I've been shopping on the Internet for years but lately, I've seen a big improvement in how companies are making it easier and easier to become "addicted" to their brand, their web site, and the ease of ordering that was (and still is, in my opinion), pioneered by Amazon.com. This article will give you some tips on how to add this "addictive" feeling to your web site and encourage customers to come back and buy more with each visit.

Make the Transition from Catalog to Web Site Seamless
When I get a catalog in the mail, I usually flip through it at night, mark the items I want to purchase, and go to their web site the next morning. In most cases, I rip out the pages from the catalog and pitch the rest. By the time I get on the web site, the first thing I want to do is "place the order". I don't want to "shop", "browse", or be distracted. So, having the ability to enter the order number for the item I wish to purchase makes me very happy because it saves me time and that's part of the reason I order from the Internet, rather than faxing or phoning. (I can't stand the automated phone systems any more so I refuse to call companies to place orders for anything – I'd rather go to the mall)!

Be Careful What You Ask For
It used to be that all you needed to give a company was your credit card and the shipping address. Now, companies think that they can ask for a lot more information on the Internet. And, if a company "requires" un-necessary information, I often leave the web site without placing the order. To me, asking for my email address is un-necessary. I don't have the time to read their large (and mostly incomprehensible) privacy statement. If they ask me if I want a confirmation that my order has been shipped, I say "no thanks". And, if I give them my email address, they better be careful how they use it because the very first time they "spam" me, they have lost me as a customer. Be sure that you tell your customer, upfront, why you need the information and what you will do with it.

Remember Me – But Only if I Ask for It
How many passwords can we remember in life. According to Al Ries in his book on "Positioning for the Mind", we are capable of remembering only 7 things at a time. I love the web sites that don't make me "register" in order for me to place an order. It shows respect for my privacy and gives me a choice. If it is a company that I do business with over and over again, then I will register since it speeds up my buying time. Empowering your customer is one way to generate brand and web site loyalty.

We Are Impatient
I placed an order on the Danbury Mint site on January 22 (I know, but they had figurine of the 1927 Yankees and I thought my baseball loving husband would love it for Valentines Day – he did). I expected it to be shipped the next day and arrive within a week – plenty of time for February 14th. It did come and so I had to call customer service and when I did, I found out that it didn't ship until February 6th! They sent me an email order confirmation immediately and then took almost 2 weeks to fulfill. I was extremely annoyed and will not order from them again. Understanding Internet shopper's expectations is an important element in your web site sales.

We Look for the Best Price
Personally, I don't use the traditional Internet comparison price web sites but I do have a bias. I believe that the "manufacturer" has the best price and that "distributors" mark up prices in varying degrees. Here's an example. I was on the plane, flipping through a SkyMall Magazine when I saw a baby quilt offered by Lillian Vernon. I ripped out the page and got on the Internet and typed in "lillianvernon.com" to get to the original source for the product. But, when I got there, the quilt was $10.00 more than the same item in the skymall.com site. So, I ordered from SkyMall and thought (How stupid for Lillian Vernon to not only let a partner under-cut their pricing, but also take a percentage of the sale!). And, Lillian Vernon doesn't know I bought something from them. I'm now a customer of SkyMall. How many of your customers are shopping your products and finding lower prices from other suppliers?

We Are Getting Smarter
I received a catalog from "Solutions" and they advertised a shirt made of "SolarVeil", a fabric that acts as a sun screen. I wanted to see other items using that fabric so I fired up Google and wound up on a web site in Washington called wooska.com. It was obvious when I looked at the site that it was a small distributor and not very sophisticated. BUT, they had a Sarong and that's what I wanted. So, in spite of being nervous, I placed my order and I'm pleased to say, I also received it within a week. So, you need to look at your catalog copy and marketing materials so you don't make it too easy for shoppers to go to other places to find similar products!

Internet shopping is still in its infancy and we will continue to learn what works and what doesn't. And, if you are not shopping using the Internet, I suggest you start. There is nothing like being an active participant in the business we are in!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This article was written by Carol Ann Waugh, President of Xcellent Marketing, a marketing and new business development firm specializing in the educational and library market. Xcellent Marketing offers a variety of marketing services to help publishers increase their revenues and profits from identifying new markets, providing critiques of web sites and marketing communications such as direct mail, catalogs, advertisements, etc. as well as developing effective traditional as well as Internet-based marketing plans. Carol can be reached at (303) 388-5215 or at cwaugh@xcellentmarketing.com.