Ecommerce Blog

Impress Customers in Three Seconds or Less: Tips for Ecommerce Web Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Now that even magazine publishers are getting a piece of the ecommerce pie, more and more ecommerce websites are coming into the mix. Because of this, the competition gets stiffer as corporations and online stores compete for online shoppers. The challenge for an ecommerce web designer now is how to impress visitors in the shortest amount of time possible.

Matt Winn, Volusion’s Social Media Manager, names six elements that could help an ecommerce web designer impress customers in just three seconds or less. These web elements can, as Matt puts it, make or break a customer’s impressions and this is important if you want to boost online sales.

First, it is important that your page loads quickly. Online shoppers have a lot of websites to choose from and if it takes around 5-10 seconds for a single page to load, then it is most likely that they will never come back to your site again.

Colors are likewise important if you want to impress customers. Red, for instance, symbolize passion and intensity whereas white is a symbol of purity and trustworthiness. Winn suggests using the psychology of colors to make a subtle first impression.

One image that summarizes your whole brand is your logo so for an ecommerce website designer, this is very important. The logo should represent your brand because consumers will quickly associate this particular image with your products, services, and company as a whole.

Simplicity is another web element that can easily appeal to online shoppers. No one likes a cluttered desk and the same goes for ecommerce websites. Too many images and advertising copy above the fold is just too much for a visitor to take in. It is confusing and distracting and they might not even end up buying anything from your website.

In line with this, Winn suggests making a slideshow with multiple messages. This way, there is a focal point which will attract the attention of your visitors. And finally, make sure that all elements in your website work perfectly together. The web elements found in your website should result to a truly stand-out website.

First impressions are very important especially for first-time consumers. In the ecommerce industry, making a good first impression can lead to conversions.

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Site Testing Works, According to 38% Of E-Commerce Merchants

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000

According to Get Elastic's Linda Bustos, only 38% of e-commerce merchants reported A/B testing of their website design as "effective," in a survey done by Forrester Research. This despite the constant proclamations of e-commerce experts and bloggers about the importance and effectiveness of site testing.

In her article, Bustos shares some reasons why some e-retailers feel that site testing is not as effective as it should be.

1. High expectations. According to Bustos, a conversion lift of 3% is good enough to start with. This can also mean a "pretty good existing process." Do not fixate your sights on that double-digit.

2. Testing the wrong things. For radical results, you need to target radical changes. Bustos suggests supplementing analytics data with user testing (it does not have to be a lot of testers) to create your hypothesis will help you keep track and test the conversion elements that prove to have the most impact. If you focus on one field at a time or make too minor changes, you will end up with insignificant test differentials.

3. Non-usability and cart abandonment. Cart abandonment is not just about the e-commerce site checkout page design. Other factors include "value propositions, creating urgency and supporting multi-visit conversions with persistent carts."

Remember that one inconclusive test does not mean that site testing is a failure. Even if you feel that the testing produced insignificant change, think of it as valuable information that answers your hypothesis. Bustos reminds e-commerce merchants that the key is to adjust strategy based on the results of your test and to "never stop testing."

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E-Commerce News: Black Friday Is Coming Early

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Major e-commerce merchants are wasting no time. With still a full month before Black Friday, Amazon.com Inc. and Overstock are already jumping in on the post-Thanksgiving shopping bandwagon.

In a report for the Internet Retailer by Allison Enright, Amazon announced its Black Friday Deals store (amazon.com/blackfriday) where customers can find deals such as a 15% discount on an LG TV, two-for-one video game deals and other discounts. Amazon also announced a Black Friday Deals Week which will begin on Thanksgiving week. The leading e-retailer (according to Internet Retailer's Top 500 guide) will offer more discounts on that week. This early start has attracted the interest of early bird buyers and those who are starting to plan their Thanksgiving shopping lists. Experian Hitwise, a firm that monitors web traffic, reported that traffic to top e-commerce sites was up 10% year over year for the week ending last October 23. The firm added that 47% of all searches for "Black Friday" included the retailer's name ("Black Friday, Amazon"). Not surprisingly, Amazon was the number 1 most trafficked e-commerce site during Black Friday last year.

Not to be outdone, Overstock is also making an early play for Black Friday shoppers. The online retail giant announced that customers can get a free 60-day trial membership to Club O which is the company's rewards program. Membership gives customers free shipping and 5% of the cost of purchases as a credit for future purchases. This means that those who sign up now will get the credits and the free shipping benefit through the Holidays. Those who don't cancel after 60 days will be charged $19.95 for one year's worth of membership. Additionally, Overstock is also running a Pre-Black Friday Sale on its site and a Black Friday contest on its Facebook account.

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Trends to Explore for Ecommerce Website Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

To create an increased web presence, web design engineers are encouraged to keep up with the latest trends to make sure that today’s audience appreciate the visual precept and usability of websites without spending too much on web design.

Kabir Bedi of LeXolution IT Services (LIT) enumerates a few areas that ecommerce website designers should explore to make sure that websites are updated with the latest trends:

Simple and minimalistic designs – While animations are very attractive, the current trend in web design today is the simple and minimalistic approach. This is fairly new when it comes to developing websites for eCommerce purposes but the focus is to be able to communicate the message to the audience without beating around the bush.

