#25 - Make it Easy to Order From Your Web Site

Make it Easy to Order From Your Web Site

By Chris Maher

In Issue #23, "New Study Shows Slow Sales On The Web", I encouraged you to actually go out and make purchases on the Internet. If you have done so, you probably have found it can be a difficult thing to do. Now it's time to look at your own site through the eyes of a visitor, and see if your site makes ordering your work a pleasant and easy experience.

To begin with, look at your opening page. Do you mention that your work is for sale? It's amazing, but in some sites the visitor has to search the site to see if the artists work is actually for sale. If sales are the prime reason for your gallery, tell people right away. Include a link to order information on the navigation bar of every page. Give people a smooth path to follow from viewing the work to buying it.

What kinds of payment will you accept? Some sites require potential customers to click a "BuyIt!" button before they even know how they can pay for it. People who are inexperienced online may fear that commitment, thinking that they may be charged for something for just asking about it. Make it clear what your creations cost and how they can be paid for.

If you have a secure site, be aware some visitors may have trouble accessing it. Each browser has its own limitations, this is especially true of older software. I've even found that I have trouble accessing some secure order pages with specific ISP's. Just make clear provisions for a alternate order method.

If you are considering implementing a secure site, note that several major sites reported that their sales actually went down when they installed secure servers. Why? Apparently some folks are scared away when they see the secure site warning that pop up when it is first accessed.

What can you do to calm peoples fears of fraud on the Internet? As was discussed in Issue #18, "Are You Easy To Reach?", have a complete physical address and multiple kinds of contact information on your order pages. Clearly state your policies for returns, and consider having a money back guarantee. Include a link to a page of endorsements, where folks can read about how happy your previous customers have been.

Take the time to test your site with real people. Ask family members to put in mock orders. Don't explain to them how to do it, let them try it out for themselves. If possible, watch them explore, but don't give in to the urge to "help".

Go to a local library or place where public Internet access is available, and ask strangers to do you a favor. Would they go to you site, and check it out? Don't guide them through it, you want to be the detached observer. If they ask questions, note what they are, and don't offer any guidance beyond the most simple answer. You want to see where the problems are. Real world testing like that can give you great feedback on you site design.

Have you tested your site by observing others navigate through it? E-mail me and let me know what you've learned, and how you've improved you site.

This page last updated: 09/02/04

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