Brick & Mortar to Online

[Emaline@infoave]

I would be very interested in any information or experience any of you have had on closing a retail store and going just online. I already have a web site, but I want to make this a smooth transition, and I could use some suggestions.

Thanks,

[jamie]

Hi - it sounds like you're just launching a new business then I would spread the word. Maybe send out a press release announcing your new business and direct users back to your site. Also, for easy updating and editing, try a content management tool to keep your content and press releases fresh. Such as www.easywebcontent.com - this may help keep everything updated during your transistion.

[willanfei]

Do you do wholesale ? or just retailer?

[BasicECommerce]

To make the transition smoother, start adding ".com" to the end of all your store's signage. That should inform everyone that you are also online and they will make the transition themselves.

-BEC

[skytopdesigns]

i agree with BasicEcommerce. by adding a .com to your name, if you still have the physical store , but signs up there, mabey do mailers to your existing customers letting them know you will be moving to online.

[Get Elastic]

Do you also fulfill orders online currently or are you just a brochure site at the moment?

How long has the domain been online?

[rfresh]

Some suggestions/comments/questions

1. The main font on your website at the top is *very* difficult to read - how about using a font that isn't so fancy? Basic is better. That second word is very hard to read.

2. I'm confused about going to your website which looks like your selling things (it looks like a shopping cart) and yet you have a link that says Our New Amazon Store??? Does this mean I can't order on your main website? This is very confusing to a customer who doesn't know your website. I would rethink this kind of setup. Most customers who go to a website that is selling expect to be able to order from that same site.

3. You have way too many links on your website that customers can click on to leave your site. Is this what you really want?
- Gift Baslet Spot
- QFLEA Blogs (this is a link and almost everyone but you has no idea what QFLEA means!)
- Snyder Family Band (why is link is on your site is beyond me)
- Our Affiliates
- etc.
- etc.

4. Lamp Repair - [email protected]
Is this you? The email domain leads me to believe this is not your business - so again, another way for *your* customers to leave your site.

5. You have way too many links along the left side of your website. Why are you giving your customers all sorts of reasons to leave your site?

6. This website is not new. You've had it for quite a while (your domain has been registered since July 2000). You have so many other, unrelated links on your site, one knows it has been around the block a few times already without even doing a whois lookup.

In general you have severely lost your focus on selling. Your site has turned into a link exchange for other businesses. Somewhere along the way you have bought into the link exchange marketing BS. Never, ever give your customers a way to leave your website - especially if you are selling something. You don't need link exchanges to be a successful online store - link exchanges are only one of many, many ways to promote your website but one of the worst - again, why would you give your customers a link to leave your site? It's too hard to get them there in the first place!

So now your asking for advice on how to go it with just an online store - based on what I've seen, you're in for a *very* tough time to sell anything. You need to overhaul your website completely and really focus on an online shopping cart website design. Dump Amazon. Dump the link exchanges. Your contact us email address needs to use your domain name. If it doesn't people will wonder why? For example if I go to the Apple.com store to buy something and I have a question I *expect* to email to [email protected] and not [email protected] right? Be professional and look professional.

Please take my comments in a positive way as they are meant to be.