What Type of Sites Do You Buy From?
Lots of content still to go up, but I am in the middle of my own design revolution (mentally) and need some help from the audience. The question that I need help with is what kind of sites do you buy from and what type of sites do you read? Are they well-designed? Quality content? Good sales pitches? What attracts you to them?
I have a hypothesis about buying behavior and just wanted to see if your thoughts follow along with mine.
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POSTED IN: Personal Thoughts
8 opinions for What Type of Sites Do You Buy From?
Keith
May 11, 2005 at 12:29 pm
When I buy online it’s usually on impuse. I think there is some kind of connection that is made for me. Design is part of it, and maybe empathy for the seller in some way. Content could be a huge key here.
I don’t think sales-pitches work for me online. I just see through that. Branding on the other hand…
I think some of this comes from familiarity. If I know the seller, or their company, I’m more inclined to buy.
Mark
May 11, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Have you noticed that Amazon’s redesigned? Perhaps that’ll give you some insight.
Ryan Latham
May 11, 2005 at 4:08 pm
Well I personally will buy from just about any source. Typically I do less investigating if the site looks real professional. But if I find a deal on a shady looking site, I will see what their rating is, see if they have been verified by a 3rd party. That VeriSign banner can mean a lot to me.
As for reading. Typically I get currious about a site because of it’s design, then if I like what I read; I will come back for the content.
Michael G. Cohen
May 12, 2005 at 1:37 am
I typically know what I want before I buy online, but that being said if I was to enter the unknown, an aesthetically pleasing design and ease of use are two things that I would look for. Also contact information to ensure the site is legit, but I definately think a clean easy to use design is a must.
Gary Fugere
May 12, 2005 at 8:46 am
I try to make every purchase I can online. I’m like a heat seeking missile when I buy online. My goal is to get the product into my hands with the least amount of hassle and aggravation, and at a fair price (not necessarily lowest price).
I will often start with amazon, they seem to have the easy down pat and I find there prices very competitive.
If Amazon does not carry the item, I try to narrow my search phrase down to some very specific language.
Then I let google do the walking. I look for how close the product matches my needs (I could care less about brands), its price, availability and shipping cost. If the site doesn’t have an ssl certificate (looks amateurish) I either bolt or look them up in faganfinder to see if they are legit. If they are legit I’ll call and place the order by phone.
I’m sure site design plays a role on some subconscious level. But on a conscious level I have found that none of use are any good at this usability thing, particularly us little guys who cannot afford Jakob Nielson to come in and redesign our sites.
So I’m more prejudiced by the little guy when I see slick high priced design and over hyped copy I move on.
JAbbott
May 13, 2005 at 11:45 am
I often shop on Amazon and add items to my Wish List but then go to Pricegrabber to look for a better price when I’m ready to purchase. Then I end up buying from a site I may have never heard of but that has a good seller rating. Or I head back to Amazon if they were competitive.
Ian Cheung
May 13, 2005 at 5:58 pm
Let’s see… Apple, Amazon, istockphotos.com, skedit html editor, various other software packages. What do the sites have in common? They look professional and they make it easy to buy. Actually Apple was a little bit of a pain but it was for my wife’s bd present so my pain threshold was higher. ;o)
On the other hand this site Sleep Tracker didn’t get my money because I couldn’t even find out how much shipping was before I entered my credit card details. Generally the site design is poor, so my confidence in the company gets eroded with every minute I spend at the site. Pity really as I’ve been waiting for a product like this most of my adult life.
James Henderson
May 14, 2005 at 9:21 pm
A good, bright, friendly design is key for average things. And great organization on the site, so everything’s easy to find.
Regular sites I read, it’s just the content. I like it fresh, and on the front page.
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