engaging the online consumer

As we begin to launch our own web site (www.businessready.ca) we have been thinking a lot about best practices behind e-commerce drivers. We have some pretty strong opinions on what the user experience should be like (based a lot on your feedback) but we believe there are a few key areas that our customers really care about. Some that probably apply to your customers too:

• The shopping experience should be tailored to your target market (for BR see about me)
• There should be clear categorization as to product types, etc. (we are using just four)
• Order tracking is always key – correct expectation setting is the cornerstone of good business (our store offers direct download but tracking is critical if you ship product)
• In-depth product or service related information (today’s consumers are quite savvy and want to do their own research to suit and fit for their needs – we provide executive abstracts)
• Customer engagement through information on related products and services (we offer a blog, partner page, related sources and links, and advisors)

This last point is critical. Customers who are more involved and connected with a site feel a stronger overall attraction to the company’s core offerings and more likely to buy your products. And staying connected goes both ways. Give your customers a reason to regularly revisit your site to learn new things! Building trust with the online consumer should be first and foremast of your e-commerce strategy. It was for us.