Just read this nma article about online shopping in the UK.
According to the Experian 'Engaging Online with the Empowered Customer' report, online shopping grew 31% in the past 12 months compared to 1% for off-line catalogues. 31%! Wow! Isn't that amazing with the UK recession?! Thinking about it a bit longer though, I don't have all the figures for this. Maybe it is a move from the high street into online because users feel they are getting a better price online?
It goes on to say that although there is this great increase, the report finds that 70% of the business is done by 30% of the customers, so not much repeat business... are people so price sensitive that they are just using search engines or comparison sites to check prices and are not loyal to an online brand?
Maybe it's a bit of that, but also the user experience is still frustrating customers or just not making enough of a positive impact, to make them remember the brand and return?
I like ecommera's 10P's of ecommerce methodology. This covers not only the usability and functionality of the website (point 3 - Place) but also everything you need around the platform, processes, order management systems and promotions to support the site. I like the analogy of the website being the tip of the iceberg visible to the customer, with all the processes and systems that must be considered for the site to be successful below.
As the nma article suggests, I also think the issue around online/offline channels needs to be addressed still. Too many retailers treat their website as a completely separate business. E.g. If I buy something from a site's online shop, and it's not right, I want the piece of mind to know that I can easily return it to my local high street store, and not have to queue up at the post office (that can be so annoying!).
Some stores are allowing this now (I think the Arcadia group?) and others are moving in the right direction by clearly stating returns policies and by having detailed product information pages so that users aren't as likely to need to return items.
Truly integrating these channels would also not only benefit the customer, but the marketing opportunities created by merging customer databases could be great.
I look forward to see what happens in this area over the next 12 months...
Showing posts with label ecommerce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ecommerce. Show all posts
Monday, 9 February 2009
Monday, 19 January 2009
Australian eCommerce
I am getting a little frustrated with the lack of decent ecommerce sites in Australia. There's even no Amazon - where do I get my books from now?!
A couple of good (bad) examples of this are the Myer site (Myer is one of the biggest department stores like house of fraser) which looks quite pretty and then you realize all you can do is view the catalogue (page by page of the physical catalogue), you can't purchase and theres no proper search functionality. And the Bunnings Warehouse site (like B&Q) which lets you look through their catalogue again at (sometimes handrawn) pictures of the products and you can't buy, search or even see the prices.
These are on the better side, sometimes these sites just scan in their catalogue pages and put them up as PDFs and call it a website. There are no good places you can go to buy clothes or household goods online, if you search for ages you can sometimes find specialist like for PC parts or fridges, which will transact but then the design and navigation all looks a bit dodgy. Woolworths (one of the main supermarkets) does let you do online food shopping, but will only delivery to certain inner city postcodes.
I think maybe it is because the the country is so massive and the relatively small population is all centred on a few places that the delivery doesn't work out to be cost effective. I've also been reading that maybe the public have privacy / fraud concerns which is more an education and culture thing. Also I've heard that some shops like to set prices by store which wouldn't work very well with the web!
The situation does look to be improving. According to Ecommerce Journal article "eCorner, a leading ecommerce solutions provider, that hosts over 170 Web stores in its Australian SME cluster, reported 90% increase in traffic volume for November year on year." They also reports increase in use at Paypal and Eway (another payment system). There are also a few good comparison site like GetPrice now which make the process easier.
A couple of good (bad) examples of this are the Myer site (Myer is one of the biggest department stores like house of fraser) which looks quite pretty and then you realize all you can do is view the catalogue (page by page of the physical catalogue), you can't purchase and theres no proper search functionality. And the Bunnings Warehouse site (like B&Q) which lets you look through their catalogue again at (sometimes handrawn) pictures of the products and you can't buy, search or even see the prices.
These are on the better side, sometimes these sites just scan in their catalogue pages and put them up as PDFs and call it a website. There are no good places you can go to buy clothes or household goods online, if you search for ages you can sometimes find specialist like for PC parts or fridges, which will transact but then the design and navigation all looks a bit dodgy. Woolworths (one of the main supermarkets) does let you do online food shopping, but will only delivery to certain inner city postcodes.
I think maybe it is because the the country is so massive and the relatively small population is all centred on a few places that the delivery doesn't work out to be cost effective. I've also been reading that maybe the public have privacy / fraud concerns which is more an education and culture thing. Also I've heard that some shops like to set prices by store which wouldn't work very well with the web!
The situation does look to be improving. According to Ecommerce Journal article "eCorner, a leading ecommerce solutions provider, that hosts over 170 Web stores in its Australian SME cluster, reported 90% increase in traffic volume for November year on year." They also reports increase in use at Paypal and Eway (another payment system). There are also a few good comparison site like GetPrice now which make the process easier.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Asos.com
I love this site - too much for my bank balance!
ASOS (As Seen on Screen) is one of the largest online fashion and beauty As well as its own fashion label ASOS.com for women and men, it also offers a range of products from high street brands (e.g. French Connection), premium brands (e.g. Miu Miu) and independent UK designers.
