rachel123 - 6:43 pm on Jan 28, 2009 (gmt 0)

a few things that really helped my conversion rate:

1. On every page, with the Items in your cart/subtotal, shipping cost is also displayed in real time.

2. Using simple cookies to store a cart for 3 days; if customer comes back from the same computer their cart will still be there.

3. Streamlined checkout - this made a HUGE difference; simplify the steps and don't EVER, if you can help it, make the customer check out at your site and then go to a different site to pay.

4. I don't require a registration. If it is a one time purchase and I am forced to register, I may look elsewhere, so I don't force that on my customers either.

And of course, having the best price is always a big advantage. Also, make sure your product descriptions are accurate and descriptive. If someone is looking for Widget model 01234XY in size 3, and your site says "Series 01200 Widgets" - and the specifics are buried somewhere, the customer may not be confident enough that he/she is getting the right thing and may look elsewhere...