What makes you shop at a specific online store?

[happybratpack]

My sister and I are in the process of opening a new online store. We're in the web development phase and I thought I'd ask here since I know there are some professional shoppers.

What draws you to a specific store and makes you buy from there? Is it the design? Cheap flat rate shipping? Something else? What turns you off or makes you abandon your shopping cart?

Thanks for any input!

 

[Deb in IA]

Cheap, or free shipping.

Reliable delivery.

Ease of returns.

Accurate description, images of products.

Competitive pricing.

 

[Mermaid02]

Prices of course.

Ease of use- cut and dry if you will. If it's too much "trouble" to sign up and order- forget it.

Cheap or free shipping

 

[MIGrandma]

I love shopping at Amazon, huge selection of everything imaginable and I can usually get free shipping. To me, free shipping is extremely important. I've heard that at Overstock it's $2.95 for shipping, no matter what size your order is. That's okay too, it's a small amount.

But like Coldwater Creek charges shipping depending on how much your order is. The more you buy the higher your shipping is. I don't like that. Especially when their clothes are so expensive anyway.

And receiving the correct order, and shipping when they say it will be shipped is important too.

 

[Green Tea]

Certification that you are a "real" vendor. BBB membership, SquareTrade, Cnet something that lets me know someone else knows who you are.

Shipping charges out of line, even if the item was priced right would make me abandon the cart.

Too many questions, like do you want to add this? Or this? or that?

An unclear policy about shipping times, vendors and charges.

Not allowing returns.

 

[Stitchfans]

Cheap, or free shipping.

Reliable delivery.

Ease of returns.

Accurate description, images of products.

Competitive pricing.

Agree with all of above.

 

[mill4023]

Price.
Reputation for customer service.

If I'm looking for something that is available at multiple places, I filter out the shops that get bad reviews, then from the remaining shops, I pick the one with the best price.

Although selection does come into play because if I am ordering multiple items and they are all available at one place, I will sometimes pay a little more for the convenience of only placing one order and having one shipment. But only a little more. If I can save a substantial amount by ordering from multiple shops, I will.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

*uniqueness of product (if I can only buy it on-line and you are the only one to have it)

*website is consumer friendly--like any store front it has to have visual appeal but also be easy to read and navigate. Much like a disorganized Bricks and mortar, if the website is hodge podge, forget it.

*shipping--fair amount or even better if it is free. But if it is free, that often causes people to jack up prices. So consider that. I hate paying shipping based on the dollar amount. But a vendor that I purchase homeschool supplies from offers free shipping on orders over $150. Since I purchase a lot, I'm okay with using them and their prices are EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE. They have a catalogue as well.

*SECURITY SECURITY SECURITY--Need to have very secure ways for me to pay.

*I need to know about you--so you will have to figure someway that people will find you. I'm a lazy googler, if you don't pop up on the first page, I will not filter through millions of pages to find you.

*I HATE when I am required to sign up and order. I will only do that when I have to purchase a specific item and the one website is the only place to get it. But I have no desire for the website to "remember" my information as a mandatory practice. (the option is fine, but I hate when I can't even browse without signing up. Bugs me to no end!)

 

[gate_pourri]

I can tell you one thing that keeps me AWAY from an online store: charging both shipping and taxes! If an online store tries to charge me for shipping and taxes, I won't shop there. Twice this week I've attempted to buy something from online stores (both chain stores which are within an hour drive of my house) and although I believe the taxes they were charging were below what is charged in my state, I refused to buy it.

 

[Crystal0608]

I use mainly Amazon because it has free shipping over $25, quick shipping, package is always in excellent condition when received, great prices, and ease of use.

I use ebay because for hard to find items and daily deals mainly, usually with cheap or free shipping and great feedback, plus 8% bing cashback right now.

Overall, with other stores, I like free or low shipping, coupon codes and/or on a cashback site like bing, ebates, my points, etc. I prefer paypal or bill me later as a payment option. Many times I go to checkout and if only cc's are accepted, I exit.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I agree with many of the above, but I'll add the design of the website. I want it to be user friendly. I don't want a lot of flashes and pop ups that just hurt my eyes. I don't like looking at a site that is cluttered or over the top. I think it takes away from the product. I'm there to purchase your product, not oh and ahh over how many bells and whistles you can put on your site. Use graphics and colors sparringly to achieve a classy look, not a cheap thrown together look. And, I don't want to search through 20 pages to find what I need.

 

[diznygirl]

I agree with the others, but I wanted to expand on one thing about photos. I want to really be able to see what I'm buying online. Zoom and different views really helps out. I don't know what you are planning on selling, but being able to see the backs of dresses for instance will really help me make my decision. Or being able to zoom in on the fabric and details.

