What is wrong with my online store?

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What is wrong with my online store?

by Lisa
(Hong Kong)

I am starting up an online store (with an independent hosting web site), selling handmade jewelry and jewelry making supplies. I think I have displayed many fancy products with competitive prices, some of which are even designed by myself. In spite of the short history of our web site, I invest a little bit on Google Adwords to promote. And there are some customers.

In this month, to make the purchasing process easier, we upgraded the website purchasing system. Then the problem occurs. After upgrading the system, our conversion rate went down rapidly. The numbers of click-through and unique-ip viewers did not fall down in fact, but orders are less and less. I really want to make the website optimized and more convenience, but I cannot figure out the reason of the order fall. This annoys me much.

These are the changes:

- Add "Customer membership system". (The customers need to register and sign in before purchase. It has “Order History” “My Account” for customers to check order information details.)

- Change the appearance of home page.

- Change “$50 Minimum Order” to “No Minimum Order”.

- Change “Free sample” to “$2.98 Sample Free Shipping”

- Change “Free shipping for order>$50” to “Free shipping for any amount”

Any comments or advices are welcomed.

Comments for
What is wrong with my online store?

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Easier or harder
by: Leigh

I guess the thing that caught my eye was the click-through and new-IP did not fall which is making me wonder is the membership sign-up process is not as easy as simply ordering the products.

Have you had an independent person go through the new process to see if it is easy for them or if they are getting hung-up along the lines?

Registration
by: Genna Delaney

Loads of people talk about forcing registration reducing sales and leading to more abandoned shopping carts.

See for example
http://boagworld.com/season/1/episode/s1e3/

"Take, for example, an ecommerce website that wishes to encourage more users to register when purchasing. A short term view of this objective might be to force users to register before they can place an order. However there is a serious danger you will alienate users.

When users come to an ecommerce site they don’t come to register, they come to buy a product. They therefore see registration as a hinderance that benefits the retailer more than themselves. This often leads to users abandoning shopping carts and buying elsewhere."

On my shop I allow people to register but don't force them to do so to purchase. If your e-commerce package allows that it seems the best option.

How to settle this problem?
by: Lisa

It is very nice of you to give me this suggestion.
I believe that it is the member’s login system annoying my users. However, due to the inflexibility of the integrated DIY e-shop website maker (which I paid to use this whole year) cannot turn off this registration feature. And I really spend quite period of time to upload and modify the thousands of products profiles

Maybe there are two ways:
Keep using this e-shop system and find some settlement methods, or move the whole thing to another better e-shop server, what should I do?
Can you give me any further ideas?

Thank you all.

Sign in work around
by: Julie

I'm not sure if this would work, but how about having an option of a generic sign in, something like 'Visitor' if they do not wish to input their own info. This would at least get them thru the purchase if you can't turn off this feature. If they like what they buy, they may come back and register in their own name.

Registration
by: Lynn

I am one of those who will leave if I have to register to use your site. I have to want to have a long term relationship with you to make me want to do that.
I expect to just choose what I want and buy it.
I get very annoyed if I have to join each and every site I decide to spend a few dollars at.
But that's just me, I will leave without purchase.

Registration Hassles
by: Karen

I agree that the issue most likely is the registration. If your current server does not allow the option to not have to register in order to purchase, then I'd highly recommend finding another one. I realize you invested in this one for a year - but perhaps if you are dissatisfied with what they offer, you might be able to get out of the contract you have with them, and make the suggestion that they DO offer a visitor/guest option without having to register. Good luck with your endeavors!

Registering is the problem
by: Laura

I agree with the others. I won't register. I'll just go someplace else to buy where it's simpler

Register to Buy? No Way
by: Maryanne Murphy

Hi-

I agree with everyone else about the registration process, find it quite annoying, and leave a site.

As I am always in a hurry to complete my non-making jewelry tasks and any hindrance finds me leaving quickly.

I really hope that you can modify your page design to let people click through the process.....otherwise it seems to me that you have a sobering reality to face. Staying with what you have, and order fall off for a year, or making a site change. Neither one a pleasant option.

If I couldn't change the registration process, I would give people something for the aggravation. And from my studies have found that people really like free shipping vs a discount...but you can really wow them by giving both on a first order. If this were my shop I would definitely play around with those options..

Good luck....please let us know what you do!

If it ain't broke.....
by: Anonymous

I bet the problem is the registration step. Personally, when shopping online I always pass up the "register first". It makes me feel like I am being obligated for something I don't want and will end up getting tons of unwanted e-mails at the very least.
People just want to quickly order the item without any "red tape". I can't tell you how many times I have clicked out of a site because of this.People are funny about little things.
M. WIlson

Did not realize
by: MaryKaye

I too have an online business and did not realize how many people would leave a shopping cart without finishing the tranaction.

My shopping cart provider requires you to create an account in order to purchase. I need to find a way past this. You all may be on to something here. Thanks for all the suggestions.

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