E-commerce - Ingredients for success

1) Post Contact Information

The following information should be posted to the website in an intuitive location:

  • A corporate address
  • Product return address
  • An e-mail address
  • A toll-free number

2) Hire Knowledgeable People to Take Phone Calls

Consumers shopping online have the same number of questions as regular retail customers - perhaps even more. It is important to maintain a well-trained and knowledgeable staff of people to answer phones. The more these receptionists assist consumers the better the conversion rates and repeat buying. It is also important to provide incentives for your staff to cross-sell and up-sell products.

3) Big Fonts and Big Pictures Pay Off

Isn't it frustrating when you click an image to enlarge an image and it loads the same size? Since customers can't pick up the item (like in a retail store) it is important to show detailed pictures. Large keyword fonts also assist intuitive navigation (and Google loves big, bold fonts) !

4) Be Prepared

If you are trying to get on-line for the Christmas season, don't wait until November to build your online store. It takes months to earn solid positioning in Google. Once you are up and running, make sure you have allocated the proper resources for the Christmas season. Your site's traffic should increase 4-fold during peak Holiday months.

5) Befriend the Postman

It is imperative that your e-business delivers packages on time. It's even more important that your products arrive in one piece. Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than late arrivals and damaged goods.

6) Make Return Policies Easy and Fair

Maintain a return policy that benefits the end user. It is important to include return labels with the packaging, and provide refunds when requested. Repeat business is your best business. Do what it takes to benefit your customers. Next time they shop they will order from your shopping cart - not someone else's.

7) Simplify your Storefront

Customers will wait, on average, no more than 10 seconds per page to download before they choose to shop another web store. Remove graphics that take forever and a day to download, and avoid animated clip and annoying music.

8) Intuitive Navigation

Eliminate unnecessary clicks. By reducing the number of clicks needed to complete a shopping cart transaction your conversion rates will increase.

Exercises

Give synonyms

corporation (US) = (GB)

to post =

knowledgeable (4) =

to hire =

to maintain =

to assist (2) =

staff (3) =

up and running (2) =

4-fold =

to befriend =

to pay back (3) =

to advantage (2) =

video (2) =

to fire (3) =

to pay off =

to eliminate =

a package =

Give antonyms

to hire (4) 

a lay-off 

to increase 

to download 

following (2) 

better 

to downsize (2) 

Principals

to know
garder
paid
tried
to build
faire (concret)
did
run

Give the name of each intermediate between the maker and the end user + translate

producer

…………………………….

…………………………….

……………………………. = ……………………………. = …………………………….

How do you call … ?

the selling of services in addition to the services normally associated with a particular business or organization, e.g. the selling of insurance by banks to existing customers

=

the attempt to persuade a customer to purchase a more expensive item

=

Word formation : -free

cost ( = frais) + free = cost-free ( = sans frais)

duty 

hands 

ice 

lead 

sugar 

tax 

crime 

interest 

toll 

Translate into English

1. Vous devriez afficher l'adresse de votre société sur votre site web.

2. Il est important d'engager du personnel compétent et bien formé.

3. N'attendez pas trop longtemps avant de construire votre magasin en ligne.

4. Pendant les fêtes de fin d'année, vos ventes devraient être multipliées par 5.

5. Il est impératif que vos produits arrivent à temps et en bon état.

6. En moyenne, un client n'attend pas plus de 10 secondes le chargement d'une page.

7. Pour augmenter votre taux de conversion, supprimer toutes les manipulations inutiles.

8. La vente incitative consiste à proposer au prospect d'acheter un produit plus cher.

9. La vente croisée signifie la vente de produits ou de services en plus de ceux normalement associés à une entreprise particulière.

10. Très souvent, les banques essayent de vendre à leurs clients des produits d'assurance.