Stylized fonts and topography – Nowadays, web programming languages already allow the use of unique fonts for websites. For instance, Serif fonts, which used to be displayed on the background before, are now on the forefront thanks to high-resolution screens.

Big headers, bold graphics – The use of eye-catching and attention-grabbing headers and graphics are the latest trends in ecommerce web design. Not only is this aesthetically pleasing but it adds to the element of visibility as well.

Informational graphics – Graphics attract visitors because they are easier to read than text-based information, but today’s trend incorporates both graphics and information by highlighting the content.
Content sliders – Ecommerce website designers are also encouraged to use content sliders when building web sites because of the graphical elements and slide shows that visitors appreciate instead of going back and forth through different web pages.

Video marketing – A relatively new concept that ecommerce web designers should explore, video marketing involves creating relevant content such as how to’s and tutorials to attract visitors.

24/7 online customer services – Chat or email-based customer service should be a focus when developing websites for today. Round-the-clock services can attract visitors because they are guaranteed of full support when availing products or services from the business.

Social networking – With the rising trend in using social media marketing, joining social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can help build a brand’s online reputation and popularity.

While there are standard and traditional practices that should be incorporated in web design, ecommerce website designers should try to experiment and explore many trends that are currently in place today when it comes to planning a website’s structure and composition. Additionally, the evolution of today’s technology has made possible many avenues of exploration for websites and online portals.

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A Visual Guide To Penetrating The UK Holiday Market

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, we shared with you an infographic about the state of e-commerce in India. Today, we are going to get visual again but this time we'll show you facts and figures about the UK Holiday landscape. As an e-commerce merchant, you should not be limited to your local audience. The Internet allows you to reach out to a global audience and you should take advantage of the opportunities available.

Linda Bustos of Get Elastic leads us to an infographic from Deals.org.uk which gives us an insight into the state of Christmas shipping in the UK for 2011.

E-Commerce Speaking, What's Happening Over In India?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

India is among the countries to watch out for if you are looking for fresh territories to invest in. As an e-commerce merchant, it is important to know what is happening in other parts of the world, especially if expansion is part of your long term plans.

Get Elastic's Linda Bustos shares an interesting infographic about the state of e-commerce in India. Look and learn.

E-Commerce News: More Top E-Commerce Merchants Are Going MobileI

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

If you are still undecided about getting into mobile e-commerce, you may want to rethink your position after reading this article.

According to an Internet Retailer report by Kevin Woodward, 37% of Internet Retailer's Top 500's e-retailers have dedicated mobile e-commerce sites as compared to last year's 12%. This figure is from a study made by digital marketing firm Acquity Group, LLC. The Top 500 Guide ranks e-commerce merchants in North America based on their online sales.

Acquity Group Vice President of Digital Strategy and Design Tom Nawara was quoted in the article saying "mobile is becoming a key digital channel for many customers." He reiterated the need for online retailers to ensure that their e-commerce sites are optimized for display on mobile devices. The study also revealed the declining trend in designing mobile e-commerce sites with specific devices in mind. For example, the percentage of retailers who optimized their sites for the iPhone went down to 9% as compared to 2010's 11%. Nawara notes that this "non-specialization trend" is expected to continue as mobile browsers become more similar and adhere to shared standards. The study also revealed that 26% of the Top 500 is offering an app, as compared to only 7% who did so in 2010.

The report further notes that the retailers' reasons for having a mobile application varies but it can be often traced back to the e-commerce merchant's objectives, customer base, and the particular devices that the target market uses.

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E-Commerce Tips: Holiday Ideas To Improve Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

The Holidays are fast approaching and before you know it, Christmas shoppers will be flocking your store (whether it is online or offline). While the Holidays do mean a significant increase in sales, it does not mean that you should rest on your laurels. Times are hard and customers will definitely be choosy on where to spend their money. As an e-commerce merchant, this is your opportunity to present your product and services by incorporating some clever marketing ideas.

In this article, we will share with you five tips to help you take advantage of the Holiday season shopping rush, courtesy of Practical Ecommerce's Armando Roggio.

1. Start now. According to Internet marketing firm, Responsys, some major brands and companies tend to start their Holiday marketing campaigns as early as 69 days before Christmas. Learn from the industry bigwigs and start working on your campaigns now. This will give you an advantage during the "gift idea" phase of Holiday shopping. The start of your campaign need not be fancy. You can begin by sending an e-mail to your network. The important thing is to start as early as now.

2. Go to Amazon. Amazon.com is a prime e-commerce space because it features a wide range of sellers. There are millions of people around the world who go to Amazon to shop so this is also a perfect place for you to set up shop. There are two ways for you to utilize Amazon. First, you can place a pay-per-click ad on specific categories and product pages. Second, you can sell products directly. To get maximum bang for your buck, go for both options.

3. Offer gift cards. According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards have become very popular over the years and it continues to be a "favorite choice" for both givers and receivers. Roggio explains that gift cards are easy to manage on a busy business season and can carry over until after the Holiday shopping season. Many e-commerce platforms have built-in gift card features so it should be easy for you to incorporate it into your campaign. You can also use it as part of a promo to reward a loyal customer or to entice repeat business.

4. Use video marketing. According to Roggio, video is an "excellent e-commerce merchandising tool" and in fact, some published reports say that it can increase conversions by as much as 40%. This is due to the fact that video is a great way to present product features and create a hype for demand. Making videos can be quite tedious so start by making videos for your top ten products.

