How Many Clicks?

8/12/2019 How Many Clicks?

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Table of Contents

Introduction.. 1Research Plan ..2Results .5

Discussion of Results12Recommendations.13

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to explore the best methods to use in e-

commerce in order to increase sales. In order to research website

dynamic, a 5 step plan was conducted that included 1) developing

evaluation criteria, 2) gathering information, 3) comparing several retailers

webpages, 4) analyzing horizontal vs. vertical webpages and 5) analyzing

color in regards to calling attention to the consumer. From my research, I

came up with 3 basic findings: that there is no best layout, horizontal

headers are more effective, and that bright or unusual colors to the

design should be used to call attention. These findings are further

explained in my recommendations for the ultimate e-commerce page.

Following these guidelines will help to better drive sales for your company.


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How Many Clicks? An Analysis of Website

Dynamic to Help Drive Sales

Introduction

Its not about making the store work best for the shopper, its about

making the shopper work for the store. This same concept can be

directly applied to the ever-growing e-commerce sector of the retail

industry. The main purpose of this analytical report is to research the

importance of how webpages are laid out for retailers in order to better

drive sales. I am going to conduct this research report for the E-

Commerce divisions of the retail community, and all those who work

directly with E-commerce.

The main problem of retailers in the present day is the continuation

of the old school retail day, to an ever-expanding 24/7 online presence. In

order to stay relevant, it is of the upmost importance for retailers to make

effective use of the online platform. Far too many retailers do not use this

presence to its full potential, which is a huge problem. As we move into

the future website organization and layout is very important to

understand, and we must continually reevaluate what works and what

doesnt. This report gives a comprehensive overview of what works best

now, and what has not worked in the past. It will also take a peek into the

future of experimental procedures taking place in E-commerce. In the


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end, it is all about driving sales, increasing visibility of hot products and

upholding the branding image of the organization.

To complete this research I am going to analyze several online

retailers, and compare the webpage designs. Another crucial element to

the research is looking at the raw research that has been conducted on

the placement of images, links and headings. Although the details may

be minor, moving an image down 10%, or enlarging it by 10% could make

all the difference in driving sales.

This report includes 4 sections: a) the research plan, b) the results of

the research, c) a discussion of the results, and d) a conclusion and

recommendations to retailers and E-commerce divisions of the retail

community.

Research PlanIn order to find the most effective website structure and dynamic, I

followed a five phase research plan:

Phase 1: Develop Evaluation Criteria

Phase 2: Gather Information

Phase 3: Compare Website Layouts of Several Retailers

Phase 4: Analyze Vertical versus Horizontal Headed Webpages

Phase 5: Analyze the Use of Color in Regards to Attentio


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Phase 1: Develop Evaluation Criteria

In order to make an effective research plan, some main points had

to be chosen in regards to E-commerce and what best drives sales. Those

include:

Website Layout-Retailers use different strategies in regards to laying

out there webpages. Consumer response, and driving sales is

ultimately the most important factor. What makes a website layout

good, and draws the attention of potential buyers.

Direction of Headers-Does the direction of the header matter? Has

horizontal or vertical proven to be the preferred choice because of

effectiveness?

Color Calling Attention-What color strategies do online retailers use

to call to attention important buttons on the page such as add to

cart, buy now, etc.

These criteria were the basis of my evaluation, and will be further

emphasized later in the methodology, and also in the results section of this

report.

Phase 2: Gather Information

Although I am a retail merchandising student, and have briefly

studied E-commerce and its effectiveness in the past, I ultimately had to

search out additional sources in order to complete my research. To do so I


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conceptualized my ideas for research into key topics as explained above,

and therefore was able to use keywords, such as website layout,

effectiveness of color for webpages etc., to search Google.com in

order to find various online sources.

As other sources of information, I used the same key words to find

print sources, such as newspapers and scholastic journals to diversify the

extent of my sources. In addition to this, I conducted a survey of 10

students in my apartment building on their opinions on these topics.

In the end, my search results were enormous and had to be refined

to the best options for this report. I bookmarked several pages, and read

various articles and webpages before ultimately choosing my final

sources for this report.

Phase 3: Compare Website Layouts of Several Retailers

I concentrated on 3 for this section: Caf Evoke, Wear you Belong,

and Starbucks because these companies varied in consumer popularity

and I wanted to get an overall consensus regardless of how well known

the company was.

I found these webpages from an article entitles 50 Responsive

Website Designs. To put this phase into action, I analyzed the

socialdriver.com article findings and I also conducted a survey among 10

people in my apartment building.


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Phase 4: Analyze Vertical versus Horizontal Headed Webpages

To conduct this research, I looked at various webpages. I made a

hypothesis that horizontal webpages were more effective from personal

use. I used my own opinions, friends opinions, as well as online research to

come to my conclusion.

Phase 5: Analyze the Use of Color in Regards to Attention

I explored dozens of retailers, looking at the call-to-attention tactics.

To complete my research, I found various studies that analyzed the effects

of color. These were completed through mainly web searches.

Results of Research

In this section, I will describe the finding of my research in order to

divide the most efficient webpage. I will compare and contrast research

to show the good and the bad to ultimately devise a plan of action for

retailers to use when re-evaluating a new plan for E-commerce in order to

drive better sales.

Result: There is no best layout, but havinga responsive design is what

matters.

Ultimately, the main priority for customers is not how pretty the

design is, but how interactive and evoking it is (social driver).


