The significant differences between hosted and custom eCommerce website solutions
As eCommerce website design evolves the industry has separated into hosted and custom eCommerce website solutions, both very different from each other. As we explore the differences take into consideration what your goals are for the website your having built in respects to traffic, sales and longevity. We’ll help you in making the correct choice that’ll best fit your goals and budget.

What are hosted eCommerce solutions?
Hosted solutions offer an easy-to-start eCommerce website solution that you can usually get up within a few days, possibility a week or two if you customize the design. The advantage to these premade solutions is they usually cost less to start, which is the main attraction. Aside from this you don’t have to worry about maintenance, updates (assuming your solution of choice updates often) and making sure everything is set up correctly. Again, this can depend on the solution, but since hosted solutions are premade they are often stable and don’t require much attention.

What are disadvantages of hosted solutions?
The main disadvantage with a hosted eCommerce website is that the customer does not own of the website and the code behind the site cannot be modified, making functionality customization nearly impossible. The eCommerce features that come with the website are what you get and custom features cannot be added. Now, this is not always a problem if you’re running a basic store and don’t need a website that offers features that are unique. If you want a website that stands out, looks unique and would allow a web designer to make modifications, a hosted solution is probably not the way you want to go. For a very basic site with a stand eCommerce structure and flow, a hosted solution may work. But, if you want the ability to grow the website and make updates in the future, you’ll probably need to move to a custom solution. If you anticipate this happening it’s better to start with a custom eCommerce website which will allow your website to grow without it needing to be completely redesigned.

SEO for Hosted Solutions – The Struggles
A problem we’ve run into multiple times is the task of performing eCommerce SEO on a hosted solution. We’ve found, nearly 99% of the time, we’ve very limited in what can be changed. Of course changing and tweaking code in the website is essential in the SEO process. The results we’ve seen optimizing hosted solutions have resulted in significantly lower traffic and sales. Also, without the ability to modify code variance testing becomes very difficult. An example of variance testing would be creating multiple versions of the same landing page or product page and comparing statistics on which performs at a higher level. Without the ability to modify code and all design elements creating these pages is usually not a possibility or is very limited.

Custom Developed / Open Source eCommerce Website Solutions
Custom eCommerce websites will allow you, or your developer, to make any changes to the website, given their knowledge or programming, design and SEO. This is an obvious advantage but of course a custom solution also takes more time to set up, additional programming hours and often no type of template solution is used. In the end you’ll pay more upfront for a custom website but you will not have monthly charges as high as a hosted solution. We’ve seen multiple times clients paying over $2,000 a month (without SEO!) for their hosted solution when they have high traffic and sales. Your custom eCommerce site also creates a high-end feel and in the end will provide the functionality you need without the clutter that you don’t. Not to mention you can update it and make changes as you need. Want to try a new checkout system? Not a problem. Need to import and integrate 50 different manufacture databases? Again, not a problem. If custom fits your budget, it’s the way to go and no one will ask you “Do you want fries with that template?”.

Applying the basics to selling online

Good aesthetics and good information are two necessary components to reaching an audience that is constantly bombarded with every kind of advertisement known to man. You have heard that before, right? Do you really believe it? In today’s world of e-commerce and the continual growth of online business, I should hope that people understand the importance of a good homepage, and a good website all together. However, just in case you do not, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Your homepage = your storefront.
Let’s pretend instead of selling things online, you have an actual brick-and-mortar location. You would first have a sign in front of that location, or in the window, or something, right? You would try and make it as nice-looking as possible, right? You would not have snapshot images of vacuum cleaners in the windows of your pet supply store, right?

Your website is the same.  People tend to think that because a website is cheaper to host than having overhead costs, they can skimp on the aesthetic as well. This is a mistake if you want to make any money from your website, and if you do make money from this, you are certainly not maximizing its potential. It kills me when an ecommerce site looks outdated, sloppy, or unorganized.  Your site should only look like that if you are trying to sell outdated, sloppy, or unorganized items.  However, if you are trying to sell nice items worth buying, you need to look like you know what nice is! Otherwise, you will just look like an amateur trying to sell a product you know nothing about.  Shoppers need to be TOLD and SOLD on what looks good and you are not sellin’ anything looking like that!

2. Your online store = your floor layout.
An online store has navigation links guiding shoppers through a site to eventually find what they want and buy. A site without good navigation is like a store with no particular sections dividing their different products, no signage to tell the shopper what they are looking at, blank boxes with white labels but no way to open the box to see what is inside, and a hidden cashier counter…just in case the shopper actually made it to the buying stage.  People are busy. If they cannot find something easily, quickly, and pleasantly, they will go elsewhere….because they know they can.

3. The information you give your users on your website = your sales associates.
Bad information does not help the user buy. Good information, much like a helpful sales associate, answers all of your customer’s questions and guides them to the buying stage, instilling confidence in your customer that they know exactly what they are getting and what they are getting is great.  The information includes options on how many items per page the visitor can view, good product details, product descriptions, reviews, related items, availability, shipping information, sizing information, and high-quality images with multiple views and ZOOM, for goodness sake!

