[SES 2008] eCommerce 101: Optimizing your Shopping Cart for Search and Conversion

eCommerce 101Optimizing your Shopping Cart

for Search and Conversion

Ethan Giffin | CEO, Groove Commerce

How to Succeed in 2009?

Get Backto Basics!

About Groove Commerce

• Full service agency with a focus on eCommerce• Located in Baltimore, MD• Builds search and conversion-friendly web sites• Services include:

– eCommerce site design/development– Conversion consulting– SEO/SEM– Web site analysis

• Basically… We help people sell more stuff online

Designing for Success

• Good design is key…• Important for both SEO and conversion• Follow Web standards

– Unique page titles– Proper meta tags– Headline text in <h> tags aka your product and category names– Paragraphs in <p> tags– Bold and Italics <strong> and <em>– Lists in <ol> and <ul> tags

• Every page is not one size fits all• Don’t forget the mini cart• Always Be Testing…

ATouchofBrass.com Product Page

EpicDental.com Before…

…And After

Don’t Neglect Your Site Search

• Good Internal Site Search is not an option…it’s a requirement!

• Displaying relevant results• Google Analytics site search report• Site search conversion rate is 3-5x• Your search results page

WallysWine.com Search Results Page

The “No Results” Page

Why Should I Trust You?

• Establishing trust with your visitors:– Why should visitors trust my company?– Why should visitors trust my products?– Why should visitors trust my website?

• Where you need to assure your customers

Shop with Confidence…

• Guarantee customer satisfaction• Inform them of your shipping policies• Let customers know that their shopping experience will be

completely secure• Remind them of how you value their privacy and personal

information

Have a Bullet Proof Checkout

• Typically the #1 way to a big increase

• Show customers their progress• Eliminate distractions• Reducing shopping cart

abandonment• Proper error messages• Attention to detail!

How to Increase Your Conversion1. Design for Success

2. Don’t Neglect Your Site Search

3. Build Trust & Confidence

4. Have a Bullet Proof Checkout

5. Get Back to Basics

Thank You!Please feel free to come up to me anytime

during the conference with questions!

Ethan Giffin | CEO, Groove [email protected]