The technology regarding SEO (search engine optimization) is always evolving, but the fundamentals stay the same. It’s all about being found by the right customers. Without SEO, your website won’t be indexed by search spiders and you won’t rank highly (or at all) in search engine result pages. However, there is no “one and done” tactic or quick fix; we must consistently optimize multiple areas of our website. This includes clear site structure, use of keywords, and relevant content. URL rewriting is one of the tactics that we can use to improve the visibility of your website to search engines. Read More
Does “Out of Stock” mean Out of Luck for Customers?
It doesn’t have to be! This is a very frustrating situation for e-Commerce merchants or retailers of any kind. You managed to get the customer all the way through the hoops, they want the product, but alas, it’s out of stock. You may have lost another customer. Sometimes the “out of stock” situation is dealt with taking the customer’s order regardless. However, as not all e-Commerce solutions have reliable integration, it’s not immediately seen that the item is out of stock. This ends up disappointing the customer when orders are ultimately left unfulfilled. If you do nothing and send it to them when it comes back in stock with no communications whatsoever, you can still end up with unhappy customers because deliveries are incredibly delayed. What are ways to salvage this sale when you have “out of stock” items on your website?
Events We’re Attending in 2017
Digital Vantage Point is excited to announce that we will be attending these conferences:
- Directions US – September 17-20 in Orlando, Florida
- Directions EMEA – October 4-6 in Madrid, Spain
- NAVUG Summit – October 10-13 in Nashville, Tennessee
It’s a little special this year because it’s our 20th anniversary. We enjoy these conferences because it’s a chance to network and meet up with our fantastic partners and clients, building on our relationships that we’ve developed over years. It’s such a good feeling to see our partners grow and change, much like how Microsoft Dynamics NAV has changed. We want to focus on how to make things easier and delivering elegant experiences in e-Commerce, even amongst the anticipated changes to come regarding NAV and the Dynamics channel. We’re also offering a little extra something for Directions EMEA attendees: a 2 day training workshop to extend the value of the event! Read More
Help Me Help You – “Self-Service” Features in e-Commerce
If you want it done right, do it yourself. Some of us feel duty bound to that philosophy as it gives us a sense of control; we know exactly what is needed, our own personal preferences and motivations, and how to get to where we want. Before the days of e-Commerce websites, having the customer do things themselves was generally considered to be bad. Why? With their lack of resources, knowledge, and tools, there are things customers can’t readily manage; there are so many roadblocks in the overall process. It’s also probably implies you’re not doing a good job in anticipating the needs of customers to help them. It is always in the company’s best interest to help customers.
Now with technology and e-Commerce changing how things are bought, sold, and managed, there is so much that can be done. There is now a large amount of information at the customer’s fingertips. In order to do “self-service” successfully, there needs to be an element of control. From the small details that a customer wants to manage in the front end to the boundaries that the company set ups by managing the roles and permissions and guidelines in the back end. Read More
Managing Look and Feel with Configurator
There is huge value to adding an integrated product configurator to your webshop. From guiding customers to informed decisions, streamlining complex “build your own” type products, and incorporating upsell and cross sell seamlessly, Configurator has features that mesh this unique selling process with the rest of your website. This includes integration with your NAV items and attributes and showing the details of the configured item in the shopping cart. But what how does it fit with your design? Branding is important in creating recognition and cohesiveness with your company’s values. In Nav-to-Net™, this can be done with design customizations or even customer-managed stylesheets. With our Configurator add-on, there are different ways of customizing look and feel to create just the right look and feel. Read More
Versatility of Samples in e-Commerce
“Try before you buy” is an extremely common tactic that’s been around for ages. Customers can see if they like it, whether it’s to their taste and their standards first before committing to the purchase and investment. It can help build trust and convey confidence in your product and services. It’s low commitment before diving in with a large purchase that works with both B2B and B2C shops, though it’s usually seen in brick and mortar stores. As more businesses see the benefits of being online, it can be challenge taking all elements into a digital space, but with the right solution and some open mindedness, it can be done! Read More
Conferences We’re Attending in 2016
Conference season is upon us and this year, we’ll be at 3 separate events. As an international company with partners and customer all over the world, this is one of the ways we stay connected. Not only do we get to show off what new features we’ve added and updated, but we get to talk to the people behind the business. We’ll be at Directions US as Exhibitors, NAVUG Summit as Gold Sponsors, and Directions EMEA as Bronze Sponsors. Read More
I Want That Outfit! – Product Configurator for Outfits
Ever found the perfect item of clothing online and wished it was easier to find matching items? Selecting a special dress or suit is usually just the start of a long and sometimes frustrating online process. “I’ve found the perfect dress for a friend’s wedding but really need a complete outfit ….the shoes, handbag and perhaps jewelry accessories to match, but it’s a pain to have to constantly click back and forth to find suitable matching products. And even if I find my accessories elsewhere, how can I be sure the colour shade will match?”
A well-constructed product configurator can help customers think and decide, eliminating confusion. It gives e-Commerce retailers a new way to organize and shape the buying process; we show only what needs to be shown given the context of the configurator and buying decision to be made.
How to Be Fresh in E-Commerce
Modern store display is refreshing for customers.
Love the feeling of fresh laundry? Want a breath of fresh air? We’re always looking for freshness, be it in our food, entertainment, or our surroundings. It imbues a sense of invigorating newness. Fresh is almost always better. With this in mind, there are ways to apply this to e-Commerce, giving your webshop a sense of freshness and new energy.
What makes a webshop feels fresh? How can it benefit both businesses and customers? In order to make things fresh (and keep it that way), we need to lighten up, create positive change, and refresh the foundation so the effects are felt throughout. In this blog post, we outline some ways you can achieve this. Read More
Types of Shoppers – The Researcher
“Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.” – Wernher von Braun
Researchers show curiosity and sometimes they are not entirely sure what they are looking for. However, this is not to be confused with browsing online. Their research serves a purpose and when the time is right, it will result in a purchase. These shoppers are goal-driven and dedicated. When shopping online, here are some things to keep in mind to cater to this type of e-Commerce shopper. Read More