Hi Linda,
Thank you for the link to a very relevant article, I hope forum members take heed of this HIGHLY ACCURATE information, especially the part about being available for contact.
Having run a number of e-commerce ventures, both in physical product and in virtual / downloadable products, I think the one determining factor in my online success, is the commitment to transparency and availability… something that has long since been lacking in e - business.
Gone are the days when you can bang up a website, implement automation and sit back to let things happen.
E-business requires an immense amount of trust between parties, especially when you consider the lack of governance online and the ease for unscrupulous dealings.
This very fact requires that site owners do the utmost to make them selves available to potential customers and that all of us involved in trading our wares online work towards a greater level of transparency with regards to making ourselves available via every form of traditional contact:
1. FAX
2. EMAIL
3. PHONE
4. POSTAL
5. And even VOIP
This kind of commitment, not only installs trust, it build relationships, brings realness to doing business online and set about making a difference to the image of online business.
Justin Harrison
http://www.lifetimedownload.com