Implementing an E-Commerce Strategy

Excerpt from Webplicity - The Critical Guide to Successful Web Strategies by Bill Young

The first step in implementing an ecommerce program is to identify which products you will sell. For our purposes we’re covering products that can be bought online and then, either downloaded or shipped to the customer. Next, you’ll need to review the shopping process options. This is usually referred to as the shopping cart. How do you pick the right option?

Choosing an online shopping cart that fits your needs is a critical decision. Similar to a brick and mortar retail establishment, the shopping process on your Web site is your only opportunity to impress potential buyers. If the shopping process is hectic and difficult, a retail store can go out of business, very quickly. This is true for your Web site’s shopping cart, as well. If the user has problems, he’s gone. In fact, the most important part of the shopping cart is the customer’s private information and credit card numbers. If you do not deal with this information in the right method, you’ll lose sales. Security is paramount.

There are several options when it comes to shopping carts. They range from Web-based systems where your site simply links to the cart, or on-site systems that require programming to integrate the cart into the site. The three main categories include merchant services like eBay, hosted shopping carts, and integrated shopping carts.

Merchant shopping carts like eBay require you to utilize your own merchant account and gateway. A merchant account is the bank account that enables your site to take credit cards, while the gateway enables the transaction to be completed over a secure Internet connection. A site like eBay will allow you to use their system (merchant account and gateway), but you pay higher fees. A merchant service is perfect for companies that are just starting their business or do not have a significant amount of transactions.

Hosted shopping carts are similar to a merchant system except they include the merchant account, gateway, and shopping cart. They typically charge an upfront set-up fee and then a small fee for each transaction. This is also good for a small business just starting out. The negatives of this choice include a templated cart (your image may not match their offerings) and few functional options other than the base plan.

An integrated shopping cart is a full custom, programmed cart. You receive all the “bells and whistles” and can often leverage many different technologies to up-sell or cross-sell various items. This process is the best option; however, it will be the most costly.

Once you’ve chosen the best option for your ecommerce process, you will need to run tests with usability (How easy is the cart to use?), marketing tools (How do you get the user to the cart?), and up-sell or cross-sell opportunities (How do you set up accounts and when do you offer more options?)

Completing the Sale

Now that you’ve chosen your options, how do you make sure users complete the sale? Here are some helpful tips:

Make the shopping experience simple: Make sure the products are easy to locate, that pictures and graphics match the product, and that product descriptions are easy to read.

Provide detailed explanations: Explain both your shopping process and other policies in detail. Show a diagram and explain in words, how the person can, and will, shop your site. The more specific your directions are, the more shoppers you will retain.

Common sense check out: Allow the customer to purchase products and/or fill up their shopping cart and then ask for payment. During the payment process, ask for detailed information about the customer. Don’t ask for this information before they enter their credit card number and don’t over do the questions on the detailed information. Their dog’s favorite toy might not be appropriate – stick to the basics – contact information and customer feedback.

Multiple shipping options: Use a shipping company that has on-line order tracking. Make it easy for your customers to use this.

Dividing sections: Make sure your products are divided into categories that make sense. For example, you will want all the wood products to be together, and separate from the metal products, or your consulting services to be separate from your financial services.

Accept credit cards: The great advantage of on-line shopping is its immediacy. The entire transaction should be completed in just a few minutes. Customers will simply leave and go elsewhere where the need for instant completion of the transaction can be fulfilled if your process takes too long, or in the extra time they have before completing the transaction customers may change their minds about purchasing form you. Also, remember that credit cards are by far the easiest way for non-U.S. customers to order directly from the U.S.

Confirm Orders: Make sure the customer not only receives a page saying, “Your order has been received” (or something similar), but also the ability to print out a receipt for their records and receive a confirmation email.

Provide Help Areas: Create a help area similar to FAQ (frequently asked questions). This area should include the FAQs along with methods to get in touch with you, and a link to your live chat tool, if you have one. Address problems that may come up and solve them online whenever possible.

List Important Information: Your customers should be able to place an order without a hassle. Make sure they don’t have to fill out three pages of forms before the order is accepted. Receive important information for your database, like name, address, preferences, zip code, etc. after they have placed their order. The fewer steps and shorter the process, the more likely the customer is to complete the sale.

Remember International Customers: Don’t lose orders by narrowing your market just to your home country. Make sure your order form takes international zip codes and provides a valid payment processes. Many sites reject orders if the zip code is not a valid U.S. zip code. International customers have money just like Americans. Many will find your site on a search engine and if your interface is “internationally friendly” they may order. At least give them the option.

More information/order Webplicity - The Critical Guide to Successful Web Strategies.