Web Commerce Today
Issue 30, January 15, 2000

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This article contains older information. Go here for newer information on miscellaneous Internet marketing strategies.

Theme: Techniques to Increase Store Sales - I

We've moved beyond the second big Internet Christmas, with reports from many merchants of substantial increases from last year. Some increases will come in subsequent years as more and more people feel comfortable purchasing on the Web. But the what merchants can do right now is take advantage of the after-Christmas "breather" to consolidate gains, and redesign aspects of their online stores to increase the "conversion rate," the percentage of shoppers who end up making a purchase.

This issue is the first in a series focusing on increasing store sales. I'd also like to encourage subscribers to share things they've found that increased sales on their site. If we don't learn from one another, we'll all have to learn the hard way. If you send me "E-Mail to the Editor" I'll share your insights with other readers -- in a password-protected area for paid subscribers only -- so your direct competitors aren't as likely to see and copy it. Please share what you've learned, react and respond to what I am writing, and let's create an invigorating learning environment here.

If there are topics you'd like to see discussed in Web Commerce Today, please send your suggestions also. I am seeking to maintain Web Commerce Today's position as your most valuable strategic e-commerce tool.

God bless you,
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Editor

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Display Products Compellingly

Photos sell products in online stores. Here are a number of suggestions on how to upgrade the quality of photos on your site in order to increase sales. Brief description of both low end and high end online photo technologies. Read the Article.

Sidebar: Tips for Scanning Photos from Catalogs

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Improve Product Description Copy

The second element customers examine when they're browsing your store is your product description. Here are some tips to make yours sparkle and sell. Read the Article.

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Review: Words That Sell

Here's a book that's indispensable to writing great product descriptions. It's a thesaurus of hot selling words. Read the Review.

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Digital Certificate Alert

On December 31, 1999 the Digital Certificate contained WITHIN some older web browsers expired. The result is that when a customer with an older browser comes to your secure order page his browser will flash a disturbing message that may de-motivate him for purchasing. I recently

Did you encounter a dialog box stating 'Certificate Authority Is Expired' when you tried to access one of our secure pages? Simply click Continue: the SSL session that secures your transaction with our site is not affected. You can avoid the dialog box in the future by upgrading your browser. Netscape or MS Internet Explorer upgrade.

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Odds 'n' Ends

Our E-Commerce Research Room was recently selected by the Scout Report for Business & Economics, a premier biweekly collection of useful Internet sites for business and economics academics. We're highly honored. They described it as "another excellent resource for electronic commerce news and information. Created by the periodical Web Commerce Today, this site is geared towards those working in the field of e-commerce, providing detailed information about e-tail including a collection of introductory and general articles, book titles and reviews, and e-commerce news. One of the most helpful sections of this site, Examples of Online Retail Store Excellence, contains a partially annotated set of links to some of the most effective e-tail sites on the Web. Unfortunately, a large portion of the E-Commerce Research Room is only available to paid subscribers."