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Caf Evoke really knows their customers well and have very close

attention to detail on their webpage. The websites navigation is very easy

to use and intuitive (socialdriver). All important aspects are clearly

defined: the logo, social media links, hours and offerings.

The typography used on this webpage blends seamlessly with their

product image, which creates ease for the customer. There is an overall


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comprehensive view and the web page is easy to navigate. You

see what you get in all aspects of design, which helps sales of the product

(socialdriver).

Starbucks is an excellent corporate example of responsive design.

The web design seamlessly transitions from desktop to mobile with a

phone-ready design as well (socialdriver). The navigation is easy to use

and very responsive.

In conducting a survey taken by 10 recipients in my apartment

building, the most standout response for a great webpage was how

interactive it is (A. Griesbach, survey). The overall look did not mater as

much as the ease of use and responsiveness of the page according to

the survey takers.


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Result: Horizontal Navigation bars are more effective

Today, most websites use horizontal navigation which a few

exceptions for minor menus in addition (Uehera). Using a vertical, left

hand side design is out-of-date. The reason that horizontal navigation

trumps vertical is because design should be based on careful content

analysis, horizontal structures better use prime real estate, and creates an

overall simplified look (Lazarus). Consumers need the ability to search and

browse among different categories and products thoroughly and quickly,

so an intuitive navigation system is essential (Moradi).

A vertical navigation bar wastes valuable space that could be used

for other things. Studies show that the left side of a page draws users eyes

more often (Lazarus) and they are better used on selling merchandise, vs.

headlines. Also, if the main headings are continually on the top of the

screen, it allows the consumers to more easily navigate, versus having to

scroll to find a heading


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This website is a prime example of an effective heading. All of the

information is easily accessible, yet the attention is drawn to the mans

name and to the imagery (Conaway).

Result: Vivid Colors such as Red, Orange, and Neons should only be used

to draw attention

One of the most effective tactics to drive sales would be to make

sure that you have an effective call to action (Moth). There is not an

exact formula to deciding what the best call-to action is, but ultimately

tweaking and testing what works best for your retail site is what it takes.


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The call-to action aspect of your page needs to be the most

obvious feature, so it should most definitely be an eye-catching color

(Moth). Reds, oranges and neons are best, but anything that really stands

out on your webpage is ideal.

This image would an example of what you would not want to do

(John Lewis). The grayed out add to basket button is ineffective of

calling attention to the consumer to buy.


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In contrast, Spotifys website is a great example of a call-to-action

(Spotify). The button is vivid, and it explains the sales pitch of signing up

initially for free.

Ultimately, as a retailer even the difference between choosing one

vibrant color vs. the next could better drive sales. It is important to

continually find which call-to-action color is the most appealing to your


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particular target segment (Moth). Experimenting with what works best is

important.

Discussions of ResultsBased on my research, I have come up with three conclusions,

which suggest the steps necessary in order to drive sales online based off

of website dynamic.

Interactive Design is of the Upmost Importance

There is a constant struggle for e-commerce analysts for what

makes the best design for a page. The most important aspect is having

not only a visually appealing page, but also allowing for a level of

interactiveness for the consumer. This should be prevalent on the

platforms of a desktop computer as well as mobile devices.

Horizontal Navigation Bars should be used for Main Headings

In order not to waste prime real estate space on your webpage,

headings should be horizontal on the top. This leaves them easy to

access, but does not distract from the ultimate mission, selling the

product.

You must call to attention important aspects of your webpage

Buy now buttons should always stand out. It is necessary to use a

color that is not commonly used on the page that will grasp the

consumers attention. If you want to call attention to a certainaspect of


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your page, be bold and let other non-important aspects fade into the

background.

RecommendationsIn conclusion, it is important to constantly reevaluate your e-

commerce page and keep up with the latest studies in regards to making

it better. I recommend the following actions:

Make your webpage interactive Use a horizontal header for main headings Use outstanding colors for call-to-attention aspects of your

webpage

If all goes well, the sales of your webpage should increase. The ease and

effectiveness of integrating your e-commerce website with this new

knowledge should be very beneficial to your business


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Works Cited

50 Best Responsive Website Design Examples of 2013. (n.d.). Social Driver.Retrieved December 19, 2013, fromhttp://socialdriver.com/2013/06/50-best-responsive-website-design-

examples-of-2013/

7 Tips for Effective E-commerce. (n.d.).Small Business Ideas and Resourcesfor Entrepreneurs. Retrieved December 20, 2013, fromhttp://www.inc.com/ss/7-tips-for-effective-e-commerce#6

A. Griesbach, Survey to Floco Fusion Residents, December,10 2013

John Lewis | iPads, TVs, Furniture, Fashion & More. (n.d.).John Lewis.

Retrieved December 19, 2013, from http://www.johnlewis.com/

Lazuris, L. (n.d.). Smashing Magazine.The Case Against VerticalNavigation. Retrieved December 19, 2013, fromhttp://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/11/the-case-against-

vertical-navigation/

Moradi, M. (n.d.). Six Revisions. Six Revisions RSS. Retrieved December 20,2013, from http://sixrevisions.com/user-interface/e-commerce-

website-features-tips-examples/

Music for everyone.. (n.d.). - Spotify. Retrieved December 18, 2013, fromhttps://www.spotify.com/

Uehera, J. (n.d.). Vertical Navigation vs. Horizontal Navigation: YourTake?.1stwebdesigner. Retrieved December 19, 2013, fromhttp://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/side-navigation-for-

websites/
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