One of the biggest mistakes many people make online is to assume that one type of site works for every type of product or service. The reality is just the opposite. Every site needs to be designed specifically to generate the highest number of sales per visitor.
This is certainly true for the store site. There are several characteristics every store site needs to become successful.
*Store Sites need to have an effective “landing” page
The landing page is the “main” page the visitor arrives at upon entering the site. Some of the characteristics the landing page needs to contain are:
1. Obvious and easy navigation.
2. A blank for signing up for the store’s newsletter.
3. If you have a large inventory, your navigation needs to include category buttons.
4. Featured or sale products pictured and briefly described.
5. If you have more than a small number of items, a search function.
*Store Sites need to have a professional look
The store site needs to look solid and trustworthy. The site can be simple (just look at Amazon.com), but it needs to appear to work well. Misplaced graphics, misaligned tables, etc. all will hurt sales.
*Store Sites need to have a “brandable” logo
One of the key factors in creating repeat business–the goal of every store–is to have an easily identifiable and creative logo. The more memorable the name of the store, the better. If the name is short, that is better still.
*Store Sites need to have an obvious “Contact Us” page
Before someone will spend money online with your store, they need to have confidence the products will be shipped, etc. One of the ways to build that confidence is to have complete contact information available to the customer.
*Store Sites need to have a functional Shopping Cart
If you have more than just a dozen or so items, a shopping cart is a necessity. While a small store can easily create an order page with “check-boxes”, the larger store needs to allow people good functionality in a shopping cart. There are many commercially available, easily integrated shopping carts that you can put into your store.
*Store Sites need a newsletter
Depending on the store, this can take a variety of forms. If you are a specialty store selling, let’s say, “camping supplies”, your newsletter could be weekly and include a short article of interest to campers. If your store is more general, you may want to have weekly specials emailed to your subscribers with no articles. Either way, you need to capture the emails of your visitors and give them reasons to come back again and again.
One of the best ways to use your newsletter and generate traffic is to give something of value away to those who visit your site and sign up for your newsletter. You can give it away free or you can charge shipping and handling. This works well for two reasons: First, it gives people an incentive for signing up for your newsletter. Second, it gives you a great source of free advertising–all of the “freebie” sites on the net who will gladly list your offer for you.
No matter how you put it together, you need to have a newsletter.
*Store Sites need to have Customer Service
This can be tough when you are starting out. You are a “one person” operation and you have a full-time job as well. Here is how you can handle customer service:
Set up an autoresponder to send a message to everyone who emails customer service telling them they will have an answer within 24 hours.
Make sure that every day you take a few minutes to respond to any customer service inquirery.
Having good customer service can be the difference between making money and not making money, so don’t skimp here. Even if you go without any customer service requests for two weeks, make sure you check every day. The one customer service request you fail to respond to may cause you to loose your biggest future customer.
*Store Sites need to have a theme
Unless you have millions of dollars, you won’t be able to offer every conceivable product to your visitors. Instead, make sure your site has a group of products that all revolve around a theme. “Everything Under $10,” “Best Values on the Web,” “All Your Boxing Needs” are all examples of themes. If you simply must offer a single product or two that do not “fit”, put them on a separate page with some kind of disclaimer “I know we don’t sell car parts, but when I found out I could get a truckload of brand new tires for $1 each, I had to take it.”
*Store Sites need to have detailed product descriptions
Actually, the above line could read, “Store sites need to have brief and detailed product descriptions.”
When we go to an offline store, we pick up the product. We examine it from several angles. We shake it, feel its weight in our hands.
Online, we don’t have those options.
So, to make sure your buyer can “experience” your product, you need to have a picture (or two), a brief description AND a detailed description listing every possible feature and benefit of your product.
*Store Sites need to have a clearly stated return policy
Before someone buys your products, they are wondering “but what if I get it and it is junk?” They need to be re-assured that returns are simple and prompt. Give them all the reassurance they need to purchase without fear.
What else?
While there are a myriad of things a good selling store site could have, these are the basics. If you have these and you generate solid, targeted traffic, you should see sales with these features on your site. As you grow, you may want to add more, but these will do a good job to get you started.
Kevin Bidwell is owner of
http://www.All-In-One-Business.com/cg-bin/at.cgi?a=274293
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