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Web of Wonder
Listed under: Retail Clinic
Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009
With the online sector continuing to thrive, it's more important than ever for retailers to ensure their websites are up-to-scratch. Steven Hickey, head of commercial development at ekmPowershop.com, shares his top ten tips for success
1. Get a shopping cart
First and foremost, it is essential to ensure you have a good shopping cart, so make sure you get one sorted ASAP. A good, build-it-yourself package can cost as little as £19.99 plus VAT per month, so do some research and test a few options out before making your decision. Make sure you trial the demo beforehand, ensuring you receive free support from the platform you have chosen to build your site with, and take the time to check that your package is fully hosted and does not require any additional technical knowledge. Remember, the more of the process you can do yourself, the greater the money you will be able to save.
2. Choose a good design
Most packages will offer templates allowing you to customise the site with your own logo and colour scheme, so it is essential to ensure you are completely satisfied with the final design before using your system, as the website's overall appearance will be of utmost importance when it comes to converting traffic into sales.
3: Select a Payment Service Provider
Any shopping cart solution will need to have a payment system integrated into it order to process credit and debit card transactions. The evolution of systems like PayPal and other payment gateways has bypassed the merchant banking process, making it quick, easy and free to process transactions online. Set up an account with a well-known system like PayPal, Google Checkout or SagePay, and make sure your shopping cart is fully compatible with the chosen system.
4. Search engine submission and SEO
Make sure the package you choose has its own search engine submission, so you can be sure your website will be featured on all the major search engines and attract as much attention to your products as possible. Most good packages will include this free, and your ecommerce provider should be able to offer guidance and ensure you are able to find the deal that best suits your business.
5: PPC
Remember, while SEO has no physical cost, the results can take time, so it might be worth considering PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising on sites like Google Adwords. Unfortunately, it does mean paying per click, but the traffic to your site is guaranteed, and instant.
6. Email Marketing
One of the easiest, but most under-utilised weapons in an online business’s arsenal is email marketing. Every customer has an acquisition cost, so why not keep in touch with your customers via email, sending out monthly newsletters and details of any special offers or competitions you have in-store? And, as you get more customers, you'll have more prospective shoppers to market to, creating repeat revenue and an opportunity to really maximise your sales.
7. Social networking
Don’t be fooled into thinking platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Bebo are simply for idle chit-chat. The power of profiling on these sites means you can not only create a profile for your company and keep your customers up-to-date with all the latest goings on, but also specifically target certain demographics too.
8: Supply chain and delivery
The Royal Mail strikes last month highlighted only too clearly how vulnerable online businesses can be when it comes to the delivery of their goods, so make sure you use a selection of two or three couriers, so you always have a contingency in place if there is a problem with one of your suppliers.
9. Technical support and assistance
Of course, there is always something to learn when a business embarks upon a new project. However, with the right provider, building your online shop should be easy, so make sure you only go to the best.
10. Go For It!
Finally, the most important thing of all is to make sure you give it a go! Businesses are currently running their own online shops for as little as £20 per month, so it certainly won’t cost you the earth and, if you get it right, it might just make all the difference to your profits during these challenging times.
First and foremost, it is essential to ensure you have a good shopping cart, so make sure you get one sorted ASAP. A good, build-it-yourself package can cost as little as £19.99 plus VAT per month, so do some research and test a few options out before making your decision. Make sure you trial the demo beforehand, ensuring you receive free support from the platform you have chosen to build your site with, and take the time to check that your package is fully hosted and does not require any additional technical knowledge. Remember, the more of the process you can do yourself, the greater the money you will be able to save.
2. Choose a good design
Most packages will offer templates allowing you to customise the site with your own logo and colour scheme, so it is essential to ensure you are completely satisfied with the final design before using your system, as the website's overall appearance will be of utmost importance when it comes to converting traffic into sales.
3: Select a Payment Service Provider
Any shopping cart solution will need to have a payment system integrated into it order to process credit and debit card transactions. The evolution of systems like PayPal and other payment gateways has bypassed the merchant banking process, making it quick, easy and free to process transactions online. Set up an account with a well-known system like PayPal, Google Checkout or SagePay, and make sure your shopping cart is fully compatible with the chosen system.
4. Search engine submission and SEO
Make sure the package you choose has its own search engine submission, so you can be sure your website will be featured on all the major search engines and attract as much attention to your products as possible. Most good packages will include this free, and your ecommerce provider should be able to offer guidance and ensure you are able to find the deal that best suits your business.
5: PPC
Remember, while SEO has no physical cost, the results can take time, so it might be worth considering PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising on sites like Google Adwords. Unfortunately, it does mean paying per click, but the traffic to your site is guaranteed, and instant.
6. Email Marketing
One of the easiest, but most under-utilised weapons in an online business’s arsenal is email marketing. Every customer has an acquisition cost, so why not keep in touch with your customers via email, sending out monthly newsletters and details of any special offers or competitions you have in-store? And, as you get more customers, you'll have more prospective shoppers to market to, creating repeat revenue and an opportunity to really maximise your sales.
7. Social networking
Don’t be fooled into thinking platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Bebo are simply for idle chit-chat. The power of profiling on these sites means you can not only create a profile for your company and keep your customers up-to-date with all the latest goings on, but also specifically target certain demographics too.
8: Supply chain and delivery
The Royal Mail strikes last month highlighted only too clearly how vulnerable online businesses can be when it comes to the delivery of their goods, so make sure you use a selection of two or three couriers, so you always have a contingency in place if there is a problem with one of your suppliers.
9. Technical support and assistance
Of course, there is always something to learn when a business embarks upon a new project. However, with the right provider, building your online shop should be easy, so make sure you only go to the best.
10. Go For It!
Finally, the most important thing of all is to make sure you give it a go! Businesses are currently running their own online shops for as little as £20 per month, so it certainly won’t cost you the earth and, if you get it right, it might just make all the difference to your profits during these challenging times.
