So you have decided to start your own online store. Excellent choice. But do you know what type of e-commerce platform to pick? From open source (OS) to dedicated platforms to Software as a Service (SaaS), there is indeed a variety of options to choose from. What is the best solution in your case?
We are now well into 2013 and the “top 10” lists of design trends for this year stop being just wishful thinking. Imagine you want to re-design (or simply design for the first time) your web site. It’s good to check the current trends and stay up to date – at least with those hip elements you find applicable. The same goes for online shops. If you have one of those. You may find yourself browsing through the design trends and wondering: “do I REALLY need that?”
The question you should be asking yourself is: “does this really make my website / e-shop better?”
Let’s take a quick look at some of the most visible trends for today (we have April 2013) and see how they can be applied to an online shop. The opinions below are completely subjective.
When I am reading news from the e-commerce industry, regardless of the country or the continent, it seems that it’s the only sector of the economy where crisis is not as noticeable. Hell, one might even say it’s actually… non-existent!
Chargebacks are an inseparable part of running an e-shop and accepting online payments. However, there are certain steps you can take to minimise the risk of getting them, so take a look at the following list and protect your business from potential loss.
Only 6.8% women trust online payments. This is the conclusion that Marzena Feldy, a PhD at Warsaw School of Economics, has come to. She analyzed a group of young people aged 18 to 34 as to their online shopping behavior. The research included both men and women but let us concentrate on women for the moment.
According to the research, women consider e-shopping too technical. Websites loaded with masses of products have been shown to cause information stress among women. It also turns out that women find contact with a shop assistant indispensable. They want to be sure that goods can be returned easily. Women also consider e-shopping boring. Surprised? Here is why. The interviewees claim that while shopping online they lack interaction with friends. There is no one around to discuss, advise or help make the final decision.
What factors make for a successful business? Is it the product? Of course. Customer support? Sure. Competitive prices? Naturally. But what if a potential customer doesn’t get to experience the quality of your services, because they have been put off by your company’s site, which looks as if it was “designed” by a 10-year-old in 1996?
An attractive, eye-catching website has become the norm in today’s e-commerce world. Is it still possible to run a business without a site or one that is absolutely atrocious? Have you ever been discouraged from shopping online or using someone’s services based on their www?
A website is a make-or-break of a company. So, to make sure you don’t fall into the latter category, here are 4 main tips you might want to follow…
Have you ever met any unfair e-commerce practices? For example, you’ve ordered a product in an e-shop and after the checkout and confirming the purchase, you saw a higher price than the one on the product’s page? Or maybe you were waiting too long for the delivery without any information from the online vendor? Or maybe you’ve seen web stores, where no privacy policy or contact information was published, and you didn’t feel you could trust them enough to buy something?
