Gate2Shop - Sell more.

Making sure that the most relevant global and local payment methods are integrated into an ecommerce platform is just one piece of the jigsaw, but a very important piece.

We have just integrated two more payment methods into our ever expanding global ecommerce platform, which is good news to vendors who sell where these payment methods are popular.

AstroPay Card is a virtual pre-paid card for use in Brazil, while paysafecard is a pre-paid card for use in Europe. Both offer immediate authorization, without chargebacks.

The two new additions have already processed a number of transactions in the first few days of operation.

Following a comprehensive and successful trial period, we are pleased to announce that our new ‘Active Conversion‘ service is now available to all vendors.  ‘Active Conversion’ is designed to maximize sales revenue by transforming unsuccessful transactions into successful sales.

Failed transactions/declines can occur for a variety of reasons, and unless something is done to prevent them, they will continue to cause lost sales.  Gate2Shop now have the tools and a dedicated team of experts to monitor and act on these problematic transactions, resulting in a significant amount of salvaged sales.

A decline can now have a happy ending, and statistics show conversions up anywhere between 17% and 35% when using the new service.

One of the most important elements for the success of your digital marketing plan are landing pages, especially if you are using paid traffic campaigns such as PPC (Pay Per Click) ads. A Landing Page is a page created for users to carry out a very specific action (an email subscription, a sale, etc.), which –well designed- helps to greatly increase your conversion rate.

Designing a landing page is pretty much as designing an ad. And to design landing pages that convert is your responsibility. Here you have the opportunity to tell your customers why your product is awesome and why they must convert.

There are some key elements that will help you to design killing landing pages as a Marketing or Ad expert:

1. Unique call to action: Make sure the landing page does not have competing call-to-actions. Focus your landing page in a single and clear action on the top of the page –avoid scrolling down-. Keep it simple for customer and drive them to take the action you want without overwhelming them trying to sell many things at the same time. This is not the moment to confuse customers with too much information. Communicate clearly what you want them to do and why.

2. Give the customer an enticing reason to convert, now: Incorporate a unique and convincing selling proposition (USP) that clearly communicates why the customer must convert.

3. Avoid links that may distract the customer: You are bringing traffic to the landing page with a very clear objective. Do not distract your customer with links that might drive them to other sites. Not even to your home site. Although the visitor might not be familiar with your brand and/or products, you have to design the landing page ready to convince the visitor to convert in a single shot.

4. Consistent message. The selling proposition message of the landing page must match the text of the PPC, ad, tweet, email or wherever is the traffic source from which visitors will come from. What you say in your ad must match what customers see in the landing page. So if you ad is offering “Save up to 10% on every antivirus software”, make sure that your customers will land in a page with the same offer. In the case you have different campaigns or offers running at the same time, create a unique landing page for each of them.

5. Reinforce trust. Include elements that communicate and reinforce trust and safety to consumers. In this sense, it is strongly recommended to incorporate trust buttons like Verified by Visa logo, BBB badge, antivirus logos or any other industry certifications or awards near the conversion form. Build even more trust by including customers’ testimonials and reviews. Genuine testimonials from respected people in your industry can boost your conversion rate.

Trust buttons

6. Don’t forget SEO: Create unique landing pages only accessible from its coming PPC ad or email campaign and include a custom and descriptive URL using your hottest keywords.

7. Plan a tracking method and test. We always insist on the importance of testing all your digital marketing actions. You must test your landing pages specially those coming for a PPC campaign. You are creating landing pages because you want them to convert plus you are paying for this traffic. As you create custom and individual URLs for each landing page inaccessible from your main site, you can easily track its efficiency in terms of views and conversions. Google Analytics and Google AdWords give you valuable data about consumer behaviour that you can use to modify and adjust your campaigns. If you are not sure about which design or selling proposition will convert the most, create different landing pages for the same campaign and modify texts, pictures, composition, colours, etc.; Google will tell you which model is selling more.

A/B test

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Unless you are constantly innovating and upgrading your products, it is difficult to sell the same products to the same customer several times. Besides, the more a client buys from a vendor, the higher the switching cost is.