Imagine a clothing company whose product display in their brick-and-mortar store is just like the bad images on their online clothing store.  You walk in and want to see the shirt that they have displayed in their storefront window. The sales associate takes the shirt off of the rack, takes five large steps away from you, turns back around and holds it up for you to look at it. You aren’t allowed to come closer to look at it. You are not allowed to reach out and touch it. The sales associate will not turn the shirt around for you to see the back and she will not hold it closer to you for you to see any details. Oh, and you cannot try it on.  See my point? You would never buy that shirt from them. You would go somewhere else, where you can be sure you know what you are buying.

Never underestimate the power of aesthetics and good information. You are trying to EARN business. Earning it is the only way you are going to get it. To earn it, you must be able to tell AND show them why they need it and what they are getting.  An E-Commerce Website is not yo momma’s brick and mortar store, but many of the old rules still apply. Don’t forget those basic building blocks…and don’t forget to make them pretty!

Contact us at OuterBox Solutions for help and more information.

Social media has quickly become a key element to any successful marketing strategy for online businesses. While most people think that sites like Facebook and Twitter are for only for college kids, they can be used as effective marketing tools to help your company reach out to a much larger audience. Social media can help complement your newly launched eCommerce site, helping your business build links and network throughout the Web.

Twitter has quickly become an excellent tool for businesses to utilize information about their products and services. Major news stations like CNN use Twitter as a way to quickly post news stories and information for “followers” to receive via their iPhone or BlackBerry.

Online businesses for example could post tips about subjects relating to your business, field questions and answers from followers of your Twitter page to talk about your products, or post general information about sales and promotions. It’s all about making connections that help grow your companies’ network.

While creating a blog is an integral part of keeping customers up-to-date on your company, it also gives them the opportunity to bookmark your site from a variety of sources via RSS feeds. Sites like Digg and Del.icio.us utilize the bookmarking of blogs and a site’s newest content. It all makes it easier for customers to track new content, while being able to share that content with others–which will help increase your site’s rankings in the long run. Giving visitors the option to bookmark your blog will help ensure that they will keep coming back to read more.

Facebook is another way to position your company on the Web by creating a profile that showcases your business–another way of posting current information about your business; it also gives you the opportunity to advertise throughout the site. LinkedIn is a more professional, resume-driven alternative to Facebook, giving you a chance to create a professional profile about your company and your employees.

There are too many social media sites and programs to mention here, so you’ll have to investigate what is the best route for your company to go. In short, social media is all about building links and connections to add to your business’s online customer base. Social media is just another way to help you improve the amount of traffic coming to your site on a daily basis, giving visitors the opportunity to stay connected to your site without being on it.

The best part of social media is that it is completely free, and there are no strings attached. When you used correctly social media can be a powerful marketing tool that will help your business grow and reach out to a much larger base than you could ever imagine.

As eCommerce progresses and grows into one of the largest mediums for selling products, web designers are faced with creating ideas on producing higher quality eCommerce websites. The question lies between the effectiveness of witty ideas or clean-cut standard eCommerce development. When taking a look at some of the most effective eCommerce website today, it seems the second has established itself as the winner.

Usability is key in for a successful eCommerce website when a visitor already “knows” how to use your website. There are certain elements, in certain places, that visitors look for, utilize and expect that will always be available.

Following the guidelines below will help your eCommerce website sell at a higher conversion rate and give you the calls of action needed to be successful.

#2: Search - Let Them Find It Easily
When a user is on your site don’t make them work too hard. If they want to find something, be sure a search box is always available. Also, add a link to “advanced” or “detailed” search. A basic search bar doesn’t always bring up everything needed. Allow them to search by price range, category and any other specifications that may be relevant to your industry

#3:Cart Preview - What’s In It?
Be sure to make your cart preview visible from all pages of the website. No one wants to click “view cart” every time they forget what’s been added already or what their total is.

#4:Calls To Action - Make Them Visible
Whether it be your “Add to Cart” button or Phone Number (or both), but sure they stand out. Direct people what to do and how to complete their transaction.

#5:Breadcrumbs - Tell Them Where They Are
It’s much easier for a visitor to navigate when they know where they’re at.

#6:Product Photos - Let Them Zoom!
Usually it’s tough to see the details in product photos. Utilize different zoom features and make the details pop. You know what they say… a photo is worth a 1000 words. Spend the time, and money if necessary, to get photos that will sell.

#7:Payment Options - Offer them!
Having multiple payment options makes a huge difference! Always have an integrated merchant account, such as Authorize.net, but also offer PayPal and Google Checkout. When offering PayPal as an option we’ve seen sales jump by 40% in a month.

#8:Our Price vs. List Price
Be sure to show the difference between your prices and the list price. Hopefully your prices are low (important online) and it’ll give the visitor more incentive to buy from you.

