All too often I see manufacturer Web pages that make it difficult to buy. Here are seven best practices that manufacturers can implement to help increase sales:
1) Minimize the Number of Clicks to a Product - Too many clicks to a product page can frustrate consumers and greatly reduce the opportunity to sell. One or two clicks is optimal.
2) Show MSRP - To help the consumer understand the price point of the product they are considering, show MSRP on the product page.
3) Link Design - A button is always preferred over a text link. Buttons attract the eye of the consumer and more clearly indicate an action.
4) Active Button Text - Active phrasing like "Buy Now" or "Buy Online" or "Get Prices and Buy" deliver better results than inactive text like "Where to Buy" or "Online Dealers".
5) Position Buttons Near the Product Image - The button should be above the fold to optimize the opportunity for sales. Once above the fold the optimal placement for a button is near the product image. This gives the greatest visibility to the button and can also be important for search engines that are indexing pages. A "Buy" button near an image is a strong indicator to the search engines that the product can be purchased.
6) Give the Button High Contrast - A large, high-contrast button will drive the greatest amount of clicks. The color of the button should be unique on the page. The button should be at least 15 pixels in height. White space around the button also helps to draw the consumer's attention.
7) Remove Other Buying Options - Multiple buying options on a product page can distract the consumer and reduce the number of leads you will send to your channel partners. Even if you sell direct there should be a single "Buy" button on the product page that leads to a page where the consumer can then decide which channel they want to buy through.
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