Mistakes of e-Commerce Web Service
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Frances Rhea
Looking at the Mistakes of e-Commerce Web Service
The mistakes or myths of e-commerce and how they apply to our web service can help us learn from the past.
There are principally two reasons why e-commerce web service fails: bad site design, and/or a bad choice of product.
If your e-commerce web site is hard to navigate, has a long download time, or you are over-enthusiastic on a personal level about your products, your chances of making a profit are reduced.
The other problem which cripples an e-commerce web site is the selection of products. Books, t-shirts, and computer games are easy to deliver. Cars, furniture and other large products are more difficult.
How This Relates to Web Service
The problem with a poorly designed web site is that it hinders communication. If waiting for the site to load before you obtain the information required, a visitor is less likely to stay until the purchase is complete. Wading through several screens before arriving at your product is another example of poor design. Welcoming suggestions and filling in questionnaires before a purchase might stop your visitor even before checkout.
An e-commerce web service should keep the description of service and how to access it clear and simple. Get someone to review your documentation and try to access the service.
E-commerce web Service needs transactional processing, but should be clearly labeled as being potentially slow. Communicating the capabilities of the web service will reduce complaints and disappointment.
Public Web Service vs. Private Web Service
Business to business (B2B) e-commerce has fared better than private web service. This is because B2B e-commerce is between two companies that know each other, and have (or develop) a working relationship. With business to consumer e-commerce, you are never sure what your audience wants, much less how they want to see it.
With a private web service, each side has a clear idea of what they want and how they want it. With public web service the company provides a service and the visitor has little to no say in how it is presented.
The purpose and capabilities of our web service need to be clearly communicated. One of the symptoms of poorly communicated ideas is people expecting more than the site is capable of providing. The same can apply to all web service that is not clearly documented. Quality of service agreements should be implemented to set out what the web service will provide, how it will be provided, and the quality of the provision.
Web Service Conclusion
The clarity of your communication is key to successful web service, whether it is communication between business partners or gaining an understanding of the market. There is no way to know what the customer wants so there is no guarantee that what you provide will be what they want. All you can do is your best. Just make sure you present it clearly and simply so you have a better chance of succeeding with any web service.
