Recreating the great in-case presentation you built inside a 2 meter wide showcase to the 5cm screen on a cellphone requires a very special talent. The display principles are essentially the same but the small screen requires a slightly different focus.
When planning (or updating) your site, place yourself in the mind of your targeted reader. A well conceived and executed website will build a relationship with your customer not unlike that you have in person in your store. Trends indicate that on-line retailing will be the norm of the future so implementing sound visual merchandising practices will be even more critical.
If you currently have a site, it maybe time to consider updating by adding video and audio features. (Note: If you haven’t updated your website in a year or more, it is likely time. If your e-commerce site has seen recent downturns in sales, it may be time as well)Check out some of the other sites your customers visit and note their features. By integrating more current technology into your site, you’ll set yourself apart.
The cost of such changes naturally varies with the degree of changes, but getting several quotes will give you a fair price. If your strategy is to significantly grow your on-line business, compare the costs of an up to date site to the creation of a bricks and mortar site. Shiny, modern showcases and displays often cost tens of thousands of dollars so expect your new shiny site to cost almost as much.
Here are some fundamentals that your web designer should consider and common mistakes to avoid.
- Think of your web presentation as a private conversation between your best salesperson and the customer. Think personal, think specific and apply the same steps of the sale.
- Plan your site much the same way you’d plan your actual store. Use the same steps in your logic, just apply them to your on-line business. The visual merchandising ideas you’d use in your live store apply here as well.
- Your website images are your “on-line displays.” Make them hi-res, spectacularly photographed, well-lit and full of appropriate models to create the most impactful look.
- Use the text on your site to communicate what you’d say to the customer if she were actually standing in front of you. Just like the signage in your case, be short and use emotional words. Everyone else says “beautiful” or “pretty.” You should use terms like “Spectacular, Stunning” and “Radiant.”
- Using background colors online that emphasize the merchandise. Just because you can make the site lipstick red does not make it a good idea.
- Incorporate images, video with accompanying audio wherever possible to add a “show and tell” attribute to your site. Just like in your store, allow your customer to use as many of their senses as possible to fall in love with the piece.
- Don’t hide the price and payment terms of your merchandise. Adopt an attitude that this piece of jewellery is a great deal at this low price. Show that you own the price and they will want to own the piece.