5. Include a "Gift Ideas" landing page. Consider it a double edged dagger. You help out undecided Holiday shoppers and at the same time, you advertise your business. Make it creative and specific (e.g. "Ten Cool Gifts For Tweens" or "Five Gift Ideas For Your In-Laws). Of course, support this landing pages with Internet marketing campaigns to drive traffic.

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Three Tools That Can Help You With Your E-Commerce Enterprise

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Change is constant, especially in the world of e-commerce. That is why as a business owner, you should regularly assess and reassess your business structure, solutions and tools to make sure that your business output is at par with what is going on in the market.

In this article, we will share with you some tools that can help you boost the performance of your e-commerce enterprise, courtesy of Practical Ecommerce's Armando Roggio.

1. Twilio. Twilio is an infrastructure-as-a-service and cloud communications provider that, according to Roggio, can help e-commerce merchants in at least two ways. First, it helps automate telephone workflows with a call center wherein operators work from home and manage conference calls. Twilio also helps create a system wherein voice mails and calls are forwarded to the relevant personnel wherever they might be. Second, Twilio also offers SMS services which can be used for text marketing. The article points out that Twilio's system is relatively cheaper than some text marketing firms.

2. Get Satisfaction. If you want to reduce product and customer support cost, you might want to try Get Satisfaction. In addition to customer feedback services, the company also allows you optimize marketing efforts and choose which particular products to include in the inventory. Companies can put a "Feedback" link on their own e-commerce sites where customers can submit suggestions, post inquiries and express concerns. Get Satisfaction's services can also help you create that genuine sense of customer community which is a pivotal aspect in online marketing today.

3. UserTesting.com. UserTesting.com is a crowd-sourcing solution which offers insightful user interaction data which can be used by e-commerce merchants to come up with educated choices about key website decisions such as landing page design, shopping cart layout and even product layout. Essentially, UserTesting.com helps make e-commerce websites more primed for conversions.

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E-Commerce News: With Steve Jobs Gone, What Happens Next?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:42:00 +0000

Despite prior knowledge of his battle with pancreatic cancer, the whole world was still shocked at the news that Steve Jobs, former Apple CEO and perhaps the most well-known man in Silicon Valley, has died at the age of 56. His amazing life story and larger-than-life persona has helped give the man an enigmatic and charismatic appeal and a cult following so strong that he practically carried the Apple brand on his shoulders. Now that Steve Jobs, the visionary and creative genius behind revolutionary products such as the iPod and the iPhone, has officially left the building, what's next for the tech world and the e-commerce world in general?

In an article for MacNewsWorld, Erika Morphy shares thoughts gathered from industry players on what could be the future of a tech world that heavily looked up to Steve Jobs. Rob Walch, who hosts Today in iOS, was quoted in the article saying that Steve Jobs will be among the names that historians will list as key figures in world development. He further noted that, as an inventor, Jobs focused on the end user--creating products that spanned generations with its usability and ingenuity.

The report also cites how Jobs' inventions revolutionized the way we listen to music and even the way we communicate. Under his helm, Apple's products became the benchmark of technological advancement. With his passing, the tech world seems to have lost its fire. As the article points out, while there are many equally or even more talented inventors and leaders in the industry, there are many doubts that no one has the same vision as the late Steve Jobs.

Even before his death, Jobs had already stepped down as Apple CEO and handed the reins to former Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook. A Jobs-less Apple has announced that "it will continue its path of innovation and change without him." In a memo to employees, Cook wrote, "No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much."

According to the Apple website, thoughts, memories and messages of condolences may be sent to rememberingsteve@apple.com.

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Now Available: Two New Tools That Will Help Drive E-Commerce Performance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

E-commerce merchants have two new online tools that could help them drive their e-commerce ROI.

In an article for the BizReport by Kristina Knight, it was reported that a new couponing site called CouponCodes.com was launched. This new site is from the parent company of Offers.com. According to the report, this new hub will offer coupons from the top 2,500 retailers with the "best deals" vetted by an editorial team and updated everyday to ensure that the most interesting deals are always at the top of the page.

Steve Schaffer, founder and chief executive of Vertive, LLC who is CouponCodes.com's parent company, said in a statement that the new site is a response to the growing trend of online companies offering coupons for more savings. The head honcho also added that they plan to expand CouponCodes.com so that it will one day become the "go-to source for consumers looking for reliable coupon codes that work."

Meanwhile, Buddy Media launched a social commerce tool they call ConversionBuddy. This new tool helps a brand track "connections" throughout the social space, for example the number of shares and tweets that a brand gets. This way, a company is able to optimize the conversion rates. Additionally, ConversionBuddy pinpoints valuable products and content for a brand as well defines which social media platforms generate the best revenue per share to help improve web traffic and sales.

Buddy Media founder and CEO, Michael Lazerow, explained that this new social commerce tool "has taken the guesswork out of social marketing" and highlights their new software solution's ability to measure not just qualitative data but measure direct correlations between brand connections and sales as well as other conversions.

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E-Commerce News: PayPal Makes A Move Offline

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

When it comes to online payments, PayPal is the top of mind choice. Now, the eBay subsidiary is looking at new technologies aimed at "integrating the online marketplace's payments arm into brick-and-mortar retail stores."

