Why does this site make NO sales?

icb01co2 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 05:16 AM

Hi All,
I have a site used to sell posters: www.purchaseposters.com , its not something I created, its actually a "site-in-a-box" that the affiliates provide. I never intended on doing much with it, and although Ive put hardly any effort in I do seem to be getting a few visitors a month. Not many mind you (2-3 hundred a month).

Although, now that I am getting at least some visitors I might start looking at it. Its been sat there for about 5 months or more and there hasn't been a single sale made. Why do you think this is? And what aspects should I change in order to start getting some sales returns?

www.purchaseposters.com

Thanks, Chris.

sysop9999 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 05:54 AM

It depends on why the visitors comes there in the first place. Do you know?

Secondly, the page loads slow. That might push people away again.

icb01co2 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 05:56 AM

Quote:

It depends on why the visitors comes there in the first place. Do you know?

No in general I dont know why. However I have tried running a few AdWord campaigns just to see how. So I assume that for a little bit of time at least the users were actually visiting because they were interested in the product.

sysop9999 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 06:10 AM

I agree, If they came through AdWords, then they're somehow more targeted but even then, it still take quite a few clicks before making any sales - I can't imagine the ROI is very high when using that method, so I assume you just use it for test-purposes.

If you have access to the store-admin, you could probably speed up the page loading by removing the flash-sequences there.

sysop9999 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 06:39 AM

just as an additional help, you could look through the top keywords people are searching for and use the names/events there to put up a 'general interest' frontpage. That is, if you are able to control the store somehow, of course.

E.g. Xmas is just around the corner, so it would be an idea to put up some christmas posters.

Serious · #6 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 07:27 AM

I click on the rotative (blinking) banner. I got this:
102 [search_time] => 0.00251603126526 )
(URL: http://www.postersupply.com/product_...ucts_id/298220)
If you don't support the major browser (aka FireFox), no surprise people don't buy ;)

OTOH the normal selection works. I would change the order at the bottom: "Free e-Card, Buy Print, Buy Framed". Or even better, I would put an option 'Framed' and a single button 'Buy'.
Hope it helps, S.

MarcieZoob · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 07:33 AM

Your logo graphic has a typo - "Purcahse Posters.com".

"Free shipping on all framed prints through 2004?" That right there sends a message that this site has not been updated in a year. As a shopper, I would use my "Back" button to find another site from my search (assuming that's how I found you) that offers 2005 specials.

ran_dizolph · #8 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 09:46 AM

You only get out of something what you put in...and you indicated more than once that you really haven't put much effort into it.

Get it updated, do some research on similar sites, try a different set up...you know that the current layout doesn't work, so that's a start.

good luck.

ADAM Web Design · #9 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcieZoob

Your logo graphic has a typo - "Purcahse Posters.com".

This is the first thing I noticed as well. It really sticks out.

Second: third party advertising DOES NOT BELONG on a sales site. Get rid of the Google Adwords.

Ads are for informational websites, not for commercial ones.

Third: your meta description tag looks spammy. Mentioning Posters 3 times at the end in such a short space may well be hurting you in even getting visitors.

Fourth: when I clicked "Buy Now" from the thumbs, I got taken to a larger view of the print. When I click "Buy Now", I think it should be added to my cart. If I want a larger image, I'll click the link for a larger image.

Fifth: when the larger image loads, it appears to be loading a broken image. You may want to change that graphic.

Sixth: I know it's only an affiliate site, but moving to postersupply.com from purchaseposters.com is confusing.

That's about all I can come up with off the top of my head.

icb01co2 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 11:19 AM

Quote:

MarcieZoob wrote:
Your logo graphic has a typo - "Purcahse Posters.com".

Ha ha, never noticed that. Yeah I know that I have put literally no effort into this, I just assumed I get at least one purchase. The thing is that the site that is the affiliate leader exposes there products through web services. And i have noticed that there "site-in-a-box" has several buggy things i.e. all catagories are displayed even if there is no product within that catagory hence there's alot of "no items found" pages.

