eCommerce Shopping Cart Software Usability, Are Your Customers Frustrated?

Philip Bennett offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: eCommerce Shopping Cart Software Usability, Are Your Customers Frustrated?
Author: Philip Bennett
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 701
Keywords: Shopping cart, ecommerce solutions, online store software, ecommerce, shopping cart software
Author's Email Address: phil@bennettenable.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Usability is a measure of the quality of a user's experience when interacting with a website, people have been focusing on website usability since the explosion of the world wide web in the 1990's, but it is unfortunately an aspect that is frequently overlooked when it comes to eCommerce site design.

The increasing availability of shopping cart software has lead to an increase in the number of people launching internet stores, many of these people are inexperience with advanced web design techniques and theories and many more purchase cheap design work that doesn't focus on what the store customer's wants and needs. What the customer wants from an online store is to be able to find and purchase the products that they want as easily and quickly as possible.

When a customer visits your site it is more than likely, if your marketing has been successful, that they wish to purchase a product from you. As a store owner you need to remove every possible barrier between them arriving to your site and completing your purchase, the more barriers you make your customers climb over the more likely they are to run off your competitors.

This article contains will focus on a number of areas of usability and how to apply them to your eCommerce store, there are many many areas of usability that need to be considered when designing an eCommerce store and this article could be multiple pages long but we are going to focus on four factors that we feel are the most important. These areas are navigation, searches, validation and checkout.

The Navigation that you implement on your site is probably the most important aspect of usability, if your visitors cannot find their way around your site your dead in the water. It is imperative that you make sure your navigation is clear, simple and in a prominent place on your pages. Although navigation is an area that is normally implement quit well in eCommerce solutions where they normally fall down is their user of markers to make sure the user knows where about in the store they are, if they get lost and cannot find their way out they are going to get frustrated. There is a number of very well tested web design standard to get round this issue. Category tabs, dynamic menus and breadcrumb trails all help your customer find their way around your site.

If a customer lands on your front page and cannot immediately see where the product they want will be more surfers initial actions it to reach for the search box so make sure that your search box is obvious and easily accessible. The other area of your sites search facility you need to pay attention to is the results it is important to make sure that your customers are getting the right results when they do find the search box. It is normally a good idea to 'adjust' the search results on internet stores to allow customer to be presented with the products they're looking for.

Making sure your site validates against the W3C Standards is important. Making sure your site follows CSS and XHTML/HTML guidelines will make sure your sites appearance is replicated accurately across different types of web browsers, non-valid pages have their errors corrected by the browser, how this works varies radically across different browsers (and even different version of the same browser).

In order to minimise shopping cart abandonment the usability of the Checkout component of your shopping cart software is important. There are a number of important steps to take to make sure your checkout process is as usable as possible.

- Make sure your checkout is as short as possible, people get bored quickly on the internet
- Don't ask for any information you don't need, people are weary of giving away personal information
- Remove all distraction from the checkout, if they click away from the purchase they might never come back. This includes removing any unnecessary internal site navigation

There are many more aspects of usability you will need to consider when looking for shopping cart software but these should get you started in the right direction.

Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software (http://www.ecommerceshoppingcartsoftware.co.uk/) is a one stop shop for all the information you need about shopping cart software and ecommerce solutions. This site is brought to you by Bennett Enable eCommerce Solutions (http://www.bennettenable.com)
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Time to Plan for Your 2008 Email Success

Karen Scharf offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
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- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to karen@modernimage.com
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Article Title: Time to Plan for Your 2008 Email Success
Author: Karen Scharf
Category: Email, Ezines and Newsletters, E-Commerce
Word Count: 483
Keywords: email marketing campaign, email planning, email success
Author's Email Address: karen@modernimage.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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October is generally the time I like to get ready for the next year. And in order to plan for 2008, it's imperative to evaluate 2007. Here is the straightforward assessment I use to critique my email marketing campaign for the year. I suggest you apply this evaluation to your own campaign as you put your 2008 email marketing plan together. Simply ask yourself the following questions:

1. What was the overall goal of my email marketing campaign? Was I trying to generate more leads, make more sales, increase brand awareness? What specific numbers was I trying to reach and did I attain the numbers I wanted? (For instance, if your goal was lead generation, exactly how many leads were you aiming for and how many leads did you actually acquire?)

2. If I did not achieve my overall goal, can I pinpoint the trouble areas? Are my open rates below industry standards? Are my clickthroughs lower than expected? What can be done to improve my email messages on an individual basis? (If you don't analyze your email messages on an individual basis, you should definitely plan to do that in 2008.)

3. What techniques did I use to grow my list and which of these techniques were most successful? Which were most time consuming? Which were least effective? Which techniques do I plan to repeat and which will I drop from my repertoire? (Remember the 80/20 rule. Don't waste your time on ineffective list-growth programs.)

4. How have I segmented my list and how have I taken advantage of these individual segments? How can my list be further segmented and what can be done to increase relevance and personalization? (As in-box clutter becomes even more serious, segmentation, relevance and personalization will be keys to effective email campaigns in 2008.)

5. How often did I send useful, content-driven messages? What was my planned publication schedule and was I able to maintain this schedule? Did I send too often? Not often enough? Do I plan to continue this same schedule in 2008?

6. Which of my email campaigns got the best results? Which received the worst results? What can I attribute this to? Subject line? Content? Personalization? How do I plan to improve my results in 2008?

7. What were my delivery rates for 2007? How do these rates compare to industry standards? Where do the problems with my delivery occur? Technical issues? Hard bounces? Soft bounces? Spam rejections? What are my plans for increasing delivery in 2008?

8. Have I maintained CAN-Spam compliance throughout my email marketing program? How do I handle unsubscribe requests? Is my list double opt-in? Do I include my mailing address in all of my messages? Have I ensured my SPF record is up to date? (If you're not familiar with maintaining CAN-Spam compliance, request a copy of my free CAN-Spam checklist.)

By reviewing the best and the worst of your 2007 email marketing program, you'll be better equipped to plan an amazing campaign for 2008.

