Search facility will make them feel at-home always.
5. Secure Financial Transactions and Safety of Data
A "Merchant Account" with a financial institution is an absolute must for any ecommerce website. It is simply a business account at a reputed financial institution that acts as a clearing account for all the credit card transactions. The processing of financial information, like credit card details of the customers, online is another routine feature of any ecommerce website. However, it's the security of this information that the customers are more concerned about. They don't want this highly sensitive information to get into the hands of criminals, who can easily dupe the gullible customers through technological loopholes. Therefore, latest Secured Socket Layer (SSL) based encryption must be provided for the servers handling and storing financial information and emails of the customers. Digital Certificates (a.k.a. "Authentication Certificates"), SSL Server Certificates, Digital IDs, etc., are all aimed at re-assuring the customers that their information is secure from unauthorized access. You can get your Digital Certificate from any authorized Certifying Authority (CA), like VeriSign. The USP of this Certificate is the virtually zero probability of its forgery. Any affiliation with industry associates (such as SEMPO) also helps in building trust and credibility among prospective customers.
6. Building Trust Through Transparency
One of the most pressing requirements on the part of ecommerce business owners is the need to build trust among the customers who are used to buying offline. We have discussed one mode of building trust through security of data transmitted through the servers. Another mode to generate trust among Doubting Thomasses is to provide as detailed information about the products on offer as you can before the customers decide to order.
7. Testimonials & Feedback
Testimonials feature on a website is often the most abused one. However, if used astutely, it can generate tremendous amount of goodwill in the minds of potential customers.
The key is to present a true picture of browsing experience of other customers and how you've tried to improve after receiving every negative feedback.
8. Customer Support
Provision of customer support is indispensable for any successful ecommerce website. Several studies have conclusively established that majority of the buyers will get in touch with the customer support regarding their query on the latest purchase.
9. Targeted Traffic, SEO, and Internet Marketing
Your ecommerce website may sell anything from kids' toys to women's apparels to books to heavy machinery, but it's useless if it is not promoted online in order to generate targeted traffic. Unless you have the right prospects on your website, they will never turn into sales. I mean what's the point in having exotic lingerie selling website, when the visitors are mostly kids looking for latest video games?
Internet offers level playing field for every business - big or small. All you need is the basic business etiquettes and ethical online conduct to compete with your rivals. Of course, as mentioned above, a little technical knowledge about ecommerce websites must be acquired before setting your foot in the wild horizons of cyberspace.
The success or failure of your online business is directly proportionate to the performance of your website. A user-friendly website bereft of any faulty working and patchy functionality goes a long in satisfying this basic criterion for a successful online business. Of course, a good product or service is important but if the website is scratchy, even the most saleable goods or services won't sell! Another important aspect is the accurately and convincingly written content that precipitates response time (in the affirmative!) of the prospective customers, but again, if the website misbehaves, even Shakespeare won't succeed in selling your products or services.
So, here are my tips for good web design that I think, if followed, can go a long way in ensuring an error-free, impressive, and a good salesman-like ecommerce website. (Spare me the abuses if it sounds a bit detailed, but I've tried to dot all the i's and cross all the t's that are there in designing an apt ecommerce website.)
1. Latest and Stable Technology
More than understanding the technological aspects of an ecommerce website, it is its comprehension in letter and spirit that plays a pivotal role in making your e-business a success. In other words, automation of sales is not the only function of an ecommerce website; rather it's the potential of the website to act as your relationship manager that is now being increasingly accepted as the true realization of IT goals within an organization. The ability to effectively interact with the existing and potential customers online should be the true aim of any ecommerce website.
Not just software, even the hardware supporting the applications on your website, like the multiple servers, must be of same latest and stable standards as the software.
2. Good Design
Handsome functionality will count for nothing if your website can't boast of visually appealing outlook. Exterior is as important, if not more, than the interior. If the design of your ecommerce venture is pedestrian, no one will even care for a second look. The best way to settle for a good design for your website is to test multiple designs in the initial few days of your website launch. The yardsticks for judging should be the bounce rates and time-on-page. The target should be minimum bounce rate and maximum time-on-page.
