E-commerce success- what does it take?

What does it take for a company to succeed in e-commerce? Andrew Field, CEO of PFL, a company that provides high quality commercial printing, tells us more about how his company stole the spot of the leading online commercial printer company in the States.

How to Create A Successful E-Commerce Web Site

One of the ways PFL did it, as stated by Andrew Field, is by making the website easy to use for its customers. This is done by PFL by not having flashy animations and whatnots that slow the page down. Keeping in mind that not everyone has a high speed connection, websites should be as fuss free as possible for a smoother online experience.

PFL also tried to provide clear information and instructions on its website. Although this sounds very basic, not all companies actually manage to achieve this.

Thirdly, they also tried to provide all the information consumers need, in this case, in order for their customers to make informed choices.

Another advise on web design given by Andrew Field include making sure all links are blue and underlined and that they should be clearly labelled too. He also adds that this is to ensure that people know what to expect and where the page is likely to lead them to.

Andrew Field also talked about testing one's site before putting it out to the market. This includes tesing it by oneself and also by others who has not seen the website. From there, they can then make changes to improve on their website from the feedback they receive.

On top of a good website design, there are also other things to consider in order to make e-commerce a successful venture. One of the first things to put in place is a clear vision and goal for the company. This enables e-commerce companies to know exactly what they want to achieve and it also provides a commitment and guidance for the company through out the process.

Also, e-commerce companies should always have a "consumer is king" mentality, where whatever enhancements and changes made should be for the benefit of the consumers. This also includes being fair and honest to consumers, which builds reputation and respect amongst consumers.

Then, embracing technology and change is also important for e-commerce companies. With the Internet continually evolving, it is also important to keep abreast of developments in order to stay competitive. Being in the know of online culture can also help e-commerce companies to strategize towards a desired direction.

These are just some of the ways e-commerce companies can emply to increase their chances of success, using PFL as a case study, but I am sure this is not an exhaustive list. What I am sure is that striving towards e-commerce success is no mean feat!