Conversion Rates

[Legends]

Hi all

I am currently working on the conversion rates of my site to establish exaxtly where I stand prior to having a major site redsign.

I am finding some anomolies in the numbers over the last few months and would like to ask you for your input regarding your conversion rates over the last few months.

The simple criteria i am using to calculate conversion rates are number of visitors and the number of orders received over the same period.

I was astounded to find that the number of visitors only increased by about 20% over the last quarter of 2005 but my conversion rate was 4x the the previous quarter and 4 x what I am getting at the moment.

Did any one else see this - i would of expected that maybe to see double the visitors and at the most double the conversion rate.

your comments will be most welcome.

cheers

[Mike Hughes]

That's Christmas for you.

I forget the actual figures, but something like 60% of all consumer spending happens over the christmas period, which means there's little left for the rest of the year.

If you're in a gift/novelty kind of market then the difference will be even greater.

Mike

[george]

I remember a programme on tv about a big shopping mall, Gateshead I think it was. One store makes a loss 10 months of the year, but the two xmas months cover it AND make the profit for the year too.

[Legends]

That's Christmas for you.

Mike

Hi Mike

Yes - Christmas is a great this is my 7th Christmas (5 in B&M shop) but only our second online and we always say we get about 40% of our business in the last quarter of the year.

But what really suprised me is that or visitor numbers did not increase very much during this time - just our conversion rate went skywards.

See I got it into my head that we would see many more visitors and a slight increase in conversion rates. In the B&M shop footfall doubles or even trebles at Christmas but not so on the web, our visitors only increased by 20%

Has anyone else experienced this.

Cheers

[RuralWeb]

Yes, several of my clients shops maintained traffic levels over xmas but conversions were up 85%.

[jont]

Footfalls and Online Visitors will generally not follow the same increase or decrease patterns.

Footfall is as much about the "environment" your B&M shop is in (location, other shops, neighbouring shops, transport routes, parking facilities, weather, promotions on at other stores, local events etc etc). Other external influences will draw people into the shop.

Online is direct access either through search engines, bookmarks or via advertising links (PPC). There is no passing trade. Unless you personally alter any or all of these then it is probable visitors will remain much the same. You can increase search engine results via adding new products, price comparison sites, froogle etc or undertake or extend PPC campaigns (or printed media advertising).

If visitor numbers are remaing static but conversion is improving it proves you have the correct product mix at the correct price or existing customers are returning due to good service etc.

Still - a visitor increase of 20 per-cent is still good considering all the other online shops which will have opened plus competitors throwing their wares into the mix

[Mike Hughes]

People look and shop around all year. Most of the time they don't buy for all kinds of reasons; 'don't really need it', 'money's a bit tight', 'wait until next month', etc.

When Christmas comes this all goes out the window and if they see something they like they're far more likely to buy it. Bottom line? far less window shopping and far more buying goes on at christmas.

Mike