Search, browse & inspire
ASOS has a wide range of products and does well at helping users find what they want by giving a range of searching options. It has a search function which searches through the whole site and is present on every page.
Users can browse by product type (e.g. trousers, skirts…), or brand, by fashion trend, by magazine article the product was featured in, or by celebrity (e.g. view products in the style of Sienna Miller). Users can also select to only view products which are ‘just in’ or products in the sale. Filters are then available to sort by size, colour, price and celebrity style. These filters (and the filters created whilst browsing can be removed again if wished.
ASOS is good at merchandising and through the site the user sees promotions and inspirational links to help guide them to offers and product sets.
Product details screen
The product display is very detailed giving many angles photographs and a zoom and drag function so the user can see all aspects of the product. ‘Catwalk videos’ are also provided for some products.
Very detailed product info given for sizing, material type, care instructions to help the user make the decision.
The returns and delivery policies are very obvious on the page to reassure the user.
Stylist recommendations of products which might fit with this one are also given at this point to push cross-sell opportunities.
Help
A detailed FAQ section is provided and also a ‘How to shop video’ to show users how to use the site, which is great for first time buyers.
ASOS (As Seen on Screen) is one of the largest online fashion and beauty As well as its own fashion label ASOS.com for women and men, it also offers a range of products from high street brands (e.g. French Connection), premium brands (e.g. Miu Miu) and independent UK designers.
Search, browse & inspire
ASOS has a wide range of products and does well at helping users find what they want by giving a range of searching options. It has a search function which searches through the whole site and is present on every page.
Users can browse by product type (e.g. trousers, skirts…), or brand, by fashion trend, by magazine article the product was featured in, or by celebrity (e.g. view products in the style of Sienna Miller). Users can also select to only view products which are ‘just in’ or products in the sale. Filters are then available to sort by size, colour, price and celebrity style. These filters (and the filters created whilst browsing can be removed again if wished.
ASOS is good at merchandising and through the site the user sees promotions and inspirational links to help guide them to offers and product sets.
Product details screen
The product display is very detailed giving many angles photographs and a zoom and drag function so the user can see all aspects of the product. ‘Catwalk videos’ are also provided for some products.
Very detailed product info given for sizing, material type, care instructions to help the user make the decision.
The returns and delivery policies are very obvious on the page to reassure the user.
Stylist recommendations of products which might fit with this one are also given at this point to push cross-sell opportunities.
Help
A detailed FAQ section is provided and also a ‘How to shop video’ to show users how to use the site, which is great for first time buyers.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
eCommerce considerations
A while ago I was thinking about ecommerce sites - here's what I thought!
eCommerce sites will give the highest conversion rates if the following points are considered
User experience and look & feel
* The interface should be intuitive and the navigation should be simple and easy to follow
* Easy and visible access to help files should be given
* The site should be accessible6 for those who are visually or physically impaired
User workflow
* One click shopping should be an option to save user’s time (e.g. Amazon remembers card and delivery details if you want), or if this is not possible, the order and payment forms should be as short and simple as they can be
Search
* Different people like to use websites in different ways so users should be given a choice of how they want to find products. Some people will know exactly what they want so will want a quick, powerful search function. Some people will be less sure and want to be shown a range of the products on offer; these people need good browse functionality. Others will be looking for inspiration, those people may respond well to promotions, merchandising offers and ‘3-pack’ tiles.
* Post search filters are helpful to allow the users to drill down according to what is relevant to them. It is important to understand the users’ motivation and sensitivity. For example sites targeting bargain seekers will benefit from allowing easy filtering by price.
Personalisation
* Targeting particular products or service to users based on information about them gathered from their log in details, cookies, or history of activity on the site. Information and trends gathered from other similar users can also be used. It improves the user experience as they can then access information relevant to them more quickly. It increases the chances of a sale as users do not have to search for items they are interested in.
Customisation
* Allow users to customise the pages they view as they want to and record this information with their user account. This allows the user to remove irrelevant information and arrange content as suits them. An intelligent system will then learn preferences and update personalisation techniques.
User accounts
* Allowing the user to log in to manage their account details helps to keep customer records up to date.
* The account view should let them see their past history of purchases and where current purchases are in the shipping process to reassure users and also provide opportunity to cross-sell.
Relevant supporting content
* Technical information about the product helps users to come to their buying decision, such as sizing, washing or installation instructions.
* The product display should have high quality images. Trends are for sites to use zoom technologies to view the details, rotating images to see all angles, and video to see how a product moves or functions.
* Reviewing systems showing what other buyers in the community think of the product or the company can help to reassure the user of their purchasing decision. This is especially useful in lowering the perceived risk in high involvement purchases where perhaps the value of the purchase is large.
* Customer testimonials work in a similar way, this could be help where the buyer’s reputation could be at stake (e.g. a recruiter advertising on a fish4 wants to know that their brand will be handled correctly).
