E-retail is a fast growing business, as you’ll know if you’ve been reading this blog over the last year or so. But some experts point the finger at more luxury end fashion retailers as one of the slowest to embrace the on-line trend.

However, there is one top brand that has been has been successful in ecommerce. It was as far back as 2002 that Gucci started to make a big on-line presence and in the last 18 months Gucci.com has had a major overhaul.

The iconic site boasts 2.5 million unique visitors. While a good-looking site, it is also functional and allows customers to browse Gucci fashions and check out of their shopping cart as though in the actual stores.

Perhaps this is the lesson that other e-retailers should learn. It can be all too easy to create a website that is rather more basic in looks and feel that the established high street brand.

The goal of retailers online should be to match the high-end experience of a retail store, so that it does not degrade the quality of a brand.

And don’t forget to also offer customers good service by way of email or live chat customer service, as well as Facebook and Twitter networking. Facebook Gucci has almost a million fans! Not bad for a single fashion brand, eh?

Check out the great ecommerce deals at WebCreationUK. While the prices might be low, you can be assured that the look and quality of the website design is high.

Have you ever spotted a sign with a mis-spelling or an apostrophe out of place? Did it make you reconsider the professionalism of that place, shop, restaurant or establishment? Of course it would. Poor spelling and grammar appears sloppy and careless.

The same is true of websites and ecommerce sites. In surveys, more than 50% of people are turned off by spelling and grammar errors on websites. Many of these say that it would put them off using the website whether it’s a service of an e-tailer.

So it’s clear that it’s worth spending some time checking that your website is free of spelling and grammar mistakes. If you do not trust your own judgment then ask a trusted friend or pay a journalist or copywriter to take a look over your website.

It is highly likely that they will find a few mistakes (everyone makes mistakes) and they may even find a whole host of errors. Once these have been sorted you can be sure that potential customers will not be put off your site by something as simple-to-rectify as inaccurate copy.

If you are interested in having an online shop, stop by WebCreationUK for more information on our fantastic ecommerce packages.

A well-designed and clearly written website can do wonders for your business. Meanwhile a website that lacks clarity, clear messages and good looks will be more likely to fail. But it’s not always easy to get it right.

The first point of call should be an experienced web design company. WebCreationUK, for example, has a wealth of experience and a huge portfolio of proven work. Dedicated designers know exactly how to make your website shine against the competition. They can also put you in touch with an experienced copywriter.

Here we bring you some great tips for successful website design:

Focus and goals: Think about the purpose of your website. Is the website simply there as a portal for people to browse? If so, then perhaps one of two pages with simple messages such as a general description of your business and contact info will suffice. Or do you want an e-commerce site with multiple pages, photos of your products, background information etc?

The next step is to communicate these goals to your web designer. Changes in basic design cost time and money so be clear form the outset what it is that you want to achieve. Most good design companies will take the time at the start of the project to discuss exactly what it is that you are looking for with your website.

Content is king: We’ve said this time and again in this blog but still we see websites that are poorly written. Many have basic spelling and grammar errors, which look unprofessional, and so many do not communicate a message. Design is important but so is the content of your website. Your website needs to succinctly convey your business purpose and attributes.

The details: A website that is “over-designed” can be off-putting to the user. So details, such as design elements and colours, should always be “transparent” to the viewer. It’s rather like an overly colourful or designed interior of a house. If it calls attention to itself, it has defeated its purpose.

Gimmicks are old-hat and annoying. So steer clear of the cartoons, singing cats etc. This is just clutter and will be a turn-off to most website users over the age of seven.

Good navigation: Web users are an impatient breed. They want to be able to explore your site with ease and direction. They want access to key information and good labelling. At no point should a user be left searching for info or guessing where they might find it.

Easy contact: Make sure users can contact you. Whether it’s via phone, email, live chat, or a forum. There should be a straightforward process at the click of a button.

With this tips you should find yourself the owner of a potentially successful web business.

Google realtime is marching forwards with its own home page and a raft of new tools to help users to refine their searches.
Some of the new Google realtime tools re:

* Geographic refinements, so you can find updates and news in a chosen region.

*Conversations view, which makes it easier to follow a realtime chat. There’s a new “full conversation” feature that allows you to browse the entire conversation in one view.

* A new “updates” content for Google Alerts means you can create a realtime alert specifically for keywords that appear in Twitter.

SEO is an integral part of the website design service, speak to WebCreationUK for information on our advanced SEO package.

One of the fastest growing trends for websites is “interaction”. That is, interaction with visitors/customers and your on-line business. A successful website will offer a range of interactive features that allow customers to offer feedback, such as reviews and comments, and to share information.

Rather like a high street shop that has gained a reputation for being approachable, open and knowledgeable so an interactive ecommerce or e-retail site offers a great degree of service for customers.

Research has shown that on-line businesses that offer interactive features create a more effective web presence with increased customer conversion rates and improved brand loyalty and recognition.

Here are some of the key tools for a more interactive ecommerce site:

Newsletters: Collect email addresses of potential customers and send out direct promotion via newsletters.

Comments/reviews: The usual place for this type of interaction is found on blogs. This also allows you to build on content, especially via user-generated content.

Google map: An interactive Google Map can be used in a number of ways. It can display an interactive map of your location or you can use one of its features, such as distance calculator, to add more functionality.

Related articles: You can improve the readership of your website by offering visitors content that is related.

RSS feed: This makes it simpler for users to subscribe to your website updates by email.

Social bookmarking: Visitors and customers can use social bookmarking to manage favourite content and share it with others. It also helps in promoting your website and therefore generates more traffic.

Feedback forms: These are still an effective and easy to collect responses from visitors and customers. Try to customise the form to the specific needs of your website.

Survey/polls: Another way to collect vital information from customers.

Most good web design companies will be able to work with you to add great interactive features to your website. Check out what leading web design company WebCreationUK could do for your site.

When did you last take a critical look at your website and its design? Is it up-to-date? Does it offer a pleasant and inviting user experience? Here we bring you a short checklist of major web design no-nos.

Background music: So last year – and so annoying. Plus anyone who is still on dial up broadband will need to wait ages for these websites to load. Give this gimmick a miss unless it really will add value, such as if you’re a leading and recognisable brand.

The text: Can visitors read the text on your site. If it’s too small – or even, too big – the website will be a turn-off. Make sure all the copy on your site is legible.

Pop-ups: More annoying than background music, pop-ups, especially those with advertising, are a huge turn-off for potential customers and visitors to your website. Lots of people now have pop-up blockers but if your pop-up has managed to get past this block the users will only find your site more annoying.

Why alienate potential customers with these small features when you don’t have to? To find out more about great website design and some of the best deals in the UK, check out leading web design company WebCreationUK