Apologies for the protracted silence. I’ve been thinking, scribbling on my whiteboard, staring at the PSW family, and coming to conclusions about online shopping in general, and Perfectly Shaped World in particular. This peaceful process has not been without cause (although a persistent case of the winter flu bug has definitely helped keep me from my usual daily posting).
The first conclusion I reached is that online shopping in general is in a transition phase. Many webstore sites are just now turning the corner into the Web 2.0 stretch, getting and displaying feedback from their visitors, viewable by other visitors. I’m sorry to say my stores are, for the most part, still stuck in Web 1.85 mode. For years I’ve been getting my feedback on the phone and in emails, and neither is particularly instantaneous. This is about to change.
The second conclusion I’m reaching is that many webstores tend to cause more stress than they solve. Ever landed on a site and found yourself utterly confused, left clueless about what to do next? You see Add To Cart buttons, a cart button, lots of product pictures, and a gaping void, where the store assumes you know everything there is to know about why they’re there and how you’re supposed to interact. Mine are guilty to some extent as well, and I’m seeking ways to resolve this.
The third conclusion I reached is that I need to ask more questions before I leap into redesign mode. So that’s what I’m going to be doing over the next few posts – asking you questions, taking your pulse, listening to your feedback. Because, when it comes to your ideal online shopping experience, you know a LOT more about you and your preferences and online shopping desires than I do.
Popularity: unranked
