A successful business web site is all about converting browsers into paying customers. This is measured by the conversion rate. A percentage of how many web site visitors it takes to sell one item or capture one lead determines the conversion rate. According to a research, around 44% of owners of Internet retailing sites do not know their rate of success in converting lookers to buyers. The statistics also reported an average success rate of 2.7%, which is very low.

The main reason behind these low conversion rates is that usually web site administrators take a short sighted approach to Internet sales. They focus solely on tracking revenue, thinking that if the revenue keeps growing, then they are doing good business.

Just by improving the conversion rate, you can greatly improve revenues without even attracting more visitors. Also, this is very cost effective. In many cases, it costs less to make some changes to your own site to improve the conversion rates than to pump more money into advertising and promotions to attract more visitors.

Some tips for web merchants to improve conversion rates -

Your website must be easy to navigate
Create a well designed site and reduce download speeds for pages with less graphics. Ensure that the site search engine is fast and includes your top selling items accessible from your home page.

Determine page views per item ordered
Usually, for almost all products and services, this ratio should be between 2 and 8. The more complex the product, the more pages someone will view before they decide for purchasing. Also keep monitoring the ratio of repeat visitors to total visitors. It should fall between a range of 15% and 25%.

Reduce the risk involved in making a first time purchase at your site
People need a valid and good reason to buy the product from your store other than convenience. Your product prices can be reduced, provide free shipping and make sure that your site and the transaction process are secure.

Decrease the time it takes to purchase a product
Make provisions for one-click ordering for those people who are comfortable shopping over the net.

Build customer loyalty
Offer various reward programs to attract customers.

Good Content
Provide informative and accurate information that is valuable to your clients and they will keep coming back. Customers will not appreciate untimely service and will in future avoid your site.

However, you must also think about a large percentage of Internet users who are not yet comfortable sending their credit card number over the net. A feeling that their personal information may be misused will always haunt such customers.

Make sure that there is an easily identified phone number where they can call to place an order. Try to include as many ordering options as possible like e-mail, fax, postal mail, toll-free numbers. Keep tracking the ratio of abandoned shopping baskets to total orders. This should not exceed more than 10%. Anything higher is an indication that the online ordering process you have implemented is ineffective or takes too long.

At A-1 Technology, we will not only allow your site to survive as a viable business on the Web, but you will also reap huge profits along the way. You can be assured of high quality services from us.