The First Rule of Ecommerce
I am going to repeat this so many times in this article that you will wonder whether I am trying to meet some kind of a word count requirement! But after being a so-called ecommerce expert for the past few years, I have finally created what I would like to label as the first rule of ecommerce. If you are ready and can hear drum rolls in your inner ear, then here goes. Ladies and gentlemen, the first rule of ecommerce: make it easy for a customer to buy!
The Significance of the First Rule of Ecommerce
Like all first rules, this one is a whole lot of super-obvious common sense. And also like all first rules, it is commonly violated. Surprised? Think about it -- how many times have you come across "features" on an ecommerce website that make you wonder whether an additional step was actually required or whether it is simply fulfilling some deep-seated neo-bureaucratic psychological need of the ecommerce website designer?
Deep Insight: An Ecommerce Business Is a Business
Probably, my feeble attempts at irony, as indicated in the headline above, might fail, but the fact remains that many ecommerce businesses do not seem sufficiently endowed with common sense. Here are some examples:
Ecommerce Website Failure #1: The Customer Cannot Locate the Product
Treasure hunts might be fun, but not when it comes to being unable to locate a product on an ecommerce website. Come to think of it, what is your incentive in "hiding" your products? Are you so much in love with them that you want to keep them all to yourself?
Or have you simply not thought through your design strategy for search, menus, and other navigation?
Ecommerce Website Failure #2: Making the Customer Jump Through Hoops for Registration
There are many advantages of having a customer provide complete registration information. But do not stretch it to the point where your registration process presents a strong barrier to sale. If possible, allow people to also purchase without registration. If you deem registration to be absolutely necessary, at least ensure that you are satisfied with the least amount of information, something that can be captured on one screen of one page.
Ecommerce Website Failure #3: Refusing to Rapidly Accept the Customer's Payment and Allowing Them to Check Out
Sure, you have heard of the magical profits that abound in the land of up-selling. But do not forsake selling for the sake of enhancing the probability of up-selling. After the customer has made a purchase decision and initiated checkout, you should instantly take their money and allow them to leave if they would like. Do not use your smarts to come up with unending recommendations of, "People who bought this also bought..." or "You bought this; why not also buy that?" or "Some of your Facebook friends bought..." or the like. I think you get the picture. Make sure you are not encouraging your customers to flex their "shopping cart abandonment" muscle.
Ecommerce Website Failure #4: Carpet Bombing Your Customer's Inbox With Promotional Email
Just because your spam includes a method for a customer to unsubscribe does not mean that you can now bombard them with bulk email. I have come across some ecommerce professionals who think that they can hide behind disclaimers like "You are receiving this email because you or someone on your behalf signed you up for receiving promotional mails from..." It is possible that such disclaimers can prevent your customer from taking any serious action against you. But that is not the point, is it? Surely you do not want to antagonize the customer to the point that they can't stand you anymore.
Final Word
At the beginning of this article, I said that I would repeat myself, but I did not. All the same, keep in mind that you should make it easy for a customer to buy.
The Significance of the First Rule of Ecommerce
Like all first rules, this one is a whole lot of super-obvious common sense. And also like all first rules, it is commonly violated. Surprised? Think about it -- how many times have you come across "features" on an ecommerce website that make you wonder whether an additional step was actually required or whether it is simply fulfilling some deep-seated neo-bureaucratic psychological need of the ecommerce website designer?
Deep Insight: An Ecommerce Business Is a Business
Probably, my feeble attempts at irony, as indicated in the headline above, might fail, but the fact remains that many ecommerce businesses do not seem sufficiently endowed with common sense. Here are some examples:
Ecommerce Website Failure #1: The Customer Cannot Locate the Product
Treasure hunts might be fun, but not when it comes to being unable to locate a product on an ecommerce website. Come to think of it, what is your incentive in "hiding" your products? Are you so much in love with them that you want to keep them all to yourself?
Or have you simply not thought through your design strategy for search, menus, and other navigation?
Ecommerce Website Failure #2: Making the Customer Jump Through Hoops for Registration
There are many advantages of having a customer provide complete registration information. But do not stretch it to the point where your registration process presents a strong barrier to sale. If possible, allow people to also purchase without registration. If you deem registration to be absolutely necessary, at least ensure that you are satisfied with the least amount of information, something that can be captured on one screen of one page.
Ecommerce Website Failure #3: Refusing to Rapidly Accept the Customer's Payment and Allowing Them to Check Out
Sure, you have heard of the magical profits that abound in the land of up-selling. But do not forsake selling for the sake of enhancing the probability of up-selling. After the customer has made a purchase decision and initiated checkout, you should instantly take their money and allow them to leave if they would like. Do not use your smarts to come up with unending recommendations of, "People who bought this also bought..." or "You bought this; why not also buy that?" or "Some of your Facebook friends bought..." or the like. I think you get the picture. Make sure you are not encouraging your customers to flex their "shopping cart abandonment" muscle.
Ecommerce Website Failure #4: Carpet Bombing Your Customer's Inbox With Promotional Email
Just because your spam includes a method for a customer to unsubscribe does not mean that you can now bombard them with bulk email. I have come across some ecommerce professionals who think that they can hide behind disclaimers like "You are receiving this email because you or someone on your behalf signed you up for receiving promotional mails from..." It is possible that such disclaimers can prevent your customer from taking any serious action against you. But that is not the point, is it? Surely you do not want to antagonize the customer to the point that they can't stand you anymore.
Final Word
At the beginning of this article, I said that I would repeat myself, but I did not. All the same, keep in mind that you should make it easy for a customer to buy.
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