NEWS » » Selling online in a global marketplace

onefour

May '10

Taking your business online can be a simple task if you follow some basic guidelines. These are often overlooked or completely ignored and can make the difference between success and failure.

Once your business is online you will need to market it, but first ensure:-

The site is clear and simple to use
A phone number is clearly displayed and allow customers to contact via phone and email, also consider using online chat
You tell customers where you’re located
You use high quality photography and imagery throughout the site – customers like polished images
It’s easy, streamlined and uncomplicated for customers to purchase
It’s clear to customers that the site is secure and what payment methods are accepted
Don’t hide costs, such as VAT or delivery
There is a page detailing delivery and how returns are handled
Communicate to your customers that you provide value and service
Don’t force customers to provide endless information about themselves
Customer are kept in the loop with their order, fulfilment and delivery
Upsell relevant product to what the customer is viewing or searching on

Then:

Register you site with all the major search engines and directories
Set up Google Analytics so you can see what content on your site is popular and what is not
Work to a marketing strategy / business plan
Ensure continued offline and online marketing
Keep your content fresh and customers updated of new products and offers
Use special offers to entice customers back to your site
Provide savings for multiple purchases to encourage the customer to spend more – such as offering free delivery when you spend over a certain amount

Without the correctly styled site for your marketplace and continued marketing, the business will quickly drop of the radar – The illusion of “We’re online – the sales will come rushing in” is still one of the most common e-commerce misconception. No marketing equals no business. Don’t limit your market – being online means you have a worldwide audience, so don’t restrict this, for example, by limiting your options of delivery.