Feature Article: What's Wrong With E-Commerce Websites?
By Jerry Bader (c) 2008What is going on with e-commerce websites? It appears that
online entrepreneurs spend so much time worrying about website
traffic that they ignore the customers who actually want to buy
something.
Recently, I tried to order a product we spotted at a trade show.
It was perfect for our application so we did a Google search to
find the manufacturer and a list of dealers who sold the item.
Almost all the websites that distributed the product had proper
contact information and invited people to call, which we did.
After six frustrating phone calls to dealers we still hadn't
found anyone willing to answer the telephone. Since we had to
leave a message almost everywhere we called, we decided to try
California even though we are located in the east, and it was
far too early for any reasonable person to be at work.
We finally got in touch with a friendly salesperson in Boston,
who was very helpful but unfortunately the company was out of
stock. Despite not being able to fill the order, we kept their
information on file because they were friendly, accommodating,
and dealt with all our questions. They tried their best to meet
our needs but if we would have ordered using their online system
and found out later that the product was back-ordered we would
have been very upset since we had a deadline to meet.
Next we reached the manufacturer who told us he was too busy to
check if he had any stock, and maybe he could get back to us by
four o'clock. Just as we were ready to give up, the phone rang;
it was the owner of the California dealer, who had the product
in stock, took the order, and shipped it out the same day.
Businesses, especially website businesses cannot run on
autopilot; customers are people and they expect to be treated
like human beings. Now it is not always possible to answer every
phone call the minute someone calls, or to have every product in
stock when people need it, but the more human interaction you
can build into your website the better your sales will be. To
paraphrase that old saying about horses, "you can lead search
traffic to your website, but you can't make them order."
Why Should Anybody Buy From You?
Ask yourself this simple question: why should anybody buy
anything from you? You probably aren't the only company that
sells your product or service, and even if you are, there are
most likely substitutes available from competitors.
When potential customers find you on Google they are also
finding all your competitors. So unless you sell a totally
unique, non-fungible (non substitutable) product, service or
brand that is also the lowest priced on the market, then you
best give people some compelling reason to buy from you.
The product we were looking for was available from a dozen
different website businesses, spread all over the United States
and they all sold the same product at the same price. In the
final analysis we purchased from the supplier that was the
furthest distance away in a time zone three hours earlier than
us; but we purchased from that supplier because we were able to
talk to a someone who answered all our questions in a friendly,
intelligent, and engaging manner.
It's what used to be called customer service before businesses
were turned over to database programmers, number crunchers, and
search savants who think of human interaction as something to be
avoided.
The Human Touch Creates Confidence and Sales
Websites are a very efficient method of lead generation and
potential sales as long as you engage your audience with a
presentation delivered by a real person who explains as much as
possible about the things you sell, and how you sell them. And
that includes things like delivery, which is one of the major
complaints and points-of-contention that online customers have.
Nobody likes surprises, especially when they cost time and
money.
Web sales success has little to do with features, benefits, or
technical advancements, in fact a barrage of features and
specifications is just as likely to confuse visitors, and
paralyze their purchase decision. The one tactic that overcomes
this problem, that inspires confidence in your advice, trust in
your ability to deliver, and convinces people to purchase, is
information presented by a real human being.
You Can't Always Handle Things Personally
Understanding you cannot always be available, the next best
thing is Web video. A video provides a complete, consistent,
error-free, professional presentation of the information you
want customers to receive. Hiring, training, and managing staff
is expensive, and their handling of customers is often
unreliable, resulting in a negative impression of your company.
Lest We Forget Tricky Dick
And that brings me to the Web entrepreneur who thinks that they
are so charming and persuasive that they are going to be their
own Web-video host.
Anybody who studies audience behavior is familiar with the
classic case of the 1960 Presidential debate between Nixon and
Kennedy. Most people who listened to the debate on the radio
thought Nixon won, while the people who watched on television
thought Kennedy won. This was a seminal example of how auditory
and visual performance influences content, impression and
response.
This lesson has been well learned by politicians but has somehow
escaped the attention of business leaders and Web entrepreneurs.
Human Motivational Optimization
Web entrepreneurs' obsession with search optimization, and
their fascination with technical solutions to human problems,
has created an e-commerce environment that is decidedly remote
and unfriendly. Sales are a motivational exercise in
people-problem solving: people buy things that fulfill physical,
emotional, and psychological needs. The answer is to adopt a
Human Motivational Optimization approach to the presentation of
your website material.
What is Human Motivational Optimization? It is a mindset used
for designing Web experiences for human beings, not just search
engine spiders.
Human Motivational Optimization For E-commerce
Let's say you have an online business that sells clothing. The
best way to display clothing is on a model who twists and turns
so the audience can see the item from all sides, as well as how
it hangs or drapes on a real person. A garment displayed flat
looks like a rag, and just doesn't do the product justice.
Even quality still photography doesn't show how a garment looks
when someone moves; and high quality fashion photography is more
expensive than short fifteen to twenty second Web videos.
You can also add some professional voice-over narration that
explains all the fabric details, design features and options
available. A Web video fashion catalog is the most effective way
to sell clothes online.
Perhaps you sell cosmetics. Another product ideally suited for
Web video. Teaching visitors what products look best together
based on particular facial features and coloring as well as
different makeup styles for work, play, and evening are ideal
opportunities to up-sell and build confidence in you and your
products. Customer education is one of the best Web marketing
tactics you can employ in order to distinguish yourself from the
competition.
Not Every Product Is Sexy
Clothing and cosmetics are both high profile products, but
let's say you sell something that is not quite so sexy,
something like sandpaper. Sandpaper is boring but, if you need
an abrasive product, you better pick the right one or you'll
make a mess of whatever you are trying to build.
Teaching customers what products to use turns one-time buyers
into long-term customers. When customers buy the wrong thing,
they invariably blame the supplier, while suppliers that provide
valuable purchase advice create a significant barrier to
competition.
Even major box store retailers have learned that they cannot
afford to have a bunch of part-timers helping customers. Best
Buy has their Geek Squad and Apple Stores have their Geniuses.
Returns on electronics and computer equipment are too costly,
and that goes double for online businesses where shipping is a
factor. And that doesn't take into account customer ill will
created by the aggravation and frustration of being sold the
wrong thing. Rather than being an expense, a professionally
produced Web-video e-commerce catalog is actually a tactic that
saves time and money, both in the sales process, and customer
relations.
Web video engages audience attention; informs viewers of product
advantages, details and options; and explains who should
purchase, as well as who shouldn't. It educates people on how
to get the most out of what you sell, and it does it in the most
compelling and memorable manner. It establishes a trust-based
relationship with clients and that is something competitors
cannot overcome with high pressure, price-slashing tactics.
The Geeks are Killing Your Business
Today we have a generation of entrepreneurs trained in highly
specialized technical areas like search engine optimization,
database development, statistical analysis, and Web-based
programming. All of these disciplines view business, even
marketing, advertising and public relations as if they are
somehow quantifiable, scientific disciplines that can be
measured and managed without consideration of that messy notion
called human nature.
The biggest problem in business is dealing with people, and just
because your business is Web-based, doesn't mean people no
longer count.
We know 'if you build it, they will come' is not a viable
marketing strategy, and the idea 'if they find you, they will
buy' is just as wrong. Start thinking in terms of Human
Motivational Optimization: start designing websites for people,
not search engines.
================================================================
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design
firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit
http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads, http://www.136words.com/, and
http://www.sonicpersonality.com/. Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com
or telephone (905) 764-1246.
================================================================
Labels: eBusiness Articles
posted by e-borneo.com @ 5:06 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home