Article - Website Design EZeCom eCommerce Software

eCommerce Website Design vs. Desigining a Website

In most cases, for new clients your website is your initial brand identity. You have one second to make a powerful impression, one second to establish your professionalism, one second to start building trust, and one second to generate the interest of your target audience. If the previous 4 seconds have met expectations, you now have an additional second to begin initiating a compelling sales overture.

A sales overture? What if the purpose of my website isn’t to sell? The answer to this question is rhetorical: Why, then, do you want a website? At the basic core, all internet surfers are “shopping.” Some are shopping for information, some for products, some for services, and some for knowledge. Weather the surfer is willing to pay for the information, products, services, or knowledge found does not change the fundamental premise that all internet surfers are shopping. So, if all internet surfers are shopping, then shouldn’t your website be designed to sell?

The “one second” challenges mean that a website, to be successful, must have clearly defined goals. At a macro level, there are two types of sales websites:

Informational - Brands and positions your company online. Contains content to establish the expertise of your company. Provides shoppers with cursory information and encourages those needing more information to call or visit a local store during business hours.

Transactional - Brands and positions your company online. Contains content to establish the expertise of your company. Provides shoppers with all relevant information required to make a purchase decision 24 hours a day. Generates high revenue with the shortest sales cycle and lowest cost of goods sold (no internal recourses are required to support the sale) possible. By definition, eCommerce sites are transactional.

If customer acquisition and retention (i.e. revenue stream) is your top priority, then a sharp distinction needs to be drawn between the art of web design and the art of designing a marketing-driven eCommerce website. A website that optimizes action while eliminating distraction will make it easy for customers to buy from you. Most online shoppers have little time to waste on brand-building Flash, sluggish multimedia plug-ins, overindulgent mission statements, or content that serves no end. Research consistently shows that, convenience, usability, and marketing clarity are even more important than price for online shoppers (see GartnerG2, "Price Is Nice, but Convenience Comes First"):

· 81% of online consumers value convenience when making a purchase online. In fact, almost half, 49%, of the respondents feel that only convenience is an important factor of online buying.

· 33% of online consumers value price savings when making a purchase online. However, only 2% of the respondents feel that only price is an important factor of online buying.

· Convenience for online consumers is achieved by saving them time and effort. Gartner recommends that Internet retailers:

i. Provide marketing messages that focus on online buyers' feelings of being time-constrained.

ii. Constantly consider ease of use, lack of complexity and speed of transaction completion when developing or enhancing a retail-focused Website.

iii. Continually test-market messages and site design elements, emphasizing that price ties in with convenience benefits.

Do not confuse shopping with entertainment -- and don't clutter up the site; content that does not improve functionality provides little value for most online buyers.

According to Neil MacDonald, Vice President and Director of Research for GartnerG2, "For online buyers, 'value' manifests itself in the form of convenience. Buyers can get the same product at a low price from any number of sites. In the end, the primary factor in choosing your site will be convenience."

These survey results allow us to clearly prioritize what is important. Accordingly, successful web design means having a tactical rationale for the placement of every graphic, every image, and every word. And that means knowing your customers, anticipating their needs, and answering their questions before they're even asked.

J. Peppiren (Marketing Coordinator, EPT) ties these concepts together well, explaining that: …while more abstract issues like branding are not inconsequential online, the process of "building a brand" should come only as an after-impression, a coefficient of a powerful sales platform. Customer acquisition should remain the primary goal, and nothing, neither Flash nor corporate branding, should interfere with your marketing and sales agenda. Here, the best way to burn brand on-line is to simply acquire a customer base: provide a righteous eCommerce experience and customers will remember you, even in a commodity driven market.

Does this mean that design and aesthetics are not important? No, it only means that form should serve function on eCommerce Websites, not the other way around. EZeCom provides you with the most current eCommerce best practices, already built in, to ensure that the organization, simplicity, and functionality of your sales platform (your website) are world-class.

With these issues addressed, one can focus on finding the right balance of art and language to create a professional presentation (brand and products) that translates into sales. When looking for help with the presentation of your brand and products within your eCommerce website (e.g. logos, color scheme, tagline text, description, pictures), it is critical to work with a designer who’s prioritization of the importance of “functionality” and “flash” are in alignment with yours. As explained by Curt Schultz (Principal, Schultz Design http://www.curtschultzdesign.net), “eCommerce requires that our design strategy complement and serve utility, not subvert it. Art, by itself, won't sell products online, but EZeCom gives retailers a platform to achieve that perfect balance between sizzle and sales."