Transcript Chapter 7 Designing Effective Online Stores

Multichannel Retailing
Lynda Gamans Poloian
Copyright ©2009
Fairchild Books
• All rights reserved. No part of this presentation covered by
the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any
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storage and retrieval systems–without written permission
of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-56367-6332-1
GST R 133004424
Unit III
Technology Solutions
Chapter 7
Designing Effective Online Stores
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©2009 Fairchild Books, A Division of Condé Nast Publications.
Characteristics of Effective Retail Web
Sites
• Objective of retail Web developers: creating
a sticky site
• Stickiness—degree to which customers
become engaged on a Web site
• Careful blend between aesthetics and
functionality
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Winning the Customer
• E-commerce provides new ways to connect
with the customer
• Customers want relevant products, speedy
delivery, competitive prices and fun
• In the apparel sector, customers want ample
merchandise presented using color and
video
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Common Traits of Effective Online
Stores
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Well designed and highly interactive
Brand image consistency
Easily navigable sites, products easy to find
Appropriate technologies and customer
contact and tracking methods used
• Up-to-date and functional
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Framework for Web Design
• Web page layout and design—includes
using principles and elements of design to
create appealing Web site
• Essentials of Web content—incorporates
product information content, transactional
capabilities, communication tools, and
performance standards
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Web Page Layout and Design
Principles of Design
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Balance
Symmetrical or
Asymmetrical
Repetition
Alternation
Progression
Radiation
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Emphasis
• Denotes focal point;
i.e. featured product
• Achieved through
color, image,
positioning, size, and
unique features
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Principles of Design
Proportion
• Relationship between
art components and
space
• Relative size affects
customer’s perception
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Rhythm
• Mechanism that
guides eye flow
• Line, shape, direction,
and color influence
flow
• Change from large to
small or light to dark
conveys rhythm
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Elements of Design
Line
• Use of artists stroke to
convey design,
motion, direction, and
graphic details
• Curved, linear and
angled lines convey
different messages
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Color
• Most expressive
element of design
• Helps group products,
set theme, evoke mood
• Psychological aspects
influence customer
behavior
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Selecting and Using Typography
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Typefaces are also called fonts or styles
Major consideration in Web page design
Type style reflects retailer’s image
Used for all descriptive copy written,
advertisements, headlines, logos, and some
ornamental graphic treatments
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Type Categories
• Serif (with appendages)—Denote more
formal, nostalgic, and ornate themes
• Sans serif (without appendages)—Less
formal, more contemporary
• The type style used in this PowerPoint is
New Times Roman, a serif face
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Sizing Type
• Type size is considered in the same way as
proportion and emphasis
• Point system used to indicate type size—the
smaller the point the smaller the type
• System based on a point being 1/72 of an
inch
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Guidelines for Using Type Effectively
• Use larger type for headlines and smaller
for body copy
• Type below 8-point type is too small to read
comfortably
• Use no more than three type styles in one ad
or Web page
• Type in proportion to white space affects
image and readability
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Essentials of Web Content
• Content encompasses all digital material
that appears on Web site
• Product content must be presented well on
the Web
• A home page for an online store is
equivalent to a material door to a brick-andmortar store
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Essentials of Web Content
Transactional Capabilities and Functionality
Site Maps
• Online equivalent of
planograms for stores
• Explicit information
detailing every Web
page from home to
checkout
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Menus
• Drop-down menus
encourage effective
site tours
• Should mesh with
information on site
map
• Focus of design: ease
of the customer
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Essentials of Web Content
Transactional Capabilities and Functionality
Links
• Chosen carefully
internally and
externally to a site
• External should be
relevant, interesting
and workable
• Internal should be
functional and timely
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Sidebars
• Enhancement of dropdown menus
• Areas for supportive
ads, widgets, and
external links
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Essentials of Web Content
Transactional Capabilities and
Functionality
• Shopping Cart
Functions
• Enable the checkout
process with minimal
clicks
• Should be fast and
efficient
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Online Communications
• Contact between retailers and consumers—
on Web site, via e-mail, customer service
• Customer directed language used on Web
site—words, phrases, copywriting
• Integrated communications—customer
reviews, blogs, user-to-user events
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Web Site Performance
• Performance requirements:
– Speed and reliability
– Appropriate technology platforms that allow
easy access
– Fully-operative media—streaming video,
sound, 3-D options
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Setting Up an E-Commerce Site
Eight Steps of Web Site Planning
1. Find the Best
Address
– Select URL including
domain name
– Best to include
business name
– Register and list with
major search engines
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2. Construct the Site
– Transactional or
nontransactional
– Provide for collection of
customer information
– Screen for accuracy of
content
– Facilitate customer
contact
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Setting Up an E-Commerce Site
Eight Steps of Web Site Planning
3. My Site or Yours?
– Decide to own server
or share hosting with
ISP
– Shared hosting is less
expensive
– Having a dedicated
server provides more
control
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4. Safe and Secure
– Provide security against
hackers, imposters, and
scammers
– Gain SSL certification
for site
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Setting Up an E-Commerce Site
Eight Steps of Web Site Planning
5. Pay Me Now or Pay
Me Later?