* Recommendations based on what the user or other similar users have viewed or bought before help to show users around the site and show them more relevant products and give them more choice.
* News and information about the marketplace can set the site up to appear as a market expert. This will drive more traffic to the site as users go there for information as well as improving SEO.
Pricing
* Discounts should be promoted to show users that they are getting the best deals
* Pricing packages will give users more financial options
Channel continuity
* Online and offline experience should complement each other. In a traditional retailer the customer should be able to take products bought online back to store and the store should know what online stocks.
Technical excellence
* The search engine should be powerful and reference all areas of the site, returning relevant results
* Component based system - no section is dependent on another, component can be replaced easily for simple upgrades
* Multivariable testing systems could be introduced so that the design and layout of the site can be optimised for maximum conversion quickly and in some cases by region or user type
Security and reassurance
* To enhance user’s trust of a site it should be obvious that their payment system is secure by using https and a well known payment mechanism such as PayPal or one endorsed by a major bank if the brand is not well known.
* The returns policy should be easy to find and if possible should allow the user to take an unwanted item back to a store.
Communications
* Marketing communications through channels such as email and banner ad should be used to promote new products
* Messages should be targeted and personalised to only give information that users are interested in
* Merchandising tools should be used to give promotions on price points and special deals
* Opt in / opt out procedures should be followed to ensure users are not spammed
eCommerce sites will give the highest conversion rates if the following points are considered
User experience and look & feel
* The interface should be intuitive and the navigation should be simple and easy to follow
* Easy and visible access to help files should be given
* The site should be accessible6 for those who are visually or physically impaired
User workflow
* One click shopping should be an option to save user’s time (e.g. Amazon remembers card and delivery details if you want), or if this is not possible, the order and payment forms should be as short and simple as they can be
Search
* Different people like to use websites in different ways so users should be given a choice of how they want to find products. Some people will know exactly what they want so will want a quick, powerful search function. Some people will be less sure and want to be shown a range of the products on offer; these people need good browse functionality. Others will be looking for inspiration, those people may respond well to promotions, merchandising offers and ‘3-pack’ tiles.
* Post search filters are helpful to allow the users to drill down according to what is relevant to them. It is important to understand the users’ motivation and sensitivity. For example sites targeting bargain seekers will benefit from allowing easy filtering by price.
Personalisation
* Targeting particular products or service to users based on information about them gathered from their log in details, cookies, or history of activity on the site. Information and trends gathered from other similar users can also be used. It improves the user experience as they can then access information relevant to them more quickly. It increases the chances of a sale as users do not have to search for items they are interested in.
Customisation
* Allow users to customise the pages they view as they want to and record this information with their user account. This allows the user to remove irrelevant information and arrange content as suits them. An intelligent system will then learn preferences and update personalisation techniques.
User accounts
* Allowing the user to log in to manage their account details helps to keep customer records up to date.
* The account view should let them see their past history of purchases and where current purchases are in the shipping process to reassure users and also provide opportunity to cross-sell.
Relevant supporting content
* Technical information about the product helps users to come to their buying decision, such as sizing, washing or installation instructions.
* The product display should have high quality images. Trends are for sites to use zoom technologies to view the details, rotating images to see all angles, and video to see how a product moves or functions.
* Reviewing systems showing what other buyers in the community think of the product or the company can help to reassure the user of their purchasing decision. This is especially useful in lowering the perceived risk in high involvement purchases where perhaps the value of the purchase is large.
* Customer testimonials work in a similar way, this could be help where the buyer’s reputation could be at stake (e.g. a recruiter advertising on a fish4 wants to know that their brand will be handled correctly).
* Recommendations based on what the user or other similar users have viewed or bought before help to show users around the site and show them more relevant products and give them more choice.
* News and information about the marketplace can set the site up to appear as a market expert. This will drive more traffic to the site as users go there for information as well as improving SEO.
Pricing
* Discounts should be promoted to show users that they are getting the best deals
* Pricing packages will give users more financial options
Channel continuity
* Online and offline experience should complement each other. In a traditional retailer the customer should be able to take products bought online back to store and the store should know what online stocks.
Technical excellence
* The search engine should be powerful and reference all areas of the site, returning relevant results
* Component based system - no section is dependent on another, component can be replaced easily for simple upgrades
* Multivariable testing systems could be introduced so that the design and layout of the site can be optimised for maximum conversion quickly and in some cases by region or user type
Security and reassurance
* To enhance user’s trust of a site it should be obvious that their payment system is secure by using https and a well known payment mechanism such as PayPal or one endorsed by a major bank if the brand is not well known.
* The returns policy should be easy to find and if possible should allow the user to take an unwanted item back to a store.
Communications
* Marketing communications through channels such as email and banner ad should be used to promote new products
* Messages should be targeted and personalised to only give information that users are interested in
* Merchandising tools should be used to give promotions on price points and special deals
* Opt in / opt out procedures should be followed to ensure users are not spammed
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