Ten Tips for Designing a Web Store

by Bill H.

The following is a list of ten tips for designing your web store:

#1 Keep it simple
Keep the HTML simple, the graphics small and forget about plug-ins and Java applets. Think carefully before deciding to use frames; if you do decide to use them then include a frame-less version as well.

#2 Clear, consistent navigation
Try and design your site so customers can be at the ordering point within three clicks of entering your store. Remember that potential customers may enter your store from many directions (i.e. not just your home page) so make sure each page includes full navigation or a clear link to your home page as a minimum. And don’t let too many choices distract the visitor; research into interface design shows that users start to feel overwhelmed when faced with 7 or more choices on a menu.

#3 Get global
Remember that the first two “Ws” in “WWW” stand for world-wide and that your store will be accessible to people around the world. As a minimum you should include details of what the shipping costs and transit times to international destinations will be. Depending on the type of customer you are expecting and the product or service you are offering, you may want to consider having your Web pages translated into other languages.

#4 Maximize ways to order and ways to pay
Quite simply, the more ways you can accept orders and payment, the more orders you will receive. It is particularly important to offer secure processing of as many credit card types as possible.

#5 Establish your credibility
Although Internet scams are greatly exaggerated by the media, they do exist and unless you trade under a major brand name you will need to convince potential customers that you’re not going to take their money and run. As a minimum, you should include details of your bricks-and-mortar address, telephone number and fax numbers. You should also consider including verifiable testimonials from previous customers, offering a satisfaction guarantee and registering your site with Verisign and TRUSTe.

#6 Offer a personalized service
If you believe all the hype, Web stores offer a marketing nirvana where what customers see in a store is fine-tuned to match their demographics and previous purchasing behavior. The reality is that this level of personalization is still not readily available, particularly to lower budget ventures. However, it is still possible to provide a degree of personalization by collecting some basic data from your visitors and selecting and presenting information accordingly, for example by producing newsletters with content tailored to subscribers preferences.

#7 Pre sales support
Provide every possible piece of information about your product or service that a customer might need to reach a buying decision. Make yourself easily accessible should the customer require more information and respond promptly to e-mails (preferably within 24hrs but definitely within 48hrs).

#8 Post sales support
Maintain a high level of service after you receive the order. Aim to provide an acknowledgment of each order with a unique reference number, an on-line tracking facility or a dedicated e-mail address for order progressing and an e-mail shipping confirmation. Also include an area within your site for ongoing product support.

#9 Price realistically
Visitors to your store know that it is cheaper for you to do business on the Web than in a bricks-and-mortar store, and expect to see this reflected in the price that you are charging them. This will not be a major concern to you if you are selling in to a niche market, but if you are selling a commodity item you are going to have to price your products competitively.

#10 Remember to sell
Finally, remember that many of the selling techniques that have been proven to work in the real world will work equally well in your Web store. Contests, promotional discounts, coupons and aisle-end specials have all been used successfully within Web stores. However, don’t neglect the basics – surfing through the Web it is amazing how many stores miss out on this, by not selling the benefits of their product or service, or by failing to ask for an order.

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Tagged as: personalization, web store

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

lasj01 November 28, 2011 at 11:38 pm

Thanks for the brief tutorial on web stores. I’m just getting started and I needed some guidance, which you have given here. As a beginner I need all the help I can get; and it’s free!

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