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Some of the most successful online retailers are those who have taken a bricks-and-mortar business and repackaged it for the internet. In such cases, it's usually straightforward enough to leverage the original business' processes.
For example, if the offline business had a great logistics / supply
line process, a competent web programmer will build this into the way
the new website's logistics work.
Proviso: web programmers will only deliver what you ask for!
Taking your hard-earned reputation online is another matter. Some of the typical things a consumer is looking for are
- longevity - if you've been around a while, you're more likely to be staying around
- security - you'll need to reassure buyers that you will deliver
- credibility - do you really know about the products and services you are selling
- customer service - are you going to me help me (the comsumer) if things go wrong?
There are many other aspects we'll look into in future such as
guarantees, ease of use of the site, etc, but these encompass much more
than taking an offline reputation online.
To illustrate some of these points, take a look at this curtain and blinds accessories site.
The first thing you'll notice is that the longevity issue is
addressed immediately. Pretty Frills have been serving their customers
since 1983 and they are proud of it! This already goes a long way to
establishing a feeling of being in safe hands.
Further down the page on the right hand side you'll see two of the
many ways in which Pretty Frills begin the process of reassuring the
customer that it is as secure and convenient to do business with them
online as it is in the High Street. First there's the "Shop Safely!"
statement that goes...
Our 3 step guarantee:
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- Your financial information is secure
- We never share your email address or other details
- Easy returns and exchanges
Directly underneath that we see the "Secured by GeoTrust" logo which can be clicked for verification by the customer.
Then there's the question of credibility. This is built up in a
number of subtle ways throughout the site but we can see two examples
on the home page. The first is at bottom centre, where we see a series
of specialist articles that make it plain that this business knows what
it is talking about - the "Pretty Frills How-Tos". Second, at botton
centre, there are the professional association logos.
Finally, in support of the idea of great customer service that
Pretty Frills are hoping to put across, notice that there is a customer
support telephone number prominently displayed in the top right hand
corner. This is reinforced throughout the site, and especially when the
customer has reached the checkout.
These are just some of the more obvious ways in which reputation can
be built on the web. Of course, strategies like these won't work in the
long run unless they are supported by real credibility, expertise,
longevity, security and customer service. Those things cannot be faked,
online or offline.
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