'Net Features : Webcollage

Sales Funnel Best Practices

Administrator — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:30:00 GMT

By Scott Matthews, CEO of Webcollage

Online retailers have a lot of visitors, but more than 97 percent leave without buying anything. Part of the formula to driving more conversions is to assure that what you answer is most if not all of the consumer's questions about your product. This may seem self-evident, but it is not just what you say to visitors, it is how you say it that can lift sales (anywhere from 12-36 percent in some cases I've seen).

For example, enhanced content - which runs the gamut from simple text, elaborate product shots, video (see 'New to QuickBooks?'), 360-degree views, customer testimonials and reviews (click on 'Product Tour”/”Feature Reviews') has proven in countless A/B tests to drive higher sales. Here are some best practices when using enhanced content to move customers down the sales funnel.

- Typically, Internet users do not read every word of text presented on a Web page; instead, they scan the page for information applicable to them. So use graphics to accompany each feature. Shoppers who scan the page can be lured into reading the full text, or may get the answer they need to make a purchasing decision just from the graphic. Using large images enhances the visual quality of the page and helps shoppers quickly scan through the different product features.

- With interactive tours, shoppers get a complete view of product features. Shoppers can click on each feature and learn more about it and how the feature is used in practice. Videos can also be included to elaborate on each particular feature in even greater detail. Be aware that neither Amazon.com nor Walmart allow videos or interactive tours, opting to use just the video snapshot as static graphics (referencing the 360-degree views link above).

- Always include a list of all items that are included in the product package. Shoppers need to understand what complementary items, accessories or parts they get and which ones they need to purchase. Without this information, they may delay a purchase decision. Try using not just a bulleted list but also an image of the unpacked box, with all included items. Providing the full set of attributes helps shoppers who need to understand a particular aspect of the product decide if this product fits their needs—thereby accelerating their decision cycle and reducing return rates.

- Include a compatibility (or System Requirements) section that lets shoppers know what other equipment, devices or environment they need to have for using the product. This helps shoppers determine if they will be best able to use the product in their home or office. Also provide access to product documents to let shoppers find information that may not be included in your web marketing materials—such as specific information about installation, connectivity diagrams, operating instructions, etc.,. Owner’s guides and installation guides are particularly beneficial as they help address shopper questions and concerns around using and installing the product.

- Show the product in its day-to-day context, for example, a video camera held and connected to a notebook computer. Showing products in context help shoppers visualize how it would fit in their environment and provides them a better sense of dimensions and convenience.

- Other quick-hitting ideas: A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section may be the best way to address some shopper concerns. If you present a comparison table that shows the difference between this product and other products in the same family you help shoppers understand the differences and possibly upsell them to a more profitable product. Don't forget to emphasize your company’s green strategy. If you have new functionality in each edition of your product (e.g., 2013 edition vs. the 2012 edition), a What’s New section is helpful to consumers.

The bottom line is that with consumers increasingly accessing the internet for information before making purchases, the more information you give them in the most compelling packing, the higher the chances they will buy on your site or in your store.

About the Author

Scott Matthews joined Webcollage in April 2006. He brings more than 20 years of sales and executive management experience to his role as CEO. Scott has a proven track record in direct sales, business development, OEM sales and distribution channel management. Most recently, Scott served as a Director of the Eastern Region for Secure Computing, an industry-leading network security vendor. He previously worked as Vice President of Sales for both Optum and InterWorld and held sales management positions with Data Switch, Oracle, Siebel and Genesys. Scott holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a master's degree from Pace University.

Webcollage Signs Walmart Subsidiary

Amberly Dressler — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:45:00 GMT

More than 3,000 e-commerce sites worldwide, including Walmart, Best Buy, Sears, Staples, Amazon, Office Max, Costco and Target in the USA, use Webcollage to provide rich product information for their retail websites (and mobile visitors).

Now, Webcollage, counts Asda, the British subsidiary of Walmart, as a client.

The New York-based Webcollage will provide the tools to build and syndicate rich content for thousands of products accessed through all of Asda's Web and mobile properties in the United Kingdom. Webcollage also syndicates content features interactive tours, videos and detailed descriptions of products. The company reports U.S. and Europe retailers see up to a 36 percent increase in sales with these features.

Webcollage has a similar arrangement with Walmart in the U.S. with rich product content live on 36,014 product pages on its site. The company also reports that customers accessed this content 107 million times in 2011.

"Delivering the lowest prices and the highest level of service to our customers is our number one priority,” said Frazer Locke, Trading Director at Asda Direct. “This includes making sure they have as much information as necessary to make informed purchases either online or in our stores.

“Webcollage can help us to provide our customers with topnotch content for a wide range of products ranged on Asda Direct, including images and videos to make shopping even easier and more appealing.”

Here are two rich content examples that are already live with Asda:

Example 1 (Power Page starts with “From the Manufacturer”)

Example 2 (A Mini-Site is launched from the “Play Product Video” button)

According to Webcollage research, manufacturers often get a 6 to 18 percent lift in sales from Webcollage-provided Mini-Sites and a 12 to 36 percent increase from the use of Webcollage Power Pages.

More Options, More Money?

Amberly Dressler — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 20:30:00 GMT

Today’s digital shopper wants and expects options. And, companies that don’t give them options stand to fall behind in the e-commerce race.

Retailers like Fry’s and Dell realize this and use a new feature from Webcollage Inc., a company that manages real-time, automatic content updates across a network of retail websites, to give users the ability to compare similar products. (See example.)

"Our A/B testing with millions of products at the largest retailers in the world tell us the more information they have about the products they consider, the more likely they are to buy," says Webcollage CEO Scott Matthews. "Letting shoppers easily compare products side by side helps them make a quicker purchase decision and be confident they are buying the product right for them."

Although the product comparison tables’ impact on conversion has yet to be measured, Webcollage’s CRM/Marketing Manager, Grace Baek, says in the past they’ve seen an increase of 6 -36 percent due to rich product information in general.

“We expect that product comparison tables, when available and used smartly, will increase this number further by another 3 – 4 percent,” said Baek.

These comparison tables are integrated alongside the rest of Webcollage's rich content on retailer websites, all designed to dynamically show the range of product choices available at that retailer.

“The feature is available to our entire global retailer network that includes a few hundred sites, including sites such as Staples, Walgreens and Sam’s Club,” said Baek. “And similar to the rest of our content syndication features, manufacturers upload content, create the comparison tables then publish them—they do not need to create retailer specific charts, our platform dynamically sorts and filters to make sure the chart is current with only the products sold at each retailer.”