According to an Internet Retailer report by Zak Stambor, PayPal is moving towards its vision of becoming the ultimate shopping companion. This includes using it to view mobile ads before entering a store, scanning a bar code in store, using the online money transfer's real-time inventory search to find a local merchant that carries a particular product and of course, paying for the product via a virtual wallet. Scott Thompson, PayPal president, said in a statement in the article that "PayPal is reimagining money" both for the betterment of merchants and consumers.

The Palo Alto, California-based company has big plans to incorporate its traditionally online services into the physical marketplace. It is planning on offering customers multiple ways to pay such as entering a telephone number and a personal identification number as well as tapping a phone on a designated payment terminal. There are also plans of a card that users can pay with at credit and debit card terminals in stores.

PayPal also wants to enable customers to use their mobile devices for payment without having to go to the checkout counter, thus further strengthening the role of mobile e-commerce in the future. A video demonstrating this technology can be seen on the eBay blog. The video also shows how PayPal is planning on a scanning technology which will allow customers to receive discounts as soon they enter the store.

eBay chief executive, John Donahoe, said that PayPal hopes to roll out this point-of-sale functionalities to up to 20 national retailers by 2012. The article also noted that eBay sees this move as "fairly significant incremental opportunity that will play out over the next three to five years." He also noted that the company would like to be instrumental in the growth of offline businesses in the same way that PayPal has been useful to online merchants around the world. However, there are still no reports on how much PayPal would charge merchants for this new offline service.

According to the report, PayPal has 100.3 million accountholders, making it one of the most significant e-commerce players in the industry today.

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An E-Commerce Website Designer’s Guide to Designing the Product Page

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:49:00 +0000

The product page on your e-commerce website is the most crucial. This is where the potential customer turns into an actual customer, and where the purchase decision is made. Therefore, as an e-commerce website designer, it is vital that the product page is well designed and optimized for search engine optimization (SEO). In this article, we will share with you tips on essential principles that should be taken into consideration when designing the product page.

1. Keep it simple. This is an overstated design tip, but also an often overlooked one. The key is to focus each page on one product. As an e-commerce website designer, you should know that complexity can be overwhelming and can easily turn off online shoppers. If a blouse comes in multiple colors, that is considered one product. If you are selling cameras with different lenses, the links should be on a category page, and each link should lead to a separate product page for each type of camera or lens.

2. Do not forget a descriptive title and text and of course, a photo. Ideally, the photo can be enlarged with a click. The enlarged version of the photo should be significantly bigger and should always come with SEO-friendly information and the “Buy” button. The “Buy” button should always be present in a prominent yet non-distracting way. Alternate photos will give customers different angles of the item and show as much details as it can. The text should make up for the details that cannot be shown by the camera.

3. Provide all relevant information. Relevant information includes (but is not limited to) delivery time, product availability, promotions relevant to that product, and final cost (after shipping fees and taxes). Avoid business jargon. The product page should also link to the policies and warranties section of the site.

4. Build the page with sensible navigation features. A professional e-commerce website designer should know the criteria that online shoppers use to buy, and this should be strategically built into the navigation system of the product page. Product pages should be linked together according to attributes that make sense to a browsing customer, as a way to recommend relevant products to the customer.

Keep reading this blog for more tips on e-commerce website design.

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Tips For The Novice E-Commerce Website Designer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:37:00 +0000

When it comes to the design of an e-commerce website, creativity is important but effectiveness is paramount. Effectiveness, here, is defined as the likelihood of a site visitor being converted into a customer. Many factors can be used to measure the effectiveness of a website but simply put, it boils down to how well the e-commerce website delivers the needs of its target market.

As an e-commerce merchant, you definitely want the best for your business. Hiring a professional e-commerce website designer to do your site for you is always the first choice but if it is not possible due to budgetary constraints, you can always be your own e-commerce website designer especially if you have the basic skills for it. However, basic technical skills are not enough so here are some tips to guide a novice e-commerce website designer.

1. Avoid a cluttered layout. Unless your visitors specifically went online to visit your website, your initial goal is to keep their attention. From the get-go, your e-commerce website should clearly say what you are selling. Avoid elaborate graphics and animation especially if it is irrelevant to your products. The tabs on your site should all be related to the purchasing process. No line, color or copy should be on your website if it has nothing to do with selling your product or your service.

2. Make it easy for your potential customers to find the products in different ways. This is especially true if you have a vast product catalogue. Make sure that your design layout has room for navigation in product categories that will allow a visitor to browse products in different ways (e.g. by price, by color, by date added to stock), depending on what is applicable. As an e-commerce website designer, the idea here is to give your potential customers the shortest route from their entry point to what they are looking for in your site. If you are able to add a search capability to your website, go for it. Just keep it simple and straightforward so that they do not get lost in overly helpful website design.

3. Keep the check out process as simple as you can. Many sales are terminated at the check out page and it is mostly due to the complicated process it involves. Always go back to the basics. Ask only for the necessary information and try to keep it at one to two pages.

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E-commerce jumps 17.5% in Q2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:46:00 +0000

Last Tuesday, U.S. Commerce Department announced that online shoppers spent $47.5 billion, a 17.5% jump from last year $ 40.2 billion. This marks the ninth consecutive month that e-commerce has posted double-digit gains. Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis for MasterCard Advisors, believe the causes to this increase include high gas prices and the summer heat wave. He believes the heat and high gas prices are keeping people off of the roads.

