While writing content for online environments you must think of the following paradox: reading is the PRIMARY action performed on the web. AND people try to read as LITTLE as possible (online) 20%!...

Avoiding ASP .Net Storefront
ASP Net Storefront may be good for many things but online commerce for Small to Medium Sized Businesses is not one of them. Here's why:

• SEO problems.

• Content Problems.

• Engagement challenges.

• Complexity & Right vs. Left Brains.

• Open Source Wins.

 
We do NOT recommend ASP .Net Storefront for SMB online stores.  

Marty Note
Solid tips here with a few caveats:

* #3 printing is a nice to have now not a must have. Printing just isn't as important, but, for some, a printed piece is easier to share.

* Reviews are now more important in their absence. Having hundreds of reviews is great as it shows the size and value of the tribe formed around a given product. A Customer's voice is always a tad different sounding too, so be sure to curate content FROM reviews.

* High res images is a good idea, but don't slow the delivery of your page down. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to help server your images and videos fast no matter who is looking at your content or from where.

* Product comparisons are great especially if they are social.

* Shipping = we would amend shipping to make sure your FREE Shipping triggers are easy to find / be aware of and set to maximize conversions.

$50,000 New Ecommerce Web Design Contest
FOMs (Friends of Martin's) are working on a cool event to support my +FedEx keynote talk in Maryland at the end of February. We have 3 partners willing to contribute time into a "prize" to help online merchants pivot to the NEW Ecommerce.

If you would like to contribute email Martin(at)Curagami.com (not on our site yet as we may fill our partner roster from friends and social. Read more about the contest on G+
https://plus.google.com/102639884404823294558/posts/M3n5Ds4Tk9p

E-commerce used to be static, Not So Much Anymore
This excellent Paper.li post from @Cendrine Marrouat - https://www.cendrinemedia.comshares interesting ecommerce research, design ideas and the impact of the social / mobile web on online commerce.

The new ecommerce requires originality, social curation and a supportive tribe as we discuss regularly at http://www.Curagami.com our Durham, NC based startup dedicated to creating cool new tools for online merchants.

This holiday selling season (2014) will happen as close to real time as any thanks to the social / mobile web. Listening and curating are going to be important, but so is tapping the nostalgia and spirit of the season in creative and collaborative ways.

This holiday selling season (2014) will happen as close to real time as any thanks to the social / mobile web. Listening and curating are going to be important, but so is tapping the nostalgia and spirit of the season in creative and collaborative ways.

Designing Tomorrow's Ecommerce Today
Added artist Sara Havey's magical knitting gnome to the fastest "views" Haiku Deck I've ever created (300+ in 24 hours) because it is a perfect example of the New Ecommerce's crowdsourcing and DIY future.

The deck is divided into three sections:
* Current Ecommerce Best Practices.
* Rise of the Social / Mobile Web & Social Shopping.
* Crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing and DIY.

Is it possible to create tomorrow's ecommerce website TODAY? Is Sara's gnome knitting? You bet!

Your website sucks.I’m sorry that I have to be the bearer of bad news, but someone had to tell you the truth.Your website is a crime against humanity, an atrocious abomination, a target for Godwin’s

Ecommerce Website Design For MacGuffins
In film a "MacGuffin" is a plot device that helps move the story. Online McGuffins are expected "cost of poker" design and marketing elements whose absence hurts more than their presence helps. A web MacGuffin's job is to help move visitors on their journey to become buyers and advocates.

Common Ecommerce MacGuffins Include:

* Free Shipping.
* Free FedEx Shipping for premium brands.
* Email subscription boxes with VIP treatment for joiners.
* Social share buttons.
* Satisfaction Guarantee.

While it is difficult to know what any individual site's MacGuffins should be since that is determined by their business vertical EVERY website, without exception, has at least one expected MacGuffin.

Some website categories may have 5 to 10 expected MacGuffins. There are 5 rules for designing websites to create the trust and assurance MacGuffins provide:

* Place MacGuffins where they can do the most good.
* MucGuffins should be LARGE and IN CHARGE in easy to find.
* You flaunt MacGuffin convention and "best practices" at your peril.

* Social Share buttons should be ubiquitous and use branded colors.
* Create friendly easy to understand policies about things like "satisfaction guarantees" and then NEVER enforce them. 

Writing a more complete post about designing for website MacGuffins now and will share a link on Scoop.it when finished. 
 

“Designing your eCommerce store is not only about making it look good, but also making sure that it generates sales. Your goal is to make potential customers”

Meshing A V8 SLAP
Had a V8 Slap today when I realized that the way Google has set up this new chess board doesn't favor the creation of new anything. When we started working on CureCancerStarter.org the chess board seemed to favor a User Generated Content (UGC) platform.

We wanted to create Kickstarter.com for cancer research. Great idea, but too late. Post Google's algorithm changes where social signals rule and trusted sources have all the high ground thinking in ways to fit YOURS into THEIRS is more productive and a better bet.

Important for ecommerce merchants to think in these terms:

* Appify.
* Widgetize.

* Gamify.

Ecommerce merchants may be the most impacted by these changes. Commerce can happen anywhere so why isn't it? Our merchant minds, I ran a sizable ecom website for 7 years, still focus on CASTLE building when we should be thinking about crowd converting.

Find ways to EMBED and MESH your ideas into already scaled systems and your idea, startup or site might just survive long enough to matter. One you matter you can think about castle building.

From backpacking to cycling to staying in shape and more, outfit your outdoor activities with the latest gear, clothing & footwear at REI.

A infographic featuring web design trends for 2013 created by Enfuzed. This is the original!

Checkout is where rubber meets road in ecommerce. Great infographic showing checkout design trends among top 200 online merchants around the world here. 

Gamer Joseph Kim Rocks E-commerce These are the times we live in. Times when one of the most substantial, intelligent and interesting e-commerce and cont

When it comes to eCommerce design, every decision matters because aspect of your design impacts conversion...even the colors. Offline merchants have been using color tactics for centuries to lure c...

Here's our third lesson on Facebook EdgeRank!  Don't forget to catch up on lessons one and two and subscribe to our blog for future lessons :)

Great E-Commerce Homepage Design Tips

Three concepts are critical to great e-commerce website design:
* Golden Triangle
* People Sight Lines.

* Calls To Action.

Tis post shares specific examples of each of these Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for great conversion and engagement in ecommerce website design.