– Select secure and reliable
payment systems
– Stick with established
credit card companies
– Consider prescreening
payment systems like
PayPal
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6. Promote, Promote,
Promote
– Let customers know
your company exists
– Choose established
media and new
alternatives
– Exposure is key
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Setting Up an E-Commerce Site
Eight Steps of Web Site Planning
7. Sell, Sell, Sell
– Make it easy for
customers to shop
online
– Reduce shopping cart
abandonment
– Follow-up with
customers after sale
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8. Evaluate and Update
– Revitalize Web site
when needed
– Seek customer input
– Act on fresh ideas and
viewpoints
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Setting Up an E-Commerce Site
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Advanced Graphic and Interactive
Techniques
• The Web is more complex and more
enjoyable for users
• Capitalize on new graphics, interactive
features, and communication options
• Explore Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 advanced rich
media technologies
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Rich Media and Web 2.0
• Advanced technologies depend on users
ability to access rich media like Flash
• HTML is used to encode content, layout,
and formatting information
• AJAX and XML are advanced codes that
enable many customer-oriented Web
services
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Rich Media and Web 2.0
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Rich Media and Web 2.0
• Web 2.0 encompasses many applications:
– Zoom, product rotation, multiple views
– Personalized functions including blogs, wikis,
podcasts, color identifiers and avatars
– High-quality video, RSS feeds, and tagging
– Embedded image recognition software,
mashups, and microsites
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Web 3.0 Evolution
• Merging of advanced interactive capabilities
and artificial intelligence
• Track correlations between products and
consumers through use of product graphs
• Advances in mobile Web sector
• Possible conflict with data capture and
customer privacy
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Foundations of Online
Communications
Copywriting Across Channels
Structure and Preliminary Activities
• Two types of copy:
– Headline—attention getting word, phrase, or
statement
– Body copy—descriptive words that convey
details about a product
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Pre-Copywriting Preparation
• Gather information including colors, sizes,
prices, materials used, options, and whether
item is on sale
• Decide whether ad is to be product or
institutional
• Define target market
• Include special selling points, benefits to
customer, seasonal tie-ins
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Hints for Creative Writing
• Brainstorm descriptive words and phrases
• Put yourself in the customers’ shoes
• Gain inspiration from Web sites, magazines,
museums, entertainment media, the streets
• Write, rewrite and rewrite again
• Use spell-check and thesaurus tools
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Approaches to Copywriting
• Factual—uses clear, simple language to
describe items and make points
• Narrative—uses a story or narrative to
draw attention to product and customers’
needs
• Emotional—uses charged words and
delivery that draw from human feelings
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Online Copy Guidelines
• Place most important information near top
of Web Page
• Keep body copy to a minimum
• Use bullets, headlines, and subheads to
organize key points
• Factual approach to copywriting may work
best
• Carefully consider use of opening screen:
additional ad or annoyance for customer?
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E-mail Communications
• E-mail
– Key form of direct marketing contact
– Most successful when customer has existing
relation ship with retailer
• Text Messaging
– Widely used mobile form; short and pointed
• Twittering
– Short bursts of news through social networking
sites; great retail potential
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E-mail Communications
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Uses of Live Chat
• Live support useful for customer contact
• In real time customers communicate online
or set up simultaneous telephone
conversations
• Tips from customer service reps can direct
user to part of site previously overlooked
• Empathy may help alleviate shopping cart
abandonment
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Mobile Commerce Communications
• M-commerce is on a growth trajectory
• More retailers are developing mobileenabled Web sites
• Scanning and texting allow for greater
customer interface
• Spoken commands for texting and surfing
are being developed
• Integrating GPS
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Contemporary Personal
Communications
• Blogging—Experiences and expertise shared
through blogs influencing branding and retail
sales
• User-generated reviews—Product reviews
help customers make more informed
shopping decisions
• Web site personalization—Customer
controlled content, design, name recognition
features appeal to online shoppers
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Search Engine Selection and
Maximization
• Online retailers use search to obtain optimal
keyword and positions in paid listings
• Sales increases realized through effective
search engine marketing
• Brand building through heavy exposure is
anticipated
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Types of Search
• Natural or Organic Search Paid Listings
• Contextual Ads
• Paid Inclusion
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Making Search Work
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Choose keywords carefully
Customize descriptions
Empathize with the customer
Use a professional search engine optimizer
Add links; seek publicity, media coverage
Track metrics, keywords used, and customer
conversion rates using free services
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Summary
• Construction of an effective retail Web site
dependent upon artful design and execution,
appropriate technology platforms,
marketing communications, and power of
search
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