==================================================
The Add Me! Newsletter *** ISSUE #33 ***
"Free tips for promoting your website and business"
Add Me, Inc http://www.addme.com
==================================================
...THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE...
>> Creating A Shopper Friendly Site <<
........................................................
May 25th, 1999 *** ISSUE #33 ***
........................................................
Message from our sponsor:
Now that you've registered your site, you're almost
ready to start taking orders. Next, you need to accept
credit cards. Charge.Com lets you take MasterCard, Visa,
American Express, and Discover. They have the best rates,
over 95% of applicants are accepted, and there's NO
APPLICATION FEE.
To apply right now visit http://www.charge.com/?addme6
..............................
***************************************************
The Add Me! Newsletter is a high quality newsletter
created to help everyone promote and market their
website. The Add Me! Newsletter has currently over
150,000 subscribers, all interested in this topic.
Hope you'll enjoy it!
Interested in placing an ad in this Newsletter?
Place your order online: http://www.addme.com/list.htm
***************************************************
.....THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE.....
Creating A Shopper Friendly Site
================================
By Michelle M. Rahm
Shopper friendliness is of key importance in attracting
and keeping customers at your website. While considering
your site's shopper friendliness, keep in mind these two
important factors: Simple and Efficient Navigation and
Ordering Ease.
I. Simple and Efficient Navigation
It is evident that many website owners fail to actually
"shop" at their own website. So many sites require shoppers
to take unnecessary steps to arrive at their desired end
point. Other sites have non-descriptive links leading into
a sea of oblivion.
Don't waste your customers' time with unnecessary steps.
Many sites have nice descriptive links leading to specific
categories of products on their home page, but fail to put
additional category links on each subsequent page! Don't
make the mistake of only including a link to the home page
at the bottom of each page in your site. Include links to
each of the main sections of your website on every page.
By doing so, your customers can choose where they go next.
No one wants to have to keep going backwards just to proceed
forward into your product offering.
In addition, make sure your links lead directly to where
they say they are leading. Don't make your customers leap
frog all over your site just to get where they are going.
On one site I visited, I found a link called "view our
products." When I clicked on that link, I was sent to a
full page of text, which outlined the company history,
philosophy etc. That link should have been called "company
overview" or something along those lines. I scrolled down
that page and at the bottom there was another link called
"view our products." When I clicked on the second "view
our products" link, I finally reached my destination
...actual photographs of the product offering. I would
have preferred to go directly to that link rather than
taking a detour through the company overview.
Another common mistake is having non-descriptive links
in your website. If your customer doesn't understand
where a link will lead them, they will likely avoid
selecting it. Be very detailed in your link descriptions,
and your customers will appreciate it.
====================================================
WWW.YourDomain.COM
Reserve your domain today, before someone else takes
it! It only takes 5 minutes!
Go to: http://www.addme.com/yourdomain/
====================================================
I visited a site which boasted an "online catalog," and
that's exactly what it was. At the bottom of each page
were links to pages: 1, 2, 3,....13. This catalog concept
works fine in the real world where a person can quickly
thumb through a catalog of product photos, but get real!
On the Internet we have to wait for pages to load before
we can see them in their entirety. After viewing the first
two pages of this "online catalog", I decided I wouldn't
waste my time clicking through more pages when I hadn't
the slightest idea what products were featured on the 11
remaining pages.
I have many "online" catalogs as I offer many different
product lines. However, for each product line I sell, I
take the time to make sure my product offering and my
website are well organized. Each page of my website is
designed to stand alone in the event a customer comes
into my "store" on one of the subsequent pages rather
than the home page.
Each page contains descriptive links to the other main
pages of my site so my customers can navigate efficiently.
This way, if a customer has already looked at rings and
now wants to see the men's bracelets, he can get there
quickly and easily simply by clicking on the link for
men's bracelets.
One of my many satisfied customers recently included this
note on his order form, "I have to tell you, whoever made
this site is really creative, smart and knows how to
organize things. I wish other websites did the same thing."
It makes me happy to know that visitors to my site are
finding what they are looking for.
II. Ordering Ease
Don't attempt to sell products on the Internet if you
don't make the ordering process simple for your customers.
So many people expect their customers to purchase without
adequate product information, ordering options and payment
methods. A truly serious netrepreneur needs to consider
all these things very carefully.
While retail stores take the guess work out of shopping
because customers can touch and feel products, the virtual
store owner must rely on both copy and graphics to describe
his products. Don't just show a photograph of your product.
Take the time to really explain it. How big is it? What's
it made of? How much does it cost? Is there a guarantee?
