Sunday, July 11, 2010

Instill Buyer Confidence and Trust with Current Information

 Clean up, Clean up, Everybody, Everywhere....

Have you browsed your own website recently looking for spills or items left out of place?   If not, this is your reminder!  

Cleaning up our websites is something smart online business owners need to do regularly.   A great idea is to schedule this every 3 months or so on your calender.  

When you don't clean up these small messes, they can easily accumulate into a large mess - from your customer's point of view.     I suspect most online shoppers don't mind an occasional item in an incorrect catagory or an occasional image which overhangs the page layout.   Imagine, though, a customer seeing the exact same same mistake - still there when they return a month later.... that buyer is likely losing confidence in your ability to fill their order promptly and correctly.  

Example:
Someone left their decorations up too long...
Today is July 11th.   I added some items to my cart on an online store's website I'd never heard of before.   On the cart page is the following message (details changed)


Note: PARCEL POST shipments will NOT arrive by December 24th.
PRIORITY MAIL might not arrive by December 24th, especially to states east of the Mississippi,  as we ship from the Los Angeles Area. 

My guess is an old note the seller forgot to remove from the website.  But, I can't help but wonder if the site is now defunct, and I don't much feel like taking the chance with my time or my money.

I've clicked every link I can find, but cannot find any way to contact the site to ask them if they are still in business....  but THAT'S another subject for another day!

Even though I know its smart to shop with small, independant businesses,  I just did not feel comfortable enough to proceed with giving my credit card information, and expecting the items to arrive.      

Next time, 
Ill suggest some specific clean up tasks, to help make your site appear as good as it really is.


Thanks!  (Don't wait... start your clean up now!)


Cindy 

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