Online Shopping Site: Is Your Website Ready For Shoppers?

As webmaster of UK shopping directory ShopTour.co.uk I get to review many online shopping sites. I take less than a minute to decide whether the site gets added to my shopping directory or not.

And what I look for, in that crucial first minute, is what your potential site-visitors look for too. Indeed, when they visit your site they're most likely asking themselves:

- Can I trust you?

- Do you sell what I'm looking for?

- Do I want to buy it from here? Or

- Do I just want to click somewhere else?

The bad news? I am more patient than your site-visitors!

The good news? You just need to make a few common sense changes to your website, for it to convert potential visitors into willing shoppers.

So what do I look for?

1. Is Your Site Safe AND Secure?

'Of course our site is safe AND secure!' you say. 'We're a member of a safe-shopping scheme, and we pay lots of extra money for secure servers!'

Great. So you know that your site is safe and secure, but do your site visitors? Does your site display the safe-shopping logo proudly on the home page, where it's easy to find and easy to reassure?

Do put any safe-shopping logos high up on your home-page, or even the logo of your secure server provider like Worldpay or Verisign! (The same goes for glowing customer testimonials! Anything that will help persuade visitors that you are trustworthy.)

2. Does Your Site Look Professional?

How do I decide whether a site is well-designed and professional?

Maybe I look for a great colour scheme, or site layout. Maybe I look for clear product images, or good use of fonts, or an impressive Flash movie. Maybe I look for all of these things.

A professionally designed website leaves clues. For me, those clues are that the site:

* is easy to navigate (so you never get 'lost')

* is quick to load (no unnecessary 'splash' screens)

* contains clear and immediate benefits for your customer

* does not rely on obscure browser technology

Yes you can break these rules just as long as you make sure that your site is customer friendly.

(At the very least do a site-usability study. You'll be amazed at what you learn!)

3. Does Your Site Contain Great Content and Offers?

Is it really worth shopping at your site?

Do you offer a great choice of goods at low prices? Can visitors read reviews of the products you sell? And can they create a gift wish list for their friends or family? Etc.

What's compelling about shopping online at your store? (For ideas about compelling shopping, just visit Amazon!)

4. Does Your Site Display Delivery Details and Costs?

I'm sure your site has delivery details and costs, but... is it easy to find them?

Don't force a customer to buy an item, before they can find this information!

Make your delivery details and costs as easy to find as possible - especially if you offer free delivery. Don't give a potential customer a reason to go somewhere else.

5. Does Your Site Display Contact Details?

'A site without contact information is a site with something to hide!' That's what a potential customer thinks, anyway!

Your site should state who you are, and what your business is about. Include information like name, address, and phone number on an 'about us' page, and mention a little about your business (a photo of you and your business is also very reassuring).

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Follow the advice above, and your site should be ready for the demands of even the fussiest shopper.

Steve M Nash is owner of several sites including http://www.textmefree.com - a directory of free sms text messaging sites, and guide to bulk sms marketing. He promotes them all using the basic principles and tips detailed in his free website promotion guide, http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com

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