Oct24
Another web design firm, Questus, polled 435 employed US residents over 18 and asked them what influenced their decision to buy from a website. What they found was their initial reaction to the site made a large impact. 43% agreed that a web site’s appearance will affect their decision-making on whether to trust or distrust the store and 25% strongly agreed with this. 25% of the respondents neither agreed nor disagreed.
“We find that Web sites have three seconds to make an impression,” said Jeff Rosenblum, co-founder and research and strategy director of Questus. “The actual usability is more important than aesthetics, but at the same time aesthetics are critical.”
37% of the respondents noted that navigation can make or break their decision to buy next to 32% who said that checkout process is important. A whopping 68% said price is a factor as well. Another factor was product descriptions and shipping options, 38% and 44% respectively.
So what are we to read from this? Well, design is a very important to a web site’s success. For e-commerce site’s just having your web site on the internet with the best prices is no longer acceptable, a design’s look and feel, navigating to products and service, shipping policies and the checkout process will all determine whether a customer feels comfortable enough to buy from you.
October 24, 2009
Tags: ecommerce, web design, websites
Oct21
I am often asked how a company can get paid through their website. Many have heard and use PayPal which is a quick and cheap option. It has definitely improved over the years (you don’t need to have an account to pay, subscriptions, donations, etc.) but it does have its drawbacks.
Before I continue, I want to recommend that you don’t limit yourself to one payment option. Customers like having a choice when paying for your product or service. Give it to them.
If you are interested, there are other options that you should consider, below are two types:
Merchant Accounts. This is more expensive option but your flexibility is higher and you are not promoting another company. With this option, your customers never leave your website. But you will also need additional customization to your website, for example SSL Encryption and an online form payment customization. Below are some example rates:
- $100 one-time sign up
- 2.3% – 3.5% fees and $0.75 – $1.00 per sale
- There is usually an application fee
- Usually up to $24/month monthly fees.
- No statement fees are about $10/month
3rd-Party Payment Processors. Much like PayPal, this option takes away the frustration of custom coding for your website. But, as you can see below, your fees per sale are higher. This will affect you as your sales volume increases. There may be other downsides, for example, customers leave your website for a moment to make the purchase, but whey may return once the transaction is complete.Another downside is that on the customer’s credit card receipt, the merchant’s name will show and not your company name and phone. This can frustrate you customer if they have a question about their purchase. They will call the merchant and not you. But, depending on your business model, this may work better for you.
List of 3rd Party Merchants
I’ve compiled a list of various merchants that either I have used as a merchant or customer or my customers have recommended.
- PayPal. The most widely used 3rd party merchant.Fees depend on the type of PayPal setup you decide on using.
- 2Checkout. This merchant works much like PayPal but does have higher transaction rates.
- $49 one-time sign up
- 5.5% and $0.45 per sale
- No application fees
- No monthly fees
- No statement fees
- No gateway fees.
- Google Payments. With Google Checkout, you’ll be charged rates that range from 1.9% + $0.30 per transaction to 2.0% and $0.30 per transaction, depending on your monthly sales volume. And there are no monthly, setup or gateway fees.
- Intuit. I have not used this merchant but I have customers that are happy with their service. Besides the ease of being able to process credit cards through your Quickbooks and easing the process, their pricing can be competitive.
- $100 one-time sign up
- 2.44% – 3.5% fees and $0.27 per sale
- $60 application fee
- Up to $20/month monthly fees.
- ProPay. Another easy way to accept credit cards. I do notice that their rates are variable depending on your ProPay package and type of credit cards you accept.
- ClickBank. Another popular option as they will accept both Credit Cards and Paypal for you, but they have very high transaction rates starting at 7.5%.
As with any business decision, do some research and using a spreadsheet, I suggest calculating a typical sale to help you decide.
October 21, 2009
Tags: ecommerce, tips
Oct05
Okay, as a web designer it goes beyond my comprehension but sometimes ugly website actually work. If you take a look at eBay, it’s not a very pretty site, or, the most obvious like Amazon. They are not “pretty” sites. In fact, I would say they are too busy and unfocused but they are functional which is the most important component of any website. Make it easy for your customers to find what they want, buy it or call you and move on.
Sometimes it’s not the design but the trust you evoke. Some ugly website scream, “Hey, I am a small business and couldn’t afford a big marketing firm. So I built it myself.” But if you are conveying that you are trustworthy by including phone numbers, addresses, your policies and make sure you site is easy to use, you can be sure that your customers will appreciate it and respond with loyalty.