While photographs are very important for certain product
lines, it's difficult to make an informed purchase decision
based solely on a photograph, especially if the product is
not pictured in its actual size.
In my jewelry "store," my photographs are large. Each
photo features multiple jewelry pieces in their actual
size. While the photos take a little longer to load, by
showing multiple items in a given category actual size
in the same photograph, customers can make comparisons
between various like items. Based on feedback, my
customers actually prefer this method of viewing products
rather than clicking through thumbnail images of hundreds
of different jewelry pieces.
I also include a price and description of each item and
information regarding the quality of the jewelry pieces
in a given category. By providing all this information,
my customers know exactly what each item looks like, its
size, its price and its quality in detail. They can make
informed buying decisions. And I'm not bombarded with
e-mails concerning product questions.
Along the same lines as providing adequate information is
the topic of providing understandable information. Don't
be too cunning with your copy. Customers want descriptions
in a language they can understand.
I once saw a website listing an "18 INCH GOLD HERRINGBONE
NECKLACE 14KT" for just $18.00. Curious, I clicked on the
link for a more detailed description. The copy was written
so skillfully that anyone outside the jewelry business
would have thought they were buying a real 14-karat gold
necklace for $18.00 rather than a 14-karat gold plated
necklace. I'd hate to be managing that company's returns
and complaints department. If you insist on using deception
to increase your sales, you'll regret it in the long run.
Be clear, descriptive and upbeat with your copy, but avoid
trying to trick your customers.
====================================================
WWW.YourDomain.COM
Reserve your domain today, before someone else takes
it! It only takes 5 minutes!
Go to: http://www.addme.com/yourdomain/
====================================================
If you're going to be serious about Internet commerce,
you also need to offer your customers a variety of ordering
and payment options. Don't expect to be bombarded with sales
if your customers have to jump through hoops just to order.
I visited a site that not only required customers to e-mail
the website owner for product prices, but she also expected
her customers to place their initial order via e-mail, then
send a check in the mail. Why would anyone bother to buy from
her? In a world so focused on convenience, you would be foolish
to expect your customers to go out of their way to buy your
product, especially when there are millions of websites to
choose from.
Get a merchant account so you can accept credit cards. And
offer real-time secured online ordering. It's safe, it's
convenient for customers, it is wonderful for sparking impulse
purchases and it'll save you valuable time. It costs a little
more for the entire set-up, but it's worth it. More than 90%
of my sales are transacted directly on my website.
Of course, not all of your customers will feel comfortable
ordering directly online. For those more traditional
customers, provide a telephone number they can call to place
an order and an address for mail orders. If you can't always
be around to answer the phone, hire an answering service or
get voice messaging. But be sure to check messages often so
your customers aren't left waiting.
Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of testing
your virtual store ordering system on a regular basis.
We all know that systems go down and things don't work
perfectly all the time. Nothing is more annoying than
trying to place an order on a website only to receive
an error message.
Visit your website often and place an order yourself to
see what happens. If you suspect a problem with the
system, call the service provider immediately. Many
times I have brought attention to problems that the
service provider was completely unaware of. Believe
me, they'll appreciate your efforts and so will your
customers.
Now, take some time to visit your website. Have a friend
place an order while you look on. Ask for honest feedback
about your store. And try to improve upon your virtual
store's shopper friendliness. Remember, always keep your
customers in mind.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Article by Michelle M. Rahm, of
JewelryImpressions.Com,
a division of Quality
Merchandise Brokers.
Michelle is an award-winning Internet entrepreneur with a professional
background in Direct Mail and Service Quality Management. She has been
operating her business solely on the Internet since 1997 and sells a
variety of product lines including
gold costume
jewelry,
fine 14-karat gold
jewelry,
fine watches
and
discount
gems among others.
Mention this article in the comments section on your first
jewelry order and receive a special gift. E-mail
Michelle with your
comments or questions at fraud@jewelryimpressions.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------
If you have missed previous issues of the Add Me! Newsletter
you can find them at: http://www.addme.com/previous.htm
The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect
the opinions of Add Me, Inc. Add Me, Inc makes no warranties,
either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy
of the contents of the Add Me! newsletter.
We want this newsletter to be the best one around. If you
have suggestions, ideas, or feedback about this newsletter,
feel free to email us at mailto:suggest-list@addme.com
If you know someone that could be interested in receiving
this high quality newsletter, feel free to forward this email
to that person.
If you are interested in sponsoring this newsletter,
place your order online: http://www.addme.com/list.htm
==================================================
(c) Copyright 1998-1999 Add Me, Inc
==================================================
