Conversions are a result of demand, pricing, shopability and ease of checkout. It’s the topic of my next course at Practical eCommerce: Converting Visitors to Buyers.

Thanks to the powers that be, I’m giving away two seats for Thursday (Nov. 10) at 11 a.m. EST.

How do you get the freebie? Simple… Just leave a comment below telling me why you need the class (i.e. Traffic is good, sales suck).

On Wednesday afternoon, I’ll pick the two storeowners at random and will post the results, and send you an email.

To be fair, all entrants must be the store owner or an employee of the store’s company. The store must be live and must actually receive traffic, so post the URL.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/11/07.
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Post tags: contests, conversions, Ecommerce, shopability

My mother is an avid crocheter and quilter. She’s also a mean knitter, sewer and maker of a killer Mac and Cheese (as a meal). She crocheted me a ’70s-style hat and scarf to take back to Florida, where the needle’s already tipping into the 50s.

My mom has a knack for making stylish gifts that please.

How does my new gift relate to business success? Mom’s actions were similar to any company wanting to reach the goal of supplying something in demand. Here’s how:

• She identified the problem: It’s getting chilly.
• She identified the need: I will need to stay warm when I walk the dog.
• She identified the want: I could get a low-end, non-stylish hat just about anywhere, but I’d prefer something fashionable.
• She identified what I was willing to pay: Okay, in this case it was nothing, but only because my mother would never even let me reimburse her for supplies.
• She identified what’s popular: Similar handmade cotton hat and scarf sets go for $30 to $60 on Etsy.
• She played the scarcity card: She only made a few in this particular color, which is a unique blend of greens and white (variegated).(For those crafty types, she used BERNAT handicrafter cotton.)
• She addressed long-term use issues: It’s made of cotton, so I can wash it on a gentle cycle. If I take care of the set, it should last for many years.

There are other accomplishments which weren’t necessarily part of her goals:

• She’s built a loyal customer base: Not only do family and friends appreciate her work, fellow crafters and visitors to local craft shows admire her work.
• She gets people to talk about her: My sharing photos of her quilts and other crafts across my social media channels (which garners re-posts) proves it!
• She’s established a brand: In her neck of the woods people recognize her name.
• She’s created demand: Despite the fact she doesn’t take orders (she uses her own discretion), she is often asked to create specific items using specific patterns.

If my mother were a business, she’d set a great example of how to engage consumers, make people talk, and build a loyal customer base.

The most compelling reason she’d be a true success, however, is because she simply loves what she does. And those of us who benefit from her work do, too.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/10/22.
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Post tags: business, Ecommerce, marketing

Shoppers are quickly reminded that Christmas is less than 10 weeks away, and they’ll be combing online resources and stores to find the best deals. Key decision-making offers include free or discounted shipping, bonus gifts, per-item specials and return policies.

Your goal, however, shouldn’t solely be focused on selling to the largest number of people. More items per order garners higher profits.

Multi-item purchasing means less time spent processing and shipping orders, providing maximum benefits per transaction.

Read article at Practical eCommerce >>

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/10/21.
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Post tags: Ecommerce, marketing, practical ecommerce

PayPal later became the norm for eBay and large etailers because it allowed people without credit cards to shop online.

Today, more and more online consumers are flocking to payment methods they feel provide the most security. Ideally, this includes methods that rely on users logging into third-party sites they trust, which, in turn, provide merchants with only a transaction number.

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/06/24.
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Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, practical ecommerce

I am not alone…

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/05/27.
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Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, mobile commerce, practical ecommerce, smartphone

Your return policy can make or break a sale all on its own. Consumers want to feel comfortable about their purchases, and part of that comfort is knowing they can reach out to you if there’s a problem.

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/05/19.
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Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, practical ecommerce

eCommerce, especially for small business, is an ever-changing industry. It’s more than just the maintenance of an online store. Marketing, via advertising and social media, is key, as is staying compliant. I follow scores of accounts to keep abreast of the latest news, and here’s just a handful of them:

• Practical eCommerce (@practicalecomm) Whether you’re just starting out, or are a seasoned store owner, Practical eCommerce brings you the latest news, reviews and real insight into the world of ecommerce. Definitely visit the web site and subscribe to the RSS feed.
• Shop.org (@shoporg) While the Shop.org web site can be difficult to follow (and many articles won’t apply to smaller businesses), their tweets provide some great info in the world of online retail.
• ShopTab (@shoptab) The creators of the Facebook ShopTab App tweet many tips and tricks about increasing sales.
• ZippyCart (@zippycart) provides research and reviews of ecommerce solutions, as well as useful links to key news via their Twitter feed. Visit site ->
• eMarketer (@emarketer) focuses on digital marketing, media and commerce. Though not directly targeting small biz ecommerce, many of their posts and articles can apply to the little guy (or, at least, give some good ideas for increasing revenue). Visit site ->

As always, there are plenty of folk worthy of mention. I’ll be posting more eCommerce accounts to follow in the future… Do you have a must-follow eCommerce-dedicated account you follow? Comment below.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/05/06.
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Post tags: #FF5, Ecommerce, practical ecommerce

It’s okay to ask for them…

For every complaint you hear, there are at least ten consumers who walked away silently. Later, perhaps, they’ll complain about you to their friends or on Facebook, but the majority of customers who feel they’ve been done wrong will never take the time to tell you.

The same can be said for enjoyable experiences. It’s a small percentage of happy customers who will invest the effort to write you (or post directly to your social media account). A thrilling experience doesn’t always trigger a promotional response. Still, that doesn’t mean people aren’t willing to oblige when asked.

