| Just about all Web stores have the same end | | | | Two Categories That Consistently Produce |
| goal: Get the consumer to the shopping basket, | | | | Results |
| close the sale. Do that, you've scored a big | | | | 1. Accessories: Consumers don't often buy |
| victory. | | | | accessories at the time of the initial purchase |
| But remember, when someone makes a | | | | because they're so focused on the product, so it's |
| purchase from your Web store, your work isn't | | | | good to reconnect with them a week or two |
| done. You now have a buyer, which means you | | | | later. If your Web store sells MP3 players, |
| have a potential return customer. And return | | | | customers may want carrying cases or extra |
| customers are the foundation on which successful | | | | sets of headphones. Items like this can be |
| e-commerce companies are built. | | | | displayed on the side of the product page or via |
| Think of it this way: If you're not marketing to an | | | | opt-in newsletters or e-mails. |
| existing customer to produce future sales, the | | | | 2. Compatible products: Your customer lists may |
| money you've spent to land that customer has to | | | | be as simple as grouping items by color. Someone |
| be exceeded by the profits from one purchase. | | | | buys a red dress, you recommend red sunglasses |
| Failing that, you don't make money on the | | | | or a red purse. Other groupings may be more |
| transaction. | | | | subtle. For instance, if the customer buys a punk |
| Generating Return Business | | | | T-shirt, you let them know that you also carry |
| Bringing people back for more has a lot to do | | | | punk posters. Like accessories, these ancillary |
| with identifying the product attributes that your | | | | products can be promoted at the Web store or |
| customers are looking for. No e-commerce | | | | through electronic communications. |
| company does this better than Amazon. When | | | | The Power of E-mails and Newsletters |
| you land on the Amazon homepage, you find a | | | | Giving customers the ability to opt-in to a |
| "More Items to Consider" list compiled from data | | | | newsletter or e-mails can streamline the |
| mining tools that analyze the purchases or | | | | frequency of information they receive whereby |
| searches you've made in previous visits. | | | | keeping your business or product in their minds. |
| Obviously, your business is much smaller than | | | | Above all, by targeting the outgoing information to |
| Amazon's, still, with the proper tools and support, | | | | fit their buying patterns, you increase the chances |
| strategies can be devised to leverage your | | | | that they'll buy more products. |
| customers' buying habits. | | | | |