Offer
a range of products that meets users' expectations
Product
Information
Offer
a range of products that meets users' expectations
Offer the same variety of products on your Web site as you carry in brick-and-mortar stores or paper catalogs. Customers value Web shopping partly because of the vast variety and selection of products. They are disappointed if companies do not offer their complete catalog of products online .
Provide
pictures of all physical merchandise
Provide pictures to attract users' attention, help them identify products, help them understand a product's features, and help them feel more knowledgeable and comfortable when making purchase decisions. For sites that sell thousands of products, providing pictures of all of them requires a significant investment. But pictures are vital to e-commerce because the Web is largely a visual medium in which customers cannot feel, touch, or hold products. Pictures must provide the marketing appeal that packaging and poduct displays provide in brick-and-mortar stores.
Because large pictures cause slower downloading, consider presenting "thumbnail" photos initially and linking to larger views of the same items. In both thumbnail and larger pictures, make the product features as distinguishable as possible. Provide pictures from different angles, and enable users to click for a larger view if these additional views assist users in understanding the product and its features.
Provide
information about availability
Provide information on your product description pages about the availability of each product, and immediately update the information when the inventory changes. If possible, indicate exactly when you can ship the product. For instance, you may want to say something like "Ships within 24 hours of receiving your order" or "Orders received by 1:00 pm Eastern time ship the same day" (but be sure you keep your promises). Link to information about shipping options so that the user can estimate a delivery date.
Fast, reliable service is an important selling point. The more specific and accurate your shipping times, and the more rapidly you fulfill orders, the more likely you are to please your customers.
Tip: Avoid using the term "shipping time" because it's unclear. Business typically use it to refer to processing time, but customers sometimes think it means they will receive the product in that time.
Display
prices prominently
Include prices on your product description pages and, in most cases, in your product lists. Price is one of the most important product attributes affecting the purchase decision, so do not require users to "dig" for prices.
Note: Use the three-letter international currency symbol (e.g. USD for US dollars) and a descriptive phrase (e.g. "All amounts are in US dollars.") to explicitly indicate the currency base.
Provide
detailed product information
Provide detailed specifications and/or descriptions of the physical characteristics, features, and functions of products. This detailed information is essential to Web shoppers because they do not have the assistance of sales clerks, and cannot touch products as they might in brick-and-mortar stores.
To provide effective product information, develop a thorough understanding of your customers and their interests and needs. Once you have a clear understanding of your users' needs, design your product information to address those needs.
Note: If you are selling to an international audience, use both the metric system and the imperial system to specify product dimensions.
Disclose
the most important product information first
Whenever products and product categories are introduced, begin each product description with information that distinguishes that product from others and enables customers to recognize quickly which products do and don't meet their needs. The product descriptions, whether they appear on the store front, on product category navigation pages, or on product description pages, should answer the following questions:
Display
unintrusive promotions on key pages
Display promotions, such as price reductions, rebate offers, interest-free financing, and special new offerings, on your store front and product category navigation pages. The promotions should briefly describe each offer and link to more information and/or the specific product being promoted.
Promotions are effective when they inform users of special opportunities without interrupting an enjoyable shopping experience. Information on a "good deal" or a new product may be the extra incentive that some users need to complete a purchase. To avoid distracting and annoying users with promotions,
Also specify when and where promotions are valid, and immediately remove them when they have expired.
Tip: You may also want to provide "appetizers," such as free downloads and contests to win free products. Appetizers induce people to visit your site and whet their desire to buy products. Be sure to link to shopping pages from the appetizers. For instance, a page where users register to enter a contest should link to the product that the winner will receive, to that category of products, and to the store front.
Facilitate
cross-selling and up-selling without annoying or distracting users
Use cross-selling and up-selling techniques to provide customers easy access to products they may want or need. Cross-selling consists of displaying or linking to products related to the one(s) the user is currently viewing. Up-selling consists of displaying or linking to a more expensive alternative to the one the customer has chosen.
Before trying either strategy, ensure that cross-selling and up-selling will benefit your customers. Cross-selling is beneficial when it provides your users an easy way to buy additional products that they need or want. For instance, if users have added a notebook computer to their order list, they may welcome a link that allows them to shop for a carrying case and other accessories. Up-selling can help users understand what is available at the next price level, and how much the additional function or quality would cost.
When designing a page that uses cross-selling or up-selling, devote primary screen real estate to the product the customer is viewing, or the user's primary task. Ensure that cross-selling and up-selling options do not interfere with users' ability to complete their current purchase.
