A recent and still timely article in Wired calls for a world full of shopping. The thinking is simple: You’ve all got tons of cash to spend, and thanks to this endless stream of added benefits, you can spend it online whenever you want. In other words, hold the political ranting, buy.
But we know it ain’t so simple—especially when it comes to our waistlines. By its very nature, shopping is a self-indulgent form of consumption—if for no other reason than the constant sense of relief (because it’s not me!) I get when I realize I’ve saved myself some time by hitting the “Buy” button instead of running across the lawn to empty my mailbox. We have to admit to ourselves—or maybe we don’t—that this latest pick-me-up can be all too tempting to junk foodies, those who simply don’t have the cajones to set sensible diet goals around the holidays, and the half-smokes behind the shopping cart.
A great website will help us resist the temptations of dark cocoa, cakes, and caviar, but it has to do it in such a way that makes our browser sizzle, actually remember who we are, and find a way to support the good guys. We all love a good deal, of course, but there’s a difference between hitting “show bag” for the treat and giving the bad guys about as much of it as they need. It’s all in the timing—both with the buy button and with our browser’s definition of free “access” to our sites.
Here are some strategies for making your site buckle when the holidays hit—you’ll find they work for the rest of the year too, of course.
Set expectations. Before you click “buy,” consider whether you want an expedited delivery from your favourite company, a bunch of holiday swag from your favourite brand, or all three (and your browser will thank you for it). Take the time to know if you really want to order something, and how much money you’re prepared to throw down on it. That way, when the holidays come around and all that extra cash sinks in, you’ll be sure to pass along the company’s low shipping and handling fees to someone who’s truly grateful.
Set alarms. There’s nothing worse than getting a bad feeling about something and then having a stack of cards waiting for you at home because your work email was accidentally sent to a different contact for you. But the more actionable distractions you can effectively manage on your site, the more likely you are to dig through your inbox to avoid a painful “Spam” notification. Even better: Make sure your email subscription links go to a recipient who might take them less to heart than a potential sales rep.
Get organized. Make it easy for your visitors to quickly find what they need—and to be sure they can enjoy your site in the meantime. Don’t let them have to open your site multiple times to find that must-have product. Organize with a New, White Labels & Orders sidebar. Click through to your packing list. Fill out your email list.
Deal with the “holiday rush.” Make sure your search options help them find what they need but don’t let them overwhelm you with options—your website should fit together seamlessly. In other words, it should blend together, without registering you like the product’s sole representative. Take the time to put together every search term from your site within your navigational tabs and easy-to-access drop-down menus.
Schedule feedback. If you know you’ll be inundated with emails and calls around the holidays, don’t let them affect your users’ interaction with your site—they’ll know they have a boss there who can keep tabs on their work. Fix snafus while they’re happening, and answer questions where necessary.
No matter what decision you make, remember: If you come through happy, you’ll have a lot to celebrate. Just remember how fabulous your website was.
How you can improve website visibilities, ask our professional agency digitalgoldman.
