Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
personal bias - least intrusive data collection. honesty. value. meaning - don't be intrusive - only ask information as you need it - and only if you need it. Create VALUE. in exchange for information. coupons, targetted pricing etc. notifications, personalization. but only in the context of collecting the information that is required to create value. ie products you are thinking about buying - all related coupons, and new products, and product expertise (buying guides) are sent. and minimal information collected to empower this. ie justify the information you collect, honestly returning users - userid/password/email address [ ] optin stuff Site user survey - postal code. (honesty - stmt on user demographics and how it helps the company market their products, justify to investors, focus real world campaigns to build membership : offer shipping calculators into shopping carts while browsing. addresses - for shipping, for catalogs, for gifts - save repository for easy reference and reordering. allow user to edit/delete stored information. wallets - ditto - payment methods. demographics - birthdate - (daily/weekly/monthly gifts) blah blah blah Eric - Original Message - From: Will Tomlinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: CF-Talk cf-talk@houseoffusion.com Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 20:45 Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:199056 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
I think the privacy laws are going this direction - if they are not already there. ie no warehousing of customer data unless the customer allows it. and I think it periodically needs to be reviewed (ie annually). so if the customer only wants to provide detailed information fo a specific reason - the company gaining the information can only use this information for that specific function. ie shipping a purchased good. Could be wrong. - Original Message - From: Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: CF-Talk cf-talk@houseoffusion.com Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 21:53 Subject: RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register You could take a paypal approach and ask after the checkout is complete do you want to save this information so you won't have to enter it again? I know it isn't foolproof but I tend to gravitate to the way amazon.com does ecommerce. They've spent millions doing research on it - it can't be all bad... -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:45 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:199057 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
the buzzword I like today - process centric IT. - Original Message - From: Bryan Stevenson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: CF-Talk cf-talk@houseoffusion.com Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 23:17 Subject: Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register We could debate it all day long...but if it ain't usable you ain't makin the sale!! It's a little known secret...seems to have been missed by huge swaths of programmers...it's called common sense ;-) Sometimes it's tough to pull back and really think something through...especially when you're focusing on the technical side of things. Cheers Bryan Stevenson B.Comm. VP Director of E-Commerce Development Electric Edge Systems Group Inc. phone: 250.480.0642 fax: 250.480.1264 cell: 250.920.8830 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.electricedgesystems.com ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:199064 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
They've spent millions doing research on it - it can't be all bad... I know I wouldn't like to run a 2.39 billion dollar deficit with *my* site. So they sold millions of Harry Potter books to help out in 2004, overall Amazon still wouldn't be considered a success. Maybe even THEY have areas of improvement? Amazon states straight out in their annual report that as of the end of FY 2004, they had an accumulated deficit of $2.39 billion and a stockholders deficit of $227 million. In other words, Amazon shares have a negative book value of about 56 cents a share; by contrast, eBay shares have a positive book value of around $5/share. Amazon's sales in 2004 were a record $6.9 billion, with earnings of $1.39/share, up over 1500% from $0.08 in 2003 and a loss in all previous years. ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198781 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
It's becoming more common for brick and mortar check outs to ask for phone number or other personal information, even when paying by cash. I tell them no, and if they keep asking I typically offer them 867-5309 I personally find it a real turn off to doing business with that retailer. If I wanted to give personal information, I could just purchase online AND get it cheaper! Just some random thoughts... - Calvin -Original Message- From: Matt Robertson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 5:02 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register The custoemr is holding money out to you. all you have to do is reach out and take it. If you walk into a store, pick out a product and walk to the cash register, can you ever remember a time when the clerk handed you the money back and asked you for your username and password? To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198784 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
overall Amazon still wouldn't be considered a success. Dismissing the business decisions which account for Amazon's deficit, which are way off topic and not necessarily a sign of an unhealthy or unsuccessful business, Amazon is quite successful when it comes to the principles of ecommerce. They know how to make the process work for their customers. My point is simply that we can learn from the success and mistakes of bigger fish. I don't think their implementation is perfect, nor even ideal depending on the site and what it's selling, but I would rather take the results of their extensive usability tests over my personal opinion or the perspectives of a few other people with online experiences very similar to mine. In the end if you want to be more sure you're doing the right thing, run your own usability tests. Bribe some teenyboppers with a t-shirt and have them use two versions of your checkout process without asking specifically about the registration requirement. ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198791 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
