Advice on my new ecommerce site please

[joscar]

Hi. This is the first ecommerce website (using UK2 software) that I have had and when I signed up with Google Adwords I had one customer who bought over a hundred pounds worth of goods and was so happy that she came back for more, but since then I haven't even had one order. Due to the lack of response from Adwords I took it off. Please, please would somebody give me some advice on how to market this site properly and let me know if there is something wrong with the site that I should know about. Really would appreciate anything that you have to say. Thanking you in anticipation. Joscar

[NuBlue]

First marketing tip. Provide a link to your website where possible... for example in your post above so that we know which site you are talking about :)

I'm sure people will be happy to take a look and feedback if you post a URL.

Cheers

[FluxServices]

I agree with Nublue, We need the link to give feedback

[osicsophie]

I found this article will help you and paste it here.(transferred from businesszone.co.uk)

Michelle Carvill examines the psychology behind why people buy particular products from particular companies and offers advice on how ensure your customers coming back for more.

Everywhere I turn I am inundated with information about how to 'survive' in an economic downturn. Many of the authors focus on 'improving customer service' to 'stand out from the crowd' and 'help sustain customer retention'. I totally concur with all this advice - however, this is how I believe all businesses should operate anyway - good times or bad. So - let's take a little look at consumer behaviour - and get an understanding of why people buy - and what we can do to ensure they keep coming back for more...

It's rare for businesses to truly understand the customer decision making process.

Indeed, the majority of business owners would suggest that price is the largest contributing factor as to why people buy from one source instead of another.

Whilst the importance of price cannot be underestimated – (and indeed in certain industries price competitiveness is indeed the key determining factor) - there's usually far more to it than simply price.

What do customers value?
Studies have repeatedly shown that the top five issues shoppers buy on are:


Convenience (ease of shopping)

Relationship with seller

Product/price/time (specifications, price or availability)

Perceived indifference
The real one to watch from the above list is perceived indifference.

We can all understand the importance of building relationships with our customers – and indeed we are all probably culprits of convenience shopping. Yet Perceived Indifference is often ignored by many business owners.

Given that studies about buying behaviour report consumers as placing as much as 5 times more importance on Perceived Indifference than they do on Price, it's vital that all business owners focus on this key decision making element.

[osicsophie]

To grasp an understanding of perceived indifference (from the customer's perspective), think about how often you feel some of the following, having made a purchase;


A feeling that they don't care about you or your individual needs - it's a numbers game! They act as if they don't want your custom (in my experience the telecoms industry smacks of this)

They are not prepared to differentiate themselves from the competition - (strangled by process and not empowered to make a difference)

The vendor is not prepared to fight for my business, to work just that bit harder to deliver the service I want (again no flexibility)
These feelings unfortunately occur all too frequently when dealing with businesses. Frequent examples include; a blasé sales assistant who clearly can't be bothered to put themselves out for you or being held on the phone for 50 minutes to then be cut off!

So before your strategy to boost more business is to 'cut prices', think a bit more creatively about delighting your customers in ways that matter.


Boost sales: Most businesses cut their prices (and usually their margins) with a 'Sale'. This can generate strong short-term benefits, such as clearing old product and building brand / market strength. However, problems start to occur when price becomes the key deciding factor – selling on price is a very dangerous thing. This is because there is almost always someone else willing and able to sell cheaper. And the consumer will always remember the cut price - so it's often difficult to reverse the price cut.

Customers like a good deal – however, research has clearly identified that what customers really want is to feel valued throughout the whole purchasing experience. The minute they feel that perceived indifference is creeping in and they and their purchase is not valued – they switch off. And it's very difficult to switch them back on again!
So how can you overcome perceived indifference?

Clearly, the key to overcoming the problem of perceived indifference is making the customer feel that they are important to you. If the customer thinks that you want and value their business, they are much more likely to make both initial and repeat purchases - and share positive word of mouth with others.

Think about whether or not you instil measures within your business to ensure that your customers don’t feel the powerful punch of Perceived Indifference – and be sure to implement simple measures that show your customers you are attentive, eager and importantly, that you value their business.

[osicsophie]

Here's a quick 'anti-perceived indifference' check list:


Do you answer the phone on the second ring every time?

Do people have an on-hold message to listen to? (And does it provide useful upsell information?)

Do you thank your customers or potential customers for calling?

Do you thank your customers or potential customers for visiting your business/or website?

Do you thank your customers for buying from you?

Do you and your team always arrive on time for meetings with customers?

Do you deliver products or services when you say you will every time?

Do you always let your customers know beforehand if there's a problem?

Do you always return phone calls the same day you get the message?

Does each team member take responsibility for helping customers or do they hand around customer problems from one to another or from department to department?

Are team members empowered to provide compensation/service recover following a complaint?

Do you stay in touch with customers regularly?

Do you keep your customers informed about new things happening in your business?

Do you thank your customers when they pay on time – every time?