It has been reported by MasterCard that E-commerce accounted for approximately 4.6% of total retail sales during the second quarter, the highest E-commerce has ever accounted for in the retail industry. MasterCard based this report on retail sales using all payments forms, including credit and debit cards of all brands, along with cash and checks. The retail sales growth estimate is based on July same-store sales totals reported of 28 retail companies, excluding Wal-Mart. Total adjusted retail sales excluding food service during the second quarter reached $1.04 trillion. The Commerce Department’s report on e-commerce sale for retail industry is even higher, for June showed retail spending was up 8.9% from a year ago, but declined 1.1% from May to June this year.

High retail sales usually result in higher inventory levels and expenses, but due to the recent swings in the stock market and economy, retailers are still carefully watching their spending. One example is Saks Inc.'s forecast that it would raise inventory level by a mid-single digit percentage, a very slight increase, during the second half of 2011 compared to last year.

Despite the economy downturn, top online retailers tend to have a competitive advantage at this time because they continue to spend on marketing and advertising, constantly improving their e-commerce website, and offer lower prices than small and mid-sized retailers. Through this, top 25 retailers have gained market share throughout 2009 and 2010. However, holiday promotions and back-to-school sales have helped ease the market share lost experienced by small and mid-sized retailers.

Helen Leao
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Ecommerce Tip: Naming Your Ecommerce Store

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Once you have decided on venturing into the world of ecommerce and have gone through the basics of starting an ecommerce store, it’s now time to think about naming your store and creating its personality.

Your ecommerce store’s name is a compelling part of your entire branding as it can define the identity of your business. Below are some suggestions on choosing a name for your ecommerce website. Note, however, that this is not a guideline on choosing a domain name, which will be tackled in another post.

Know what you are communicating through your name. What do you want your customers to say about your business? When you have already decided on what you want to communicate to your prospective customers, try writing your thoughts in a single sentence. Shorten your sentence until you are left with just a word or two.

Play with the names. You may use synonyms of what you want to communicate, or even memorable misspellings. Take for example “Flickr,” the popular photo portal website. It hails from “Flicker,” which is associated with a camera’s flash. Creative, yet memorable.

Spell it as it is and pronounce it as it is. Ecommerce stores usually span a certain number of cultures and regions so it is better to have a simple name that everyone can spell and pronounce. For example you are of Chinese descent, but your target customers are in the United States. You wouldn’t want your online store to be Xiao, Huang, or Tsen and expect to target people from America.

Scope the competition. Check out the names of your competition. Make sure it does not sound too similar to the others, lest you want to confuse your customers and drive them to the other ecommerce websites. Your name should be at par or even better than the competition, but it should not be too similar to them to avoid confusion.

Consult with the target market. Narrow down your ecommerce business names to five or less and test them with your target customers. For example, you want to sell costume jewelry for teens and young adults. Test your names with females from high school and college. Do not assume you know how your target profile will react to your name choices.

Remember that your name is a part of your ecommerce store’s identity. Choosing the best one that fits your business will be imperative to the long-term success of your online store.

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Advice for Ecommerce First Timers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:11:00 +0000

Thinking of opening your first ecommerce store? Congratulations! A lot of exciting things await as you venture into the wonderful world of ecommerce. But first, hold off your excitement. Don’t jump into designing your ecommerce store right away and placing all the products to sell if you haven’t fulfilled the nitty-gritty of starting an online business.

Take a step back. Before jumping the gun and getting lost in the big picture of an ecommerce store, first work out the tiny details as these could make or break your success.

Know what your strengths and weaknesses are. Listing down the areas in which your business is good at and need help on, would allow you to allocate time and funds to equip your ecommerce store for success.

For example, if you are good in the operations department but struggle with numbers, then you already know that you need help in the accounting department. If you have a knack for designing the ecommerce website but do not know how to market it, you could either develop your skills in Internet marketing (which takes time) or hire outside professional Internet marketing services.

Know and build on your uniqueness. If the products you offer in your ecommerce site is already in a niche market, that’s great. But if you belong to the crowded segment where many others are selling the same product, find a niche in that marketplace. You have to stand out amidst the competition. Offer something that others don’t. Some examples of making a statement would be offering the lowest price in the market, 24/7 live customer chat support, free mystery gift, among other things. Think outside the box and be creative. Once you’ve come up with a unique selling point, think of ways to build your brand.

Give your brand some life and personality. Think of the benefits your products bring to the lives of consumers. Build up your brand’s personality. Is it happy, fun, and whimsical? Is it business-like and professional? Knowing this would make a huge impact your ecommerce website design and ecommerce website content.

Come up with a marketing strategy. No matter how outrageously awesome your ecommerce website design is and how amazing your products are, it will NOT generate sales if you do not have an online presence. Educate yourself in the different Internet marketing services. Consult Internet marketing experts and find out the right mix of services for you. Some of these Internet marketing services are Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Email Marketing, PPC Management, Social Media Marketing, etc.