- Original Message - From: Matt Robertson [EMAIL PROTECTED] The custoemr is holding money out to you. all you have to do is reach out and take it. If you walk into a store, pick out a product and walk to the cash register, can you ever remember a time when the clerk handed you the money back and asked you for your username and password? To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. As always, Matt Robertson hits the nail on the head. I couldn't agree more. Here's what we do: 1) Only the absolute minimum number of consumer-side regions of the site require authentication (members-only areas, for instance). Store checkout is one of them. 2) When the user clicks Checkout, the system checks to see if he's logged in, and if not he is prompted with If you are already in our system, enter your email address and password. If you haven't logged in to our system before, enter your email address and the password you want to use for our website. We typically also add a quick note that this is so they can track their orders, receive better customer support, etc. 3) If his email address is in the system and the password matches, he's in. If the email address isn't in the system, it takes him to a form where he verifies his password and enters his first and last name. The other info like address and such is optional. These days we also include a link that pops up the site's Privacy Statement in a separate window so as not to disrupt the purchasing process. 4) Submitting this form registers the user so he can later log back into the system, then it logs him in automatically and takes him to his original destination: the checkout form. 5) If the user entered his additional address info on the previous form, that information is automatically filled in on the checkout form, but it remains editable. If not, then the user can fill in the blank fields. 6) When the purchase is done and the Thank You page appears, you can check the user's profile for empty fields. If so, display a graphic showing filled fields from his sales order and empty fields from his profile with arrows drawn from the former to the latter, and ask him Would you like us to remember your address info? Doing so will make your future purchases faster and more convenient. A simple click on the Remember Me button then calls a method to replicate the address info from the order he just completed to his user profile. This is a very transparent process to the user, and reassures him at each step that the personal info is optional and that it is only used for normal and reasonable purposes. Nothing interferes with the process of getting the consumer's money to the merchant with the minimum number of clicks, but the process supports good customer service for future purposes. And you get two opportunities for the user to make things more convenient for himself -- once on the first time he purchases, and a second time each time he checks out an order while having a partially-completed user profile. The login/registration functionality is built into Plum (but the purchase process isn't because Plum currently doesn't have its own shopping cart -- it will later on), so if you'd like to try such a login/registration system for real, go to http://www.productivityenhancement.com/plum/DownloadPlum.cfm. How do you guys handle such processes? I'd love to hear some alternate techniques. Respectfully, Adam Phillip Churvis Member of Team Macromedia http://www.ProductivityEnhancement.com Download Plum and other cool development tools, and get advanced intensive Master-level training: * C# ASP.NET for ColdFusion Developers * ColdFusion MX Master Class * Advanced Development with CFMX and SQL Server 2000 ~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198815 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198715 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Make the registration after everything else and optional. Since you already have the info, it's only an extra few keystrokes. - Matt Small -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 3:45 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198716 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Ask for the info, just don't tell them they are registering! -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:45 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198717 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Teens (and alot of online shoppers) do not like you to store anything about them (even though common sense dictates they'll have to always repeat the reg info for every purchaseand you could store it without their knowledge anyway). So if you think you'll cheese off your main market...I'd vote to give them the option (as most sites big sites do). IMHO Cheers Bryan Stevenson B.Comm. VP Director of E-Commerce Development Electric Edge Systems Group Inc. phone: 250.480.0642 fax: 250.480.1264 cell: 250.920.8830 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.electricedgesystems.com ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198719 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
