Sales WAY down with osC

[Shooter]

java script:emoticon(':o')

smilie

My client just informed me that after a week online her sales are off by about 90%. I can't explain why she's gone from a half dozen orders a day to 1 or less. She's ready to abandon the osC I've been working on for the last month. She wants to go back to the old site with all products listed on a long page with individual PayPal Buy Now buttons.

 

1. If you have replaced an existing page with osC, how has it affected your sales initially? Have sales suddenly increased as you add a CC pymt option, or decreased because people don't recognize your site?

2. What's the best way to assess WHY people are leaving without buying?

3. Has anyone rec'd feedback that there is too much text/info/choices on the osC?

 

Thanx,

Wm

[wizardsandwars]

There are probably several reasons.

 

Did the URLs change? Did she previously enjoy good index rankings that moving to new urls has affected?

 

Was the previous checkout shorter than this one?

 

Has the design changed significantly? Is the new store more confusing?

 

All of these questions should have been taken into acocunt ahead of time.

[wheeloftime]

Have you installed the PWA (Purchase Without Account) contribution for your client ?

I don't know if her previous shop worked with a registration but to my experience people are very reluctantly to buy from a shop where they have to register first. Might be depending on what you sell and to whom but for the normal/casual buyer it doesn't seem to be a good thing.

[nmb]

Also, in my experience, if she says sales are off by 90%, they are probably off around 25% :D

[Shooter]

Did the URLs change? Did she previously enjoy good index rankings that moving to new urls has affected?

Was the previous checkout shorter than this one?

Has the design changed significantly? Is the new store more confusing?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The URL is the same, and she gets great rankings. She's also monitoring her AdSense clicks and seeing twice as many clicks lately but a fraction of the sales.

 

The previous store wasn't a cart, but a single long webpage with all items listed with PayPal buttons. (PayPal shopping cart, not a real cart).

 

osC is a MAJOR change from that single page with all items listed on one long "order form." I thought that the addition of Sales items, Reviews, etc., would help - but it seems like it may be either overwhelming visitors or scaring them away.

 

Wm

[wizardsandwars]

provide the URL, and we'll give you some suggestions on how to improve.

[elv1s]

Hi there,

 

can you give us a link.... old one and new one??

 

gr.

kasper

[Shooter]

Have you installed the PWA (Purchase Without Account) contribution for your client ?

I don't know if her previous shop worked with a registration but to my experience people are very reluctantly to buy from a shop where they have to register first. Might be depending on what you sell and to whom but for the normal/casual buyer it doesn't seem to be a good thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, but that sounds very helpful -- I'll work on that over the weekend. THANKS!!!

 

Wm

[Shooter]

Also, in my experience, if she says sales are off by 90%, they are probably off around 25%  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Looking at PayPal records, she's not far off. If I figure an avg of $1000/wk (even though it was $1500/wk last month), she's taken in only $500 in the *two* wks she's been using OSC.

 

Wm

[Shooter]

can you give us a link.... old one and new one??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Original page, without links updated (so some pics don't load - this is just an archive):

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/index1.php

 

New page:

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/catalog/

 

Wm

[cczernia]

Original page, without links updated (so some pics don't load - this is just an archive):

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/index1.php

 

New page:

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/catalog/

 

Wm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

First, I would set "show category counts" to false. Those values seem to destract more than provide useful info for the customer.

 

Second, the intro is all over the place. Try and add some graphics or change things to a list. Most people will want to skim and start shopping. They won't want to read an intro paragraph. A catchy graphic there might help, too.

[wheeloftime]

Original page, without links updated (so some pics don't load - this is just an archive):

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/index1.php

 

New page:

http://camerareadycosmetics.com/catalog/

 

Wm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The old site is pretty straightforward and osC just isn't like that. I don't know if she has a lot of repeated buyers otherwise she could email them with some explaination about the use of the new site. Get PWA and look for one of the few contribs which provide a shorter checkout procedure.

You can get rid of the language box and the valuta box if you only have english and dollar.

[wizardsandwars]

Ok, I thought you said that URL was the same.

 

Your store now is in a subdirectory called '/catalog'.

 

It looks like you've set up a re-direct on the domain root, to get to the new catealog directory. This is a BIG TIME search engine no-no. Doesn't looks like it's hurt your listing yet, but it probalby will given time. Use a 301 permanent redirect, or move the cart to the domain root. I recommend moving the cart to the domain root.

 

What are your optimized for key phrases? I dont' see this site ranking highly for any key phrases at all.

 

Does the decrease in sales coorelate to a decrease in traffic as well, are are we just losing conversions? Have a look at your web statistics, nad see if you can see a dropoff.

 

Also, don't worry aobut the PWA account, it doens't do nearly as much as it sounds like it does. But I would recommend checkout in the 'customer login routines' thread in the tips nad tricks forum, and possibly installing the new 'really simple checkout' contribution. That would help.

 

I'd recommend installing on of the many header tage controllers, you really need to get some unique titles going.

 

Also paypal is the only payment processor? This can keep people from purchasing rihgt there. I've seen sites get a 50% boost in sales overnight just by adding an alternative. This probably isn't the answer you were looking for though, becuase you were using paypal onlybefore.

[Shooter]

First, I would set "show category counts" to false. Those values seem to destract more than provide useful info for the customer.