Do you have a policity to turn your mobile phone off/silent when in meetings with customers or potential customers? (I have to throw this one is as it's a particular bug bear of mine which I find totally 'rude'
and is a strong example of 'perceived indifference').
Again, it's not just in times of economic difficulty that businesses should be focusing on upping their service levels; it should be the ethos behind any well run business. So stamp out perceived indifference - and make an effort to communicate openly and regularly with your customers. Get your team members involved and run a brainstorming session to pull together some ideas as to how you can ensure you rid your business of any perceived Iindifference.

[joscar]

Many thanks Osicsophie for your extremely detailed and interesting reply, I shall put your advice to good use. But what I'm really after is how to get everyone to see my site, I know that I need to sign up with search engine which I hope to do this weekend but is there anything else that I need to do. I was thinking about delivering a leaflet that I've created in my local area and to businesses that would be associated with my website i.e. nursery schools etc but it's on the web that I really want people to see my site. Is there anything else that you could suggest? Joscar

[joscar]

:redface:
As I can't give you the website address until I have made 15 posts I'll give you the title of the website: joscar organics.co.uk

Cheers.

Joscar

[osicsophie]

:redface:
As I can't give you the website address until I have made 15 posts I'll give you the title of the website: joscar organics.co.uk

Cheers.

Joscar

Hi Joscar,

I have visited your website.
The homepage does not present me the "online store" look.
I think you can improve or redesign your site and makes it more shopping cart like.
You can create a box named "Tell a Friend" and your customers may click on to send emails to their friends telling about your shop.

[new2bus]

Bearing in mind quite a few people still have 800x600 displays, your header is a bit big. Change your resolution to 800x600 or 1024 and tour top header is too large.

[new2bus]

Bearing in mind quite a few people still have 800x600 displays, your header is a bit big. Change your resolution to 800x600 or 1024 and your top header is too large.

[SillyJokes]

You have a intro page. Why? It is superfluous and it says to me, oh-no this website is going to be hard work if I even have to make an extra click to get into it. Also, I thought you sold food - so it is not getting the message across. Pointless and annoying.

Your home page is good in that you have a clear demonstration of what it actually it is you sell.

Having said that my heart sank. Yet another baby goods website. Personally I'm tired of seeing the same old businesses being put forward here.

Your header looks pixelated, not crisp.

You very rightly declare free postage on orders over £60 - but what is postage on orders under that amount?

Loose the pig - it doesn't fit with the rest of your site.

I price checked your site as I thought it looked very expensive. These types of product are dearer than conventional ones and I appreciate the market is different, but you might like to ensure you are on the money.

Little Beetle™ 'Leaf' Organic Velour Doublers - £3.40 on your site, £2.95 on a competitor
Tushies £10.65 on your site, £9.99 on competitor site.

I was stalled by the checkout process. When I was in the basket the shipping wasn't shown and there was no button to click to check out or buy. Eventually I clicked the shipping button and it turned out to be the right one - it has the wrong text (checkout) and was in the wrong place (left hand side instead of right hand side).

To be honest, the site could be worse but I think all the little niggling problems add up to me thinking that you are not a professional and the chances are you won't even have the goods I've ordered in stock. I wouldn't bother taking the chance.

I know I'm being harsh. But I do know what I'm talking about as I've been selling online for nearly 10 years.

What I most worry about is that you will spend loads of time sorting this site out only to find it never makes enough money because it's an over crowded marketplace catering to a limited market.

I'll try to explain

At SillyJokes we sell to everyone from 16 to 116 years old for every time in their life and they can be men or women and they don't need to have had a baby. Also they don't need to care whether the goods are green or not (but if they do we cater for that too).

I see your potential market as far more restricted.

[SillyJokes]

Actually, I should ask, how long has the site been up and what's the traffic?

It is a numbers game and new sites often come no where in the search engines. It's taken over a year for My Favourite Animals to turn over £1000 a week (outside of Christmas) so it does take an age to get started.

[new2bus]

After reading sillyjokes comment and looking at mini organic (as you have put them on your manufacturers page) and I find you are more expensive on just 2 items I looked at - Bandana bib and Breton Beanie. The Beanie hat is £3.99 on - baby gifts treasure trove in uk.

The problem that occurs with using the same name and description is google can be your friend or enemy because I did a google on your name and description and came to the conclusion (rightly or wrongly) you are more expensive and your products are not bespoke, so I am being asked to pay more from an eco friendly company for the same goods that are generally available elsewhere more cheaply.

[new2bus]

Because I cannot edit the above I have to double post instead, I do not understand the 10 min rule.

After reading sillyjokes comment and looking at mini organic (as you have put them on your manufacturers page) I also found you are more expensive, on just the 2 items I looked at on mini organic - B a n d a n a b i b and B r e t o n B e a n i e are cheaper. The Beanie hat is £3.99 on - baby gifts treasure trove in uk (you can work the url out from that hopefully).

The problem that occurs with using the same name and description is google and other search engines can be your friend or enemy, I did a google on your product name and description and came to the conclusion (rightly or wrongly) you are more expensive and your products are not bespoke, so I am being asked to pay more from an eco friendly company for the same goods that are generally available elsewhere more cheaply even if they are not advertised as eco friendly.