Traffic Up - Sales Down : Where to Look First?

[Planet13]

Hi there, Everyone:

Since the start of Panda in late February, we have seen about a 17% increase in traffic. Yet sales are in a downward slide. What would you look at first to figure out why this is happening?

The majority of that traffic has been going to our better performing products, so we were happy to see the traffic increase. But sales and conversions have just been headed down.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[mattia]

You said, possible that they come with different KWD but then you said that most KWD are same as before?
Confusing statement for me...

If you get a lot of people adding 1/2 items and then leave your site, I would like to ask the following question:
IS there on tour site an information that is available to customers ONLY after they st5art the checkout process? exmaple:
- tax
- shipping
- etc.....
If so, make that info available upfront and that will seriously cut into the number of these "tire kickers"...like you call them...

[Planet13]

@ mattia

You said, possible that they come with different KWD but then you said that most KWD are same as before?
Confusing statement for me...

You are correct, and I apologize for the contradiction.

I am still delving through the differences in keywords, but am being hampered by google's obscuring of the keywords for users who are logged into their gmail (and other google) accounts. The plurality of keywords users type in to visit my site are obscured by google.

IS there on tour site an information that is available to customers ONLY after they st5art the checkout process? exmaple:
- tax
- shipping
- etc.....

After adding a product to their basket - but before starting the checkout process - customers could "preview" their shipping charges by entering in their (US) State and Zip code. However, very few actually did.

I didn't have a message about sales tax on the basket page, but I will add one. Thanks for the reminder.

Also, I will add some testimonial quotes from previous customers to the basket contents page as well.

[mattia]

One thing that reaaly help is that you would allow them to get shipping and tax info, WITHOUT having to add the product to the shopping basked.
Try it and let me know.

best,
Marc

[Planet13]

One thing that reaaly help is that you would allow them to get shipping and tax info, WITHOUT having to add the product to the shopping basked.

Thank you, Marc. I will try it out and see.

[tangor]

This is an election year in the USA. There is widespread discontent regarding employment. Nearly equally widespread is technology laying off workers. Results in less disposable income compared to necessary (food, shelter, utilities, health) which results in a lot of lookie-loos and fewer buyers.

Factor in the recent uptick in big brand at the top of the serps---fewer organics will show.

Factor in your own budgets... are you maintaining the same spend as before? More? Less?

Factor in Europe and the Euro difficulties.

There are a lot of things going on globally which depress all kinds of markets, including web sites.

Still looking for that better mousetrap to market which will insure high income. :)

[tangor]

zoomboy! Welcome to Webmasterworld... Everybody is doing online advertising already. Have you a different method than Google (example) that will have better results? (Consult the forum charter and the Webmasterworld guidelines... can't link drop your site or product.) I tend to believe that radio, tv and print have a significant impact for local venues in particular. One of those gotta spend money to make money kind of things.

[Planet13]

@ tangor

Thanks for your comments:

There is widespread discontent regarding employment...

...Results in less disposable income...

Your points are true and valid.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to console myself because of recent news that many of the big chain stores have reported increasing sales figures. One designer of OVERPRICED women's athletic wear couldn't keep up with demand.

Also, have heard various news accounts that consumer confidence is higher than it has been in a few years. We have NOT been able to capitalize on that...

So even in this bad economy, some of the higher end merchants have been killing it, and our business (and we try to offer quality at a much more modest price point) has not.

Factor in your own budgets... are you maintaining the same spend as before?

Due to the ineptitude of the marketing department (i.e., me), we have had little to no advertising spend. It was recently pointed out to me that despite doing adwords, I had failed to include the adwords tracking code on our sites. Oh, so that is why reported conversion rates were so low. Who knew?

Aside from our feeble and stupid attempt at adwords, we haven't really done any marketing. We have relied on organic search for the last decade, and as you pointed out earlier, the ascendance of big brands in the SERPs is significantly impacting us mom and pop stores.

Still looking for that better mousetrap to market which will insure high income. :)

I think that in today's economy, that statement is truer than it has ever been.