tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1193110888000243108.post6438828864189097104..comments2024-02-29T18:20:22.736+00:00Comments on Press 2.0: The eCommerce bar is being raised all the timeHaydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01294002314572089407noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1193110888000243108.post-66511745742971611832010-12-14T18:29:57.205+00:002010-12-14T18:29:57.205+00:00I believe we are essentially saying the same thing...I believe we are essentially saying the same thing in different ways Hayden. I certainly wasn't suggesting for one minute that the basics shouldn't be ignored at all and standards shouldn't slip.<br /><br />But - yes - the bells & whistles will have to come later for those on a more modest budget. I'm all for our Nation of humble Shop-keepers still being proud and presentable.Alan Noakehttp://www.theicelab.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1193110888000243108.post-9092398336325171832010-11-23T22:43:01.385+00:002010-11-23T22:43:01.385+00:00Alan
Thanks for your comment, however I’m going to...Alan<br />Thanks for your comment, however I’m going to stick my neck out on this one and say there should be one level that everyone should aim to meet, regardless of budget/resources/etc.<br />For the last 10 years or so I’ve been using the motto for eCommerce sites “do the basics well first and only then consider the bells & whistles”. By this I mean that everyone should aim to deliver the optimum site they possibly can and follow best practice. There should be no excuse for mediocre design, poor usability, insufficient content, etc. even if clients are on a shoestring.<br />For example, we at Ideal Interface consult to large high street stores and global organisations on their digital presence. But we also provide ad-hoc advice to much smaller operations and start-ups who do not have the resources of the big players. There’s also a lot that we give away such as on this blog, etc.<br />Sure, the amount of bells and whistles may vary depending on your budget, but there are so many basics that need to be done first. Or to use your shop-keeping analogy, you may only have a small corner shop in a local part of town…. But you can still keep the shop windows clean, the aisles clear of obstructions and the assistance smiling & responsive to customer demands.<br />HaydenHayden Sutherlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05856244651310633376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1193110888000243108.post-68373410604736100402010-11-23T18:58:00.606+00:002010-11-23T18:58:00.606+00:00Fully agree Hayden that the eCommerce bar is being...Fully agree Hayden that the eCommerce bar is being raised all the time but I do wonder if we should be thinking in terms of parallel bars? <br /><br />A higher bar certainly for larger exceptionally cool branded sites such as www.hestragloves.com for example or big brands like www.next.co.uk, www.fatface.com & www.next.co.uk with their significant online budgets.<br /><br />But do we perhaps also need a lower level bar (still rising all the time!) to benchmark the good practice of online SME retailers who have still have a part to play in this ever expanding marketplace albeit often with more modest funding. <br /><br />The UK is afterall often considered to be "a Nation of Shopkeepers"...Alan Noakehttp://www.theicelab.co.uknoreply@blogger.com