Good luck with your venture!

 

[OhMari]

I can tell you one thing that keeps me AWAY from an online store: charging both shipping and taxes! If an online store tries to charge me for shipping and taxes, I won't shop there. Twice this week I've attempted to buy something from online stores (both chain stores which are within an hour drive of my house) and although I believe the taxes they were charging were below what is charged in my state, I refused to buy it.

I think this is pretty common practice now to charge for taxes. The government is pretty much demanding that you pay taxes for on-line stores.

Also, sending out e-mail promotions like a code or coupon will get me to shop at the store. I'm a sucker when I receive a 25-30% off items. Plus I hate to say it, free shipping is huge for me. JCPenney probably charges the most for shipping and I cringe when I absolutely have to get something from that store and pay for shipping.

What kind of online store do you want to open.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I can tell you one thing that keeps me AWAY from an online store: charging both shipping and taxes! If an online store tries to charge me for shipping and taxes, I won't shop there. Twice this week I've attempted to buy something from online stores (both chain stores which are within an hour drive of my house) and although I believe the taxes they were charging were below what is charged in my state, I refused to buy it.

Just so you know - if the store has a physical presence in your state the site is required to charge you your state's sales tax - and of course submit it to the state. Examples:
The OP lives in Texas, so assuming that's the location of her business - she would have to charge sales tax to Texas shoppers.
Brylane Home is in Massachusetts. I bought an outfit from the website, and despite clothing not being taxed here, their system is programmed to automatically charge MA residents the sales tax (because the company's primary business is linens, home goods, etc.).

Sales tax IS a government issue, the store/site benefits from it in NO way. It should not be a consideration in any manner when assessing shipping charges - either by the customer as a deal-breaker/maker or by the merchant in relation to total cost.

 

[clutter]

Prices of course.

Ease of use- cut and dry if you will. If it's too much "trouble" to sign up and order- forget it.

Cheap or free shipping

Let me sign up as a guest without registering.

Cheap or free shipping. I'm usually ok if that means it takes longer.

Slow loading means I'm leaving.

 

[Carly_Roach]

My sister and I are in the process of opening a new online store. We're in the web development phase and I thought I'd ask here since I know there are some professional shoppers.

What draws you to a specific store and makes you buy from there? Is it the design? Cheap flat rate shipping? Something else? What turns you off or makes you abandon your shopping cart?

Thanks for any input!

Without reading the other replies so I don't get swayed, my #1 priority is quick, reasonably priced shipping where the final price (including S&H) is told to me up-front before I put my CC# in. I'll try just about any shop on the internet (and have!), but if the package is 2 weeks or more in getting to me, I won't go back.

This is the main reason I like Amazon.com so much.

One thing I hate about some mom-n-pop stores is that if I hit the shopping cart and then decide to continue shopping, I might have problems getting back to the main website again. THAT makes me abandon my cart unless they're the only place that carries what I want.

I pretty much know what I'm shopping for and have already done an internet search to find it (that's how I found your shop). Aside from the Google search, I like store websites that have a search feature (as opposed to constantly having to click links and drill down to what I want) so I can get what I came for, pay for it and get out.

HTH.

 

[NotUrsula]

What a lot of other people have said. If you must charge itemized shipping, please base it on weight rather than cost, especially if the items are lightweight but expensive, such as jewelry.

I like to be able to see thumbnails of large groups of items at once; I don't want to have to endlessly page. Once you get to the item description page, the zoom photo should be of a light-colored example against a contrasting background. This is especially important for clothing or any kind of fabric item; black may be the color you sell the most of, but I can't see the seams and stitching in a zoomed photo of a black garment, and if I cannot figure out what the styling is from the photo, I'm not buying.

As to getting me to come to your site in the first place, know your Google strategy, so that you end up no more than 3 screens in on a Google search. I'll always at least go check out a site that has some kind of free shipping option, even if there are restrictions on qualifying for it. (In fact, that's how I search: ""bicycle light" and shipping"", for example.)

 

[Angelhalo]

Almost any order I have ever cancelled online before I finish checking out, was abandoned due to outrageous shipping prices. I usually shop where the item and the shipping are the cheapest.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Unfair shipping charges.

Surcharges on top of shipping, now THAT will make me leave.

I also like to get online coupon codes.

I hate signing up and having to remember passcodes just to spend my money in your store. To me, that's like asking the customer what their customer number is (I shouldn't, as a customer, need to do your bookkeeping for you, YOU look it up)...I don't shop or go to places like this at all.

 

[happygirl]

prices
shipping method
return policy