#9: Shipping - Offer Flat Rate ( & Free If Possible)
Offering flat rate shipping makes the checkout process a bit easier and you’ll find you’ll convert better as well. If you have set prices for shipping (ex. $7.99 for orders under $50) you can then show the shipping price on the cart page without the user having to enter in their zip code! The less information someone needs to provide in order to get all of their order details the better. Also, if you can offer free shipping, even if this means adding a bit of cost into the products, this can often increase sales dramatically.

#10:Tabs for Product Details
When listings features, specifications, reviews, additional photos, etc. on a product details page look into using a tab system. A remember, use some JavaScript and don’t make the page refresh each time!

#11: Sales & Promotions
It might seem basic but we’ve seen time and time again sites jump 100% + in sales by running a simple promotion. Whether it’s free shipping, a discount code or basic spring sale, always be running some type of promotion. This brings in the “buy it now” factor and gets users to pull out the plastic!

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1. Your website is hosted with GoDaddy. Just because it’s free, doesn’t mean it’s worth the trade for pop-ups and nasty ad banners to welcome your visitors.

2. Your product pages display, “coming soon” and there is a flashing “road work” sign in the middle of the page. What are you doing!?! That icon is at least 7 years old!

3. Background music is playing. Sorry, music is for elevators and unless your name is Brian Adams, nobody wants to hear your music.

4. “Last Updated March 2001″

5. Your checkout page opens up in five separate windows. Is this even safe?

6. You have a links page with URL’s to all of your competitors. Why are you advertising for them!?!

7. There is a “counter” on the bottom left of all your pages, letting the visitor know they are the 13th person to view your site since 2004.

8. A starburst graphic is claiming that the Webmaster, who built your site in 1997, won an award. Award for what? Please do them a favor and save them the from the embarrassment of their first HTML project..ever

9. There is a disclaimer at the footer that says “Designed for Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.x” Why? You’re loosing over 40% of potential visitors because they’re using a different web browser.

10. Your contact email address is Jeff2285370923857134593485793@yahoo.com.

If you made it through without your website meeting any of these characteristics on the list, Congratulations! But, you’ll still need a new website in the next 2-3 years.

For the unfortunate, please contact us. We’re here to help!  

Found on local news station in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m not sure where they found this plane crash icon, but either someone needs to upgrade their version of paint or stop using gif’s from the 90’s.

Click for the larger version. Found at a camping resort in Ohio. The first sentence in the middle is missing a question mark and I do not believe the “22th” is correct…

Found inside a gun range. Not sure of the location, this one was taken off of a reality TV show.

I’m not too sure who designed this. I guess a 1st grader won the contest.
Found in a grocery store in TN.

When designing websites and talking marketing with certain clients or prospects, often they will mention “Word of mouth is the only advertising we do.” This may be in response to the question, “Are you interested in search engine marketing”, “Do rankings matter to you” or “What is your general business marketing strategy”.

We all know that word of mouth works and a referral is much more beneficial than someone finding you in the Yellow Pages (any one use that anymore?). Word of mouth converts because it is a direct referral and someone saying, “This company is good”. So, what if you can only grow your business to a certain point on word of mouth referrals? This strategy may hit a pinnacle at some point and you’ll need to look into other advertising methods to continue on-going growth. What we need to think is “Who else could refer potential customers to me?” At this point you may think, “Let’s hire another salesman”… and guess what, I’ve got the best salesman you could ever ask for.

His (maybe her?) name is Google. If someone is looking for a Home Builder, for example, they may go to Google and search “Home Builder Cleveland Ohio”. You’ll get results on the left hand side (Google picks these) and results on the right, called “Sponsored Listings”. What we’re focusing on are the listings on the left hand side, and we should focus on them considering nearly 80% of people visit those listings only.

The websites that appear on the left hand side of Google are the sites that Google feels are best. You cannot pay to be there and you cannot beg to be there (I’ve seen people try). The only way for Google to list your website is for your website to have the qualities that Google is looking for. These qualities, from a basic standpoint include:

• Content relevant to your business and the keywords related to your business
• A decent amount of content (1 paragraph or a few pages usually won’t cut it)
• Other websites linking to yours
• A website that is built properly and coded correctly

Of course there is more that goes into search engine optimization, but right now we’re dealing with why it’s important, not how to make it happen.

OK. Why does this matter?

If you haven’t put together the title of this post yet and figured out why ranking in Google is important, let me tell you. Google is your new salesman. The new guy saying, “You need someone? I know the perfect person!”. All Google does is refer new potential customers and clients to your website, 24 hours a day. We’ve built our business on it and it works. We have clients all the time saying, “We found you at the top of the search engines” and they trust us because Google has referred them. No one wants to work with a company that is not trusted and this is why PPC (pay-per-click) and sponsored listings can only take you so far. Not everyone wants to chose a company based on an ad. They want a referral and Google will provide it.

Google has a big mouth and is screaming from the rooftop. Is it yelling your name?