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Simple steps to making more web sales   

by Matt Eliason

Not making sales from your web site like you think you should? This article looks at addressing buyer behaviour and outlines simple steps to increasing conversion rates.

Today there are a range of e-commerce software packages that make building online stores easy. Generally they are database driven and have shopping cart functionality built in. They are written by programmers and provide the core element of an online store.

But having a website needs to be more than having just an online catalogue.

One of the biggest mistakes that most online retailers make is they do not take into account typical buyer behaviour. 

The conversion from real world to online provides many benefits to the retailer, but present some real challenges for the customer because their buying decision is made more difficult in an online environment.

What to I mean? Lets use a client’s site that sells sterling silver jewellery as an example.

Their site was:
-well structured,
-items pages were neatly laid out,
-product images were clear,
-add to cart button clearly visible
-there was a short description of the item.
-a page describing their 14-day money back guarantee,
-a privacy page saying your details would be kept secure.

But sales were slow.

They tried discounting.

But sales were still slow.

What was missing? What could be done to encourage visitors to purchase?

The answer lies in addressing buyers needs and purchasing behaviour. Lets think about the buying process when we are in a physical store.

Imagine if the sales person just handed you a card with a photograph, price and short description of the item on which to make you buying decision, would you buy? Lets go one step further – that they even let you look at the item through the glass counter top. 

Would you buy? At this stage we are providing more than the average website, but I bet you still have not said yes to buying.

What are the steps that we follow in our purchase decision process? First we would ask to hold the item. Even without asking the sales person a question we will be making evaluations based on the weight and feel of the item. Does the clasp look strong?

If there are any gems, does the setting look well built so the stones won’t work loose and be lost? How does it look against skin (fair, olive dark complexions)?

These are just some of the subconscious questions we ask and answer during our appraisal, as we turn the item, hold it up against our skin or place on a finger.

If the answers are not instantly evident, we ask the sales person, who also provides encouraging comments about the item and your good choice.

So how does this translate to a web site?

Simply by addressing the natural flow of consumer assessment on your web site.

Here are some basic steps you need to take:

1. Enhance your product descriptions; don’t expect the image to sell the item for you. Describe how the item feels, smells, its weight. Are all items highest grade?

2. Make best use of images. If people try it on (jewellery, clothing etc) as part of the normal appraisal process, how can you best meet that need online? Do you need pictures of the necklace being worn on different skin types, or if clothing how does it look on different complexions and hair colours?

3. Tell people how they will feel by owning this item – that they will they look a million dollars in that dress, they will attract admiring glances, that it will enhance off the colour of their eyes – all designed to reassure the customer that they are making the right choice.

4. Make the returns policy statement with each item. Include it in the text perhaps like; ‘we are so confident that you will be delighted this ‘productname’ that if you are not 100% satisfied, return within XX days for a full no questions asked refund”.

If you are unsure about the buyer process for your product, go down to a retailer and go through the motions of buying your product, observe others, listen to what they ask sales staff.

Implement these steps and you will see your sales rates increase.

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