 

Second, the intro is all over the place. Try and add some graphics or change things to a list. Most people will want to skim and start shopping. They won't want to read an intro paragraph. A catchy graphic there might help, too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks! We debated on the opening page, and tried the intro paragraph to try to get more info about the site contents in there (for SE) and to capitalize on the owner's reputation in the industry. Would the intro paragraph not help with SEO? We have a splash page with a photo on it, but rec'd comments that the extra page was a "barrier" to seeing the store, so it's currently set to meta refresh to the /catalog page after 0 sec. (The splash still loads, but the refresh forwards it after about 1 sec.)

 

Wm

[wheeloftime]

Ok, I thought you said that URL was the same.

 

Your store now is in a subdirectory called '/catalog'.

 

It looks like you've set up a re-direct on the domain root, to get to the new catealog directory. This is a BIG TIME search engine no-no. Doesn't looks like it's hurt your listing yet, but it probalby will given time. Use a 301 permanent redirect, or move the cart to the domain root. I recommend moving the cart to the domain root.

 

What are your optimized for key phrases? I dont' see this site ranking highly for any key phrases at all.

 

Does the decrease in sales coorelate to a decrease in traffic as well, are are we just losing conversions? Have a look at your web statistics, nad see if you can see a dropoff.

 

Also, don't worry aobut the PWA account, it doens't do nearly as much as it sounds like it does. But I would recommend checkout in the 'customer login routines' thread in the tips nad tricks forum, and possibly installing the new 'really simple checkout' contribution. That would help.

 

I'd recommend installing on of the many header tage controllers, you really need to get some unique titles going.

 

Also paypal is the only payment processor? This can keep people from purchasing rihgt there. I've seen sites get a 50% boost in sales overnight just by adding an alternative. This probably isn't the answer you were looking for though, becuase you were using paypal onlybefore.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

All good points also but you think to easy about PWA in my opinion. Technically it might be almost the same as registering, afterall we get the same information, but it has it's psychological benefits when a customer doesn't have to tie himself to a shop (at least not that obvious as the registering process does).

[Shooter]

Ok, I thought you said that URL was the same. Your store now is in a subdirectory called '/catalog'. It looks like you've set up a re-direct on the domain root, to get to the new catealog directory. This is a BIG TIME search engine no-no. Doesn't looks like it's hurt your listing yet, but it probalby will given time. Use a 301 permanent redirect, or move the cart to the domain root. I recommend moving the cart to the domain root.

 

What are your optimized for key phrases? I dont' see this site ranking highly for any key phrases at all.

 

Does the decrease in sales coorelate to a decrease in traffic as well, are are we just losing conversions? Have a look at your web statistics, nad see if you can see a dropoff.

 

Also, don't worry aobut the PWA account, it doens't do nearly as much as it sounds like it does. But I would recommend checkout in the 'customer login routines' thread in the tips nad tricks forum, and possibly installing the new 'really simple checkout' contribution. That would help.

 

I'd recommend installing on of the many header tage controllers, you really need to get some unique titles going.

 

Also paypal is the only payment processor? This can keep people from purchasing rihgt there. I've seen sites get a 50% boost in sales overnight just by adding an alternative. This probably isn't the answer you were looking for though, becuase you were using paypal onlybefore.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The root URL is the same -- If I move all the contents of /catalog/ to the root, will that cause problems with links? I was afraid to try that because I feared that most of the pages would then fail.

 

OSC has not been optimized for anything yet. The old page used to do pretty well looking for the major makeup brands such as RCMA makeup and Cinema Secrets makeup. I'm still trying to learn how to do that with OSC.

 

Traffic (click throughs from Google) has doubled lately, but sales are greatly reduced.

 

I'll look for the simplified checkout, and the header tag controllers.

 

We now accept credit cards via Authorize.net as well as PayPal -- that was the main reason for implementing OSC to replace the old page, so that we could accept the CCs.

 

Thanks!

Wm

[cczernia]

Thanks! We debated on the opening page, and tried the intro paragraph to try to get more info about the site contents in there (for SE) and to capitalize on the owner's reputation in the industry. Would the intro paragraph not help with SEO? We have a splash page with a photo on it, but rec'd comments that the extra page was a "barrier" to seeing the store, so it's currently set to meta refresh to the /catalog page after 0 sec. (The splash still loads, but the refresh forwards it after about 1 sec.)

 

Wm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The information in the paragraph is good. Just presenting it in a different manner such as a list.

 

Welcome to Camera Ready Cosmetics! What you find in this on-line store is what

 

* Mary Erickson (www.themakeupartist.com) own makeup kit.

* Most items not sold in stores outside of the professional supply stores in L.A. and NY.

* Cheaper than most internet stores.

* Mary will add many more products she loves.

* Now accepting VISA, MC, AMEX and Paypal.

* To start shopping CLICK HERE! (this thinks to every product page)

 

Use li tags and set the stylesheet (perhaps creating a brown box for the dot) to make them bold so people can skim and get the idea. Use keywords to up ranking. If you have a picture of Mary using her products or something similar I suggest putting that there. Avoid center alignment if you can. Make the last one bolder and obviously clickable. Since the Everything page is similar to you old page it might be wise to take them there.

 

You also might try redirecting the old URL to the Everything page since they are similar.