You are in: ECommerce-Guide > Solutions > Customer Relations

ECommerce-Guide Essentials eBiz FAQ Everything you need to know to start your own successful e-business. Selling on eBay How to make money in the online marketplace. PayPal Payments and More What's new in secure payments for your online store. Shopping Cart Software Solutions to close, process and track your online sales. Related Articles •Experts Speak Out on Improving Sales Conversions, Part 2 •Making Your eBay Store Search-Savvy, Part One •Study: Increase Payment Options to Boost Revenue

Site Design Tips to Improve Your Sales
By James Maguire
August 4, 2004

Continued from Page One.

"Don't throw everything at people all at once -- you'll just overwhelm them," he says. "But do have it available to ask for more."

And that thumbnail product photo that users are supposed to be able to enlarge by clicking? Unfortunately, too many sites offer "enlarged" product photos only a mere 20 percent or so greater, Nielsen says.

"That's not worth it -- 'make it bigger' means I want a really big photo," he says. "So fill up my screen, preferably from a few different angles."

Extensive product description, after all, is an area in which Web sites have a major advantage over printed collateral's page limitations -- so e-tailers should use the advantage for all its worth and not skimp on providing information.

The credibility factor
Shoppers look at your site and ask, "'I'm going to give you my money -- what are you going to give me?'" Nielsen says. Are you going to give me the product? If it doesn't work can I get it returned? Are you going to spam me forever? Are you going to sell my name to all kinds of porn sites?

"We have so many videotapes of people saying 'I don't want to give my e-mail to these people because I don't know what they're going to do to me," Nielsen says -- adding that the comment referred to major, well-known e-commerce stores, rather than unknowns. Consequently, mom-and-pop sites have an even greater obstacle to overcome in establishing their credibility with shoppers.

One way they can prevail is by posting a concise, clear statement on their site: We will never give out your e-mail address for any reason.

For small e-tailers working to establish trust, Nielsen recommends emphasizing your physical presence. Let people know "you're not a Nigerian scam artist," he says. "Have your mailing address on the site. Have some photographs on your About section so people can see the CEO. Have a photo of your building or warehouse."

Nielsen says he once undertook a study for a coffee Web site, and found that the company's photo of their coffee roasting machine made a big difference to shoppers.

"If you want to be logical, you could say it doesn't prove a thing -- they could have somebody else's coffee roaster," he says. "But still, it enhances your feeling that they're really in this business."

While you're rethinking your photos, get rid of any stock photos with stereotypical, smiling businesspeople, Nielsen recommended. Photos of real people do more to boost your image, "even if they don't look as good," he says.

Ask questions later
In addition to avoiding the three common e-commerce blunders, Nielsen criticizes another mistake he says he sees too often among online sellers. Namely, it makes little sense to force customers -- who are ready to buy -- to first answer questionnaires before payment. Yet it's a common practice online, Nielsen says.

"The analogy is if you had a physical store, and someone walked up to the register and says 'I'd like to buy this red sweater,' and you says 'I'm sorry sir, I first need to register you as a member of our frequent shopper club,'" he says. "If people are standing there with money in their hand, take their money."

This is not just a money grubbing practice, he notes, but a critical usability strategy. Once a merchant has the first order, that second sale is a quantum leap easier. That first sale is the essential moment in building that all-important trust.

"That first order is gold -- it's much more important than getting a few extra things about that person into your database so you can spam them with more marketing," he says, adding that "every extra step is a loss of customers."

Continued on Page Three: Interfaces, ads, and a look ahead.

Tools:

Add ecommerce-guide.com to your favorites Add ecommerce-guide.com to your browser search box IE 7 | Firefox 2.0 | Firefox 1.5.x Receive news via our XML/RSS feed