E-Commerce

The recent fad would be that of many blog shops that spring out of nowhere. Owners of these blog shops operate their business using blogger as a shop front and sell a variety of products from cameras to the much sort after items like cheap and trendy women clothing. However, as you may have notice, some sites are much favorite by some while others just doesn’t have the appeal. So why do you have a favorite website to buy things online? Is it because it is reliable? Or it happens to be one of your friend’s recommendations? Might it be that the site is very user friendly?

Here are some of the few pointers for you to make your site a successful one!

1. Provide an attractive and user friendly website.

Tasteful usage of colors, words, fonts, graphics, animations, pictures, etc may allow users to be blown away at first sight. Your website should be neat and allows users to find whatever they want very easily. Updating of your homepage regularly is also crucial to so that information on your site will be timely and accurate.

2. Reliability and Security.

Parallel servers, hardware redundancy, fail-safe technology, information encryption, and firewalls can enhance this requirement. Customers are also very cautious about sites being a scam, therefore it is important to assure customers with regards to payment and to delivery of products, etc.

3. Provide a sense of community

Having chat rooms or discussion boards will allow customers to give feedback on the business or the products that you have. By soliciting customer’s input and taking it into consideration, customers will feel more confident about your site and products and will spread the good name of it. Loyalty schemes and discounts to frequent customers can also have a firm grip over customers. Happy customers are also happy shoppers!

4. Provide personal attention

Personalized web sites, purchase suggestions, and personalized special offers may go some of the way in substituting face-to-face human interaction found at a traditional point of sale. Customers will thus

feel the exclusivity and will be revisiting in no time.

5. Service and performance

Offer a responsive and user-friendly purchasing experience to customers. Things like punctual delivery, responsiveness in answering of queries, etc all play a part in improving your company’s profile. By taking an extra step in assisting customers, you can be reassured that your customers will have a pleasant review of your website and company and will return to acquire more products or services from you.

6. Provide value to customers

It is important to know the niche market and thus works towards the wants and needs of targeted audience. Also, provide an edge over other competitors in the same market so that you will be able to attract more customers through proper advertising of your products.

7. Use of new technology

Provide updates through social websites such as Facebook or Twitter where you will be able to provide instant updates to followers/ fans on promotional products or services. Make new tweaks to your website by enhancing the search tools, add in new features which may include Youtube videos on your products, or adding social bookmarking widgets. This may allow you to develop a whole new channel

of potential customers.

8. Provide an incentive for customers to buy and return

Promotions such as giving coupons, having special offers, and discounts will generate more traffic to your site and ultimately sales will go up. Cross-linked websites and advertising affiliate programs can also help in gathering more audience to your site.

One point to note is that by following all these steps that I have listed (at your own discretion!) may not lead to an incredibly successful business that you own. Unluckily, there are many big sites that have rose out of nothing but then crash and burn and returned to nothing.

Top 10 dot-com flops:

# 1 Webvan.com (1999-2001) # 2 Pets.com (2000) # 3 Kozmo.com (1998-2001) # 4 Flooz.com (1998-2001) # 5 eToys.com (1997-2001)

# 6 Boo.com (1998-2000) # 7 MVP.com (1999-2000) # 8 Go.com (1998-2001) # 9 Kibu.com (1999-2000) # 10 GovWorks.com (1999-2000)

More information about these failed sites can be found on

http://www.cnet.com/1990-11136_1-6278387-1.html

Some of the main reasons of failures can be attributed to the fact that they lack of knowledge in building and running or an e-business. Without the assurance of the customers, many sites have been closed due to the fact that they did not have a good grasp of the niche market. Over ambitious people has also caused many to lose money without having a proper business model to start off with. Lousy website layout and difficult and tedious online purchases have also turned many people off.

In conclusion, owning a business, regardless whether is it e-commerce or not, revolves around consumers interest. Without satisfying the needs and wants of these targeted consumers, business will not be able to survive.

So do you think starting a business is that easy? Think again!

CHEERS~