Registering to buy something - Why?

[aotagain]

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We have too many technicians and too few experienced business people today, IMHO.

Maybe an element of not the right technicians in many instances. I bet the vast majority of sites, especially those belonging to major retailers are tested repeatedly to make sure they work and are monitored constantly for downtime, but I wouldn't be so sure how many bother to regularly sit members of the public down and do some useability testing.

Perhaps they do, but judging by the complete lack of response to emails pointing out problems with their websites, I would be very surprised if it was even on the agenda, let alone anywhere near the top of the list. Most of the time there's not even a feedback form on the site. Meanwhile, they're probably having whole-day meetings to puzzle over low conversion rates and looking at prices, product ranges, and then offering discounts and incentives, when all the while they could raise the conversions by a few percent just by giving potential customers a smooth path through the buying process.

[DavidCartlidge]

As a customer any site that forces me to enter a login and password or any data that is not required for the transation loses me to a competitor - they get to keep me if they are the only place that has it in stock, or they are significantly cheaper than a site that does not do this.

As a retailor - my site takes the minimum (with one small exception) of data required to process the transaction, the 'option' to add a password is there should the customer want me to save their details.

As a retailor you are not in the position to 'know what is best' for the customer, that is not your place. As a retailor you should not be in the postition of collecting data because your software forces you.

[deadgoodundies]

Rynert - As a retailer yourself do you offer discount coupons? and if so do you limit their usuage per customer i.e a specific coupon can only be used once by a customer or do you issue a coupon and a customer can use it every time they shop until expiry date hits.

Thats pretty much the only thing that is holding me back from going down the "express" checkout route is that I can't see a decent and cost effective way of tracking usuage of coupons so that we can limit them. Reason for this is that with us our 79% of our customers come back for more within a few weeks of their initial purchase and the way we market discount coupons is that they are a good "new business" bringer in but financially they aren't viable to have if a customer is allowed to keep using them.

Of course someone might say use a cookie but that can be easily wiped, IP tracking - thats a no no as most people have dynamic IP's.

Actually whilst typing this , the only real constant would be someone's email address (of course doesn't work if you have multiple email addresses) but perhaps i've just had a Eureka moment.

[DavidCartlidge]

We do use discount codes - some are given out to all customers, limited by date, not number of times used. Others are specific to a customer, with a useagle limit, 1 or 2 normally "your next order", or "your next 2 orders".

If the punters uses their e-mail address that 'creates' the customer account on the database, irrespective of whether they 'choose' to set a password and create the account, if they place a subsequent order the 'points' they earn are tied to the e-mail address... but I think that idea just dropped on you

[deadgoodundies]

So for example if you took out a advert in a newspaper or magazine and included a discount coupon on it there is no way you could control how many times a customer used that coupon because you have no way of recording it's usuage on a per customer basis.

I think my idea still stand though on using a email address as the issue it seems from previous posts is not so much that a retailer is creating a database per se but rather the retailer is asking for non relevant or non essential data from the customer whereas they could drop that data collection and streamline their checkout procedure.
In my mind collection of a email address is just as essential as asking for a telephone number as the retailer would need to contact the customer in case there was a problem or query with their order.

EDIT: And then I just re-read your post and realised you are actually doing as I said with using the email address

[DavidCartlidge]

Yeah sorry - 'if the punter uses their e-mail address..' was not a good line - as they have to use their email address to receive confirmation of order etc.

As to the questions re: I can set the coupon to have a total useage limit, a time limit, a usage and time limit, I can restrict it to certain customers - but I can't publish it as open to all, but subsequently restrict it to only one use per customer - but even if I could, and I wanted to, then the punter would just create another account / use different e-mail address to get around that.

[deadgoodundies]

Ok which is my point that sometimes you need to "control" your customers otherwise they will take you for a ride. I mean if I could get a discount on every purchase I made then why wouldn't I.
The only way I can see this working is if we go down the route i just thought of by using the email address rather than a username to limit coupon usuage - it's not infalliable because as you suggest they could just use another email address but the average customer wouldn't go through the hassle of it just to get 10% off some knickers

As we often advertise in print and use coupons as an incentive then we do need to control their usuage as we need a general coupon that has a certain expiry date plus a usuage limit of once per customer and the only way of doing that is to collect a constant piece of data which can be used as the tracking trigger

[ian-d]

Having said that, discount codes can be set with a limit for the amount of times they can be used, plus blocks on multiple use by the same IP (probably even better than email), all without the need to register.

There are merits in both ways though, just depends what you want out of reporting etc, and how much repeat business you get. For me, allowing 'guest' checkout with the option of 'member' checkout is the best way of ensuring customers complete their purchase.

[Bud]

Well Done AdvancedMP3Players.co.uk

Changed their checkout system so you're not forced to register before you buy or check prices and discount codes etc.

Excellent!