Forum Moderators: buckworks
This is the day I am thanking webmasterworld for "encouraging" me to launch my first ecommerce website.
Thanks all who helped me solve my problems.
Please do share your tips from your experiences of running ecommerce websites.
Thanks all,
Habtom
If you're talking about the site in your profile.. I really would use server side includes instead of JS to include headers, footers and other stuff. Have you seen your site with JavaScript turned off? That's how the bots see it..
Repeat business will be the *key* to your profitability.
Adam
2. Put a sitemap on your website for people to browse, and for search engines. Especially if you have a java menu etc.
3. Dont get frustrated if you dont see sales for the first 3 months. Takes awhile to be ranked in the search engines.
4. If you have an idea of how long it will be to complete a task, multiply it by 2 to be safe. :)
5. *important* try to look at your site from an outsiders point of view. In fact, ask people you know to view the website. I recently went out on the street with a handfull of dollar bills and flyers. I past out one dollar and a flyer to about 50 people that looked 'normal'. I asked them to take 2 mins of their time to look around the website and to goto the polls area and answer 3 questions, they also had the option to add 'comments'. Probably about 15 people answered and about half of them had comments. It was worth $500 to me for the information they gave me. You would be surprised what You and your friends/family will miss that the average non-biased person will not.
6. Don't put popups on your site. People hate them, I hate them, you hate them. Unless you are victoria secrets and have a nice little popup with something cute and a special offer, don't do it. Even then, I would suggest against it. Most if not ALL of the people just close these things or quickly ignore it (putting it under the main).
7. No personal insights on your website. Nothing about your views on this and that..especially religion. You may think you are in the majority, but chances are...you aren't. Not to mention, noone really cares, and it only makes your ecommerce site look cheesy and unprofessional. Very easy to spot a teenage - college age webmaster by these sites. Looking to make a 'quick buck'.
8. Affiliate ads - can help or hurt you. Browse around and see for yourself what you like and dislike. Ads all over your website say "I am looking to make a buck anyway I can" however a tasteful banner ad to an unrelated website that is PROFESSIONAL - can help you as it looks like you are a 'bigger' company. Putting an ad to a company much bigger than you, can't really hurt. As long as they use tasteful techniques on their webpage. AFter all, they came through YOUR door.
9. Watch TV - Yes, watch TV! It will help you target an audience when it comes time to do so. However, what audience do you want to address? Locally and in your nation. Ok, this is helpful. Maybe see what the 'big boys' are doing to keep cutting edge with their commericials. However, if you are marketing to the entire world, some techniques WILL NOT WORK and sometimes, might be found offensive. The UNited States is a bit more conservative with its advertising of products. Heck, it was only about 8 years ago that the US allowed women to be wearing underwear in ads on tv! Keep in mind what audience you want to advertise to, and this will help you with not only advertising, but the DESCRIPTIONS of your products!
last and not least (10). Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Example: YOu put your life savings into making your websites and buying the product to sell. Are you prepared to eat dog food and not pay your light bills for 1 year? But, being hopefully will let you focus on the task at hand. Being despressed that you don't see a million dollars in profit, is unreasonable. Always do a cost/benefit analysis of what you are doing. Cost = 15 man hours, benefit = (more customers, more turnover to sales, better customer service, etc) If you are going to spend 20 hours tring to decide if your website theme of blue and yellow over red and black, over getting a checkup at the doctors...well you get teh point. Learn to ask others for help on these topics. "what do you think". They may know NOTHING about websites or what you are trying to do, but many times, people can help you with their opinions. Remember, nobodies opinion is stupid..it's real..and it's THOSE people that buy stuff!
Ok that was my 10bytes hehe..
S
PS - If you are talking about the website in your profile, it looks nice. :) However, could you PLEASE take ALL the stuff on the right, and put it on the left? It's standard practice to have it that way.
