Register or not??

[Djfreema]

For those of you that own an ecommerce site do you make customers register (or sign up) or do you just let them buy?

It will be interesting to see the split of answers.

Thanks,

Darrell

[falconinternetlimited]

Ours requires a registration.

[She Says]

I looked into this quite abit and opted to allow customers to make purchases without registering.
I asked on here but I also asked on all types of different forums to find out what a cross section of people prefer (technical I know, market research via forums ;)). The vast majority thought it was much better to be able to just purchase without registering or logging in.

hth
Sxx

[Rob Holmes]

I've never tested OS Commerce with regards to this but have tested signup forms and the billing forms we used in my last company.

It was a resounding fact that the less information you ask people for the more enquiries or sales you got. BUT - it was also true that the more you made people input before purchase the 'keener' they were to buy and a higher ratio (note ratio not quantity) were upsold a product after initial purchase.

We found that over time we had to develop different lengths of form for different customers - difficult to do in your case but thats what we did and it worked very well indeed.

So I'd suggest a bit of testing but start with the shorter process and increase it rather than the other way around - that way you'll get sales first then see them drop off rather than not get any sales and then start to see them trickle in.

Keep good notes on this and only experiment with one thing at a time.

If theres a way of still getting their email address without them having to fill in a whole form that might be the first step (so long as it opts them into your newsletter and keeps a datestamp and IP address of the optin)

Hope this helps,

Rob

[Whistle Ink]

The option should be there to allow them to register or not.

I use Actinic and don't require my customers to sign up to buy. The software does allow me to automatically create an account based on order details and using customer details.

[Pure Thoughts Soap Co.]

We also use Actinic and we dont request people to register before purchasing.

We were given the advice (on more than one occasion)that you should also try to remove as many barriers between your products and your customers buying them.I think that its best to allow your customer to purchse immediately without registration even though your may be offering great benefits to your customer trhough registration.

When shopping out on the high street you are never stopped at the door by the salesmen or women and asked for your details before letting you buy anything. If you were, im sure a lot of people would just walk straight back out again. Why should you do it online?

Like someones already mentioned you could always make registration optional and then everyones happy.

Just my opinion.

Michael
Pure Thoughts Soap Co.
purethoughts.co.uk
Luxury Soap ad bath products

[Spire]

Well on my main site I do ask the customer to register because I need to send them a download link via email, however all I ask for is there email address and no other infomation.

I am also developing a ecommece solution to sell, and with this I have elected not to require registration, but at the checkout I would require the customer to provide Name and address to enable the goods to be deliverd to the customer, they will have the option for me to retain there data so that they will not have to fill it all in the next time they return.

On a personal note I hate having to register and will avoid it if I can.

I even fell out with Curries, when we bought a carpet cleaner they wanted my name and address for the gurrantee they said.

I said I will not give u that information, they even feteched manager out, I asked him if he wanted to make a sale or not, and told him he would not be making a sale if he insisted on having my name etc, he decided he could manage without it, so he made the sale.

[Blossom]

I don't like to 'have' to register and won't usually buy. Mind you all the online supermarkets insist you register first...

[MinuWeb]

When you buy online, about the only difference in information you provide between registering and not registering is a username and password. If the registration form is designed correctly all it will ask for is the same information you would need to deliver a product and contact the customer.

[fastfences]

I am in the process of having e-commerce set up, and I'm totally against having someone register before making a purchase or enquiry. To me it's like going to McDonald's and being asked for your details before you can order you large Mac meal and two apple pies. As said above, why place barriers?
Cheers, Nigel

[bwglaw]

You should consider a very simple registration to keep the data secure. It goes some way to prevent fraud and it allows users to amend their details.

I should think just a username(email) and chosen password is enough and you can collect more data if they pay by credit/debit card which can be automatically added to the account

I would want to be able to contact the customer if they do a chargeback etc

Jonathan

[Axxe]

Hi there,

We are considering having a registration on our site just in order to allow our customers to change some details in their chopping baskets. But I agree with others, that sometimes registration can scare away your customers. So be aware of long registration forms.

Good luck,

Donatas

[bmedia]

If its a basic product I never make people register. I have found the "quick purchase" option can really make a big impact on sales

[makeupqueen]

I used to have to ask everyone to register and the feedback was that some didnt like it. So now we have the option not to do it , it seems everyone does anyway! Since I introduced the PWA option shopping cart abandonments have dramatically decreased. But it seems all people want is the option- most of them have registered anyway! it seems we get more signups perday than ever!

[Cornish Steve]

To me it's like going to McDonald's and being asked for your details before you can order you large Mac meal and two apple pies.
This is exactly what a local computer store now does. You can't buy something, even with cash, without giving them a phone number and email address. I always invent them, so some poor soul is probably receiving special offers in the mail.

[Toon]

On my site they have the choice whether to register or not. There's not a great deal of difference between the two other than if they don't register they don't need a password, can't be added to the newsletter (I think) and they can't keep track of their orders.