13 Jun, 2006
Top 10 E-Commerce Mistakes
Posted by bknapik 20:48 |
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E-Commerce
There are some common mistakes that small business e-commerce sites make. If you are not getting the response you are expecting here some possible reasons.
1.Amateur look - One of the largest problems with new e-commerce sites is an unprofessional look. The key to this is consistency including fonts, page colors, and layout and limit to three colors.
2.Trustworthiness - When a customer does not feel they can trust a company with their information, they will not order.
3.Slow page display - The display times are critical. If your website takes more than seven seconds to display fully then it is extremely likely the prospective customer will leave before the page is completely viewable.
4.Lack of contact information Many sites lack having contact information. Having the phone number visible on all pages of the website will not only help establish trust but also give the customer the means to contact you if they have a problem.
5.Poor checkout procedures - The checkout procedure is the most likely location to lose a sale. If the checkout procedure is to complicated or daunting, it is likely that the customer will leave. Making the procedure as simple will go a long way.
6.Website content not updated - When a customer believes that the site is no longer being maintained, the customer will not order.
7.Important information not above the fold - The fold is the content on the page before you have to scroll down to view more information. It is critical that the most important information is displayed in this area since it is the most likely area that the customer will read.
8.No privacy policy - Customers are concerned about their privacy and they should be. With all the talk about spam, and identity theft many customers do read a sites privacy policy. The lack of a privacy policy will drive away a customer in a hurry
9.Poor customer service - It only takes a few customers to damage your reputation forever. The best way to avoid this is to provide timely customer service.
10.Lack of integration with the current business - Many small businesses forget to include their website in common materials such as business cards. catalogs, press releases, and fliers. Be sure to put your website address on all business related promotional materials.
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