How to Ask for a Testimonial

First and foremost, don’t follow the example of what I call “eBay stuck-ups”. These sellers – often using bold, large type – explain that they will only give positive feedback if it’s first received. In their minds, the two-way street starts with the consumer taking first action. Note: These sellers never get feedback from me at all, because my testimonials are not for sale.

Instead, initiate contact by first thanking the customer, and ensuring him/her that you’re available should there be any questions. Use positive verbiage without drawing too much attention to yourself.

Try this:

Thanks again for shopping with XYZ-Store! We truly appreciate your business. We’re available to answer any questions you may have (you can reply to this email or visit our contact page).

We rely on our customers for our continued success. We hope you’ll consider posting a testimonial about your experience so others may understand what to expect when shopping with us.

Simple and to the point. Notice there’s no incentive other than them helping you succeed. Companies shouldn’t buy testimonials. It makes them worthless. And, yes, businesses found to have jimmied, faked or otherwise offered goods in return for a great rating risk losing more than just their credibility. Because, as luck would have it, shady business tactics gain the most attention in our social world.

When should you ask for this all-important feedback? Ten to 14 days after the shipment has been received. Be sure to consider order processing and shipping times. So, if an order typically takes one day to process and three days to reach the customer, your default follow-up time would be 14-18 days. You want to give the customer time to open the package (hey, people get busy; I’ve been known to wait a week before opening a box) and use the product.

Remember these important tips as well:

• Post a Disclaimer–be sure to tell the customer you may use their comments in any and all promotional materials for the business. Also state that it’s possible that their testimonial may not be used.
• Edit Carefully–The only time you should modify a testimonial is to correct spelling, glaring grammatical errors (you don’t want the customer to feel stupid) and to hyperlink to any specifically named products. Anything beyond that and you need to ask the customer (or ditch the comment altogether).
• Avoid Posting Overly Gratuitous Prose–A testimonial should convey a customer’s satisfaction, trust and likelihood of using your services again. However, some customers think it’s better to go way over-the-top. These types of statements can appear made-up. If you know the customer well, you may want to ask him or her to tone it down. Otherwise, file it away for private ego-boosting.

One last thing. Be careful with automation tools. You definitely want a way to remove a message out of the send queue to avoid contacting customers whose orders were canceled or those who expressed they had a bad experience. You don’t want to initiate a negative response due to carelessness or an automated feedback query.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/04/21.
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Post tags: communication, conversion, Ecommerce, marketing

From May 3-26, more than 20 key players in the business will be sharing their methods, predictions and statistics. I attended the summit last year and walked away armed with tons of new ideas, some merely triggered by case studies totally unrelated to my work.

The organizers make it simple. Presentations (which include Q&A) are scheduled throughout the month, which helps ease the burden of information overload. If you miss a session, or just want to see it again, you get access to replays. SMSS is actually the first online “big” event I’ve attended where I didn’t feel pressed for time to get in and out of education panels.

Many of you have been asking me if the summit is worth the cost. Since no travel or accommodation costs are involved – no one is going to judge you if you’re sitting in your jammies eating M&Ms (yes, guilty) – there’s no worries about connecting flights or lost reservations.

But, seriously, if you want to gain more customers and brand recognition, it makes sense to understand what tools are available, how to use them, and how some companies went about making their mark. The sessions are designed to guide you down a logical path. It’s also a great opportunity to hear speakers you might not otherwise have the chance to experience.

Of course, like anything else, if you can walk away with just one, really good idea, it wasn’t at all for naught.

Learn more…

I pay for my own attendance to this event. However, I do use an affiliate link in this post.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/04/14.
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Post tags: Ecommerce, facebook, marketing, social media, twitter

The first time I tried Snagit (TechSmith) was to take screen shots of the Miva Merchant admin when writing the official guide to the software. I’d previously paid someone to capture screens for me, but it was tedious to work with an obscure file naming scheme, and counterproductive when I needed to move things around. Snagit allowed me to capture what I needed, at different resolutions. It was a simple program, and quite inexpensive.

If PhotoShop is too rich, or overkill for your work, try Snagit. It boasts many standard tools, including drop shadows, filters and watermarking.

Snagit is still affordable (currently $49.95), but now boasts hordes of tools for simple and on-the-fly graphics editing. I used to “snag” the screen and use PhotoShop to resize, add effects and run filters. Now, I can edit most images for this site from within Snagit itself. And, yes, I can also work with images never captured through the software.

The beauty of Snagit, however, is not just what I can capture, but how… Not only can you grab pages via a scrolling window method, Snagit can capture entire web pages with links intact. This is quite useful when I need to archive a page before modifications, or, unfortunately, when I need to capture a site that’s ripped off my work. You can also set up custom profiles for capturing at specific resolutions or percentages.

Default, basic capture profiles are sufficient for most. When you want to do something special, though, you can create custom settings.

The ability to use output commands is a plus. Snagit can launch virtually any program (including email and FTP) to attach or upload images. It can also output to Excel, Word and PowerPoint (to name a few). Need to include the graphic with a description in a new Word document? Just choose “New Document” from the drop down.

Output files to email, FTP, documents and more. You can even customize outputs to specific programs. If that weren't enough, you can also download "stamps" for marking up images.

And, while I’ve always had an affinity for Google’s Picasa and Adobe Bridge, Snagit’s image library feature is more than sufficient for those wanting a single tool to handle it all.

I first used Snagit more than five years ago. Price wasn’t the deciding factor for me. After all, I have always needed tools that get the job done and save me time. It just so happens that Snagit fit the bill across the board.

Snagit is available for both PC and MAC, and is available for trial or purchase directly from TechSmith.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/04/14.
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Post tags: Ecommerce, organization, web design