Merchant's Checklist
By Melissa Pins, Senior Analyst, the e-tailing group, inc., mp@e-tailing.com
Create impulse buys on the home page and throughout the site to encourage early shopping.
Provide customers with multiple search options to make shopping as easy as possible based on their needs.
Incorporate seasonal promotions such as Back-to-School, Mothers Day, etc. that speak to the way real shoppers shop.
Leverage contextual integration that allows for selling throughout the site with relevant content.
Personalize the offer by creating a sense of belonging such as My Account or My Stuff where customers can have ownership of information and accounts they have created.
Build loyalty programs into your offer through a Gift Reminder service and Address Book that keep shoppers coming back.
Think gifting! Include use of Wish Lists, Express Gifts, Gift Certificates, Gift Search/Finder, Corporate Gifting, Gift Registry functionality and Gift Wrap.
Create contests with a registration component that provide excitement and encourage shoppers to register on your site.
Use targeted e-mail to promote repeat shopping with links to special offers and unique merchandising.
Build a frequent buyer program to create customer loyalty by rewarding shoppers with special discounts and incentives to shop often.
Sporadically survey customers to learn more about their psychological composition, demographic make-up, wants and needs.
» Offer interactive features that are fun and make shoppers feel involved, which keep them on your site longer.
Provide a sense of community for users to make them feel like they are "a part of something such as relevant chats and bulletin boards.
Build and affiliate network that allows you to generate additional revenues leveraging merchandising programs and search functionality that exists on your site.
Dont compromise customer service for beauty. In fact, use customer service to turn dissatisfied shoppers into return visitors.
Most importantly update your site frequently especially for the benefit of regular customers as the expectation is that you are delivering a new experience daily.
Tags: online retail credt card processing rocketcart
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