Karen Scharf offers several whitepapers, free reports and checklists, including her FREE Can-Spam checklist and FREE email pre-flight checklist to ensure your emails get delivered, get opened and get read. Download your copies at http://www.ModernImage.com
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Website Hacking Prevention Measures

Kevin Sinclair offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Website Hacking Prevention Measures
Author: Kevin Sinclair
Category: Webmasters, Web Development, E-Commerce
Word Count: 694
Keywords: hacking, website, hacking prevention, hacker safe, protect website, hack website
Author's Email Address: kevin@ksinclair.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Website creation is a very popular activity on the internet. As more and more people discover the many possibilities of having their own website, more of these pages are being created on the internet. It is essential that a website is created in more than just a way that is attractive to visitors. It should also be protected in such a way that there is a higher level of security. There are many individuals who actually spend a majority of their time hacking various websites online. In this article, you will learn about the importance of website hacking prevention measures.

Website hackers use numerous kinds of computer programming languages in order to break down the security on websites on the internet. The most popular computer programming language that can be invaded is that which uses XXS. This is a cross scripting type of computer language that is often used to cross websites. When creating your online website, it is essential that you ensure that all fields and other areas of the website are properly protected from the potential hacker.

Many website owners have a special area on their website where they attempt to gather personal information from the visitors. This may include gathering an email address, an address, and other types of information. It is important that this part of the website is properly protected from hackers. Not only can this type of hacking jeopardize your website, but it can also jeopardize the personal information that your visitors enter on the website. It is important for you to make sure that this part of your website is properly encrypted by HTML.

Many website hackers engage in a practice that is commonly referred to as "Google Hacking". Individuals who use this type of hacking often attempt to discover information about a particular website that is listed on Google by searching for information that is normally considered to be unauthorized. They will attempt to retrieve information that pertains to the tracking tools that are often used by website owners. This information, when in the wrong hands, can actually jeopardize your website.

Individuals who gain access to information on a website through Google hacking techniques may get access to the following information:
- The cache of the website
- Various types of files that are listed on the website
- The link that is used to promote the website
- The intitle and the inurl may also be accessed

Many website owners create their website in such a way that they can access the information across many platforms. However, this can prove to be a danger when it comes to website hackers. By using Google hacking techniques, the pages that are on the website can be easily hacked because the pages are often available for editing purposes. If there is a query made into the search engine, these pages can easily be accessed. If a hacker accesses this information, they can do virtually anything to your website pages. This can prove to cause you financial loss. This is especially true if the hacker places information on your website that can hurt your reputation.

Luckily, there are many techniques that website owners can use to prevent the possibility of hacking. First, the data that you use to compile your website pages should never be allowed to sit on a server. This information should be saved locally. This means that it should be saved to your computer. In turn, you should make sure that the computer is protected by a password that contains alphanumeric characters. This way, if someone attempts to access your computer system remotely, they will be unable to do so.

You should also ensure that the password that you use to make changes to your website is also secure. When saving the documents that are part of your website, it is important that you create them in such a way that others are unable to access this information. Many tips for this include integrating a "disallow" function on the website and attached to all the documents. By taking these steps, and being aware of what the dangers are when you do not, you are sure to prevent the possibility of hackers.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of Be Successful News, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business. http://besuccessfulnews.com/
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How To Minimise Shopping Cart Abandonment

Philip Bennett offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
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- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to phil@bennettenable.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
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Article Title: How To Minimise Shopping Cart Abandonment
Author: Philip Bennett
Category: E-Commerce, Web Development
Word Count: 854
Keywords: Shopping cart, ecommerce solutions, online store software, ecommerce, shopping cart software
Author's Email Address: phil@bennettenable.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Shopping Cart abandonment is the process of a customer adding things to their shopping cart with intent to purchase then never finalising the purchase and if you are running an eCommerce store it is likely to be costing you lost revenue. Some online store see figures up to 68% abandonment, over three quarters of their customer who place products in their cart do not finalise pay. This article is going to look at how you can minimise the impact of shopping cart abandonment on your sales.

Like all problems, In order to tackle the problem we firstly need to know what causes it. There are a multitude of reason why people abandon their carts, speaking to online customer and store owners we have pin pointed what we think at the top ten reason people doing finalise a purchase and where going to give you some guidance on how to avoid each one.

1. Cost of Shipping too high and not shown until checkout: Sticker Shock does not just happen on products, it's as much a problem with the shipping costs on your store. Especially if you sell low priced items. The best way to limit this is to make sure your customer know how much the delivery is going to cost them as soon as possible. Make sure you shopping cart page has a good estimate of the final shipping cost, and if possible place estimated shipping cost on your product pages.

2. Changed mind and discarded cart contents: If your customer genuinely changes their mind and decides not to purchase there is not much you can do about that. But you can try and minimise the chances of them becoming distracted. Removing all unnecessary links from the checkout process stops customer from clicking away from the checkout process. This can include removing site navigation during the process.

3. Comparison shopping or browsing: The popularity of shopping comparison sites is increasing all the time and there are really only two ways you can deal with this. The first is to undercut all your competitors and make sure you come up on the comparison sites as being the cheapest. Unfortunately this isn't always possible and the only other solutions is honesty, explaining why your products are at a higher price help, also more and more sites are beginning to include price comparisons with their competitors on their own site, if you show your customer you have nothing to hide then they are more likely to trust you and purchase from you.

4. Total cost of items is too high: Make sure that your customers are aware at all time of the value of the products in their shopping cart whilst they browse. Placing a simple running total at the top right of your store will make sure the customer is aware of the prices adding up and will not get sticker shock when they click on the 'What is in my cart' button.

5. Saving items for later purchase: Make sure your customer can do this easily, more current shopping cart software provides you with a facility to allow customers to save their carts and come back and checkout at a later date.

6. Checkout process is too long: Make sure your checkout process is as short as possible, and do not ask for information from your customer that they do not need. Do not make then enter their postal address multiple times for shipping and billing if they are the same. Also as stated above make sure there are no distraction in the checkout process.

7. Out of stock products at checkout time: Like shipping costs make sure you customers are aware as soon as possible that your products are in or out of stock as soon as possible. The best place to show this is in your product listings and on the product pages themselves.

8. Poor site navigation and long download times: There is nothing more infuriating than a slow loading site, make sure you work with your host to provide your customer with the fastest loading page possible, make sure you shopping cart software code is optimised and delivers pages fast.

9. Lack of sufficient product or contact information: Information = Reassurance, the more information your site contains about your company and your product the more reassurance it provides to the customer that they are going to get the products they want, and the products they ordered. Make sure that your product descriptions contain as much information as possible and they you include pages about your company including contact information. It is always good to have a phone number, most online shoppers will never call you, but a large number will be reassured that you are reachable on the phone if something goes wrong.

10. Site unclear on delivery times: Just like the above point, make sure you have all the information about your delivery times visible and easily accessible at all times, in an age when customer can get all the information they need at the clicking of their fingers they increasingly want their real world products just as fast.

Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software (http://www.ecommerceshoppingcartsoftware.co.uk/) is a one stop shop for all the information you need about shopping cart software and ecommerce solutions. This site is brought to you by Bennett Enable eCommerce Solutions (http://www.bennettenable.com)
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Surefire Tips to Get Repeat Traffic to Your Site

Andrea Arnold offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
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- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
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- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to aarnold@articlesunleashed.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
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Article Title: Surefire Tips to Get Repeat Traffic to Your Site
Author: Andrea Arnold
Category: Building Traffic, E-Commerce
Word Count: 462
Keywords: build website traffic, website design, repeat traffic
Author's Email Address: aarnold@articlesunleashed.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Whether you have a content site or a product site, you want repeat visitors, and you want those visitors to recommend others to your site! Here are some great tips to help you build that repeat traffic to keep your customers coming back.

1. Keep your content fresh. Many search engines drop sites that have stagnant content.

2. Add value to your website. You can offer to place links to their sites for your affiliates and partners, and then be sure to ask them to backlink to your site, too. You can offer advertising to your partners, making sure that the products relate to your area and of course, don't compete with your own product.

3. Offer opt-in lists to your customers for discounts and special offers. Place an opt-in link on your site for your customers, so you can send them a monthly newsletter or valuable coupons, either via e-mail or snail mail.

4. Remind your customers to bookmark your site. You can add a link to your home page with a script that does this automatically. Many sites have a button that says, "Add this site to your Favorites."

5. Provide a way for your customers to recommend your site. Add a link that says "Recommend this site to a friend" to your home page. This link should allow your visitor to e-mail your website link, with a prewritten title like "Thought you might be interested in this," just by clicking on it.

6. Brand your website. You want your visitors to always know they are on your site. Use consistent colors, logos, and slogans. Use the same images and slogans in your e-mails, too. Provide a "Contact Us" link on each page.

7. Inform your customers of your policies. Create an "Our Policies" page. Your policies should clearly state your philosophy and customer service principles. It's a good idea to post your privacy policy as well, so that customers know they are secure when they visit your site.

8. Answer questions. Create a FAQ page that addresses any questions that your customers are likely to ask about your product or your company. This helps to resolve customer doubts during their first visit to your site.

8. Make your site easily navigable. Include appropriate titles and keywords on each page of your website, so customers can find their way back to your site if they lose the bookmark.

9. Be courteous. Never spam clients who have opted in for newsletters or ezines with unsolicited emails. Offer them a way to opt out of mailings in each e-mail, and honor their request to take them off the list. They may still come back if they like your products, but they will certainly not come back if you continue to flood their inbox with emails they don't want to receive.

Andrea Arnold writes about SEO and Internet marketing at http://www.articlesunleashed.com.
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Little SEO Tips For Your eCommerce Shopping Cart

Philip Bennett offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to phil@bennettenable.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Little SEO Tips For Your eCommerce Shopping Cart
Author: Philip Bennett
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 544
Keywords: Shopping cart, ecommerce solutions, online store software, ecommerce, shopping cart software
Author's Email Address: phil@bennettenable.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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One way to drive traffic to your eCommerce shopping cart site is by Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Getting your eCommerce site listed high in search engines such as Google and Yahoo will bring valuable hits to your site. The traffic generated by SEO is normally very targeted, for example if someone searches for 'product x' and your site come up as the top listing the user that is going to be visiting your site is likely to be very interested purchasing 'product x'.

Structure and Validation

Following the correct HTML (or XHTML) structure on your site is very important. You should make sure you use the correct header, html, body tags etc and use them in the correct order. There are plenty of good article on this around on the internet, the practice is called on page SEO, you just need to make sure that your shopping cart software follows the correct HTML structure. You might be surprised to find that a number of popular internet store solutions are not deployed with valid HTML structure.

SEO Friendly URLs

The structure of the links (or URLs) on your site is important using URL structures that read like

http://your domain name/my_category/my_product

as opposed to

http://your domain name/?product_id=xsslkjl&cat_id=3424

are generally accepted to increase your search engine rankings. There is much debate about how much this kind of search engine optimisation improves your rankings but the undeniable benefit of this is that when your page appears in search engine listings, the URL is included. If your URL is readable by a human then there is more chance the person is going to click on your link. Search engines also highlight the search terms in bold in the results the more of your listing to can get to appear in bold the better.

Maximise Descriptions

Search Engines deploy software robots to search the internet looking for pages, they are normally referred to as 'Spiders'. Spiders love text, the more and more relevant the text on your site is then higher your chances of getting listed high in search engines is. Make sure your product and category descriptions are as in-depth as they can be, but keep in mind that your descriptions are going to be read by people who want to buy the products, so don not make them full of gibberish just to that there is text for the spiders. Accurate and detailed product descriptions have also been shown to increase the likely hood a customer will make a purchase from your store.

Alternative Descriptions and Titles

Including alternative descriptions and titles for your products is a good idea. If your products is called 'The XYZ48882' then there is a possibility that someone searching for your product might not be aware that it is called this, especially if it's a small portable coffee machine. Including alternative more user friendly products titles will help the spiders and then, in-turn, customers find you. It's a good idea to do some keyword research when choosing alternative descriptions. A keyword research tool will be able to tell you what descriptions people are searching for and give you a good idea which descriptions and titles to choose
By employing these tips we have no doubt you will be able to increase the search engine traffic that your site generates.

Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software (http://www.ecommerceshoppingcartsoftware.co.uk/) is a one stop shop for all the information you need about shopping cart software and ecommerce solutions. This site is brought to you by Bennett Enable eCommerce Solutions (http://www.bennettenable.com)
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7 Quick Fixes To Gear Up For Holiday Shoppers

Karen Scharf offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to karen@modernimage.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: 7 Quick Fixes To Gear Up For Holiday Shoppers
Author: Karen Scharf
Category: Web Design, E-Business, E-Commerce
Word Count: 399
Keywords: holiday sales, website design, e-commerce
Author's Email Address: karen@modernimage.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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As the holiday shopping season is drawing near, it's time to get your website ready for what could possibly be your busiest time of the year. Here are 7 quick fixes you can easily implement on your site in one single afternoon:

1. Ask for the sale!
Don't be shy about asking your customers to make a purchase. There's no need to wait until the very bottom of the page before you include an "Add To Cart" button. Your site visit might be ready to make a purchase after reading only one paragraph of your sales letter. Add multiple buy buttons to each page.

