What the hell is going on!? After doing some research and looking at a few bad websites, here are my 10 DON’TS of e-commerce websites. They are in no order of importance.
(1) Not updated regularly
• Not updating your e-commerce website regularly just goes to show how much you care about your business or want your customers to know what you’re up to. Thus, it fails to inform customers about the latest and newest happenings and services you provide.
• E .g – FOREWORD COMMUNICATIONS PR WEB PAGE.
This page has not been updated for nearly three years. There are no updated testimonials (last was in 2000). Also, there are no updated event showcases since 2005!
(2) No Sale
• Things never go on sale on the web page. This is key because customers are always looking for a good deal considering the fact that they cannot feel the product when wanting to purchase it.
• E.g – French Label A.P.C jeans NEVER have any sale no matter the time of the year.
(3) Bad navigation
• Visitors to the web page get lost in the website. They do not know how to find a particular page and the design of the web site makes navigation extremely inefficient and confusing. This is also known as Mystery Meat Navigation.
• E. g – University of Calgary webpage.
(4) Music that loads automatically
• Visitors do not like the fact that music is played on almost every other page of your website. How do you know if viewers would appreciate your music? Moreover, it gets REALLY annoying if it does not enhance or is compatible with the products you’re selling.
• E.g. - Cherokee Rose Border Collies (Navigating the website only makes you want to yell at the designer)
(5) Pop ups everywhere
• Imagine having to close a pop up each time you try to navigate to another web page. Excessive Pop-ups make the website very distracting and difficult to navigate.
• E.g. – Toy Joy’s website
Worthy winners of the 2008 worst website tag. Pop-up appears on every single different page. Worst still, the navigation buttons mean nothing to the visitors.
(6) No information about site owners
• This negligible act shouts “no credibility”. It does not tell the visitor who they are dealing with nor does it provide any security. This is an absolutely turn off for any visitor and a website without information about its users is destined for disaster.
Did Casper create this web page?!(7) Difficulty locating the checkout button
• Interestingly, I haven’t come across such bamboozling in a web page. But just imagine the consequences that may follow when you can’t locate where to process your order. NO BUSINESS.
(8) No information on return policy
• Having no information on this is dodgy. Buying goods online is already difficult as customers may not be able to tell if the material or fit of the apparel is suited for them. Some websites even rush their customers to return within 3 days which is not the best way to draw interest in your site or goods.
(9) Links that do not work
• This problem shows that the owners do not check their web sites regularly and can disappoint the customers particularly if the link is crucial to the product or service description. No information on service provided = No business. Please see the video below
(10) Poor product/service delivery
• I used to order my clothes from Zara but stopped because of the fact that the goods didn’t arrive the last time I tried to purchase a shirt. This is a real turnoff especially when they give you the excuse that it is due to shipping mess up.
I have highlighted the 10 DON’TS of e-commerce websites in which I have experienced. Before you go, please enjoy the following video.
1 comment:
I know this is an old post but I found it extremely pertinent still today. Some good observations. I especially hate when music starts playing (or an add) when I navigate to a site. I automatically hit the back button right away myself.. As a web designer myself, I use issues like these to sell them on a redesign. Once again, good stuff.
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