Internet business and e commerce - Essay Example

Some sites appeared to be stark and uninviting while others were warm and welcoming. The online selling world really represents a radical departure from traditional selling methods and although a relatively new selling model for most businesses, it appears as though the online store is the way of the future (Pellet 1996). Companies wishing to harness the power of the internet must be able to target their audience effectively while presenting an attractive, accessible and simple to use online “storefront” through which products can be market, advertised and sold.

Sites which used a variety of color are naturally the ones that people are most drawn to. Some sites appear uninviting and therefore unappealing and the image one presents on a homepage plays an important role in attracting customers. While determining customer preferences may be difficult to gage, some website features are sure to attract customers more so than others. Pop-ups, running advertisements and other distracting features will probably do more to dissuade as opposed to reassure a customer interested in making an online purchase.

From a personal perspective, I was drawn to sites in which photos of smiling people present; this made me instantly more comfortable and ready to shop! Sites that appeared to be user friendly and easy to navigate (with readily available hyperlinks to move from one section of the site to another) rated highly on my list and sites that used proper English as well as catchy phrases to attract my attention where also positively received. Sites which I had an immediate aversion to where sites in which the photos appeared to be distorted, they were too “busy” or if pop-ups immediately distracted my vision.

Pop-ups, distracting advertisements, poorly positioned and distorted photographs, as well as unenticing language rank highly as the most distracting aspects