Comments on: How To Make Things “Right” On Your Site…

By: Sherry Chiger

Sherry Chiger — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:12:09 +0000

It used to be a truism that Valentine’s Day candy gift boxes targeting less-affluent customers were more expensive to produce than those for upscale customers, even though the latter were priced much higher. That was because the candy was by-and-large the same but the packaging for the downscale buyers needed more bows and glitter and furbelows. It’s all about perception, no?

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:54:08 +0000

Hi Kelly…. You should have e-mail sign-ups on your site more than once. The reason it’s important that you have at least one box in your lefthand column is that it’s pretty much a guarantee that the user will see it. If you put it in the righthand column only, they may see it just before they leave — in other words, when they’re completely exasperated with your site. Needless to say, the more you ask for the e-mail, the better your chance of getting it is so I recommend you put in at least a few places PER view. Thanks, as always, for posting here.

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:49:50 +0000

Thanks Debra! I always love your carriage return reminder — so few sites actually remember stuff like that! It also continues to blow me away how many companies do not pre-populate fields ESPECIALLY when it comes to repeat visitors and abandoned carts. The quickest way to get an order you ALMOST already had (in other words, just lost) is to not ask them the same damn questions again!

By: Debra Ellis

Debra Ellis — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:29:20 +0000

The library/bookstore comment still haunts me (in a good way). Every time I think about it, I come up with new ideas for my site. Thank you, Amy for keeping me on my toes.

The easier it is to get from entry to check out, the more likely I’ll complete an order. So why is it that so many websites make it hard to get through the process?

Simple things like an automatic carriage return for telephone numbers, prepopulating fields when the information is available, and NEVER requiring the same information to be entered twice make the shopping experience much better.

By: Z. Kelly Queijo

Z. Kelly Queijo — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:55:57 +0000

Never enough outlets in the right place. Ironically, I just read a post on the TravelingMom site about a mom who always packs a power strip (disclosure: I will start blogging for TMOM this month, so I have been spending lots of time on their site — that said, having a power strip in a hotel room is a great idea, but having to bring one with you means the hotel is not meeting your needs). Hotels and web sites that meet needs are worth visiting and re-visiting. If moving the subscribe box on my site means I’m meeting the needs of my users/visitors, then I’ll willingly comply. What’s interesting about this though, someone like me has to learn from experts that the location of the signup box matters. It’s not something my users can tell me — directly — that is. Wait, now you’re going to say if no one is signing up, then maybe you should move the box, change the text, color,… ah, I get it now.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:39:15 +0000

I knew someone was going to nail me on the “success” comment. Perhaps you’re right — that it was the wrong word choice — but it is the right sentiment. Plus, if they cared about bottom line dollars, they could have them. It’s just not their thing. (Kind of like Patagonia with their whole we-limit-our-growth schtick that makes me want to smack someone! HARD.) Thanks for being here Rick!

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:33:50 +0000

Totally agree about Hilton. When I talk about them, someone typically yaps that I am biased because I am a Hilton Diamond member but I truly believe that they’re one of the most consistent brands out there in what they provide to their target markets.

By: Rick Isenberg

Rick Isenberg — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:30:27 +0000

And I love how among Hilton’s brands, the cheapest have the best internet capability, and it’s FREE.

By: Rick Isenberg

Rick Isenberg — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:29:32 +0000

What’s “successful”? Last time I checked, Craigslist (which I’ve used very successfully to get rid of all kinds of things) isn’t a highly profitable business… Success, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. If you’re a site that cares about the bottom line of a P&L, you need to convert visitors to buyers and put dollars on the bottom line. Unless of course you’re just selling ad space and generating revenue from impressions.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:05:30 +0000

Yowza! The infamous Disa Johnson from Search Return reads my QLOG? How cool is that? Thanks for the comment. It’s nice to see you here…