2. Help the shopper make a decision.
At this time of year, there are so many gifts to buy for so many people; it's easy to get overwhelmed. Help your site visitors choose a gift by breaking your merchandise into categories. Can you create a "Gifts For Men" directory, a "Gifts For Pets" directory, etc?

3. Include options for visitors not yet ready to buy.
Maybe your site visitor is in a "just browsing" mode, or is comparing several different merchants. What kind of compelling offer can you make to grab this visitor's contact information? He will probably be ready to buy sometime in the near future.

4. Beef up your guarantee.
Guarantees are most effective when they are completely spelled out. Don't leave your visitor guessing. What exactly does "Satisfaction Guaranteed" mean? Who will pay for return shipping? How does a shopper request a refund? Include a link to additional information about your return policy and your complete guarantee agreement.

5. Make everything clickable.
Studies show that website visitors click a lot more often than webmasters expect. If you have a graphic or an image, make sure it's clickable. Make sure headlines are clickable and include text links in addition to buttons.

6. Take advantage of your thank you pages.
Believe it or not, after a buyer has made a purchase, he is most likely to buy again. Maximize this opportunity by including complimentary items on your order confirmation pages.

7. Take advantage of your transactional emails.
Studies have also shown that transactional emails are opened nearly 75% of the time. This is another awesome opportunity to present complimentary items and increase your sales volume.

Time to implement: Each of the fixes can be applied in less than an hour or two. Take a day, or spend the weekend, reviewing your site and implementing these suggestions. You're sure to see an increase in your holiday sales.

Karen Scharf offers several whitepapers, free reports and checklists, including her FREE Can-Spam checklist and FREE email pre-flight checklist to ensure your emails get delivered, get opened and get read. Download your copies at http://www.ModernImage.com
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

How To Start An E-Commerce Business

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: How To Start An E-Commerce Business
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 494
Keywords: credit cards,e-commerce,entrepreneur,loan,ecommerce business,advertising,office,earn,ebook,bank loan
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

The dot.com boom of the 1980s permitted legions of people to cash in on the mushrooming availability and popularity of the Internet but when the bubble burst, there were those who did not cash in but instead ended up owing the bank a small fortune. Those who profited were also those who were able to find a way of starting an ecommerce business without a bank loan. Granted, some might have dipped into their credit cards or homes equity, which is only marginally better but by and large they only invested that which they knew they could afford to lose.

At this point in time potential web entrepreneurs are a lot more hesitant to march to the bank and ask for a loan to fund their ecommerce business. They have learned from the mistakes of others and perhaps they are already so strapped in their personal finances that they know adding another monthly payment will send them over the abyss. Those who are able to not take out the loans in order to invest them in a shiny new ecommerce opportunity will also be those who will live to try another day. The others who may or may not succeed will require years some even decades to financially recover from a failure.

It is important to understand that you do not need to start an ecommerce business with a bank loan. Instead, there are alternative ways of funding your entrepreneurship and those methods might in the long run be safer. For example, you will need a great computer and the latest software to make your presence known on the Net. While it is tempting to buy the latest and greatest machine, find out if you can simply upgrade that which you already have.

Usually you will be able to do so for a fraction of the price that a new system costs. If a new computer system is indicated, wait until special sales events come up and take advantage of them. Refurbished units and used machines which are for sale on many of the major auction sites are also a good idea. Similarly, do not worry about having an office to start out. You spare bedroom will work just fine until the money begins to roll in. It is important that you do not spend money on items which will do little to further your business.

Thus, if you are making and selling e-books, an office is unnecessary. Advertising, packaging and other incidentals can all be tackled at a shoe string budget until your business grows to such an extent that you can get a bit fancier. While it is tempting to ask for money from the bank, remember that you will need to repay this money no matter what. Starting an ecommerce business without a bank loan makes more sense in the long run, since you will be able to finance the next phase of your business with the monies you earn from the current phase.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.home-incomeportal.com
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Starting An E-Commerce Business

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Starting An E-Commerce Business
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 476
Keywords: ecommerce,franchise,successful business,opportunity,earn money,income,advertising,marketing plan,roi
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Those looking to get into their own business without the need to beg a bank for funding, can find several e-commerce businesses that you get started for very little money up front. Franchising has worked for many traditional stores and the concept is continuing to gain acceptance in the online world as more successful businesses are seeking more outlets for their products or service.

In the beginning of the online franchising frenzy, it was termed multi level marketing and the effect of some not so honest individuals made MLM seem like a bad word, often turning people away from the concept. However, joining a franchise with a reputable company can offer many people the opportunity to own their own e-commerce business without the need to take out a loan to get started.

Typically, many sites offer a buy in of less than $100, although there are some costing considerably more and what is included in the franchise price will determine the initial, as well as future cost of the business. Whether you are looking to sell products or services, the trick is finding one that offers the best return on your investment. Usually, the company will establish a website with your name on it and any sales that come through the site earn the owner a commission on the total sales.

There are companies that offer a complete store front, offering numerous products for sale, allowing the site owner to set their own prices. They tell you what your price is for the product and you can establish your own mark up and display the higher price on your site. When a customer makes a purchase, you receive the difference as your commission. This type of site gives you more control over your financial future and allows you the freedom to market it in the best way for you.

The bottom line in e-commerce business is a workable marketing plan. With a traditional franchise, local advertising would bring people to your store. There was usually only one in a specified area and interested potential customers would visit that one outlet. With e-commerce, the customers are coming from a global arena and you will need a marketing campaign that brings them to your specific site.

This can be done through different marketing methods, including online and offline and help drive sales to your site. By offering others the opportunity to join in your business, franchise often allows you to earn money on their sales as well as your own and these new franchisees under your name can help produce your income stream and help in marketing all sites associated with the same business.

The big advantage to these franchises is the low cost required to get started. Once you start making money you can spend more on marketing and advertising and realize a bigger return on your investment as your income constantly improves.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.home-incomeportal.com/
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Building Customer Loyalty In E-Commerce

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Building Customer Loyalty In E-Commerce
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 452
Keywords: internet business,internet advertising,ecommerce,online business,internet commerce,search engines,
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

One of the distractions to customer loyalty is the availability of alternative places to buy the same products or services at the same or even slightly higher prices. With an internet business, thousands of other similar companies offer the same items at about the same price and without the loyalty of your customers there is no way to survive.

