Computer and Web Articles

Swapping goods (your products) for money (out of your buyers’ pockets) can be a tough business. Online shops are a dime a dozen. So, how are you helping potential buyers buy from your online store? Yep, that’s right: you have to actually help your buyers do the buying. Here are a few ways to do just that:

-    You’ve heard me say this many times, and you’ll likely hear me saying this many more. It’s that important.  Do your products have really good photos? Are you offering multiple views of your products?
-    How detailed are your product descriptions? Have you created easy-to-read, clear lists of features?
-    Does your online store have good search functionality? Really, really good search functionality? (For example, if a buyer misspells a word, will the results say “no matches found” or will close matches appear?)
-    Are your the calls to action clear, and near the product description? (“Buy now” or “Add to cart”)

Though absolutely critical, nice photography by itself is often not enough to convince a not-already-convinced buyer. Be sure to list features, details and uses for your product to encourage purchases. Make your visitors feel confident to buy from you.

Here are a few additional ways to help your customers buy: http://tinyurl.com/yrl5na

1. http://tinyurl.com/4bb5489 - What you need to know before you buy an iPad2.
2. http://tinyurl.com/63vjgzn - A horse named “Arrrrr” (yes, really!), a horse race, and an announcer with a great sense of humor. This is your weekly laugh-out-loud video!
3. http://ecogeek.org/ - Thoughtful website that covers the latest news on how technology and nature can work together for good.
4. http://tinyurl.com/4784roa - “Compared to you, most people seem dumb”—a great read.
5. http://tinyurl.com/nfnnne - Mesmerizing examples of photo manipulation art.

Craigslist.org, in all its bare-bones simplistic glory, is one of the most-visited websites in the world. Perhaps you’ve used it to find an apartment, to sell your old TV, or to seek out a new pet puppy.

Below is a link to an article that can help you find better deals on Craigslist. I’ll highlight two tips here, and then you can mosey on over to the article for more buying and bargaining pointers.

-    Don’t be afraid to bargain. Find out what price the item is currently selling for on other sites and let a seller know that you’re willing to pay that price.
-    If you don’t have extra cash to spend, try bartering. Whether it’s bartering services or products-or a combination of the two-you may not have to exchange cold, hard cash to get what you want.

Find additional tips and suggestions for getting the more out of Craigslist here: http://tinyurl.com/4lh7dou. A few of the links are outdated, but the core content is still useful and relevant.

1. http://tinyurl.com/4tdh6on - Nine cool web apps for gathering customer feedback…if you’re brave enough.
2. http://www.jinni.com - Pick a movie or TV show by time period, genre, place or even based on your mood. Then watch it on Hulu, Netflix or wherever it’s available online. Cool way to find new shows.
3. http://tinyurl.com/4rt4yjw - For your next cuppa joe: 10 tips and tricks for better coffee.
4. http://tinyurl.com/4fpu3dq - Five must-read books by people who have spoken at the popular TED conference.
5. http://www.ted.com - And if you haven’t heard of TED, you should absolutely go get a dose of inspiration. If you’re already familiar with TED, it’s worth checking out again!

I use Google Maps regularly—not only for mapping and directions, but also when looking up various businesses, attractions, and restaurants. In addition to driving routes, Google Maps provides bus, walking and bike routes—all super helpful when traveling. One of the standout features of Google Maps is their Street View feature (admit it: you’ve zoomed in your house, haven’t you?). Now, Street View just got better—way better.

Originally, Street View imagery was captured by cars and vans with cameras attached, driving around cities and towns, down highways and streets. Now, in addition to the cars, Google has created specially designed tricycles—complete with cameras—that can venture onto hiking trails, into amusement parks and around gardens. Google often hires athletes to power the heavy trikes and capture images where cars can’t go.

Try it out.  Use Street view to explore the gardens at the San Diego Art Institute or have a look around the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, Ireland. The images are impressively crisp and colorful—it’s almost as good as being there. (Almost.)

You can learn more about using Google Street View here: http://tinyurl.com/yuvrlk