One of the great things about ecommerce websites is that the fruits of your labor are so visible and direct, i.e. do a good job and the website makes more money; screw up and profits decline. There is something wonderfully black and white about it.
With such measurable and obvious success criteria, you would’ve thought that good practice and winning techniques would by now, be well established, and bad advice would be quickly exposed for what it is. It appears however, that this is not the case. It’s amazing just how bad some of the advice for eCommerce strategy out there really is.
Here are five of the worst offenders:
1. You can never give the user too much [Wrong!]
On the face of it, this sounds like a good idea. The more information you provide, the better informed their decision becomes. However, in reality too many options can be overwhelming and lead to ‘choice paralysis’. You know what that’s like: taking much longer to order food from a very long menu than from a shorter one, or taking an eternity to choose which of the thousands of available paint colors to apply to a home.
More is not always better. If you want to encourage users to buy, you need to make their choice a simple one. Remove everything but the most important information, and minimize the number of choices available. This is something that’s been understood for some time in traditional retailing, but hasn’t filtered through to the web.
2. Never miss an opportunity to cross-sell [Wrong!]
We all know supermarkets do it: You’re lining up at the checkout surrounded by chocolate, magazines and other extras. You go in for a loaf of bread and come out with a bag full of candy and a magazine on interior design; it’s an effective technique.
Many successful websites also use this approach very effectively, looking for opportunities to cross-sell, based on your buying habits and those of other users. They may not always up-sell though, as the web is not the same as the real world. Good online retailers are often careful to avoid distractions at the checkout. They are user-driven and therefore have to be as easy, focused and fast as possible.
Up-selling is important, but do it before the checkout process begins, or after the transaction is complete. Once the user makes a decision to buy, you need to ensure that nothing gets in the way of that transaction. Some opportunities to cross-sell are worth missing.
3. It’s all about your site [Wrong!]
Web designers want to sell you web site design services. It is therefore unsurprising that they concentrate their attention and advice on the website. However, the website is only one small part of a successful ecommerce business. The heart of successful ecommerce lies in service, not the website.
Don’t become so fixated on tweaking and improving your website that you neglect other areas of the user experience. Good customer service includes vital components such as email notifications, telephone support, policies, order fulfillment, handling complaints, offers and discounts, and ongoing communication.
Customers who receive superb service are considerably more likely to make a second purchase and recommend you to friends and family. It’s even possible to substantially reduce your marketing costs if you make customer service a priority; your reputation will spread through word of mouth.
If you want to learn more about customer service, try Bruce Temkin's blog
All that being said, getting your website right is still extremely important. Small things can make a big difference in the eyes of your users. Take for example security…
4. Users care about security… badges [Wrong!]
It’s clear that users care about online security. In fact many people are still unwilling to buy online for fear of credit card fraud. The media has done an excellent job of making the public suspicious of online transactions, even though they willingly hand over credit cards at restaurants.
Whether the users’ concerns are justified or not, we need to take them seriously if we want people to buy. Many ecommerce businesses spend a lot of money to ensure the site’s security. How then do they choose to communicate this to their users to reassure them? – They slap a badge on their website!
Simply adding a small VeriSign or MacAfee badge to your checkout page is not enough to alleviate users’ fears. At best they are free advertising for the companies involved. At worst they are entirely ignored because they look like banners. A better approach is to add copy to your website addressing this issue, and the steps you’ve taken to ensure your customers’ security. Don’t rely on a single graphic to say all that needs to be said.
5. Amazon is the template we should all follow [Wrong]
This lie is probably the most widely held of all. There is a belief that because Amazon is so successful, all ecommerce websites should follow their example.
There are however, a number of flaws in this argument:
- They don’t get everything right (nobody can)
- They are partially successful as they were one of the very first ecommerce sites
- Their reputation and brand recognition allows them to get away with a lot
- Users are familiar with their site and its eccentricities
In short, what works for them will not necessarily work for you. Too many website owners blindly copy Amazon because they are seen as the leader in ecommerce. Not only is that flawed for the reasons above, it also removes the possibility of you ever being better than Amazon or innovating in any way.
Bonus lie: Ecommerce is easy
Probably the biggest lie of all is that ecommerce is easy. Admittedly off-the-shelf solutions such as Shopify make it extremely easy to build ecommerce websites. However, building the site is only the beginning. The real challenge comes in:
- Marketing your site
- Deciding when to up-sell
- Providing great customer service
- Communicating clearly
- Learning from others
Creating a successful ecommerce business is a long-term commitment that involves continually evolving both your website and your strategy.
EyeMagine can make this a whole lot easier for you. Contact us for more details or complete our online Request for Proposal form.
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