Web surfers may simply type in a keyword for a product or service in a search engine and when the different sites appear, clicking on a few sites will usually give them an idea of the price range of products. They can then choose what they see as the lowest cost for the same merchandise and make a purchase with little regard to the company from which they are buying. It will typically take a bad experience during some part of the transaction for them to become discouraged, making it important that every e commerce business has their best foot forward on each transaction to build customer loyalty to their site.

There are so many others to choose from, customers have the luxury of picking and choosing with whom they do business and they will choose the company that offers the best service or the best product at the best price. With internet commerce it is not possible for a business to get to know their competition as they can in a brick and mortar world. They can see the products as well as the prices but the hidden assets of service and delivery can only be seen if business is actually conducted.

It would be good for every online business owner to make a purchase from their own site occasionally to determine their ordering and delivery system is working correctly. If a customer has a problem making a purchase, they will not be back to waste their time. If the information provided on the merchandise is inadequate, they will not be making a purchase. If the shipping cost is excessive or the time they have to wait for delivery, again they will not be making a purchase.

Knowing what it will take to drive customers away is how a company can begin to build customer loyalty. You know what turns them away and fixing those issues on your ecommerce site will keep them coming back. Additionally, the best and cheapest methods of advertising on the internet is word of mouth. Making a customer happy that they did business with you can provide their recommendation to friends and relatives, giving you more business that costs nothing to obtain.

By focusing on the customers experience with your online business, their satisfaction can lead to their loyalty which is one of the most important aspect of doing business online.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Finding Products To Sell Online

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Finding Products To Sell Online
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 453
Keywords: home business,inventry,selling,make money,merchandise,success,start home business,flyers,products
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Remember, when you have a home business, what you have for your inventory is going to be something that you want to focus on, something that you can use as your selling point. It is often hard to decide which products you are going to want to sell and sometimes this choice needs to be made very quickly so that your business can continue to succeed and so that you will find yourself in a position where you can make money and have your home business be a success.

Steps To Follow

When you are making these huge decisions about what should be included in your inventory and what should not, there are going to be several steps that you can follow to make sure that you are making a good choice about what to add and what not to add.

Start With Samples

The first thing that you should do when you are starting up a home business and are thinking about the inventory that you want to add is to take a look at the different products you are going to be offering and buy or make a few samples to start with. You are going to want to do this in a way that you can get more of them quickly but also that you are not losing money if one of the products just does not sell.

A good thing to do is to start with a few different pieces and gradually increase what you are doing and where you are getting your products until you are sure you are doing it right and you are sure that you have the inventory that is going to work best for you. Remember that there are ways to figure out what your clients are going to want and what is going to attract new clients as well.

Checkout the websites and flyers of your competition and see what they are offering and from this you can get a good idea about the inventory your competitors are using and whether or not it is working for them. This is a fantastic way to make sure that you are getting the best deal for your business and that you are having the best chance to be a success.

Another thing that you can do is to make sure you are asking your regular clients what their opinion is about new merchandise and different pieces of merchandise. This is the best way to be sure that you are adding pieces to your inventory that are actually going to be good for you and are going to make you money in the long run. If you follow all of these steps your business can be a success.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

7 Quick Fixes To Gear Up For Holiday Shoppers

Karen Scharf offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to karen@modernimage.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: 7 Quick Fixes To Gear Up For Holiday Shoppers
Author: Karen Scharf
Category: Web Design, E-Business, E-Commerce
Word Count: 399
Keywords: holiday sales, website design, e-commerce
Author's Email Address: karen@modernimage.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

As the holiday shopping season is drawing near, it's time to get your website ready for what could possibly be your busiest time of the year. Here are 7 quick fixes you can easily implement on your site in one single afternoon:

1. Ask for the sale!
Don't be shy about asking your customers to make a purchase. There's no need to wait until the very bottom of the page before you include an "Add To Cart" button. Your site visit might be ready to make a purchase after reading only one paragraph of your sales letter. Add multiple buy buttons to each page.

2. Help the shopper make a decision.
At this time of year, there are so many gifts to buy for so many people; it's easy to get overwhelmed. Help your site visitors choose a gift by breaking your merchandise into categories. Can you create a "Gifts For Men" directory, a "Gifts For Pets" directory, etc?

3. Include options for visitors not yet ready to buy.
Maybe your site visitor is in a "just browsing" mode, or is comparing several different merchants. What kind of compelling offer can you make to grab this visitor's contact information? He will probably be ready to buy sometime in the near future.

4. Beef up your guarantee.
Guarantees are most effective when they are completely spelled out. Don't leave your visitor guessing. What exactly does "Satisfaction Guaranteed" mean? Who will pay for return shipping? How does a shopper request a refund? Include a link to additional information about your return policy and your complete guarantee agreement.

5. Make everything clickable.
Studies show that website visitors click a lot more often than webmasters expect. If you have a graphic or an image, make sure it's clickable. Make sure headlines are clickable and include text links in addition to buttons.

6. Take advantage of your thank you pages.
Believe it or not, after a buyer has made a purchase, he is most likely to buy again. Maximize this opportunity by including complimentary items on your order confirmation pages.

7. Take advantage of your transactional emails.
Studies have also shown that transactional emails are opened nearly 75% of the time. This is another awesome opportunity to present complimentary items and increase your sales volume.

Time to implement: Each of the fixes can be applied in less than an hour or two. Take a day, or spend the weekend, reviewing your site and implementing these suggestions. You're sure to see an increase in your holiday sales.

Karen Scharf offers several whitepapers, free reports and checklists, including her FREE Can-Spam checklist and FREE email pre-flight checklist to ensure your emails get delivered, get opened and get read. Download your copies at http://www.ModernImage.com
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

How To Start An E-Commerce Business

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: How To Start An E-Commerce Business
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 494
Keywords: credit cards,e-commerce,entrepreneur,loan,ecommerce business,advertising,office,earn,ebook,bank loan
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

The dot.com boom of the 1980s permitted legions of people to cash in on the mushrooming availability and popularity of the Internet but when the bubble burst, there were those who did not cash in but instead ended up owing the bank a small fortune. Those who profited were also those who were able to find a way of starting an ecommerce business without a bank loan. Granted, some might have dipped into their credit cards or homes equity, which is only marginally better but by and large they only invested that which they knew they could afford to lose.

