| Starting your first online store? | | | | your product, your business and your delivery methods. |
| Starting an online store can be extremely daunting for | | | | Itis important to greet any phone calls or emails with |
| someone new to the worldof online businesses, but, | | | | well trained staff who areknowledgeable about your |
| for a good reason. There are so many aspects | | | | company and products. The more your company can |
| whichcreate success for a shopping cart in a world of | | | | assistconsumers, the better the conversion rates and |
| powerful search engines,directories, affiliates and word | | | | repeat buying. Don't forget tocross sell and up-sell at |
| of mouth, the chance of making it big can relypurely on | | | | this point! |
| a big budget or a brand new idea. | | | | - Return policies should be easy and fair |
| If you're thinking of building your online extension of a | | | | A good return policy can promote trust in the buyer |
| current business oreven starting a purely online | | | | and multiple orders. It isimportant to include return labels |
| business then hopefully the following will outlinesome of | | | | with the packaging and provide refunds |
| the most important aspects of getting started. | | | | whenrequested. Repeat business is your best |
| Market research | | | | business. Provide them with your bestcustomer |
| Ask yourself, is there any point in setting up any kind | | | | service and they will reward you for it by ordering |
| of online business atall, if there is no demand or so | | | | from your shoppingcart- not someone else's. |
| much competition you will be lost in the crowd? | | | | - Navigation |
| There have been a few exceptions in the past where | | | | Make sure you maintain a simple navigation throughout |
| small businesses are so wellstructured and marketed | | | | your shopping cart. Thereshould be no reason to steer |
| that they grow quickly and succeed, however this can | | | | customers more than two to three clicks deep |
| bevery difficult without the right support. | | | | withinyour site, the home page should always be only |
| So how are you going to set yourself apart? What will | | | | a click away. The clearer yoursite is presented, the |
| be your image? And whatare your goals? | | | | more time customers can spend looking at all |
| These are questions you need to think about when | | | | yourproducts and info without getting frustrated. It is |
| you are researching. Find outif there is truly an | | | | important that your buildyour shopping cart using a |
| opportunity for your company to succeed. The worst | | | | quality programmer and designer or welldesigned/built |
| thingyou can do is simply jump in and hope for the | | | | shopping cart software. |
| best, did the most successfulcompanies in the world | | | | -Be sure of your postal methods |
| do that? | | | | Ever not received an item you ordered online and paid |
| Setting Targets and Goals | | | | for upfront, only to findout no-one knows where it is? |
| Figuring out where you will be in 5... 10... 15... 20 years | | | | Ever received an item in the post only to open andsee |
| from now plays anintegral part in the way your | | | | it damaged? This is one of the most frustrating things |
| shopping cart is structured, managed and | | | | about buying online. |
| performsnow. Target and goal setting makes an | | | | Make sure you back yourself up with tracking codes |
| incredible difference to the level ofsuccess or success | | | | and trustworthy shippingcompanies. |
| at all a company can enjoy. | | | | Content |
| Start thinking about the steps your online store will | | | | Make It Count! |
| make at each stage of it'slife. | | | | A method to inducing the first click is providing a strong |
| When it starts to grow needing new staff | | | | call to action orincentive. By featuring discounts and |
| When it needs financial assistance | | | | free shipping offers, the offer mayintrigue the user to |
| When changes to tax structure is important | | | | commit another click. |
| What new markets you wish to tap into | | | | Don't let them go |
| Your staff rewards when targets are met | | | | Once you have the prospective buyer "on the hook"... |
| Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly sales targets | | | | don't kill the sale withpoorly written product descriptions. |
| ...and the list goes on. Think big! If you aim higher than | | | | Nothing kills a sale quicker than a productthat is as |
| the rest, the chance ofyour shopping cart being | | | | enthralling as reading the ingredients of a bag of |
| successful is also higher. | | | | frozen peas. Youhave invested the time and effort to |
| Setting up Your Store - general rules | | | | build your shopping cart; don't miss out onsales due to |
| - Business Contact information | | | | poorly worded product descriptions. |
| The following information should be posted to the | | | | Being personable is also important. Instead of having |
| website in an easy to seelocation: | | | | the most exciting part ofa television product description |
| A corporate address | | | | be it's "titanium silver color"... talk about howthe |
| Product return address | | | | consumer's home will be the place to come and watch |
| An e-mail address | | | | the big game (on ascreen so big you can see the |
| A contact number | | | | sweat coming out of the players' pores). Speakabout |
| Big detailed pictures pay off | | | | how the "picture in picture" capability means there will |
| Just like in a physical retail shop, your customers want | | | | be no moreflipping back and forth- saving the fingers |
| to really know whatthey are buying and need to see it | | | | precious energy for snatching uppotato chips. |
| close up. Make sure you are uploading imageslarger | | | | Do all you can to involve the person's emotions and |
| than just the detailed product view. Upload at least 400 | | | | senses into the productdescription. Sure, the technical |
| X 400 pixels andup to 700 X 700 pixels for every | | | | stuff should be included, but put it at thebottom of the |
| product image so your customer can get a | | | | description. |
| cleardetailed view of what they plan to buy from you, | | | | Provide a strong reason for why they should buy |
| otherwise, they will simplyclick away. | | | | Ever see the phrase "buy from us" in an online store? |
| Testimonials | | | | This has to be one of thebiggest turn off's to visitors. |
| Do testimonials work? Can testimonials be rigged and | | | | Consumers are fragile, you need to providestrong |
| seem unauthentic? Sure. Itseems like most testimonials | | | | evidence to why anyone should buy from your store, |
| are generic. If you include the first and last nameas | | | | this needs to be your |
| well as possibly an email address of the testimonial, | | | | POINT OF DIFFERENCE. |
| you will earn trust andcredibility. | | | | Make your point of difference obvious, something |
| - Graphics | | | | which truly give someone areason to look further into |
| While a flashy site with neat graphics may catch | | | | your products and proceed to the shopping |
| someone's eye, well written,descriptive, persuasive text | | | | cartcheckout. Simply telling them to buy for no |
| is the ticket to sales conversions... it's thedifference | | | | particular reason apart from youwanting the sale is not |
| between the prospective buyer exiting your site and | | | | good enough.... and they know it. |
| opening theirpocketbook. Avoid any annoying music | | | | Now that your site is built. |
| and long loading flash movies on your mainpages. | | | | It's one thing to have a fantastic site with great |
| - Only knowledgeable people to take phone calls | | | | content, products anddesign...but.... What good is it if no |
| Consumers shopping online are no different than | | | | one can find it? |
| regular retail customers, theyhave questions about | | | | |