- Provide adequate product information
One
of the best ways to get customers to really appreciate and like your
site is to have sufficient information regarding each product online.
Unlike offline modes of purchase where the buyer has ample choice to
browse and ‘test’ the product before purchase, with a website there is
no way of understanding the product features. Therefore to make the
experience better for customers online, you need to include all product
specifications, features, stock availability, options regarding the
product, as well as the overall cost. In addition to the textual
information you also need to have superior product images preferably 3
dimensional. - Make the search box accessible
Most
users online prefer to use the search box right away instead of
browsing through scores of products on your site. Never make the
mistake of keeping the search box hidden from view. Although there is
no plausible reason why any ecommerce site would do that – surprisingly
many sites do it! While the search box ideally should be placed on the
top right hand corner (going by the user behavior patterns online, the
top right hand corner is the most accessed portion on a site). Try and
use robust backend databases to enable easy retrieval of information to
the front end. - Disclose shipping costs
It
is surprising but many ecommerce sites charge exorbitant amounts as far
as shipping costs are concerned. This is a real downer for most
customers who are used to receiving free shipping for most items. By
overpricing shipping costs you are essentially pushing customers away
from your website. Many times it may so happen that your customer has
placed an order in bulk only to leave the site just before the sale.
Why? Shipping charges are the culprit again! If you really have to
charge for shipping make sure to disclose it upfront rather than have
the customer go through the entire purchase process and then abandon it
later! - Address cultural/global issues
Its
funny how many ecommerce websites make this fundamental mistake. They
lay claims to cater to global customers but still indirectly discourage
shopping from other countries. Silly reasons like address formats, or
ignoring cultural aspects etc. can damage any brand for good,
especially if you consider the global context of things. Fundamental
things like language compatibility or providing internationalization
into the website are missing in such websites. - Categorize products
When
you have categories of your products and services you help your
customers understand your offerings much better. It also helps
customers perceive your ecommerce website as being more organized and
structured. While each category needs to describe the various products
you are offering, it also needs to be concise as far as information is
concerned. Too much information can make the structure look lopsided
while too little makes you look suspicious. |
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