Domestic access to broadband systems, together with time constraints and crowded shopping areas, has led to significant growth in the online shopping market. For those people whose products and services can be bought easily online, this represents a key delivery channel, and the opportunity to increase revenue without incurring excessive costs.
If you are considering adding online transactional capabilities to your website, there are several things you need to think about:
Calls to Action
Your prospective customers need to know that they can buy your products online. From your home page onwards, each part of your website needs to have a call to action embedded in the design. Whether it's a button that just says "buy this product now", or a more sophisticated shopping cart system, you need to make it clear that certain products can be bought straightaway. The more prominent your calls to action are, the more likely you are to achieve sales.
Security
You must have a recognised, secure payment system on your site. Not only does it protect your customers from fraud, but it gives them a level of comfort about your operation, and they are more likely to purchase from you.
Clarity
You should make each part of the buying process absolutely clear. Highlight delivery or postage charges, any VAT that applies and any restrictions that you are placing on refunds or returns. At each stage, you should give the customer the option to cancel their order, in case they change their minds, or are interrupted during the transaction. At the end of the process, you should summarise exactly what the customer has ordered and how much they are paying. This summary should also be sent to the customer by email.
Follow-up
Once you have attracted a new customer to buy, don't miss any opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell to them. Amazon.com's technique of "other people who bought this book have also bought . . ." often results in increased sales. If the customer agrees to receiving a newsletter or information about discounts or sales, then you are more likely to get repeat business from them.
Delivery
Having a good sales site is important, but if you haven't got the processes in place to effect a speedy and safe delivery, then you'll lose customers. Online shopping is supposed to be easy and efficient. Wherever possible, you should ensure that the goods get to the customer quickly. If they are impressed with your service, they'll recommend you to others.
There are many systems available that will allow you to build transactions into your website design, or add them in at a later stage. Before you offer online purchase, make sure that you know who will be looking at your site, whether they will buy your product and whether you have the processes in place to make it a success.