Set your budget and work around it. As with any start-up businesses, venturing into the ecommerce world is not free. Know what you can and cannot afford and make smaller investments along the way as your business grows. Initially, you have to start with a pleasing ecommerce website design. As like shops in malls, your website is your display window. You have to attract customers to it. Next, invest in Internet marketing services. Again, if online marketing is not your strength, find Internet marketing experts on this field who can work around your budget.

Now that you have the nitty-gritty down, check out our post on Ecommerce 101: The Basic Elements You Should Know in Creating a Successful Online Business.

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Essential Features Every Ecommerce Store Should Have (PART I)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Ever notice what makes ecommerce stores successful? Whether you have a big, small, or local ecommerce store, there are certain key features that you should have in your web design to make it attractive and hassle-free for visitors. These features are critical if you want to increase conversion rates and lower cart abandonment at the same time. Here are some of the essential features you should have in your ecommerce store to achieve an increase in online sales.

1. Product navigation – A hassle-free and easy-to-use navigation site is important to any website, more so if you have an ecommerce store. A website’s navigation system should be designed with the visitors in mind. Users should be able to shop with ease, browsing through different product categories in a hassle-free manner – quickly and effortlessly. Well-organized categories, robust navigation menus, fly-out menus and drop-down menus are some of the best means to display products in your inventory without causing too much digital space and giving shoppers a great shopping experience.

2. Search boxes – Some ecommerce website designers prefer to feature search boxes in ecommerce stores while some believe that they are not needed. This is not true. When developing ecommerce stores, search boxes are crucial because it helps users locate the products they want easily. Especially for those who have specific products in mind, search boxes save time in browsing through unnecessary items in a store’s inventory. Search boxes are often found high up in the layout to encourage the user to search the site and save them time.

3. Shopping cart – Often the first thing to appear upon checkout, all ecommerce stores should have shopping carts. Shopping carts are a must because they display the products that a user decides to purchase which is basically a summary of what users are buying. The most important elements of a shopping cart are the product name, description, price, total cost, and quantity box. Some ecommerce stores also display shipping information.
There are certainly other features that make ecommerce stores, big and small, effective. Our next post will conclude on this two-part series and discuss how featured products, product view filtering and storing, and product images affect and entice visitors to shop from your ecommerce store.

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DIY Ecommerce Solutions Small and Local Businesses Can Easily Avail To Start Selling Quickly

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Custom ecommerce solutions are not for every business. Local and small businesses often don’t have the budget to hire professional ecommerce website designers to set up their online store. Fortunately, there are a number of great options that small businesses can avail to start setting up shop easily and quickly. These hosted services and subscription-based web applications are perfect for small businesses who want to start an ecommerce store but lack the budget to do so.

Mashable gives 5 of the best DIY ecommerce solutions, offering the average cost, basic requirements, and main features that will help small businesses decide which one is best for their ecommerce store.

1. Big Cartel - Big Cartel prides itself in giving small business the chance to set up ecommerce stores and charges customers by the number of products offered online. There are a few reasons why ecommerce business owners would choose Big Cartel: monthly fees that start at $9.99/mo for 25 products without taking a percentage of online sales and links to PayPal or any bank account.

2. Shopify – Plans offered by Shopify start at $29/mo for 100 products and can cost up to $699/mo, at which the plan includes 50,000 product inventory, disk space and bandwidth scaling. Unfortunately, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee that ranges from 0.5-2% on top of the monthly plans except for the largest plan. The extra cost that comes with using Shopify is worth it, as the company has been around for a long time as compared to its competitors. The trust, reputation, and dependability make up for it.

3. Big Commerce – Less expensive than Shopify, Big Commerce is ideal for bigger ecommerce stores that have a high volume and large inventory as its monthly fees range from $49.95-$299.95/month. Bigger stores would opt for the top two plans as they are allowed unlimited products whereas the bottom three allows for 100, 500, and 1000, respectively. Other features that would make ecommerce stores choose Big Commerce include eBay and Facebook selling tools, marketing and drop-shipping support, reporting tools, and SEO services.

4. Volusion – Volusion is an ecommerce solution that even professional ecommerce website designers use. An all-in-one ecommerce provider, Volusion offers plans starting at $25/month and can cost up to $149/month. Volusion merchants are also given access to 24/7 customer service support, as well as the freedom to choose design templates to customize each ecommerce store.

5. Vendder – Vendder is ideal for small ecommerce businesses because it offers a free plan for those who have a maximum of 15 products to sell, though customization and theme options are limited. The two other plans, which cost $24 and $49 per month, are for those with products that reach up to 500. Customization tools and templates are available for subscribers and Vendder also prides itself in not charging for any additional transaction fees.

The list, as provided by Kelli Shaver of Mashable, is by no means exhaustive. While there are certainly other DIY ecommerce solutions available in the market today, the 5 solutions aforementioned should help small and local business get started. Aside from being inexpensive, they also offer custom plans that small businesses can avail of that suit their budget.

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*all images taken from ecommerce sites mentioned above.

Conversion Tips for Ecommerce Website Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:50:00 +0000

There are times when ecommerce website designers prioritize creativity and design over customer usability, overshadowing certain features that would create a better shopping experience for online consumers. Anything as simple as colors to the more complicated flash animations can send the wrong signal to shoppers if not used accordingly. Not only can this lead to less traffic, but those who actually get to visit the ecommerce site would soon abandon the cart if the shopping experience proves to be a nightmare.