Another problem is that the web services only go so far, and unlike amazon I cant use them to process payments etc. This means that at some point in time I have to pass the user to the affiliate owners site "www.postersupply.com". So if I did redesign the site there would be a noticable difference when the user moves from my pages to theres.

Would it be better to just stick a few pages up there with several links to online poster stores and become affiliates of each of them? Then wack loads of google ads and PPC stuff everywhere. Sure the site would look junk but theres thousands of them out there like this.

**Tubby** · #11 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 08:57 PM

It is probably not likely as a lot of traffic is often required to get good results for an affiliate. . But do consider that many people looking for posters might well have looked at these posters before at another site. . I never looked at the cooky system used or even if the sellers have one, I am just going on past experience, so forgive me if I am way out.

But if someone ends up on the 'buy now'section and the site recognises an earlier cooky, you might well have wasted your effort.

I would be inclined to aim for a more specific targets rather than posters in general. the general traffic will filter through anyway. aim your site at specific niche market (for example (off the top of my head) the user who is looking for a poster to hang in his home 'bar') Then find small sites that are absolutely dying to find advertisers and talk turkey with them about paid links to specific area's. . you can often cut the cost of traffic by huge ammounts. Pick a subject - do a search, find a busy site that does not have a "chosen subject posters" link (few webmaters reject offers of ads that coincide with the site topic if they are offered payment)- contact the webmaster and see if you can get create a deal, Google is great for sending you traffic. But getting traffic is useless if you have not determined how to get that sale, in the mean time cutting the cost of traffic will allow you some nice breathing space..

Your site looks good. . now the work starts.

californiamoods · #12 (**permalink**) 11-25-2005, 11:07 AM

As an interior designer...it is too busy with too many choices. I have learned that people like and need to be directed to just a few choices and then a few more choices.

Narrow your 1st visual with a traditional pic and a contemporary pic.

And #2: Your prices are too high unless you include shipping...that would be a bonus!

connoisseurs · #13 (**permalink**) 11-26-2005, 02:07 AM

Site design aside, it sounds like you need much more traffic than you're getting now. Not sure what the conversion rate of visitors to actual buyers is like for such sites, but the low traffic stands out as a probably the main problem.

icb01co2 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-28-2005, 05:29 AM

Thanks,
All good comments, I have decided that I just dont have any interest in persuing this so I suppose its a dead site. Anyone want the domain name?

californiamoods · #15 (**permalink**) 11-28-2005, 09:33 AM

You sound defeated and maybe it is the time of year but I don't think you lack interest or you never would have posted to this blog and asked for help. Go to www.se-tools.com and use them the tighten your site and then submit to as many directories as you can but not more than 30 a week and you will see a difference. Get as many affiliates as you can from sites that are in the decorating field such as flooring, wall paper, window coverings, etc. Seldom does someone purchase just a piece of art...they are decorating. I have the same problem you do...only 1 convesion... but that is the 1st step!

Don't give up!
www.how2homestage.com

Inspector · #16 (**permalink**) 11-29-2005, 08:29 PM

A search feature would be nice. I went to look for a Reggie Miller poster (I would have bought it) You know the one at the Gardens with Spike Lee in the background?

There is no real way to just search for "reggie Miller"

philippeb · #17 (**permalink**) 11-30-2005, 01:13 PM

The design is rather nice, however, I don't think a "google seach bar" on the website is helpful to retain customers. You want to keep them there, not send them elsewhere.

Also, the site simply loads too slowly. That will turn off many potential buyers.

inchpractice · #18 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 04:33 PM

Lots of reasons but the biggest factor has to be the speed.
It is just soooo s......l.....o...w.
I've got the fastest internet connection in the West and it still took forever to load each page. I got bored and left despite actually wanting to buy a poster.

californiamoods · #19 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 05:25 PM

I don't know for sure but I have a feeling our guy quit the biz?

www.how2homestage.com

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode