Electronic Retailing Selling on the Internet

Source: NUA Internet SurveysNUA Internet Surveys

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  What is E-Commerce? “Conducting financial transactions by electronic means” “Harnessing the power of the Internet to help you make money more effectively and efficiently” Source: Cobb Microenterprise Center

. com Static Interactive Transactional Integrated Access Advertising n Marketing n Information No Capability No company web site n Can access other sites Registration n Forms n Online orders, payments n Order tracking, queries n Funds transfer End-to-end n Fulfillment n Workflow E-Commerce Roadmap Legend n - Functions at Level  - Requirements to achieve next level  Internet access through ISP  accounts  Web site  Content development & updates  Web site connectivity to database application(s) and accounts  Secure transaction processing  Online payment authorization  Authentication and validation  Seamless connectivity to back-end system(s)  Minimize/eliminate manual input on transactions.  B2B automated processes Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Adapted from: While developing an E- Commerce presence, it is important to know where you are now as well as the appropriate destination for your business.

Small Businesses: Using the Internet Source: Virginia Microenterprise Network Regional Conference

Small Businesses Conducting e-Commerce Source: Virginia Microenterprise Network Regional Conference

Small Business: e-Commerce Revenues $ billions Source: Virginia Microenterprise Network Regional Conference

Source: NUA Internet SurveysNUA Internet Surveys

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Products/Services not easily sold on web  Upfront costs  Maintenance/upgrade costs  Lack of in-house tech support  Online security issues Reasons some do not sell online...

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What people are buying on the Web... Airline tickets Hotel reservations Computer hardware Apparel Consumer electronics Car rental Health/Beauty Books Music Computer software Jewelry Toys/Video games Food/Beverages Office supplies Flowers Linens/Home decorations Sporting goods Videos Appliances Furniture Tools/Hardware Footwear Small appliances Garden supplies Reference: ForresterForrester

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Know why you are on the Web???

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  To make money ?  To disseminate information ?  To stroke your own ego ? Reference: Flanders/Willis; Web Usability Specialists

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet The Internet Market Channel

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet "With few other sectors of the economy turning in double-digit growth, the Web continues to offer compelling opportunities as a sales and marketing channel." comScore Media Metrix

Getting Started

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Who is going to design, build, and maintain the site??? In-house vs. Outsourcing

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Outsourcing... Know who you are hiring!... and get it in writing!!!

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What do you need for an e-commerce site... Domain name Web site/store Web server/host Site marketing

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What’s in a name??? EVERYTHING!!!

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What do you need for an e-commerce site... Domain name Web site/store Web server/host Site marketing

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What do you need for an e-commerce site??? Web store Online product catalog Shopping model/Ordering system Merchant account/Payment processing Customer communication system Tracking system

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What do you need for an e-commerce site... Domain name Web site/store Web server/host Site marketing

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Internet Service Provider ISP

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Setup fee  Monthly fee  Domain name  Storage space  Website builder  Operating system  Provider History  Technical support  Site traffic report  Technical support  addresses  E-Commerce capable  Business management tools  Portfolio Hosting Service Criteria

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet What do you need for an e-commerce site... Domain name Web site/store Web server/host Site marketing

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Common Mistakes... Bad domain names Somebody’s cousin built it Somebody’s cousin hosts it Only webmaster can make changes Hokey unprofessional design Too slow to download Not organized properly Stale content

What do E-Customers Want?

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Reasons Why People Shop the Web... Easy to place an order Large selection of products Cheaper prices Faster service and delivery Detailed and clear product information No sales pressure Easy payment procedure Reference:

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Factors driving repeat visits to a Web site... High quality content Ease of use Minimal download time Updated often Reference: Forrester Survey; 1999Forrester

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet The key is consumer confidence...  Fun and easy to navigate sites  Pages that appear professional  Clear and accurate product information and representation  Real time answers through self help features, , and a toll-free telephone number

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet The key is consumer confidence...  Good prices and clear representation of all charges  Payment options  Secure transactions  Easy to use return or exchange policy  Quick processing time and delivery  Shopper privacy

Navigation

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Navigational Tools  Location  Consistency

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Where am I?  Where have I been?  Where can I go? Don’t make me think!!!

3 clicks and you’re out!

Professional Pages

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet “People want to do business with people they believe to be professional.” Reference: Flanders/Willis; Web Usability Specialists

Product Information

Customer Assistance

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet   Telephone number  Fax  Snail Mail Contact Us:

Ordering Process

Payment Options

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Methods...  Snail Mail  Telephone  Fax  Online

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Check  Money Order  Purchase Order  Credit Card  Intermediary With...

Secure Transactions

Shopper Privacy

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Privacy disclosure...  Data gathered  Use of information  Disclosure of information  Protection of information  Use of cookies and tracking  Access to account information  Customer consent  Customer input - Tell us what you think?

Customer Service

Technical and Design Considerations

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Elements to consider...  Bandwidth  Browser compatibility  Color palette  Continuity  Frames  Homepage

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Elements to consider...  User Interface  Screen compatibility  Readability  Text only default  Accessibility

Bandwidth

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Download time...  1-2 seconds  < 13 seconds  > 20 GONE!

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Decrease download time by...  designing for 56k modem  keeping page sizes <50k  applying the KISS rule

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet “Remove graphic; increase traffic. It’s that simple.” Reference: Dr. Jakob Nielsen; Web Usability Specialist;

Browser Compatibility

NETSCAPE EXPLORER

NETSCAPE EXPLORER

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Browser Testing - view your site in as many browsers as possible:  Netscape  Explorer  AOL  Web TV  Lynx

Color Palette

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Artistic  Cultural  Sales  Technical Color Considerations...

Black – United States & Europe White White – China & Japan Yellow Yellow – Egypt & Burma Purple Purple – Thailand Blue Blue – Iran Red Red – South Africa

Continuity

Home Page

User Interface

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  Usernomics  User Interface Design  Human-Computer Interface

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet You need... good technology, and usability... for a successful web site.

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet How are your customers accessing your site?  Desktop  Laptop  Hand-held  Web TV

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet How are your customers accessing your site?  PC  Mac

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Recommendation...  Specify pages in terms that enable browsers to optimize the display for each individual user’s circumstance

Readability

How’s this for readability?

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet Recommendations...  Good background/text contrast  Avoid patterned backgrounds  Easy to read fonts  Make words count  Short paragraphs  Bulleted lists

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet

Text Only Default

Accessibility

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet  The visually impaired use special readers that read only text.  Blinking text can trigger seizures in some visitors.  Poor color choices may render text unreadable to color blind visitors.  Mouse-dependent site navigation can be difficult for visitors with physical limitations.  Information contained in sound clips is inaccessible to hearing-impaired visitors. For Example...

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet The Law: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Business Management

E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet The Bottom Line...  Getting customers to come to your site,  Getting customers to make a purchase once they get to your site, and  Getting customers to return to your site and purchase again, again, and again!

Resource Business to Consumer E-Commerce: Selling on the Internet

Beth Duncan, Ph.D. Small Business Specialist Mississippi State University Extension Service