Yesterday I wrote how I helped a friend to improve her sales. Today I want to give couple of pointers how this is applicable for websites. First obvious statement is the lack of tangibility of web. There is no way to touch physical product and therefore online shoppers are always buying something that they know and feel.
Model T Ford parked by the road. Take a car for a test drive. Not so easy in internet, eh?
ONLINE BUYING PATTERN FOR PHYSICAL PRODUCTS
For physical products web plays important part in bargain hunting. Typical buying process goes so that first one tries to find some basic knowledge of a product, which might solve some specific problem. Second quick step is to get overall price level so that one is not fooled by “only-today” specials at any brick-n-mortar establishment. Do you recognize yourself? First you google something like “mobile phone” and take a glance at the results. Maybe you recognize few brands and click the one that you feel most positive about. Looks like a mighty fine piece of consumer convenience and you proceed to scouting the price. Do this few times and you’re off to the mall to get the feel of the gadget.
FROM FINDING THE INFORMATION TO FINDING THE PRODUCT
The trek to the mall is the third step towards buying your product online. After you have listened the sweet talkers (they always happen to own that particular item you are interested in) you are ready to move forward. Fourth step is to verify your decision to be correct by browsing some more info and then you are ready. Web will help you to find the cheapest place for your heart’s desire. At that point you are at step “Click to order now”.
ONLINE BUYING PATTERN FOR DIGITAL PRODUCTS
Buying digital products from the web is completely different story. Digital products aren’t something you can easily find in your neighbourhood store. That is why testing must also be done online. This process takes place between kitchen and computer. You search for something and then you search for some more, finally you’ll get hungry and fix yourself a snack (are there any diet coke cans on your desk). This is the moment that sellers have been waiting for - eating consumer is vulnerable to conveniently presented and easy information. Big titles and short lists keep following intensity high, while the reader is munching away semi sub there is no time for intensive scrolling.
TRY IT OUT NOW!
Now the first step has been reached, dude or dudess has reached the capacity of new information. It is time to make a choice and start testing. For this stage those softwares or other digital products, which have free demo to try out are in luck. They get to be moved from the “potential choices” list to the “must check this out” list. Sure one might have to shed a email address to do that, but so what, free email accounts are just the tool for that. Second step can take ages like it has taken for me with my use of Winzip. I’m still running a mere evaluation version, because it works so well. If I ever needed those extra features, I am quite certain that I would just update my Winzip status to Pro.
MAKE TAKING IT EASY
This is the advantage of digital products, you get to have most of them immediately for virtual test drive. The one that manages to please us gets to be chosen because prices for digital products are often very close to competition. However, it depends on the product demo how well it manages to tie the consumer. There are very few online shops that market digital products, usually one turns directly to manufacturer, so web's role in this product category is much more important.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR WEBSITE TO SELL MORE?
Today you have learned how people make up their minds for online shopping. Next you’ll learn how to use it to your advantage.