At this point in time potential web entrepreneurs are a lot more hesitant to march to the bank and ask for a loan to fund their ecommerce business. They have learned from the mistakes of others and perhaps they are already so strapped in their personal finances that they know adding another monthly payment will send them over the abyss. Those who are able to not take out the loans in order to invest them in a shiny new ecommerce opportunity will also be those who will live to try another day. The others who may or may not succeed will require years some even decades to financially recover from a failure.

It is important to understand that you do not need to start an ecommerce business with a bank loan. Instead, there are alternative ways of funding your entrepreneurship and those methods might in the long run be safer. For example, you will need a great computer and the latest software to make your presence known on the Net. While it is tempting to buy the latest and greatest machine, find out if you can simply upgrade that which you already have.

Usually you will be able to do so for a fraction of the price that a new system costs. If a new computer system is indicated, wait until special sales events come up and take advantage of them. Refurbished units and used machines which are for sale on many of the major auction sites are also a good idea. Similarly, do not worry about having an office to start out. You spare bedroom will work just fine until the money begins to roll in. It is important that you do not spend money on items which will do little to further your business.

Thus, if you are making and selling e-books, an office is unnecessary. Advertising, packaging and other incidentals can all be tackled at a shoe string budget until your business grows to such an extent that you can get a bit fancier. While it is tempting to ask for money from the bank, remember that you will need to repay this money no matter what. Starting an ecommerce business without a bank loan makes more sense in the long run, since you will be able to finance the next phase of your business with the monies you earn from the current phase.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.home-incomeportal.com
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Building Customer Loyalty In E-Commerce

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Building Customer Loyalty In E-Commerce
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 452
Keywords: internet business,internet advertising,ecommerce,online business,internet commerce,search engines,
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

One of the distractions to customer loyalty is the availability of alternative places to buy the same products or services at the same or even slightly higher prices. With an internet business, thousands of other similar companies offer the same items at about the same price and without the loyalty of your customers there is no way to survive.

Web surfers may simply type in a keyword for a product or service in a search engine and when the different sites appear, clicking on a few sites will usually give them an idea of the price range of products. They can then choose what they see as the lowest cost for the same merchandise and make a purchase with little regard to the company from which they are buying. It will typically take a bad experience during some part of the transaction for them to become discouraged, making it important that every e commerce business has their best foot forward on each transaction to build customer loyalty to their site.

There are so many others to choose from, customers have the luxury of picking and choosing with whom they do business and they will choose the company that offers the best service or the best product at the best price. With internet commerce it is not possible for a business to get to know their competition as they can in a brick and mortar world. They can see the products as well as the prices but the hidden assets of service and delivery can only be seen if business is actually conducted.

It would be good for every online business owner to make a purchase from their own site occasionally to determine their ordering and delivery system is working correctly. If a customer has a problem making a purchase, they will not be back to waste their time. If the information provided on the merchandise is inadequate, they will not be making a purchase. If the shipping cost is excessive or the time they have to wait for delivery, again they will not be making a purchase.

Knowing what it will take to drive customers away is how a company can begin to build customer loyalty. You know what turns them away and fixing those issues on your ecommerce site will keep them coming back. Additionally, the best and cheapest methods of advertising on the internet is word of mouth. Making a customer happy that they did business with you can provide their recommendation to friends and relatives, giving you more business that costs nothing to obtain.

By focusing on the customers experience with your online business, their satisfaction can lead to their loyalty which is one of the most important aspect of doing business online.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Starting An E-Commerce Business

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Starting An E-Commerce Business
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 476
Keywords: ecommerce,franchise,successful business,opportunity,earn money,income,advertising,marketing plan,roi
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Those looking to get into their own business without the need to beg a bank for funding, can find several e-commerce businesses that you get started for very little money up front. Franchising has worked for many traditional stores and the concept is continuing to gain acceptance in the online world as more successful businesses are seeking more outlets for their products or service.

In the beginning of the online franchising frenzy, it was termed multi level marketing and the effect of some not so honest individuals made MLM seem like a bad word, often turning people away from the concept. However, joining a franchise with a reputable company can offer many people the opportunity to own their own e-commerce business without the need to take out a loan to get started.

Typically, many sites offer a buy in of less than $100, although there are some costing considerably more and what is included in the franchise price will determine the initial, as well as future cost of the business. Whether you are looking to sell products or services, the trick is finding one that offers the best return on your investment. Usually, the company will establish a website with your name on it and any sales that come through the site earn the owner a commission on the total sales.

There are companies that offer a complete store front, offering numerous products for sale, allowing the site owner to set their own prices. They tell you what your price is for the product and you can establish your own mark up and display the higher price on your site. When a customer makes a purchase, you receive the difference as your commission. This type of site gives you more control over your financial future and allows you the freedom to market it in the best way for you.

The bottom line in e-commerce business is a workable marketing plan. With a traditional franchise, local advertising would bring people to your store. There was usually only one in a specified area and interested potential customers would visit that one outlet. With e-commerce, the customers are coming from a global arena and you will need a marketing campaign that brings them to your specific site.

This can be done through different marketing methods, including online and offline and help drive sales to your site. By offering others the opportunity to join in your business, franchise often allows you to earn money on their sales as well as your own and these new franchisees under your name can help produce your income stream and help in marketing all sites associated with the same business.

The big advantage to these franchises is the low cost required to get started. Once you start making money you can spend more on marketing and advertising and realize a bigger return on your investment as your income constantly improves.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.home-incomeportal.com/
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

Finding Products To Sell Online

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
-----------
PUBLICATION GUIDELINES
- You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety.
- Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity.
- Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only.
- If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links.
- Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
- Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article.
-----------
Article Title: Finding Products To Sell Online
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 453
Keywords: home business,inventry,selling,make money,merchandise,success,start home business,flyers,products
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

Remember, when you have a home business, what you have for your inventory is going to be something that you want to focus on, something that you can use as your selling point. It is often hard to decide which products you are going to want to sell and sometimes this choice needs to be made very quickly so that your business can continue to succeed and so that you will find yourself in a position where you can make money and have your home business be a success.

Steps To Follow

When you are making these huge decisions about what should be included in your inventory and what should not, there are going to be several steps that you can follow to make sure that you are making a good choice about what to add and what not to add.

Start With Samples

The first thing that you should do when you are starting up a home business and are thinking about the inventory that you want to add is to take a look at the different products you are going to be offering and buy or make a few samples to start with. You are going to want to do this in a way that you can get more of them quickly but also that you are not losing money if one of the products just does not sell.

A good thing to do is to start with a few different pieces and gradually increase what you are doing and where you are getting your products until you are sure you are doing it right and you are sure that you have the inventory that is going to work best for you. Remember that there are ways to figure out what your clients are going to want and what is going to attract new clients as well.

