Most business have a marketing strategy however their designs do not replicate this strategy. A lot of research goes in the website design however does that really reflect the original marketing plan? Are websites true to their target market?
In a rush to building an impressive website and being better than the competition it is always easy to deviate from the original plan. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it right. There is always value in good representation of the brand however the focus should be to stick to the core elements of a website. For example, if you are a B2B website selling stationary and your target audience are the procurement or admin managers; social media integration might not be the way to go. This will only lead to a cluttered and over functional website, which leads to the second most common mistake.
As per industry standards 55% of the visitors spend less than 15 seconds on a website and if the website doesn’t capture their attention by then they browse elsewhere. This window is critical to capture the customer attention and to sell the products in a cohesive manner.
This can be achieved by using the design principle - KISS (Keep it Simple ,Stupid) KISS is an acronym for "Keep it simple, stupid" as a design principle noted by the U.S. Navy in 1960. The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore, simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided. This very principle can increase site visits into actual sales. De-cluttering pages with unnecessary actions to focus on making the sale is the key element.
Another popular e-commerce myth among many online businesses is that low pricing is the best selling factor. Hence there has always been a huge focus on keeping the prices competitive. Of course, in some cases lowest prices can add as a distinctive advantage. However, there are many other factors that eventually influence the final purchasing decision of a customer. Some of them include brand popularity, convenient shopping/delivery experience, engaging site, easy and responsive customer support etc.
Being price competitive may not be the only key to the success of a business. There are many other efficient methods to attract buyers and boost sales, like holiday and seasonal discounts, various loyalty programs, coupon codes, free shipping, free returns, first-class service, etc. It is essential to find that golden mean between quality, pricing and service to keep the products and selling propositions highly engaging and attractive.
To make an e-commerce website a success all departments both business and IT alike need to come together and provide their input. Most companies think that technology is the only key element for the success of a site. While the technology is critical, the most important part is creating a business model that offers customers value at a reasonable price while producing an acceptable return for the business. Having a clear business model helps in choosing the right technology. And intimate industry knowledge coupled with the right technology can bring about the desired results.