News Release:
Innovative online retailer MoreComputers.com is all set to capitalise on the recent Apple iPad frenzy. On the evening Apple announced it's latest product (tipped to be as popular as the iPod) MoreComputers.com were quick to register the domain name www.MoreiPads.co.uk. They've now added a dedicated iPad web store, the first of it's kind in the UK, to their growing group of web sites.
It's the latest development of their multiple web site strategy explains Brian Trevaskiss "One website is not enough these days. Very few businesses have just one product they sell to one group of customers. It's more common to have many products or services and even more customer groups to target. It's very difficult to develop a site that targets a wide audience and offers thousands of products. if your customers don't see what they want straight away, they leave your site. You can't cover everything on one website, without causing confusion".
"We believe the solution is to introduce additional sites dedicated to smaller product groups or specific niche audiences. That's what we are doing with MoreiPads.co.uk and the other 50 websites we now call the MoreFrom Group".
You'd imagine maintaining and updating 50 websites would require a lot of man hours and make a business more expensive to run, but Brian is keen to stress it's smart technology that takes most of the strain. "We operate in a very fast moving, low margin sector and all our costs need to be controlled tightly so we can offer low prices to our customers. A single database stores the information that is fed to the individual sites that are built on-the-fly. It's the flexibility of this design that will allow us to take advantage of 'the next big thing' as and when it happens".
The actual release of the iPad is still some weeks away but More's ability to react quickly means buy the time they are available their site will be relatively well established in the eyes of the search engines. Time moves rapidly online with one normal year said to be the equivalent of 7 online years - so it pays to act fast.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Quick round up of iPad info links
Just a quick summary of some of the great Apple iPad information I've come across
Live blog from the launch event
3 minute video from PC Advisor
TechRadar's first impressions
PC Pro editor Tim Danton's view
Why Apple's iPad chip is a big deal from TechRadar
Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor at The Telegraph pulls together expert views
Live blog from the launch event
3 minute video from PC Advisor
TechRadar's first impressions
PC Pro editor Tim Danton's view
Why Apple's iPad chip is a big deal from TechRadar
Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor at The Telegraph pulls together expert views
Thursday, 21 January 2010
VeryGoodService.com
VeryGoodService.com is a site dedicated to showcasing only companies that have been awarded for offering good service. It's a simple idea and like most simple ideas works really well. Needless to say you'll find MoreFrom.co.uk on there after our recent best online retailer win.
The site is still at an early stage but you'll already find lots of award winning companies and websites divided up into categories. There's shopping, finance, going out, travel, media, communicate, your home and the fantastically named yummy mummy.
Pay them a visit at www.verygoodservice.com sign up for their newsletter and be sure to follow them on Twitter.
Free Shipping - 5 good reasons NOT to offer free delivery
So I've covered 5 good reason to offer free delivery in my last post, might be best to read that one first if you haven't already. Our trial still indicates free delivery is working for MoreComputers.com, but I'm conscious it might not be the case for every online store.
Here's my 5 reasons it might NOT be right for you:
1. Free must mean free - you may not be able to do that
Internet shoppers are on the whole a savvy bunch. Whilst I believe they'll check out an offer with free delivery first, they will still visit other sites and go through the order process to check the final price. If you've simply included the delivery cost in your price and that makes you the same as the other site, you'll lose the sale. Why? Because the shopper is on your competitors site and it's easier to click their buy button than go back to you.
2. You need a mix of delivery options
One of the key reasons free delivery works for us is we are able to offer Next day delivery, within 2 days delivery and our free option is within 5 days. Our customers have different delivery needs so there's a mix of delivery selected. If we only had the free delivery option it would not be sustainable. The mix of options means on average we are losing less overall.
3. You need a mix of products
You may offer a mix of delivery options but if you only sell one product or one type of product it may not work. If that product is something the majority of people are prepared to wait a week for, nearly everyone will choose free delivery.
4. You need a mix of customers
I believe our trial is working because we have a wide mix of customers. The IT managers and trade dealers who buy from us often need something next day to solve a particular problem. On the other hand we have consumers who do not need a product quickly and are available to accept a delivery at anytime. These seem happy accept the inconvienence of not knowing when their purchase will arrive. If you only sell to customers who are flexible when it comes to deliveries, they'll all opt for free shipping.
5. You've worked out you can offer free delivery - but only with a catch
This is a personal thing more than anything but I don't like 'Free Delivery*' it's that dreaded asterisk that immediately says there's a catch. Even before you've read what the catch is you feel cheated and start to distrust anything the company says. There are many tactics being used, most common is 'free delivery when you spend over £X' It's worth considering especially if you have a shop that sells things customers will always need and will be happy to add to their basket to reach the minimum order value. But do it without the asterisk. I would avoid *only on selected items *to a local store *only when you buy an over priced accessory *on items under a certain size/weight.
I hope these free delivery posts have been useful, be sure and follow me on Twitter for more online retail insight.
Here's my 5 reasons it might NOT be right for you:
1. Free must mean free - you may not be able to do that
Internet shoppers are on the whole a savvy bunch. Whilst I believe they'll check out an offer with free delivery first, they will still visit other sites and go through the order process to check the final price. If you've simply included the delivery cost in your price and that makes you the same as the other site, you'll lose the sale. Why? Because the shopper is on your competitors site and it's easier to click their buy button than go back to you.
2. You need a mix of delivery options
One of the key reasons free delivery works for us is we are able to offer Next day delivery, within 2 days delivery and our free option is within 5 days. Our customers have different delivery needs so there's a mix of delivery selected. If we only had the free delivery option it would not be sustainable. The mix of options means on average we are losing less overall.
3. You need a mix of products
You may offer a mix of delivery options but if you only sell one product or one type of product it may not work. If that product is something the majority of people are prepared to wait a week for, nearly everyone will choose free delivery.
4. You need a mix of customers
I believe our trial is working because we have a wide mix of customers. The IT managers and trade dealers who buy from us often need something next day to solve a particular problem. On the other hand we have consumers who do not need a product quickly and are available to accept a delivery at anytime. These seem happy accept the inconvienence of not knowing when their purchase will arrive. If you only sell to customers who are flexible when it comes to deliveries, they'll all opt for free shipping.
5. You've worked out you can offer free delivery - but only with a catch
This is a personal thing more than anything but I don't like 'Free Delivery*' it's that dreaded asterisk that immediately says there's a catch. Even before you've read what the catch is you feel cheated and start to distrust anything the company says. There are many tactics being used, most common is 'free delivery when you spend over £X' It's worth considering especially if you have a shop that sells things customers will always need and will be happy to add to their basket to reach the minimum order value. But do it without the asterisk. I would avoid *only on selected items *to a local store *only when you buy an over priced accessory *on items under a certain size/weight.
I hope these free delivery posts have been useful, be sure and follow me on Twitter for more online retail insight.
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