By Nic Lindh on Wednesday, 11 February 2004
Another great article on Ask Tog discussing the various flaws in online ordering systems and how those flaws can keep customers away.
The examples are great eye-openers, and the article should be required reading for anybody setting up a commerce site.
Probably the most important one is the teasing for price that goes on. You see this one all the time on software sites. Product info page shows you the operating system requirements, some screen shots, and a bunch of marketing blah blah which only shows that the company’s marketers have the foggiest of notions about what sets their product apart from the competition. And then you have to click on the Buy now link to be routed to some other site and hopefully find out how much the darn thing even costs. Price matters everywhere, but especially online. Don’t hide that price tag.
On the topic of marketing speak, if you’re selling a complex product, pay the extra money to find people who actually understand that product to put together your marketing literature. And then take away their donut privileges for one week each time they throw in an extraneous buzz-word.