Comment: Now we're a nation of Tweeters
Jul 2 2009 by David Haywood Smith, The Journal
SELLING online has never been easier. Free software and simple payment systems mean you can set up a transactional website in no time.
Inevitably, the low barrier to entry results in thousands of e-commerce websites vying for your attention, which forces leading players to up their game. Here are some examples of how they are going about it.
There are many channels online retailers can use to attract customers. Smart e-tailers will experiment with lots of channels and see what works. Four obvious choices are blogging, Twitter, email newsletters and Facebook.
Local grocery retailer EthicalSuperstore.com uses its blog (EthicalSuperstore.com/blog) not just to promote new products but also to discuss issues and events in the wider community. Recent posts included “Our Green Motoring Dilemma” and “Can Fizzy Drinks Ever Be Ethical?”
EthicalSuperstore also has a presence on the microblogging platform Twitter.com (Twitter.com/ ethicalstore) where it has amassed an impressive 2,500 followers by posting news, updates and offers. It also uses Twitter to chat to customers direct.
Gadget retailer Firebox.com sends out email newsletters every month featuring products, deals, puzzle corner and customer reviews. Well-written, regular emails help keep the brand in the minds of potential customers.
Firebox also started using its Facebook fan page to great effect. It promotes products, imports content from the Firebox blog and uses it to run competitions for customers.
Attracting visitors to a website is only half the battle. Converting them into paying customers is just as important.
In a recent post on TechCrunch, Jamie Murray Wells, founder of Glasses Direct, suggests the old cornerstones of price, range and convenience are no longer enough to attract customers online. The focus must now be on great customer service and technological innovation.
By way of example, fashion retailer ASOS has catwalk videos on most product pages so shoppers can get a feel for what the products look like. Upmarket furniture retailer Heals has interactive Flash content by 10CMS which lets customers browse big, beautiful photographs and click through to individual products.
Another trend to watch is social commerce – merging of e-commerce sites and social networks. At wishli.st we are launching functionality to help retailers bring a social element to sites.
David Haywood Smith is the founder of wishli.st (http://wishli.st/ ). Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DHS