3. Easy Navigation
I can't stress enough on the importance of easy navigation on your website. The users can easily get frustrated when, for instance, they are impressed by your offering but don't know how to proceed for ordering the product or service. Window-dressing of webpages is fine, but any visitor should be able to easily know where he/she is and how to go to somewhere else on the same website. Therefore, usability and navigability play an important role in ensuring repeat visitors and retaining the existing customers.
Some of the basic rules of making an easily navigable website include:
(a) provide clear labels that unambiguously tell the users what to expect if he/she clicks the link;
(b) navigation labels should be placed at a predictable place on the website, like top, left, right, front, center, or bottom;
(c) try to make your website disabled-friendly, who use aids like screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, magnifiers, or other helpful devices, to read the websites (read World Wide Web Consortium's How People with Disabilities Use the Web to learn more);
(d) don't feel shy to experiment with new technologies, like breadcrumbs, that help in better navigability on the website; and
(e) lastly, always have a sitemap that systematically tells the user what's there on the website and its precise location with direct links.
4. Internal Search Feature
If your ecommerce website has several pages, Internal Search functionality is indispensable. As your website grows in page numbers, a Search feature will ensure that the users who have already decided what to look for can easily reach their destination in double quick time. Since Internet users are fed and nourished by search engines, like Google, to direct them to their desired location, a similar Search facility will make them feel at-home always.
5. Secure Financial Transactions and Safety of Data
A "Merchant Account" with a financial institution is an absolute must for any ecommerce website. It is simply a business account at a reputed financial institution that acts as a clearing account for all the credit card transactions. The processing of financial information, like credit card details of the customers, online is another routine feature of any ecommerce website. However, it's the security of this information that the customers are more concerned about. They don't want this highly sensitive information to get into the hands of criminals, who can easily dupe the gullible customers through technological loopholes. Therefore, latest Secured Socket Layer (SSL) based encryption must be provided for the servers handling and storing financial information and emails of the customers. Digital Certificates (a.k.a. "Authentication Certificates"), SSL Server Certificates, Digital IDs, etc., are all aimed at re-assuring the customers that their information is secure from unauthorized access. You can get your Digital Certificate from any authorized Certifying Authority (CA), like VeriSign. The USP of this Certificate is the virtually zero probability of its forgery. Any affiliation with industry associates (such as SEMPO) also helps in building trust and credibility among prospective customers.
6. Building Trust Through Transparency
One of the most pressing requirements on the part of ecommerce business owners is the need to build trust among the customers who are used to buying offline. We have discussed one mode of building trust through security of data transmitted through the servers. Another mode to generate trust among Doubting Thomasses is to provide as detailed information about the products on offer as you can before the customers decide to order.
7. Testimonials & Feedback
Testimonials feature on a website is often the most abused one. However, if used astutely, it can generate tremendous amount of goodwill in the minds of potential customers.
The key is to present a true picture of browsing experience of other customers and how you've tried to improve after receiving every negative feedback.
8. Customer Support
Provision of customer support is indispensable for any successful ecommerce website. Several studies have conclusively established that majority of the buyers will get in touch with the customer support regarding their query on the latest purchase.
9. Targeted Traffic, SEO, and Internet Marketing
Your ecommerce website may sell anything from kids' toys to women's apparels to books to heavy machinery, but it's useless if it is not promoted online in order to generate targeted traffic. Unless you have the right prospects on your website, they will never turn into sales. I mean what's the point in having exotic lingerie selling website, when the visitors are mostly kids looking for latest video games?
Related Tags: software, online, services, professional, ecommerce shopping cart, joomla, custom, customization, ecommerce solutions, web shopping cart, php shopping cart, shopping cart development services, virtuemart, ecommerce template design
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