Checkout the websites and flyers of your competition and see what they are offering and from this you can get a good idea about the inventory your competitors are using and whether or not it is working for them. This is a fantastic way to make sure that you are getting the best deal for your business and that you are having the best chance to be a success.

Another thing that you can do is to make sure you are asking your regular clients what their opinion is about new merchandise and different pieces of merchandise. This is the best way to be sure that you are adding pieces to your inventory that are actually going to be good for you and are going to make you money in the long run. If you follow all of these steps your business can be a success.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
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How To Sell Online

Obinna Heche offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: How To Sell Online
Author: Obinna Heche
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 466
Keywords: home business,site,selling,courier,online business,online store,sell online,online,e store
Author's Email Address: edgar_biggs@yahoo.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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You do not really need a truckload of money to start your own home business. In fact, with just a few hundreds of dollars, you can start your own e store. The good thing about starting an e store is that you do not really need to keep lots of inventory. As long as you can deliver all your orders on time, nobody has to know that the item that you are selling is not yet in your possession. What is really important about setting up an e store is that you have a good site which is easy to navigate, a reliable payment system and you have a courier that can deliver your wares fast.

Choosing what to sell in your e-store

Breaking into the online business is not really easy. There are millions of online stores that are selling different types of good and services out there and if you are not selling something unique, you will probably be lost among the multitudes of e stores that are selling generic items. If you really want to succeed in the online business, you must find something unique to sell. Of course its not easy to find something that is truly unique these days but if you can find something that people would want to buy, then you are in business.

When choosing what to sell in your e store, consider the source of your supply first. It will not do you any good if you sell something that is unique and when somebody does purchase your goods, you will not be able to deliver the goods on time. Always remember that it is alright if you do not have physical possession of the goods that you are selling online but it is definitely not cool if you can not deliver what you promise. If you want to stay in the online business, make sure that you have ready access to the things that you are selling online. Always bear in mind that when you lose a customer, you most likely not going to get that person back.

According to studies 95% of the people who shop online never come back to an e store that gives them bad service. Another thing that you must remember when choosing the items that you sell online are that these items must be of good quality and they are exactly what you describe them to be. Never attempt to gloss up your product descriptions if you do not want to be into trouble. Note that a lot of clients would return the items that they bought online because these items did not correspond to the description given. Once your clients start returning your products and giving your site bad reviews, your business will suffer and you lose a lot of money.

Obinna Heche:

Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully..

http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/
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What Is An eCommerce Shopping Cart?

Philip Bennett offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: What Is An eCommerce Shopping Cart?
Author: Philip Bennett
Category: E-Commerce
Word Count: 463
Keywords: Shopping cart, ecommerce solutions, online store software, ecommerce, shopping cart software
Author's Email Address: phil@bennettenable.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Do you want to sell your products online? Are you not really sure where to start? It is more than likely that you will need to get yourself some shopping cart software, or develop your own. This software is the backbone of any online store. It allows you to display your products online and let potential customers make purchases from you.

Most shopping cart solutions comprise of 4 parts; the actually shopping cart, a product catalogue, the checkout process and an administration panel of some form.

The Product Catalogue is, as you would expect, the part of the store that displays your products. This can range from a single hand coded HTML page displaying a few products up to a massive multi-category store containing thousands of products. Store with a large number of products normally use a dynamic solution driven by a database, this allow information about the products to be changed with simple database updates rather than making changes to every page. These are commonly written in web scripting languages such as PHP or Active Server Pages.

Without the shopping cart component of your store your customers will not be able to make a purchase and hand over the cash. This part of the solution allows your customer to add products to a virtual basket then checkout and pay at a later point. Conceptually the software works in exactly the same way as a shopping basket in a supermarket, the customer browses through the products on the shelves placing products they want into their basket. When they are ready to finalise the purchase they take the basket to the checkout.

Once the customer has decided that they want to purchase the products in their shopping cart then they must make a payment and hand over shipping details. This is where the checkout process comes in. This process allow you to integrate with your chosen billing gateway or provider and collect the payment detail from the customer. Most eCommerce solutions provide you with a number of options when it comes to billing integration allowing you to choose a billing solution that fits your business model.

The final part of the software is the administration panel, the panel allows store owners and selected staff to manage the running of the store and perform administrative actions when required. It can perform a multitude of actions but a number of common activities are:

- Setup The Store (payment solutions, shopping costs, etc)
- Add/Update Products
- Process Orders
- View Store Statistics and Reports
- Manage Customers

Most online store solutions available today incorporate all of the above features (product catalogue, shopping cart, admin panel and checkout process) into one easily installable and manageable package. More advanced solutions include facilities to integrate with numerous payment gateways, manager customer, customer self management options and much more.

Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software (http://www.ecommerceshoppingcartsoftware.co.uk/) is a one stop shop for all the information you need about shopping cart software and ecommerce solutions
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Customer Management Software - You Are Open For Sales?

Gary Jezorski offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: Customer Management Software - You Are Open For Sales?
Author: Gary Jezorski
Category: E-Commerce, Software
Word Count: 477
Keywords: Customer Management Software
Author's Email Address: garyj@verticalmarketingllc.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Customer management software streamlines your customer-related processes toward being more customer-centric.

This way it enables you to make maximum profits. After deploying this software, small businesses can look forward to using its features such as compilation of detailed information about each customer and accessibility from any location 24/7.
In addition, you can enjoy automated management of your profit and sales in a well-tracked systematic manner. CRM solutions, if used in an efficient manner, are cost-effective and versatile allowing you to track inventory at real-time and offer products and services at competitive prices.

Using this software, you can forecast sales of your products and services in a more well-informed and efficient manner. Your customer interactions, their order details, and correspondence get tracked automatically. Different solutions however offer different CRM functionalities and you need to be careful while selecting one for your company.

While selecting the most suitable Customer management software for your company, you need to ensure that firstly, the software is easily customizable. Secondly, check if the software allows you to view customer information from all angles at any time and from any location in the world. In addition, check if the software has a flexible interface that facilitates effective communication between managers, customers, operators, and partners. In addition, the interface should be easy to access and navigate and information quick to search.

Customers are getting more comfortable with the idea of self-service and even prefer it to service guided by technicians. Online customer management solutions such as NetSuite equip you with the ability to launch self-service portals for communication with your customers. These portals provide a means for customers to post service requests or problems, view stock and prices, place orders based on real-time information and view status and history of existing orders. In this way, you are open for sales, service and marketing for 24/7 world-wide.

