May 26, 2010 by Jill Anderson
Aaron -
I am the Executive Director for Development for the world’s largest YMCA Conference Center and we operate a $29 million dollar budget. Our rich 104-year history is something we treasure and work to improve the future for everyday. With over 250,000 guests staying at our two properties in Colorado, it is vital for us to turn those great guest experiences into valued members and future donors. Our online giving options have proven very successful and something our prospects have been very happy …
May 26, 2010 by Aaron Rubman
“E-Commerce… consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet….” - Wikipedia
Since the underlying principles of the digital and physical marketplaces are the same, there are a number of lessons you can take from one to the other.
Here are four key elements of e-commerce drawn from the needs of brick-and-mortar businesses and enhanced by technology.
Online Storefront - The Product Manager
The online storefront is your digital place of business. As with any business you want to customize it to fit your customers’ buying habits, your chosen branding, and the logistical needs …
Apr 10, 2009 by Marissa Berger
Just because your visitor has arrived to a specific product page, it doesn’t mean he will add the product to the cart. The product detail page needs to continue the conversion effort that the landing page and the category page started.
On this page, visitors will explore your offer more closely.
In terms of the product, you want to provide:
- A large enough photo (or a link to enlarge)
- Alternative photos if applicable (different angles, colors, etc.)
- Main product features and benefits
- Product options or accessories
- Price, availability, or sale/discount options
- Customer testimonials
- Product warranty/support options
Out of the list above, the product photo may be the most …
Apr 9, 2009 by Marissa Berger
Online store category pages are crucial in helping the visitor:
- focus on the items he is interested in
- choose what he wants to learn about next
- guide the visitor one step closer to making a buying decision
We are so used to category pages that we take them for granted… until they are not there. They act like filters, grouping items in ways that make sense to us. They show a list of items with something in common, basic information about the items, and ways to sort the list itself (by price, color, size, etc.).
Category pages answer the following questions:
Apr 8, 2009 by Marissa Berger
A landing page has the tough job of:
- keeping the visitor’s attention on the offer so he doesn’t immediately leave
- increasing or re-enforcing his interest after he has chosen to stay on the page
- guiding the visitor to take action.
Since every visitor is different, landing pages do indeed have a tough job. Their design has to be very well thought out for them to perform well.
Here are some guidelines to follow when designing a landing page:
1. Make sure it looks professional, credible, and industry appropriate. Your landing page might be the first impression a visitor has of your company. It needs to match …
Feb 3, 2009 by Marissa Berger
What makes visitors prefer one online store over another? Its simplicity and ease of use. A lot of planning goes on behind the scenes to make a checkout process user-friendly and inviting. Such planning starts with answering key questions about usage and management requirements.
How will you organize your products?
Organizing your products into categories is key. You should consider having products show up in several categories. For example, a book can show up under “fiction”, “mystery”, “bestsellers”, “gifts”, and even “books under $20″. The key is to put yourself in the shoes of …
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