3DCart, a reputable eCommerce platform, offers helpful tips that ecommerce website designers can put into practice when creating online stores to increase conversion. With years of experience, these tips are guaranteed to bring one or two positive changes to both ecommerce website designers and store owners.

1. Shopping cart should be visible. Ecommerce website designers should make online shoppers feel at ease when they purchase products by making sure that the shopping cart is visible at all times. This simple web design technique assures shoppers that products they want to buy are actually registered. Additionally, the check out data should be readily available so customers can easily go back to the checkout page no matter where they finish shopping.

2. Optimize “add-to-cart” buttons by using a direct call-to-action approach. Experience has shown that offering options such as “more details,” “learn more,” or “add-to-cart” buttons don’t offer as much conversion as having a specific “Buy now” option. The choice of colors is likewise important as the buttons should correspond to the site’s overall concept and theme.

3. Offer auto-complete functions for search boxes. Ecommerce website designers know that search boxes are a necessity for online stores because it makes searching for products easier. To give shoppers a better experience, the “auto-complete” function can give searchers the closest matches in real time, which means that searchers can see the results as soon as they type in the keyword. It also avoids directing shoppers to the wrong products if they don’t find the right keywords.

4. For ecommerce stores with thousands of products and categories, navigation paths should be as clear as possible. The best way to do this is to have fly-out menus because shoppers can easily access any category page without too much clutter on the webpage. Also have a path between categories and subcategories so shoppers can easily find their way through the website.

5. Visitors should have the firsthand as to how they want to shop. Shopping preferences vary across all shoppers and it would be very difficult to please each customer. However, as long as you have the right tools that allow shoppers to customize how they browse through products (by price, new arrivals, bestsellers, size, color, budget, etc), conversion rates will increase in no time.

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E-Commerce Security Issues Do Not Prevent Customers From Online Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

When it comes to e-commerce, a key issue has always been information security. However, in an article for the BizReport by Kristina Knight, a study by security software company, Symantec, reveals that US customers are not hindered from online shopping by the security issues lurking online.

The article notes that only about 15% are using secure Internet connection while on social media, while only about 55% of online shoppers leave a site without SSL encryption despite the fact that 80% claimed to know that they "should look" for the padlock icon. In addition, 81% of the surveyed respondents claim to know that domain URLs should match up with certificate domains but only 56% actually leave the sites with mismatched information.

This report on the attitude of US customers on online security issues comes at the heel of a good year so far for e-commerce, mobile commerce and social commerce as well. According to reports from the National Retail Foundation, retail sales have been up for the twelfth straight month. However, no statistics have yet to be reported on online-only sales.

The Symantec report also revealed that while the majority of US online shoppers are "somewhat" concerned about online privacy, the ease of e-commerce or even online banking still outweighs this concerns which leads to customers not acting as safely online as they should.

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Measure the Success of Ecommerce Websites through Customer Base

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Measuring the success of any ecommerce website is relatively easy. While online sales are the primary means of determining whether the ecommerce site is a hit or miss, Rebecca Corliss of HubSpot identifies three ways to rightfully measure the success of ecommerce sites in terms of the people who visit your website.

1. Revenue is an important measure of success, both for online and offline businesses. However, for eCommerce sites whose revenues are primarily derived from online marketing and sales, there is another factor to consider – the visitors. The customer base is just as important because it helps to know who converts their visits into sales. Are your customers first-time visitors or are they repeat customers? Do they belong to a large network? What drove them to purchase products from your eCommerce store? Does your customer base grow over time? The profiles of the consumers who drive by your site is likewise important because it helps in determining what they want, what they look for, and what they expect from your site.

2. Knowing where your best customers are coming from is also an important measure of success. Do your customers come from social media marketing sites such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn? Or do they come from product review sites such as ThisNext, CNet, Epinions, or ConsumerReports? This helps understand which eCommerce efforts are working or not because it gives you ideas on what visitors look for in your website.

3. Evaluate reasons behind cart abandonments. Cart abandonment, sadly, occurs most of the time as there are online visitors who will visit your site, thereby driving relevant traffic – except without completing a sale. By identifying the visitors who choose not to complete a transaction, you can follow up with them and encourage them to close the sale. These customers should be nurtured. Perhaps effective email campaigns can assist them to ultimately make a purchase from your eCommerce store. You can also increase customer base by being transparent. Offer pertinent information such as shipping rates and return policies so customers know what rates and services to expect when they make a purchase.

Now that you know how to measure the success of your eCommerce store based on the visitors who come to your site, give them more reasons to stay and complete purchases.

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SteelHouse Helps eCommerce Marketers by Revealing 10 Most Common ‘Shopping Personalities’

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

eCommerce marketers are given a glimpse in the minds of shoppers as SteelHouse, a Behavior Commerce pioneer, reveals the 10 most common personalities of online shoppers. The Top 10 Shopping Personality Profiles, which was unveiled in the recently concluded Internet Retailer 2011 Conference and Exhibition, will help eCommerce owners get into the psyche behind consumers’ shopping motivations and behaviours.

According to SteelHouse, here are the 10 most common shopping personality profiles:

1. Distracted Shopper – Prefers to begin the checkout process but doesn’t always complete the purchase due to a number of reasons.

