Jul
13
This chart is a little dated (March 2010) but it will serve the point for this article. Here is the list of the Top 10 Online Retailers by conversion rates as reported by marketingcharts dot com.
Top Online Retailer’s by Conversion Rate:
1. Schwan’s – 40.6%
2. Woman Within – 25.3%
3. Blair.com – 20.4%
4. 1800PetMeds – 17.7%
5. VitaCost.com – 16.4%
6. QVC.com – 16.0%
7. ProFlowers.com – 15.8%
8. Office Depot.com – 15.4%
9. Oriental Trading Company – 14.9%
10. Roamans – 14.4%
I always enjoy looking at the top converting online retailers because it gives you examples of companies that are crafting effective design. Note that I did not say ‘good’ – I said ‘effective’. The key for a website is to build one that helps you meet your objectives. Often times, individuals and companies get so caught up on specific aspects of design that they never take the time to look at the overall picture and focus on whether or not their site is going to help them meet their objectives.
I am not stating that good design is not important – it is. As it goes, there is no second chance to make a first impression. However, the first priority after getting to a point where you are presentable and have a good foundation is being able to get the opportunity for people to make a first impression. If you are too busy inside getting ready for the job fair, you can end up missing out on a lot of great interview opportunities. Similarly, the only true way to ‘test’ your ability to convert with your website is to get a lot of people on your site and track the results. Often times, over developing on the front end leaves you in a vulnerable position as it can eradicate the budget critical to further developing the site to be more effective once you better understand what will make it more effective from the people who are paying you.
Website Design Houston – How to Increase Conversion Rates:
1. First and foremost, use targeted landing pages to increase conversion rates. Sending all of your traffic to the same landing page is no longer acceptable on the internet. It is too easy to create targeted landing pages that not having them is simply a sign that you are falling behind the times. It is a fact that a targeted landing page will convert better than a general page.
2. Secondly, use split testing among those landing pages to increase conversion rates. Have two to three variations of each of your landing pages at a minimum. Doing so allows you to identify the factors that are increasing the conversion of your traffic from merely visitors to newsletter subscribers to paying customers to repeat customers. Track your traffic like your life depends on it. Your wallet certainly does.
3. Thirdly, make sure that you make it easy to find your contact information as well as the buy buttons for your products. You would be amazed at how many companies make it difficult for customers to buy from them. I once evaluated a website for a full redesign where the site required the customer to take 14 steps to buy a product. 14 steps!! While that is on the extreme side of things, it demonstrates how oblivious people can be to ease of purchasing from you. Make it easy. Keep it simple.
4. Fourth, but most importantly, get it under way. Work with a reputable web design firm with a proven track record of delivering good sites that work. Likely, your specialty is doing something other than creating sites. Work with a specialty team and let them do their job. It is worth paying a premium early on to have something done right than having to redo it several times and not achieve optimal results.
By implementing these tactics, you can increase your conversion rates. We will follow up with more specific tips and examples for how to increase your conversion rates in the weeks and months to come.
Eric is a writer for Immix Productions, an award winning custom web design firm located in Houston, TX. You can reach them at 713.789.8699.
