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Warriors: I Need Your Opinions!

by 36burrows
25 replies
Hi everyone,

Hope everyone's day was great and profitable!

I'm in need of some outside opinions from some trained marketing eyes.

I am an affiliate for a particular company, and these guys make awesome products and I love promoting them, but they've told me that they experience a really high "shopping cart abandonment" rate.

I've been doing my best to improve my own website, but conversions are pretty low at the moment for as much targeted traffic I'm bringing in. I know it should be higher so things need to be improved on their end as well for this to happen.

Can anyone take a look at the merchants website for me from a customers perspective, and offer me your honest opinion as to anything which would make you feel uncomfortable with anything and therefore cause you to abandon your purchase?

Any help or advice I can bring to the company they are more than willing to hear, so give me all you got!

Here's their main page:

Applied Health's Store - All Products

Thanks!!
#opinions #warriors
  • Profile picture of the author spacechimpmedia
    My opinion:

    The whole site is garbage. Its outdated. The product blends in with the background. No trust factors at the top of the page. The home page does not get the USP of the brand accross. I have no idea what this product is unless I go out of my way to do some research on the site.

    My advice.. tell them to hire a professional design team with experienced in eCommerce best practices.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Allard
    I have to agree with spacechimpmedia,

    The website looks very outdated and it's hard to see the products. If they have traffic and affiliates they really should update their site.

    Also the trust badges should be placed on every page, for example "Secure Shopping Cart", "Money Back Guarantee", "BBB Accredited", etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
    Thanks so much guys this really helps.

    If there's anything else please let me know.

    I want to compile a list of everything we can to bring to the one in charge of their site.

    This is really tough. They have great products that all work really well, yet are being held back by an outdated site.
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  • Profile picture of the author JumpInMyCar
    definately graphic design needs to be improved... need to step up the whole site and logo look to be more professional

    Ensure every product has an image and the backgrounds have been cut out, or you have a border around the image or something to keep it looking clean and crisp.

    I'd like to see some testimonials or some sort of social proof up the top in the header and maybe a phone number (not that I would call... but just knowing I could if I wanted to gives more trust and comfort)

    Hope that helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author TonyR02
    I have to agree with you guys on this one. The graphics need a MAJOR overhaul. The site is honestly painful on my eyes to look at with all the white.

    On top of that, the products blend in so badly that you can't even read their labels. While their site needs a lot of work a simple background color change would probably give them the most benefit in the fastest time. Make it a nice calming dark maroon or dark green so it will show off products more.

    One other suggestion you may make is to get a more professional logo designed.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Aside from improvements that could be made (including a better/larger font) I see one glaring problem that could lead to shopping cart abandonment.

      That is the failure to provide a flat shipping cost. You can get an "estimate" of shipping costs by entering information on a form but new cusdtomers are hesitant to enter personal info on an unfamiliar site.

      I went through part of the process of ordering and found a $37.95 bottle of pills would cost $7 for shipping. That's ridiculous in today's online marketplace.

      I think you should check out competing sites and who them to your customer. You'll find most offer a flat rate for shipping and free shipping on orders over a certain dollar amount. Your customer should be shown other competing sites so he undestands what is needed to raise the standard of his own site.

      I don't agree with all of the comments above. We tend to look at sites from the perspective of marketers - but many customers don't care abut fancy. They want graphic they can read, prices that are competitive, a company they can trust...and good shipping costs.

      The white on white needs changing, the font needs to be better (verdana is good for such sites) and a bit larger. Changes to the site can be made without a full redesign and that might be easier to sell him on.

      kay

      Just thought of a good example. I have a nutritional supplement I buy online. The guy's website is quite similar to the one you are asking about. I buy two bottles at a time because the standard shipping of 4.95 becomes free shipping for 2 bottles (a $50 purchase). I don't care what the site looks like - he has the product I want at a decent price without gouging me with shipping costs.
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  • Profile picture of the author g36
    The website is probably outdated, but it's not that bad nor it's a garbage. Sure the graphic needs to be better, but that's it. The website has good layout in my opinion. You just need a better website template.
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    :)

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  • Profile picture of the author davejug1
    I agree with Kay, the issue is not the graphics if the abandonment happens at checkout stage. Having to confirm info prior to learning the full cost, the fact that priority shipping is the only thing available too.

    There are six shopping cart pages, you need tracking on each one to see where they are abandoning.
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  • Profile picture of the author PatrickP
    I would not want to help this company so much if they are not willing to help themselves.

    I would just find another company to be an affiliate for and leave this one.

    You are basically fixing a company that you have no part of. I have to wonder why would you love a company that has a bad website and you really don't make much money from.
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  • Profile picture of the author RefundHost
    Agree with all the above.

    It would be nice if the three buttons NEEDED were larger and intuitively arranged.

    Eg.

    I added something to the cart.

    Then for a few seconds I could not figure out what to do NEXT
    because the CHECKOUT NOW button is small and ABOVE what
    I just did ....

    or... so so far below I had to scroll DOWN PAST the other crap
    about coupons and stuff.

