E-Commerce Question

[audiopro]

Most E-Commerce sites I have visited require the visitor to register and log in before a sale can be processed.
Is this just simply marketing strategy or does this method form a part of site security?
We are ready to go live with our site and are just adding the final tweaks. We already gather the customer's name and address details in order to despatch the goods so what is the point in registering?

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[Foamcow]

I think it's a combination of things.

I would say in any commerce venture be it "e" or "bricks and mortar" marketing and data collection is extremely important.

If you only gather info for actual sales then you are missing an opportunity to analyse customer preferences.

Knowing what the customers aren't interested in is just as important as knowing what they are buying. Knowing exactly which customer's aren't interested is a huge advantage.

For example, say you have lots of people looking at "Widget Extreme" but nobody actually buys it. You may come to the conclusion that "Widget Extreme" is too expensive.
If you only gather info when the customer buys then how can you tell them "en masse" that you have a "Widget Extreme" sale!

Building up a profile of what a particular customer likes/dislikes could be extremely helpful in my opinion.

The other reason I can think of off the top of my head is, as you mention, for security. Requiring a valid email address is a small step towards that.

Registering on a site can also allow for saving carts etc.
For example, I might browse your shop, throw a few things in the cart but for some reason not be able to complete the transaction at that time. I am more likely to come back and complete the purchase process if I don't have to browse and add them to my cart the next time I visit.

In short, grab as much info about the user as you can at any opportunity. Obviously don't do things that will put them off, but a simple, optional, registration form isn't going to hurt.
Build the data up by adding transaction details, address info, purchase history etc. and it will help you target future products to the right customers.

Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web design and ranting
Target Marketing Communications - Advertising, Direct Marketing and Public Relations
I wonder what possesses people to make those animated gifs. Do you just get up in the morning and think, "You know what web design r

 

[audiopro]

All the E-commerce sites I have visited use a log in before any purcahse can be made. Our approach was to email all customers with a Username and password once they had made a purchase. This was to save them entering their address details during future purchases. Their details are as you say, available for marketing purposes.
Once live it will still be a work in progress so who knows what fancy bits and bobs will be added in the future.
I'm glad we took the decision to deveop a full system from the ground up rather than buy in pre-made software.
Thanks for you advice and comments.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[TruthInSatire]

another reason is customer convinence.

first time users register with there username and password, include all the shipping and stuff, save it. The user doesn't have to enter that in EVERY time they buy something from the site. Just log in, and maybe enter the cc number again.

We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true.

 

[ChrisHunt]

If you go with a registration system, be sure to include a privacy policy on your site stating:
[ul]
[li]What information you store (I suggest you DON'T store credit card numbers, for example)[/li]
[li]What you intend to do with it[/li]
[li]Whether you intend to sell it on to third parties[/li]
[/ul]
Customers should have to opportunity to opt out of future mailshotting and spa.., sorry, quality messages from our partner organisations.

You won't get my email address, or my custom, unless I see something like that.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

 

[audiopro]

I always find other people's opinions interesting and thank you all for responding.
All payments are taken through the bank's secure portal so no credit card numbers are handled by us at all.
As I do not like receiving any sort of advertising E-mails we will not be doing that kind of open marketing. We have included an opt in message service for the arrival of certain new products but 'spam' mailing is out. I like the idea of targetting visitors with the type of products they have bought before or something to improve it but that is a future development as time permits.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk