Last year, KMG did a survey of U.S. online shoppers to find out what affects their purchase decisions, and it was a tie between price, selection, and convenience.
KMG did a follow-up survey at the end of the 2006 Holiday Season, and it looks like consumers have changed their minds about pricing. The winner this year is:
SERVICE!
According to KMG:
“81% of the 1,200 consumers surveyed said they shopped at the stores that had their desired items in stock, and 75% said a simple return policy helped them decide which retailers to patronize. Conversely, just 19% of the respondents cited price as the most influential factor in choosing a retailer.”
One lesson to be learned here is to make sure you pay attention to recent trends. Don’t just keep dong the same thing year after year; even if it’s working, it could be working better.
A few things you can do to capture shoppers are:
- If you have an in-stock guarantee, make sure the guarantee is shown in a prominent place on your web-site, and in any ads that you place if space allows.
- As an affiliate marketer, be sure to mention the return policy of the merchant you are promoting.
You will get more click-troughs to the merchant if you do these two simple things. That should make for a much more profitable 2007.
The other lesson is one that should be obvious: treat your customer well.
Even as an affiliate, maybe especially as an affiliate, you have a lot of influence over how that customer perceives the merchant. Everyone appreciates that extra effort to make them happy. Taking the time to treat each as an individual with a particular need or concern brings them back time and time again.
Happy New Year!
I have found that in trying to monetize my blog that the easiest way to
build income is through referring visitors to programs that have no cost and
require minimal time and make them money. This is much more efficient than
adsense and other afiiliate programs.
Two programs that fit this criteria and have worked extremely well for me
are:
Take The Internet Back
http://www.taketheinternetback.com/index.php?refId=3901
and
AGLOCO
http://www.agloco.com/r/BBBD9137
Let me know what you think.
Jane Lake
Adding to what Jane has pointed out, very often your prime aim will be to encourage people to sign up for an emailing list.
Such is the way of the Internet World, these days most people are reluctant to add themselves to a new mailing list.
It is important to emphasise that the basic details they enter won’t be shared; and that there is an easy option to have their details removed from the listing at any time.
Geoffrey Ponder
http://www.SeeHearLearn.com
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The holiday season’s retail sales’ extra cash went to Amazon.com, the online retail giant, but overall retail sales went downhill. Mainstays such as consumer electronics and jewelry fell by 20% compared to last year’s figures. The value of convenience appears to have not diminished, as Amazon allows shoppers to be able to purchase gifts for virtually anyone, and the diversity of products outpaces any pusillanimous offerings by your local shopping mall. The internet is a great resource in gathering product information. Amazon still keeps shoppers from having to go through the hassles of driving to the store, dealing with the traffic, other shoppers, and the breadth of items available dwarfs the paltry selection at most malls. Online shopping is the most practical method of shopping. For those who hate to be pressured by the sales agents when shopping, this is the best alternative. This will give you an ample time of choosing without thinking of the shops to close and to make a wise buys and choices. Read this article to learn more about how retailers fared this holiday season and to check out your options if you’re in need of extra cash.