How to get it wrong!

[Duncan Pollock]

This is, I suppose, a free plug, but I don't think I need to apologize for it.
However, if you're at all involved in creationg/managing an e-commerce site, you can usefully read some fine words of wisdom about how NOT to set things up.
Their source is Bryan Eisenberg who contributes regularly to the Quick Z columns and offers a newsletter under the title grokdotcom.com. The issues reflect a refreshing sense of humour but also contain sound and sensible thoughts regarding what to do and what not to do to make a website and/or newsletter successful.
His latest version of "Grok's advice from on high" is well worth a read.
You can find it by going to http://www.grokdotcom.com/ and clicking on the Current Issue tab. This will take you to a no-holds-barred analysis of a website that's designed to lose the sale rather than making sure of it. Never has a truer word been spoken, as the saying goes!

Duncan

PS. I have Bryan's permission to make this post and, no, he hasn't paid me a red cent to do so. (In Grokland, we "don't do money here.")

[ctabuk]

I will respond to this post in full later - but I'm going off topic - how unlike me -lol

I first met Duncan here at wpw many years ago - his advice - thoughtful posts - everything about this Man and I treat him as a sort of second Dad - He has just got MVP and it was long- long overdue - so I am just giving my advice to all posters - listen to him, love him as I do - and finally Thank you Duncan for being here at WPW

[Duncan Pollock]

Cor blimey, as we were wont to say in the Old Country.
But, although I am flattered, I owe a great deal to WPW for having steered me in all the right directions these past three years. With no thought of patting myself on the back or taking a bow, I've been brought up to "pay something back" to any organization that's helped me achieve some degree of success. If this means that on occasion I add a post of some value to my colleagues here, I'm only too pleased to do so.

Cheers to everyone.

Duncan

PS. ctabuk also hasn't paid me to say this. At WPW, too, we don't do money here.
PPS. It's struck me that perhaps I should have directed my post to the e-commerce forum. Thus, I've taken the liberty of adding a cross reference link there.

[crankydave]

I enjoyed the read. Thanx!

One of the "pet-peeves" that was always foremost in my mind has always been having to "sign-up" in order to shop on a site. I have always believed that this was an instant "what a pain in the a$$ I'm shopping elswhere" kinda thing. It's nice to see some data that confirms my belief.

Dave

[brian.mark]

I also enjoy Bryan's columns. I enjoy speaking with him at SES. I've enjoyed him taking a look at my site once. And I enjoy making fun of the fact he talks as fast as the micro-machines guy when doing presentations. Ok, so I usually only say that in my office or when I'm trying to jot notes down and he's already 6 slides ahead of me, but he knows he talks fast and that's ok because he's got a lot to say and only so long to do it.

I do think that his columns are some of the better ones out there for free, and I recommend his book to anyone trying to sell just about anything online. I don't recommend it to people selling power tools, though. I've got some really bad newsletters they can read. ;-)

If you get the chance, he'll be speaking at SES in NY at the end of the month. While you're there, his session on "Converting Visitors into Buyers" is a must see. I've attended it 6 times already and will be there again this time. Nothing beats having him pull your site up on the projector and giving you feedback right then and there.

Every website has something that can be improved upon, and that's what's great about the whole "Grok" thing. He is able to step back from trying to get through the sale and say what isn't right as if he's a novice user, although he's clearly not. Maybe that's the trick, we all need stay novices forever.

I'd also like to say congrats to Duncan for the MVP button. There was much rejoicing when Mike approved it, and the word overdue was indeed used.

Brian.

[cyanide]

HI Duncan, good idea on moving the topic to ecommerce, which I have done...

It is a great article and one that should be read by anyone running an ecommerce site or thinking of starting one.

Congrats on the MVP Status !

[jestep]

Bryan is the only clickz author that I read every post from. His posts are interesting, relevant, and can actually help your business. I would highly recommend everything that he writes. Grok, Clickz Articles and his books.

If you don't read what he has, you are definitely missing something.