The goal for every merchant is to sell more, and we know this is a difficult task. In order to improve your online conversion and client loyalty rates, you must implement many different promotional strategies. Recently we discussed How to Structure an Online Coupon Profitably, and today we will focus on cross-selling techniques.

Cross selling is a merchandising tool consisting of offering similar or complementary products to what the shopper is looking at. Cross selling allows vendors to bundle products, or offer any combinable accessory enhancing the value of the purchase. It gives the vendor the ability to suggest to the buyer more products at the right time. While in the offline world this could sounds rather obvious, this technique can really make a difference for online merchants because cross selling will allow them to imitate a sales person or a personal shopper assistant.

The main objectives of cross-selling are to enhance order completion as well as increase average sale spend due to customers adding accessories or extra products to their original selection. Moreover, many merchants use cross selling capabilities to promote popular items, target high margin products, show to the customers a wider range of goods and as a result trigger impulse purchases.

The benefits of putting in practice cross-selling techniques are clear:

1. You can substantially increase your revenue by selling complimentary products in addition to the initial purchase,
2. You can increase the lifetime value as well as the average order size,
3. You can guide customers throughout your e-store adding value to their purchase,
4. You increase your customers’ purchase experience

Suggest to the buyer the right product at the right time.

There are many places in your website to displays cross-selling options: home page, product page, shopping cart view, checkout page or even after the order is done. There are also many different forms to do it: under the product page, in a side banner, as a pop-up, in an extra page before/after the check-out. The best placement will depend on your website design the length of the product page and your customers’ behavior.

Some customers really enjoy cross-selling options because they feel a personal shopper is helping them. However, these techniques –above all the use of pop-ups or forcing your customers to view the cross selling suggestions- can be perceived as an obstacle to finalize the buying process.

Make your add-ons valuable for the customer by:

-          Showing relevant products

-          Providing enough information (picture, price and description)

-          Keeping customers in the shopping path

-          Using direct and emotional language

-          Not cluttering the page

See an example here:

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Yuval Ziv (Gate2Shop) – “Payment Processing vs Affiliate Marketing! Which one really matters?” from Flash GAMM.

Coupons are widely used in the offline world, but they also are a great ecommerce promotional tool that can boost conversions in your online store.

There are many good reasons to use online coupons. You can use them to:

• Capture or maintain clients
• Clear stagnant inventory
• Seduce customers with accessories or complimentary products
• Introduce a new product
• Open a new territorial e-store or
• Target a new segment or boost sales in a specific period.

However, be careful to avoid common coupon pitfalls…

Shopping cart abandonment is a challenge that all digital ecommerce merchants face. In many cases, the problem stems from the checkout page itself. A coupon code box in the checkout page often invites the customer to search for a better deal. When this happens, in the best scenario, the customer will come back with the discount code – so he/she won’t pay full-price, but you still make the sale. Additionally, if the customer found the coupon through one of your affiliates, you will have to share your profit. In the worst case, the customer you invited to abandon your e-store will never be back.

There are, however, good solutions to avoid this problem and create an effective coupon campaign. First, consider removing the coupon code box from your ecommerce site. Instead, create a specific landing page for each coupon where the offer is automatically applied. This way, you will boost the natural flow from coupon to checkout page instead of vice versa. Landing pages also offer great options for customization of message and call to action, as well as targeted conversion tracking.

Coupon Code Box

If you still want to keep the coupon code field on the checkout page, but want to prevent the off-page hunt for the coupon, consider including a “How can I get this?” link that leads to a voucher page on your site. Such a page can provide the essential coupon code info and quickly send the shopper back to the checkout page. This will reduce transactional friction for your visitor, keep them on your site, and let you avoid affiliate fees.

Time to plan your campaign:

The final purpose of the coupon has to be to generate traffic to your ecommerce store and convert, convert, convert. As with any other marketing tool, you need do some homework first:

• Does the coupon campaign fit your general marketing strategy? Coupons can be associated with low-quality products. Discount hunters have a low brand loyalty. Remember, a coupon campaign is a short-term tactic! If you train your customers to always expect discounts, it is very hard to untrain them. Your full price could be gone forever.

