| When you decide to go with osCommerce for your | | | | site will have an advantage over those sites that |
| e-commerce site, you can simply take their stock | | | | draw it out. The osCommerce forum has information |
| layout and insert your information and voila! you have | | | | on how to do this. Market Your Product: 1.Make your |
| a completely functional e-commerce site ready for | | | | site unique. This is a basic marketing technique and is |
| customers and sales. If you're like most e-commerce | | | | sometimes referred to as creating a Unique Selling |
| sites, however, you'll want to go a step further than | | | | Proposition. Basically, this is a simple statement that |
| that and customize your "storefront" to make it | | | | tells people what makes your site and your business |
| better fit your product. If you are savvy in both the | | | | unique from other businesses, especially those in the |
| technical and marketing fields, this will probably be a | | | | same niche. Whether you always offer free shipping |
| no-brainer. If, however, you are an expert in your | | | | or guarantee the lowest prices, your unique selling |
| product, but not necessarily how to sell your product, | | | | proposition is what sets you apart from the rest. |
| this article is for you. It's filled with tips to help you | | | | 2.Don't forget to sell your product! Getting people to |
| both design your site and well as market your | | | | your site and getting them to stay on the site are |
| product. Design Your Site 1.Change your colors. You | | | | important, but once they are there you need to |
| can go into your stylesheet.css file (in your catalog | | | | SELL the product. You won't be there to tell them |
| root folder) and simply change the colors from the | | | | about the items and they aren't in a bricks and |
| stock layout. It's amazing what a difference | | | | mortar store to examine the product themselves, so |
| something as simple as a custom color layout can do | | | | your descriptions need to do these jobs for you and |
| for your website! 2.Choose a template. If you don't | | | | the customer. Be detailed, be specific and be honest. |
| want to start your website design from scratch, you | | | | Include who would likely enjoy the product and why |
| can use a template that has everything you need for | | | | they would need it. Instead of focusing on the details |
| your site except the information. 3.Or, go even | | | | of the product or service, put some emphasis n the |
| simpler. If you don't want to change the complete | | | | benefits. 3.Make your store more than an online |
| template you can opt to change just one thing on | | | | entity. Give your customers a way to contact you. |
| the site. This could be the background, buttons or | | | | This includes a name, address, email and phone |
| logo. Whatever you choose, just do something to | | | | number. If they have no way to get into contact |
| make the site your own! 4. Improve your images. | | | | with you, your credibility with the customer declines. |
| Spend some time learning image editing programs so | | | | 4.Offer more than just the product or service. Don't |
| that you can save your pictures in high quality with | | | | be afraid to add articles, tips and information related |
| the smallest file size so that they both look great and | | | | to your product for customers coming to your site. |
| load quickly. With the high speed of the Internet, | | | | It will increase your credibility as well as give them |
| most people don't have the patience to wait for slow | | | | reasons to return to your site even if they don't |
| loading pictures and they may leave your site rather | | | | have an immediate need for your product or service. |
| than waiting for the image to load completely. | | | | Related to this is sending out a periodic newsletter |
| 5.Change the page titles. Make sure that you give | | | | that gives useful information, announces specials and |
| each page a descriptive title so that when the page | | | | sales and highlights specific products. With just a few |
| appears in the search engines it gives people enough | | | | customizations your osCommerce store can be a |
| information to get them to want to click on your link. | | | | unique site that fits your philosophy, product and |
| 6.Put your self in your customer's shoes. Customers | | | | needs. Summary: The article describes the next step |
| do not like long drawn out checkouts. If you can get | | | | that should be done once you've picked |
| the information you need in two to three pages | | | | osCommerce as your ecommerce solution. |
| (including the confirmation of information page), your | | | | |