…when you buy stuff?
Is a web page important when it comes to buying stuff, either professional or personal?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Thanks.

really depends on what your buying.

Somethings i would use the internet to get opinions and ideas, other times for price.

what you selling?

some things I want to do a bit of research on so a good webpage can be important.

bananas on the otherhand I just buy.

whippersnapper – Member

what you selling?
Not saying until I get more feedback. 😉

Yes, it’s a trust issue. It can be basic if the product is basic but for anything that requires money in double figures and above I’m looking for secure ordering, pro layout, not too much flannel etc

possibly one of the vaguest threads ever

Further to my earlier answer, it depends on whether the internet is the source of the item for sale, or just to be used for reference regarding an item for sale offline.

If the item is sold offline, then the internet isn’t always the best source of accurate or reliable reference info. Usually, but by no means always, the information can be found eventually, but it’s often hard work, and often requires some degree of critical thinking and conscientious verification.

Are you selling willy enlarging machines?

😆

Can you expand on what you mean by a webpage being important. Do you mean are looks important? Is functionality important? Also to what extent is the process automated by the website, is it the core of the way stock levels are controlled and goods dispatched? Or is the site an online ad for your product and you’ll check your emails when you get home from the pub? And post goods out when you can find the right size cardboard box out the back of the supermarket?

A lot of that depends on the volume of sales and the level of correspondence you expect to have with each customer. A friend of mine has set up taking people on bespoke sailing holidays. Her web designer was wanting to set up all sorts of payment handling technology costing £ks to set up and maintain. She only has one boat and there are only so many 2 week long slots in a year. By nature of being tailored to the client it meant there would be numerous correspondances before a price would be agreed, during any of which she could email an invoice and the customer could post a cheque. The fancy back end stuff would all have been redundant.

Are you selling willy enlarging machines?

Absolutely honey, I was thinking of a buy one get one free. 😯

Yes, IMHO. I wouldn’t buy something of a website that wasn’t professional looking and easy to navigate, personal or not. I can’t be doing with lots of things going on on websites either and I dont like complicated backgrounds because they divert attention away from what I actually want to look at if that makes sense. HTH

Thanks emma82.
With all due respect maccruiskeen, I haven’t actually decided on the client base yet, and it’s pretty much anyone or everyone as it’s new.
So I don’t want to give too much away, I’m interested in opinions regarding private, public or professional web sites.

What’s a private website? Are we back on to willy enlargement machines again?

Depends on your distribution channel, are you selling wholesale to retailers or distributors or to the public? IMO there’s not really any excuse for not having a web presence these days, it’s 2011

yes
fast response reqd
easy to find products I want (search facility or well[IMHO] structured index – and they have to work – page not found – goodbye)
a basket/totaliser running reckoner – v handy, esp if postage costs tiered
do NOT have to login/register to get postage costs/full order total
clever moving logos and bad colours/merging texts extensive graphics/movement piss me right off
I use a crappy phone line so I tend not to use really clever sites

If I don’t like the site/can’t use it quickly I do not buy from it

What’s a private website? Are we back on to willy enlargement machines again?

Muak! You know, a self promoting me, me, me, kind of web site. 😳 You’re making me blush with this w**ly talk. 😳
Forget it, I’ve clearly got the wrong idea, 😳

Depends on your distribution channel, are you selling wholesale to retailers or distributors or to the public? IMO there’s not really any excuse for not having a web presence these days, it’s 2011

Initially to trade, but I’m looking at all sorts of replies for unbiased responses.

I agree with emma. If a website is awkward to use or looks like it was made in 1998 then I won’t use it. This is 2011, I expect professionalism in my internet shopping! 🙂

Ah, internet selling, well that’s different.

YES!

Information must be clear, easily accessible, photos large and applicable, real contact info should be present, shipping charges should be in plain view and not require entering of any information.

Websites are important whether its for information, opinion or purchases. Be it word of mouth from social network sites or forums or just plain old googling, you need your piece of online real estate whether its a mansion or a dilapidated shack. Obviously the more professional and slick you come across the better but generally if the product or service is that good it rises above the inadequacies of its online presence.

Ah, internet selling, well that’s different.

YES!
No, not internet selling. The selling will be face to face.

Have a read up on zmot don Simon, its interesting reading.

Top banana maxray, cheers.

I’m put off by people starting their viral marketing being deliberately vague on forums.

I doubt you’d be interested in the product anyway, aracer, but thanks for your input. It’s a, I believe the term is, B2B product.

Yes.

If it’s business to business stuff (for the building trade? Dunno why I think that but anyway) then plenty of dimensional details, weight, freight forwarding, manufacturing standards, lead times etc. Info on how you can integrate your product delivery into projects.

Also a dedicated landline number, not a mobile (you can always route your calls through to mobile)

IMO If you can’t have a good website, don’t have one. If you can have a good website its a useful tool. When someone hands me a business card, I’m going to want to do a bit of research before I agree to a meeting in which they are going to try and sell me something.

Once your new venture is in any way established, a potential client googleing you (other search engines are available apparently)will find info on your business. It might as well be info you have put there for them to find and it needs to explain your company both in what’s said and in the quality/attention to detail etc.

A company with a crap website will not get a meeting to pitch their goods/services, a company with no website might.

I pretty much ignore any company / trader without a decent website even if the business is face to face. If you don’t have a website you don’t exist…….

I recently came across this site

http://www.akulaliving.com/

They sell stuff but do it so badly it surely puts people off during their ‘journey’. If they had a shop, they would have draw bridges and orcs and marbles all over the floor in the path to the tills…

@ yossarian, correct it’s to the construction industry.
@ footflaps and niallmb

A company with a crap website will not get a meeting to pitch their goods/services, a company with no website might.

I pretty much ignore any company / trader without a decent website even if the business is face to face. If you don’t have a website you don’t exist…….

This I find a little surprising, if I have a good website and a crap product, I’ll have a greater chance of a meeting. 😉

Thanks all.

Yes, the website’s important (if that’s what you’re asking), particularly in Europe where people are pretty au fait with the interwebs and have a ‘feel’ for what looks right and what doesn’t. Essentially, you’re asking them to trust you with their payment details, so you have to look trustworthy!

Just like you wouldn’t sell something to someone wearing a big mac at the back of a pub, so you want a website that inspires confidence.

particularly in Europe where people are pretty au fait with the interwebs and have a ‘feel’ for what looks right and what doesn’t

I would say the complete opposite is true, being based in Spain.

If you don’t have a website you don’t exist.

Yet, I cut myself and I bleed…

Your website is your shop window, whether you’re selling things or just presenting your opinion. Whether it sucks or not is massively important if you want anyone to take you seriously in either case IMO.

As I’m sure you’re aware, there are plenty of people here on STW that will knock one up for you in a quiet afternoon 🙂

That was my next thread, followed by “if all the intelligent people aren’t swayed by brands/marketing or advertising, why have a logo? And who’ll knock me one up on the cheap?”