The Internet makes it easy to comparison shop, so your e-commerce website needs to make a lasting impression on visitors and compel them to buy from you.

Consultants at AccuVis can never become experts on your products or your market, but we can offer this general advice. Don't just tell about your products, sell them. Persuade visitors with thorough descriptions and good photos. Address potential objections online by providing frequently asked questions, which can be phrased positively.

Use shopping cart technology that supports the completion of an order online. You may raise concerns in the buyer's mind if you cannot provide a total order price which includes shipping, handling and taxes. This might deter a customer from completing an order.

AccuVis recommends a merchant account that includes a shopping cart and online credit card transaction processing, including a link to UPS to calculate shipping charges online. This approach reduces your order processing time and increases your customer's confidence in placing an order with your web site.

The Internet expands the number of companies that you compete with. Your web site must include content that informs, educates and appeals to your target market. A web site that consists mostly of an order form is not going to build credibility and persuade customers to buy. You must define your position in the marketplace and differentiate yourself from the competition. The online sales cycle is often like the offline sales cycle - customers need to be ushered through the buying process.

A business can only benefit from a web site if it can be found by potential customers. Providing detailed product information along with supporting web site content (such as company background information, frequently asked questions, product usage articles, product warranty information) provides many "entry points" to your web site. AccuVis uses this type of content to promote your site to the search engines.