Perfecting the art of online

PLAYING IT SAFE ONLINE - The growth of internet shopping, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, is not a new phenomenon, but evidence is growing that more and more consumers are researching websites before they go out to shop.

Such trends affect all in the childrenswear industry. Retailers need to ensure their websites will attract customers to their stores (as well as to buy online), manufacturers/suppliers must persuade customers to look for their brands and stockists, and agents should be helping both their principals and their customers by directing consumers to the brands they carry.

I have written before in CWB magazine about checking that your website is “legal, decent, honest and truthful”, as websites come under the responsibility of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The Office for Fair Trading (OFT) also has a role and recently it warned that some large retailers (not specifically of childrenswear) that their websites were not sufficiently transparent, particularly when it came to postage and packing or charges for using credit cards, which only “popped up” at the end of a transaction.

Do not forget, too, that the people most likely to be checking your website for errors are your competitors. The ASA (and OFT) may not have the resources to check, but it will look into complaints received, including sales offers that are no longer current.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEO - For smaller companies, setting up a website may seem the obvious answer to flagging sales, but how do you ensure your website is not on the 200th page of Google?

Larger companies may pay to move their website to the top of the page (you can tell by the shading), but what is the alternative?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – getting your website to the top of the page – is an area that NCWA has recently been investigating.

Plans are underway for a seminar for members in the New Year and the chance of a discount on the services of a company to push your website up the pages.

This may be “regionally”, to encourage people to visit your shop, or “nationally”, to drive people to your website.

So, how about a New Year resolution to review your website and look at what SEO can offer you as an NCWA member?

Incidentally, if you search for NCWA, it appears at the top of the page, so do not forget to update your free page on the NCWA website.

 

If you are not a member and you would like to join, take a look at www.ncwa.co.uk, e-mail enquiries@ncwa.co.uk or call 020 7843 9488. You can also visit us on our stand at Bubble London, taking place on January 27-28, 2012, at the Business Design Centre, Islington.