2. Premium Shopper – Prefers the best products, with premium brand names, latest features, and the most advanced technology.

3. Determined Shopper – Prefers to research products before making a purchase, ensuring to get the best deal or offer in price.

4. Active Shopper – Prefers shopping without always buying – just browsing. Incentives may help active shoppers complete a purchase.

5. Free Shipping Hunter – Prefers websites and products that offer free shipping.

6. Thrifty Shopper – Prefers refurbished or previously owned products, especially second hand items that are much cheaper than others.

7. Loyal Shopper - Prefers eCommerce stores that offer a rewards club or special rewards program, thereby becoming a loyal shopper to certain stores.

8. Methodical Shopper – Prefers to shop by product – the exact product. A web design with detailed site navigation becomes extremely helpful for Methodical Shoppers who browse until they find the perfect product.

9. Impatient Shopper – Prefers to search the product as soon as landing on the given page and shops at another eCommerce site if the product is not available at the previous one.

10. Wish List Shopper – Prefers online shopping but not always purchases. Every product is added to the shopping cart and completion of sale is determined based on what the total price will be.

SteelHouse CEO Mark Douglas believes that it is equally important to understand what drives online consumers to shop and purchase from eCommerce stores – the personalities and buying behaviours, so to speak. He also shares that knowing the personalities of an eCommerce store’s customer base will help them recognize who prefers free shipping, full prices, discounts, and sales. The personality profiles, adds Douglas, “enables marketers to present the right offer to the right type of shopper at the right time”, thereby increasing conversion rates and revenue.

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SSL 101: The Importance of Secure Sockets Layer in Ecommerce

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Any website that conducts secure transactions should have SSL encryption. All businesses, from banks to ecommerce sites, need SSL to protect not only financial information of the customers but also to protect the website and its business. Secure Sockets Layers are protocols that allow secure communications to happen in the World Wide Web. Hackers are powerless against SSL encryptions, thus the need for businesses to enforce this protection on their websites. SSL encryptions are often packaged with web hosting companies and it is very important to know what options are available for you and your business.

Listed below are the different kinds of SSL web hosting companies provide their ecommerce clients:

1. Domain validation – Because it is the most inexpensive option, it is also the simplest to accomplish and may not be 100% safe from hackers. For a small additional charge, ecommerce business owners can purchase domain validation wherein the certificate is acquired with very little effort – it actually only takes a few minutes because all ecommerce practitioners have to do is submit the validation of the domain ownership. It provides minimal protection which may discourage online shoppers to transact business with you so this type of SSL certificate is not recommended for those that host shopping carts.

2. Organization Validation – Offering a 256-bit encryption, an Organization Validation SSL Certificate are often invested heavily on by big brands and companies, who are focused on building a positive and professional reputation among its clients in the ecommerce world. Because this requires more effort (companies need to submit documents before being issued an SSL certificate), it costs an average of a few hundred dollars per year. The benefits precede the cost, however, as ecommerce stores are guaranteed the security of their shopping carts and online shoppers can see the details of the company on the website, encouraging trust in the business itself.

3. Extended Validation – The most expensive yet but most secure SSL Certificate of all, the Extended Validation SSL Certificate is actually worth every penny. Extended validation SSL Certificates are ideal for the bank and medical industry. It requires extensive verification by the certificate authority which follows guidelines set by CA/Browser Forum, whose trusted members come from Internet software vendors as well as the legal and audit professions.

True that investing in SSL Certificates will cost you hundreds of dollars but every penny shelled out is worth it because it offers ecommerce shoppers protection and security, encouraging them to do business with you as they are secured in the fact that their financial information will not be compromised.

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Email Marketing Tips for Ecommerce Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Email marketing is an aspect of online advertising that does not receive as much attention (and probably efforts) as search engine optimization or social media marketing. The truth is, email marketing is an internet marketing strategy that builds customer relationship and generates repeat sales because it builds brand recognition and customer loyalty. Small to mid-sized businesses can greatly benefit from email marketing because it is targeted, cost-effective, and has a more effective reach now than when it was developed a few years ago.

On the ecommerce side, email marketing is first accomplished by having an opt-in subscription form that offers visitors the chance to receive news, updates, and special deals on their emails. Keep in mind though that it is very important to assure subscribers that their email addresses will not be used for purposes other than what the business has explicitly stated on their website. Additionally, it is imperative that subscribers are guaranteed the privacy of their emails – this means that they will not receive spam emails nor will their email addresses be syndicated to other companies.

To make email marketing effective and bring ecommerce sales, it would be wise to hire professional copy writers to do this because it takes skill and talent to convince people to some call of action just by reading an email. Professional copywriters should have a knack for writing that leads to a strong call of action. Content should motivate and encourage readers to visit your ecommerce store and make a purchase.

Before sending out emails, it is best to have a clear and definite plan of how to go about with your email campaigns. By being clear on what you are offering (which readers should have a hard time refusing), it should get your readers to make a purchase. Whether it’s free shipping or volume discounts, marketing newsletters should be tasty enough for your readers to bite it.

With email marketing, it is easy to drive sales because readers can easily visit the websites linked to the emails and conveniently make a purchase. It may be a challenging task but hiring an email marketing professional may ease the burden. Keep in mind, though, that each email marketing campaign should be tailor made for a specific business to make it effective in the long run.

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