You could take a paypal approach and ask after the checkout is complete do you want to save this information so you won't have to enter it again? I know it isn't foolproof but I tend to gravitate to the way amazon.com does ecommerce. They've spent millions doing research on it - it can't be all bad... -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:45 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198725 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 14:53:28 -0700, Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: You could take a paypal approach and ask after the checkout is complete do you want to save this information so you won't have to enter it again? I do something similar to that. The checkout form is a simple 1-screener with a checkbox at the bottom of the form. It says Remember Me so this form will be filled out next time (except for credit card info). short and sweet and all they have to do is check the box. I use cookies to store their form data if they check this box, and populate the form with the data if it exists on form entry. Of course you could do the same job with a db checking for a match with their cookie.cfid and cookie.cftoken. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198727 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Entering information because it is needed to complete an order is no burden on the purchaser. Asking them to enter it before they even have decided to order is. My experience is that you turn off potential buyers and if they enter any info at all, it is all junk. My recommendation is not to let marketing get in the way of a buy transaction. -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198728 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 14:53:28 -0700, Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I tend to gravitate to the way amazon.com does ecommerce. They've spent millions doing research on it - it can't be all bad... I disagree pretty strongly with that. I've watched too many ecommerce sites die on the vine and -- once the stats are looked at closely -- we see its because customers stopped dead at the password link at the start of checkout, or couldn't remember their password and abandoned the sale. I think Amazon can in part get away with a convoluted checkout process because they are Amazon. Their customer dynamic is different. Amazon is making all sorts of extra bucks based on ancillary services and, for them, registration and all that extra info is a big part of their business mix. Someone just wanting to make a few bucks off their widgets isn't in that league, and imho shouldn't try to be. Also, think of how much kaka we put up with using Ebay. We do it not because its better but because no suitable alternative exists. The software is hugely popular, but not because of its interface. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198729 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
The custoemr is holding money out to you. all you have to do is reach out and take it. If you walk into a store, pick out a product and walk to the cash register, can you ever remember a time when the clerk handed you the money back and asked you for your username and password? To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198732 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Not all websites are to make sales. Not all websites should or do have shopping carts. Some websites are for building marketing lists. Jerry Johnson Web Developer Dolan Media Company [EMAIL PROTECTED] 03/14/05 05:01PM To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198734 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
But to this day, Radio Shack, and many others, still ask for at least your zip code before ringing up a sale. And every time I get a haircut, one of the simplest services, I am asked to provide my telephone number so they can track me. -Original Message- From: Matt Robertson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 3:02 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register The custoemr is holding money out to you. all you have to do is reach out and take it. If you walk into a store, pick out a product and walk to the cash register, can you ever remember a time when the clerk handed you the money back and asked you for your username and password? To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198737 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
We could debate it all day long...but if it ain't usable you ain't makin the sale!! It's a little known secret...seems to have been missed by huge swaths of programmers...it's called common sense ;-) Sometimes it's tough to pull back and really think something through...especially when you're focusing on the technical side of things. Cheers Bryan Stevenson B.Comm. VP Director of E-Commerce Development Electric Edge Systems Group Inc. phone: 250.480.0642 fax: 250.480.1264 cell: 250.920.8830 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.electricedgesystems.com ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198740 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
But to this day, Radio Shack, and many others, still ask for at least your zip code before ringing up a sale. And every time I get a haircut, one of the simplest services, I am asked to provide my telephone number so they can track me. Does their ability to track you provide you with ANY additional benefits? I see most web sites with shopping carts being the same way. If a customer wants my widget, they give me money and I ship one. At most I need their shipping address, and maybe a phone number or e-mail address in case there is a problem with the order. Having an account doesn't really provide them with any significant benefit in most cases. There are times where it comes in handy (like Pizza Hut so I can order the same thing over and over again easily g), but they should be the exception rather than the rule, IMHO. -Justin Scott ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198741 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Also we need to remember there is stuff like the Google Toolbar that will auto fill registration forms for ya...perhaps the average user hasn't come that far yetbut it will effect the usefulness of the user account in future Bryan Stevenson B.Comm. VP Director of E-Commerce Development Electric Edge Systems Group Inc. phone: 250.480.0642 fax: 250.480.1264 cell: 250.920.8830 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.electricedgesystems.com/tiny.cfm/54 ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198742 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Research shows that if you require people to register to use your site 60% turn away. If you are going to require them to register then there needs to be some value add e.g. non-registered users can view the site but can not participate in the interactive parts. ++ Kevin Parker Web Services Consultant WorkCover Corporation p: 08 8233 2548 m: 0418 806 166 e: [EMAIL PROTECTED] w: www.workcover.com ++ -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, 15 March 2005 7:15 AM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198743 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
