Selling product online

Who cares, wins

Selling product online is competitive.

So, all other things being equal (price, specification, availability etc.), why would someone buy from you rather than a competitor?

Best kept secret

It may seem obvious to say but it's worth saying anyway: if your products can't be found, they can't be bought.

This means that your website should appear high in the search results page when someone is searching for what you have to sell.

Natural listings are the cheapest and most productive way for people to find you but search engine advertising, like Google Adwords, can also deliver people to your site.

Both of these forms of search engine marketing require setting up and dexterous ongoing manipulation to make the most of.

Where is it?

Once at your site can your customers find what they want to buy?

If they know what they are looking for, can they enter the product name/number and get straight to it?

Or, if they aren't sure of the exact product they want, is it easy for them to browse through your online store?

Which one?

Are the product pictures useful?

Are you presenting the abbreviated product information the customer needs?  Can they select just that product information they want to see?

Do you make it easy to compare products? 

Add value

Do you provide advice on the best way to get the most from the products?  Maybe information about complementary or ancillary products?

In short, are you making it easy for them to shop the way they want to, rather than the way you make them?

Where'd they go?

Do you know if customers get half-way through the purchase process and then bail out for some reason?  Worth knowing wouldn't you say?

Welcome back

Do you make it easy for returning customers to buy again?  A repeat order?  Do they have to enter all their personal and payment details again?

Do you treat them as valued customers and offer them special deals?

The feel-good factor

And why would they buy from you rather than your competitor, all other things being equal?

Because your website gives them a better feeling than your competitors.  It's an emotional reaction.

Make sure your website is clean, classy and business-like.

Make it easy to get a sense of what the site contains,  make it easy to navigate and ensure that the content is well written, spelled correctly and accurate.

Convey high quality and trustworthiness.

Thank you for your business

And lastly, do you treat your customers as you would like to be treated – with respect and gratitude for their business?