Small businesses often dream of providing a world-class personal experience to their customers. Now they no longer have to keep themselves from realizing this dream due to cost reasons. Customer management software can turn your customers into loyal raving fans. It brings you a platform to perform one-to-one marketing. You can use this platform to publish personalized information to specific customers or group of customers and marketing information to prospects.Using the service component of this software, your customers can submit trouble tickets after accessing your site.

This is more efficient and preferable to phone calls or e-mails. More secure access through password protection keeps spammers and hackers at bay. Customers feel more in control and at ease when they edit their profiles, view data status and history of existing orders and place orders any time anywhere based on real-time information. Those who need information or support can request it by sending an email or filling up forms. The information they get using this solution is relevant and look tailored just for them.

If you want the UltimateCustomer Management Softwaremake sure you visit Premium Response at http://www.PremiumResponse.com.
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Website Marketing Strategies: 5 Tips To Motivate Visitors To Stop Browsing and Start Buying

Cathy Goodwin offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum.
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Article Title: Website Marketing Strategies: 5 Tips To Motivate Visitors To Stop Browsing and Start Buying
Author: Cathy Goodwin
Category: E-Commerce, Converting Traffic, E-Commerce
Word Count: 489
Keywords: website marketing, internet marketing, website marketing strategy, conversion, converting traffic
Author's Email Address: cathy@cathygoodwin.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Buying requires action and action requires energy. So when you lull your website visitors into peaceful browsing, they won't be motivated to take that extra step.

They'll feel bland and blah. They might even go to sleep.

Most visitors don't realize they react emotionally to websites. They just forget they visited. They might find ourselves reaching for the mouse to click away.

But what happens when your website radiates energy? You communicate excitement. Your visitors want to stay. After all, everybody wants to hang out with vibrant, successful people. Nobody wants to spend time with lazy losers.

So how do you create website marketing strategies that motivate visitors to stop kicking tires and start entering their credit card numbers?

(1) Write copy with words that carry emotional charges and communicate energy. Examples include Smash, Hammer, Develop, Master, Triumph, and Crush.

Use strong verbs in your headlines as well as opening bullet points and even lists. But strong verbs are like cooking spices: use sparingly and creatively to create flavor. And be natural: readers notice when their copywriter seems to be grasping for novelty.

(2) Create a show room, not a tea party.

Phrases like, "Welcome to my site," and "Please look around my website" will signal, "I'm not really comfortable with marketing."

Let's face it. Your visitors know they're welcome.

After all, you bought a domain name and paid for hosting. You've provided at least one menu bar so they'll look around. Like, duh.

Okay, okay: I know a few people who violate this guideline, yet attract lots of business. I would encourage them to run a test, comparing the "welcome" site with a more direct marketing site. Some markets respond to gentle. But don't be too sure.

(3) Paint word pictures.

We've all heard "perfect life," "take it to the next level," and even "boost your business." Instead, let your readers put themselves in the picture.

"Imagine yourself in a bookstore, standing next to your published book..."

You can be even more vivid:

"Imagine yourself signing your first published novel in the Miracle Mile Borders Bookstore..."

(4) Choose photos and images that supplement your copy.

Photos of sailboats, mountains and rivers. Woodland scenes. Sunset over the Golden Gate bridge. If you're a scenery photographer, include them all. If you're a sailing instructor, definitely include photos of sailboats, preferably with yourself in your instructor's role.

But if you're a business consultant, use photos of yourself working with clients. If you use stock photos of people, dig for photos you won't find on every site. There's one photo of a young woman with a laptop that seems to show up everywhere we look.

(5) Quote yourself -- not Chopra, Gandhi, Kennedy, and other iconic figures.

Don't get me wrong. These folks are worth quoting.

But for your website, use your own words to share your message. You'll come across as more authentic and convincing. Your readers stay focused and, yes, feel energized by your words.

And that's when their fingers start tapping out numbers from their credit cards to your order form.

FREE 7 Best-Kept Secrets of Websites That REALLY Attract Clients: My Special Report gives you insider tips to convert tire-kickers to buyers and earn money while you sleep. From Cathy Goodwin, The Content Strategist, at http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com
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How To Deal With Bounced Email

Karen Scharf offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print.
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Article Title: How To Deal With Bounced Email
Author: Karen Scharf
Category: Ezines and Newsletters, Email, E-Commerce
Word Count: 401
Keywords: bounced email, newsletter, e-zine, mailing list
Author's Email Address: karen@modernimage.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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I have a client who sells advertising at her website and in her e-zines, and because of this, she is hesitant to remove hard bounced email addresses from her mailing list. She mistakenly believes that she can charge more for her newsletter advertising by saying her email list is so many names big - even though at least 20% of those email names are "no good". I've been trying to convince her that she is doing more harm than good, and I thought I'd share some facts with you to prevent you from making the same mistakes.

First, it's important to differentiate between hard-bounces and soft-bounces.

A soft bounce refers to a message that was delivered to the mail server, but the message could not be delivered to the actual mail box. The server might have timed out because it was currently dealing with too many messages, or the recipient's mailbox might have been full, or the email message might have been too large.

A hard bounce refers to a permanently undeliverable message. You might be sending a message to an invalid email address (check your addresses for typos), the mailbox might have been closed or the mail server might refuse messages coming from your email address.

Generally, I recommend resending a hard bounced message only one time, approximately four days after the first message. If the second message still does not go through, and if you can not figure out how to fix the issue, it's important to completely remove the address from your list.

If you do not remove the undeliverable email addresses from your list, your own email address could get blacklisted. And the worst part is, you may never even know it. When an ISP is hit over and over again with bounced messages, it can trigger a red flag. The ISP sees the messages are coming from you, and they simply block all future incoming messages sent from your email address or your IP address. If that happens, you won't even be able to send email to the "good" addresses on your list.

And, since many ISPs are now sharing this blacklist information, your mail can literally be blocked from hundreds of recipients. (You may have heard the term "sender reputation" bandied about.)

While it may seem counterproductive to remove email addresses from your mailing list, the process will actually leave you with a more effective list and a more efficient marketing campaign.

Karen Scharf publishes Successful Site Secrets, an on-line newsletter that offers insider tips, tricks and techniques for transforming your web site from one that is "good" into one that has your profits soaring through the roof. Get your own free subscription at http://www.SuccessfulSiteSecrets.com
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