On one of my sites, registration allows you to track your orders more easily. You can login to see if the order has been filled or shipped. Sure, you could do that other ways. -Original Message- From: Parker, Kevin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 4:25 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Research shows that if you require people to register to use your site 60% turn away. If you are going to require them to register then there needs to be some value add e.g. non-registered users can view the site but can not participate in the interactive parts. ++ Kevin Parker Web Services Consultant WorkCover Corporation p: 08 8233 2548 m: 0418 806 166 e: [EMAIL PROTECTED] w: www.workcover.com ++ -Original Message- From: Will Tomlinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, 15 March 2005 7:15 AM To: CF-Talk Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? Thanks, Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198744 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
Correct. I have no problem entering personal info in order to get Market Reports, Consulting reports, etc. Although I did lie for my Yahoo account and others whom ask too much too early. There is a quid pro quo -- value for value. That is not the case on a shopping web-site. -Original Message- From: Jerry Johnson Not all websites are to make sales. Not all websites should or do have shopping carts. Some websites are for building marketing lists. Jerry Johnson Web Developer Dolan Media Company [EMAIL PROTECTED] 03/14/05 05:01PM To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. ~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198745 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
RE: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
And I don't give them an answer, but they still let me buy the product. That's right, the clerk types in either the store Zip or his/her zip if forced to enter something, skewing the date. But an amazing number people just whip out their zip, phone number, etc without a single thought towards privacy, so it May not hurt to ask. Andy -Original Message- From: Connie DeCinko But to this day, Radio Shack, and many others, still ask for at least your zip code before ringing up a sale. And every time I get a haircut, one of the simplest services, I am asked to provide my telephone number so they can track me. -Original Message- From: Matt Robertson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 3:02 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register The custoemr is holding money out to you. all you have to do is reach out and take it. If you walk into a store, pick out a product and walk to the cash register, can you ever remember a time when the clerk handed you the money back and asked you for your username and password? To me, the purpose of a web site is not to build a marketing list. Its to make sales. Anything you do to get in the way of transferring product out of your warehouse and money into your pocket is a detriment to that prime focus, and represents a loss of understanding of what the web site is all about. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198747 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
For a small site without the potential for a lot of repeat sales, I say you don't make them register. For someone like an Amazon there's a lot of advantage to _Amazon_ if the user registers - it makes repeat shopping easier. For the small e-commerce site, what real advantage is there to the seller if the user registers? The only thing I can think of would be where you offer tools like order status tracking, wishlists, etc. Most simple e-commerce apps don't offer these capabilities. - Original Message - From: Will Tomlinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: CF-Talk cf-talk@houseoffusion.com Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:45 PM Subject: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register Ok guys, I just read in my Internet Retailer about how teen shoppers do NOT want to register before shopping online. This plays right into my plan on the Volleyball site as teen shoppers *are* my target audience. My client and myself did not want to force them to register. Some argue that they have to enter all that info anyway when actually making the purchase so what's the big deal? Also, that registration info comes in handy in many different ways. What's everyone's opinion on the matter? ~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198748 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 16:28:38 -0700, Connie DeCinko [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On one of my sites, registration allows you to track your orders more easily. You can login to see if the order has been filled or shipped. Sure, you could do that other ways. send them a link with their order confirmation where that link goes to a ...[insert CF app here]. Do it right and there's no need to include sensitive info on that screen so no need to require a secret word to get in. Or use an order number (from the email) and a ship zip for a 2-factor login. Simple, secure 'enough' considering the job and no extra misery heaped on the customer. Unless the information is as much or more important than the money you make on the sale, take the money from the customer and say 'thank you' as quickly and conveniently as possible. ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198749 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
Re: E-commerce - Make them register or don't make them register
I've always thought, Remove ALL obstacles. Registering is an obstacle in my mind. You are setting up a hurdle in front of the customer. Why do that? Why not remove all hurdles? If I want to browse, toy with the idea of buying a product from a site that makes me register, when I click checkout, it says whoops, create an account to checkout. I'm sorry, I'm abandoning. That's just me though. Apparently from some of these studies, it's NOT just me. It's lots of others as well. My final thought - No registering because registering is an obstacle, and those are precisely what I'm trying to avoid giving my clients'customers. Will ~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:198763 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