• Define your clients profile based on accurate data. Do not make assumptions and conduct tests to understand your consumers’ behavior to make sure whether they will respond to a coupon campaign. For example, we were very surprised when we read this survey and found out that coupon lovers are more likely to be high household incomes and college-educated. If you know what your customers want, you can match it up! Specify an objective: increasing sales, getting customers to spend more than the average, building an email list, attract followers to your Facebook page, boost the sale of a software product before launching the next version. Goals set upfront will help you determine the campaign’s success post mortem.

• Decide on your target. You have basically three options: private, public and group coupons. If your aim is to get new customers or build an email list, you’d rather target a massive public through public or group coupons. But if you want to gratify the customer, get followers or improve affiliates’ loyalty, private promo codes –-distributed directly — is the smartest choice.

• Do the math. Set your budget (and stay there!). A coupon campaign will cost you some money (designing the coupons + landing pages, distribution and promotional costs, human resources, discount offered, etc.) The goal is to earn money so if you don’t carefully calculate costs, the campaign will quickly eat your profits.

• Measure the results of the campaign. It is essential to confirm the success or failure of your campaign and learn to improve future ones. Some indicators of success are: ROI, conversion rates, number of new consumers, web and social media traffic and interaction, emails collected, etc.

“Ok, I’ve prepared the strategy, I’ve checkout the things-to-do-before-launching-a-coupon list above, but what can I offer?” Of course, you want to offer those deals that convert best, for example:

• Money or percentage off coupons (Discount must be tied to a minimum number of items acquired or to the minimum amount spent which should be higher than the average).

• “New customers save X$ on any order over Y$ if you place your order now” or “Save X$ if you buy now” (evoke a sense of urgency).

• “Deal of the Day Promo” (Must be a real bargain to be effective).

• “Exclusive Coupons to Selected Affiliates” (exclusivity will attract your affiliates and motivate them to distribute your coupon).It is important that you set some redemption requirements, like ensuring that the customer spends more money than the average.

However, the holy grail of your coupon campaign will be returning customers. Craft a customer retention strategy integrated to your coupon campaign by following-up and having more products worthy to return for.

By the way, don´t forget to test your coupons and make sure that the links work and the promise is applied!

Gate2Shop is once again a major sponsor, presenter and participant at The Festival of Games held in Utrecht, April 28-29, 2011.

We hope you will find time outside the packed conference agenda to enjoy this particular part of Holland, as well.  There are plenty of things to do in Utrecht. While it’s a relatively small town even for Europe’s scale, it is lively, picturesque and imbued with stories and symbolism.

We’ve put together this handy map below to help you organize your fun in Utrecht…

View 2011 Festival of Games Utrecht – Utrecht City Guide in a larger map

Where to stay

Accommodation in Utrecht is relatively easy to secure, especially if you book in advance.  There are numerous luxurious as well as affordable hotels, boarding houses and bed-and-breakfasts.  Further options include short-term rentals, hostels and even university dorm housing. Find more info on accommodation in Utrecht.

Getting around

Holland has an elaborate train and bus system, and Utrecht transportation is up to par.  Utrecht is connected to Europe via the ICE international train from Germany, the regular Dutch Intercity train network with direct service to the Schiphol Airport, regular local trains, a city light-rail line, local and regional Connexxion and Arriva buses.  The town is also accessible by car via many major highways, yet easily traversed on foot and bike-ready.

Day activities in Utrecht

Dating back to the Stone Age, Utrecht displays hints of Roman times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and beyond.  Stroll the cobble-stoned streets where you’ll pass many churches, architectural treasures and museums. Or take in the cityscape from a canal cruise.

Definite musts for the cultural enthusiasts are the Cathedral (Domkerk) and the Cathedral Tower (Domtoren), the National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ (Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement) and the Slot Zuylen or Slot Zeist castles.