Google understood this. It can barely call it self a web designed site as it is primarily made up of a logo, search box, and some small text. That’s it. It’s fast, easy, simple.
Lesson learned, don’t assume your website has to be filled with high-end graphics and animation. Just be sure it conveys your business in the best possible light and that your customers can quickly get what they need.
October 05, 2009
Tags: ecommerce, google, redesign, web design
Sep28
It amazes me but it shouldn’t. The internet continues to grow by leaps and bounds and I don’t mean just by shear numbers. 73% of all American adults are on the internet now. (http://www.pewinternet.org). Many of these online adults are expressing how important it is for them to be connected. How the “internet has greatly improved their ability to shop.”
This is an important distinction to remember when building your website. Is your website allowing these savvy shoppers find what they need quickly? Your navigation should be clear and concise with no more than 2 clicks to get to the product or service of their choice.
35% of these adults are also saying that the internet is helping them do their jobs better. If you sell your product or service business to business, are you making it easier for them to contact you? Does your website give them the right resources like some frequently asked questions, product reviews, knowledge-base, job announcements?
But let’s not forget the group of people that don’t use the internet as much. According to the Pew Internet data, there a those , 17% who only use the internet several times a week, say that the internet has helped them do their jobs. Again, make sure that your website reflects a clear navigation and common sense content to ensure your target market knows what to do next when they come to your website.
Internet penetration has reached high levels. Many businesses refuse to acknowledge the need for a website at all. This may be the case for the rare few business segments, but not for the business owner wanting to reach the widest target audience.
September 28, 2009
Tags: advertising, ecommerce, seo, web design
Dec20
As with product descriptions, product photos can make or break a customer’s decision to purchase. A poorly photographed product can make it look unprofessional, undesireable. This doesn’t mean you need to hire a professional photographer, although I do recommend it if you have the budget. But, if you budget limits you to your digital camera, be sure to take clean shots.
Why, Christina?
- It allows your web developer to make easier edits to the photo
- It allows your web developer to match your photo to your web design or visa versa.
- With a photo light box you can choose the background color. Most prefer white but for jewelry, black seems to make the jewels sparkle.
- For smaller objects, it creates a more sophisticated look.
You can either purchase a lightbox or create one yourself. Below are some links to help you.
Make your own.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent/
Buy One.
http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/product-features.asp?id=964724473&redir=y
http://www.prostudiousa.com/Photo-Web-Box-Collapsible-P3704C81.aspx
Great little tutorial on light boxes and shooting object close-up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H9NzGJXDYc
December 20, 2007
Tags: ecommerce, web design
Dec19
You’ve got the perfect product! You know it’ll sell and it can sell well. I mean, what? It’s the perfect product, right?
Well, hold on there. It’s perfect to you because you built it, mixed it, designed it, thought it up. But to others, you have to tell them how perfect it is. You need to let your online visitors know how great it is. So, how? Your product description is one way. Through words, you need to describe what it will do for them. Tell them why they need it.
Is it custom perfume? Tell them what it smells like, flowers from an English garden? Does it smell like the roads of China with a bouquet of osmanthus, rose, and jasmine? They need to know this.
Is it a new widget for a car? What will it do for them? Will it make their lives easier? Will it let them keep their car cleaner and more organized?
Did you design your product for the Commuter CEO? The Stressed Mom? Write to them specifically. Let them know you were thinking of them when you produced it.
Next..your photos.
December 19, 2007
Tags: ecommerce, web design
Feb02
It’s almost Valentines Day. When promoting your e-commerce site, don’t forget all of the other holidays. Valentines is showing to be a great holiday for online business owners. “64% of small businesses expect stronger online sales this Valentine’s Day.” (Constant Contact, January 2007)
So now is the time to send out those newsletters to your customers! Remind them of your products and offer a special holiday deal if they purchase from you. Don’t forget, like Christmas, to remind them of when the last day to order for a Valentine arrival.
February 02, 2007
Tags: ecommerce, seo
Apr19
Interesting web site, http://www.thinkvitamin.com/. If you are a web designer, developer, or entrepreneur, this site seems to have a vast array of articles to help you build a better mousetrap.
It has some pretty heavy hitters in the web design industry. For example, Eric Meyer (CSS guru) and Dave Shea (CSS Zen Garden) are on the advisory board.
Mike Rundle’s article on the four golden rules of web design is a must read for designers and their clients.
April 19, 2006
Tags: custom design, ecommerce, web design
