E-commerce carries the promise of expanding markets with minimal overhead, but this is not as easy as it sounds. E-commerce development has quickly become a highly-developed blend of art and science for professionals in the field. One way professional advice can help is to make sure the particular audience segment and the specific purpose of the Web site are reflected in the Web design.

E-commerce can be a bit like fishing. Its fairly easy to put a line in the water--it doesnt cost much to throw up a Web site and see what happens. The problem is that there are a lot of lines in the water these days. The Internet is crowded with competing and conflicting information, advertisements, and offers.

Successful e-commerce development takes more than the electronic equivalent of just putting a line in the water. Just as experienced fishermen know how to go where the fish are, bait the hook to attract interest, and land a fish once they have a bite, there are Web design techniques for e-commerce that can help a company find its audience, attract attention, and turn interest into transactions.

Know the Audience Segment for Each E-Commerce Website
E-commerce Web design should start with a clear identification of the target audience segment. If a company has multiple audience segments, it should consider a different Web presence for each segment. In doing so, it should clearly identify each Web outlet with the particular audience segment, rather than corporate division. Potential customers will be able to identify their own characteristics (individual, corporate, and so on) more readily than they will understand which corporate divisions Web site is geared to them.

The point of segmenting the audience effectively is to make sure each Web site is streamlined to emphasize the most relevant information. People use the Internet to save time, so they quickly lose patience with Web sites cluttered with information not applicable to what they are looking for.

Finally, to complement site design, e-commerce should have strategies for driving audiences to the Web site. Special promotions through other media such as mailers or e-mail, and Internet advertisement linked to related searches are two possibilities.

E-Commerce Websites Should Be Focused on Transactions
Once a member of the target audience is attracted to the site, the design of that site should funnel that person toward a transaction. Buying procedures should be clear, concise, and never more than a click away.

Some sites, especially those geared to a business-to-business audience, may require lengthier pieces such as product specifications and white papers. These should be organized under clearly-labeled secondary tabs so as not to slow someone down on the way to a transaction, and navigation back to transaction mode should always be clear and direct.

Understanding Potential Benefits Can Shape Web Design
E-commerce can have several benefits, and understanding what benefits a strategy is trying to capture may well shape web design. Some examples of those benefits:

Expediting product launches

Minimizing retailing overhead

Demonstrating expertise in detail

Expanding geographically with minimal added cost

Testing and monitoring new products, price points, and marketing approaches

In short, a good e-commerce website should not be a passive line in the water. It should purposefully target, attract, and most of all, set the hook.

Source
New York Times