There are many art installations, street performers and window-shopping generously offered by locals and travellers alike.  Try to find the ‘secret garden’, just before the Dom Tower on the city side (there is an entrance on the right side to an inner courtyard), check the news at a sunny street-side cafe (carbon copies, aka newspapers, are allowed and welcomed) or follow the canal around town and onward to the Botanic Gardens of the University of Utrecht.

Going out

A young population of college students and the many tourists and business visitors descending on Utrecht make for a refreshingly vibrant nightlife. Starting with live music venues, there are four major music events on Thursday, April 28th, and two each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday:  There are other local live bands playing in various pubs and clubs in town, as well.

 
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The International Conference of Online Game Developers has its schedule published and ISDEF has provided a full agenda and comfortable facilities for all attendees, yet, there is plenty to see and do in Kiev to enhance your trip to Ukraine’s capital.

View ISDEF Kiev 2011 city guide in a larger map

Eating Out

In addition to the four restaurants and bars at the Rus, you may want to indulge in other culinary destinations, as well.  Yes, there’s McDonalds in town, but also a colorful variety of local, foreign and fusion cuisines, as well as many pubs and bars.

Going Out

Kiev is well known for its nightlife, so if you are looking for a dance floor, mixing with the rich and famous, or simply listening to a live band or a DJ, you are already in for a dynamic night out. Click around the map above, or check out one of these local sites: http://www.kiev-life.com & http://www.kievapts.com/kiev_nightlife.php.

Strolling Around

In general, we recommend walking or using the convenient public transportation system (the Kiev metro, buses, trolleys, trams and funicular). Renting a car involves parking headaches, and taxi cab fares there are non-regulated and may be inconsistent (to put it politely).

A Beta Global and an European Green city, Kiev is perfect for strolling around. Walk along the Dnieper river bank, pop up your laptop open on a bench at one of the botanical gardens or jog around the many ponds or The Victory Park (Park Peremohy), take a boat to the Venetsianskyi island (Hidropark) known for its beaches, amusement park and nightclubs…

Keen on shopping?  Dive in the fresh scents of farm produce at the Besarabsky Market, go book hunting at the Petrivka metro station market or window shopping in the glitzy downtown.

Culture & Arts

Naturally, history abounds in this European corner, as well.  Boasting more than twenty centuries of history, Kiev is host to many cultural influences yet displays its own essence and charisma unabashed by the turmoils of time and politics.   UNESCO World heritage sites Kiev Pechersk Lavra (the Monastery of the Caves) and the Saint Sophia Cathedral should be on top of your list, but save some time also for the National Art Museum, the Andriyivskyy Descent historic street and the Mother Motherland giant statue.

Ask the Rus Hotel concierge or your event coordinator for additional directions or choices if our random suggestions spark your curiosity and adventureship.  Leave your mobile devices and computers in your suite – or, bring them along as WiFi is available in some parts of the city – and head out to town.

About Gate2Shop

A sponsor and a presenter, Gate2Shop is glad to make your acquaintance at the 2011 ISDEF spring conference in the Rus Hotel of Kiev, Ukraine, April 22-24.

Our reps will be on hand to discuss marketing and software sales techniques, legal aspects, how to increase your conversion rates and business developments in the software industry.  We are looking forward to establishing and maintaining strong business relationships with you, our partners and clients.

It’s spring again and we’ll spend time in Kyiv, Ukrain for the Spring Conference of ISDEF which is going to happen on April, 22-24. If you’re into the business of developing software and would like to learn how to sell it online successfully, we’ll be more than happy to meet you there. A cup of coffee later you may have a better understanding how selling software online works and what you need to do it successfully. We’re going to do our best to provide you with the right tools and payment options.

Drop us a line and we’ll meet you there.

We’re going to be in Kyiv in a couple of days attending and sponsoring the International Conference of Online Game Developers (http://www.confog.org.ua/en). It’s going to take place on April, 21, 2011 and we’ll be glad to meet you there for a cup of coffee and a discussion how to monetize your games.
Do drop us a line if you’re in town and we’ll set up a meeting.
You can email, call or contact us via Twitter.

We’re looking forward to talking to you.