    ======================

    After you ADD TO CART and you go to that page
    there should be only three BIG button options below it

    [ Oops! Remove Item ] [ SHOP FOR MORE ] or [ PAY NOW ]

    Only on the final checkout - where they enter cc info
    that's where they can enter coupons and enter
    shipping info and also remove any items
    and see ONE button at the bottom

    [ See My Total With Shipping Before Paying ]

    and once they do hit it, they see

    [ Recalculate Total ] [ PAY NOW ]
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  • Profile picture of the author professorrosado
    Other than the fact that six is considered a bad number, it is extremely long process just to order a bottle of vitamins!!! Long Forms, many fields of info and all I want to do is pay with paypal!

    I agree with everyone else above to a degree. The pictures should be uniform in terms of background although I don't necessarily see anything wrong with the transparent background - I don't like the color or shaded backgrounds.

    Also - I personally feel that the website and store should be more uniform. Whenever I link to more information, I'm disconnected from the store and land in the distinct website. This is distracting and already disconnects my thinking from the purchase.

    Website and store should be seemless IMO.

    Shipping cost raises my accepted price to almost a third! Definitely puts the purchase on hold - BIG RED LIGHT here for me! They should adjust the pricing and reduce shipping or absorb shipping on larger purchases and therewith promote multiple item purchases - I think Amazon does this.
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  • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
    This thread will be perfect guys! Exactly what I needed! Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    Here is an example of another problem I see. I clicked on a product at random - Ginkgo Biloba. The webpage it takes me to shows an image of the bottle, a price of $14.95, some helpful information about the product, but nowhere does it say how many capsules I receive for the $14.95 price!

    I clicked on the image of the bottle to enlarge it, and on that bottle I could read 60 tables, but not everyone will click on the bottle.

    I have not priced 60 capsules of Ginkgo Biloba at Walgreen's or Kroger's to see what the going price is, but I'd bet it is a lot less than $14.95 plus shipping (whatever the shipping will be).

    :-Don
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  • Profile picture of the author simplyrichhome
    Suggest learn from ebay and amazon design for this application purpose.


    To Success.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chri5123
    Yes think the site needs an update - what you could do if you are having success is build a site yourself and ask them if you can send visitors directly to the cart on THEIR site.

    You can then make a better site that guides them through the process and I am sure you will get better results too.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
    What about becoming a re-seller and making my own shopping cart?
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  • Profile picture of the author georgedinmore
    The site isn't very welcoming.

    And if the prices are like that, then no wonder they leave.

    More and more people do research before they buy things.

    If i were to buy something, i always check if its cheaper somewhere else.
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    • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
      Originally Posted by georgedinmore View Post

      The site isn't very welcoming.

      And if the prices are like that, then no wonder they leave.

      More and more people do research before they buy things.

      If i were to buy something, i always check if its cheaper somewhere else.
      I totally understand, but problem with the pricing is that most supplement companies purchase their supplies at a drastically lower rate from places overseas such as China. Which is why they can offer their products at a much lower price.

      This company doesn't do that though, all of their products are made in the USA and their supply costs are astronomically higher but the reason is because their products truly do work 100x better than those cheap brands.

      This is the reason why I love promoting them so much, I take them myself and can tell a massive difference compared to a cheap product at Walgreens
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  • Profile picture of the author Kathleen J
    The site feels kind of generic and could be more inviting. Outside of that, the checkout situation is fine. You don't force the buyer to sign up.
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  • Profile picture of the author davejug1
    Know what I would do? If you are already getting the traffic but they are not converting, I would drop the company and whitelabel my own
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    • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
      Originally Posted by davejug1 View Post

      Know what I would do? If you are already getting the traffic but they are not converting, I would drop the company and whitelabel my own
      Pretty good idea. I could become a re-seller and buy their products at wholesell prices and re-sell them on my own site
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  • Profile picture of the author SocialBlasting
    It gives me the same feeling as when I land on a parked domain page, like Im not supposed to be there. I'd say change the sidebar links, the color, and definitely the logo to start.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOAffordable
    Shopping cart specifics:

    -Not sure it is clear to the average user that you don't need to register to check out. Requiring registration to buy something (unless you're Amazon or similar huge company) is a killer.

    -Shipping rates aren't shown until 5+ screens in

    -tax rates if charged are not shown for 5+ screens

    The checkout process works best at 3 pages, theirs is at least 2x that. For a company no one has ever heard of, that simply won't work
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    • Profile picture of the author 36burrows
      Originally Posted by SEOAffordable View Post

      Shopping cart specifics:

      -Not sure it is clear to the average user that you don't need to register to check out. Requiring registration to buy something (unless you're Amazon or similar huge company) is a killer.

      -Shipping rates aren't shown until 5+ screens in

      -tax rates if charged are not shown for 5+ screens

      The checkout process works best at 3 pages, theirs is at least 2x that. For a company no one has ever heard of, that simply won't work
      Thank you! Great input
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  • Profile picture of the author jobayerahmed
    i my agreed with most of the guys here, do the needful mate based on ur research
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