Unit 3

Store Design and
Product SelectionUnit 3Store Design and Product SelectionLearning Objectives
To know elements for design of a crossborder Ecommerce store
To learn to select the products for an Ecommerce store
To learn to integrate the store design and product selection principles to improve conversion rate
Warming up
1. Work in a group and discuss what are the basic elements of a crossborder Ecommerce store and what is the necessary information for the online product description.
2. Read the words or phrases and their explanations. Then complete the following paragraph(s) with the words or phrases. Change the form when necessary.
revenuethe money that a government receives from taxes or that an organization, etc. receives from its business
legitimatefair and acceptable
convertto change or make sth change from one form, purpose, system, etc. to another
layoutthe way in which the parts of sth such as the page of a book, a garden or a building are arranged
venturea business project or activity, especially one that involves taking risks
Once youve chosen the right platform for your crossborder Ecommerce operation, the next thing you need to consider is the design. Design is so important to the success or otherwise of your , beyond merely the aesthetics of the site. Pretty websites dont always  at the highest rate, and achieving any upwards tweak in your conversion rates can make a massive difference to your (and ultimately your bottom line).
At the same time, that doesnt mean you should be focusing solely on conversion rates, at the expense of a credible, professionallooking design. Your conversion rate will seriously suffer if your website looks untrustworthy, or anything less than  and credible. Simple things make a big difference here, so it really is worth finding a good freelance designer and pushing for a more attractive, conversionfocused .
(Adapted from https://ecommerceguide.com/guides/ecommercestoredesign/)
Text: Ecommerce Website Design
To be successful in crossborder Ecommerce business, it is imperative to be able to attract online customers and convince them to buy your products. Basically, this means that your Ecommerce website design must be focused on the clients specific needs. Every step of the shopping and buying process should be designed to give customers a great experience. In order to do so, some basic rules have to be followed.
Show visitors what products you are selling
Everything should be designed to make it as easy as possible to find the products visitors are looking for and to buy it. Therefore, it is essential to make it easy for them to see your catalog of products. Customers also want to be able to have all the information they need to make an informed decision before buying. So, provide as much information as you can on the product (see Figure 31).
Figure 31
Describe adequately every product you are selling to ensure that the client knows everything he would know if he was shopping in a store. Psychologically, it is better to use descriptive words when doing so than technical terms, since they unconsciously make the customer more likely to buy (see Figure 32).
Figure 32Design and usability
A good design for your Ecommerce website is not necessarily a design that will amaze the customers, but rather one that focuses on usability.The main feature of your website is to be easy for the customers to find what they want and to showcase your products properly. This includes related photos of the products as well as detailed descriptions providing every detail they might need (see Figure 33).
Figure 33
Showcase the products properly
It can be good to try to differentiate yourself from competition through an innovative website. However, some basic components should be present on any Ecommerce website (see Figure 34).
Figure 34
1. Quality photos
Photos are the only way for online customers to see the products they are buying. It is worth investing in highquality photos for every product displayed on your website so that clients can zoom in and take a closer look at every detail (see Figure 35).
Figure 35
It is also a good idea to display more than one picture for a product. In any case, the pictures displayed have to place the product in front display: use a neutral background and keep the picture simple (see Figure 36).
Figure 36
2. Reviews
Adding reviews to your website is a great way to gain credibility amongst your potential customers. If they can read what other independent clients really think about the products you are selling or about your customer service, they will believe it more than anything else you can say on your website.
So, any positive review you get will help convert potential customers into actual buyers. If you get negative reviews, they can be used to either improve your product or service or to give your point of view on the subject at hand.
3. Layout
Some basic tools should be easy to find by the customer, no matter where he is on your website: the shopping cart, the information regarding shipping as well as the help they can get if desired. The shopping cart as well as the FAQ page and your contact information are often located at the top or right side of the page. Links to the FAQ and contact pages can also regularly be found at the bottom of the page. Overall, the important thing is the client should not have to search for them.
4. Navigation
Usually, potential clients need to check everything out before making their decision; that means browsing many pages of your website. You need to make that experience enjoyable for them, by making navigation easy and smooth. Customers should always be able to locate where they are on the website, which means your website must have a highly functional navigation menu (see Figure 37).
Figure 37
They should also be able to find anything they are looking for quickly, so your website needs a good search engine that works properly, as well as tabs and categories of items that can be chosen for navigation. If they have a registered account in your website, your clients should be able to leave your website and come back at a later time to find all their preferences saved.
5. Search
Your website should allow your potential clients to search by keywords what they are looking for, as well as through categories and by combining those two to get more precise results. Therefore, your Ecommerce web design should have a good builtin search engine and you should consider using plugins to make it more efficient if required. Once they get results from a search, customers should be allowed to sort them the way they like: by price, popularity, date, etc.
For a search to provide good results, your catalog of products has to be well thought of. Before creating categories to display on your website, it is useful to carefully think about which ones are the most significant for the type of products you are selling. Once the best categories have been established, ensure that every product is associated with the right category (see Figure 38).
Figure 38
6. The shopping cart
A wellbuilt shopping cart should give some basic functionalities. Your website should allow your customers to go back and forth without losing anything they have chosen. It should also keep track of the different tabs a customer can use while shopping.
Ideally, do not leave the page your client is on when he decides to use the shopping cart; it is better to have a popup window with the shopping cart functionalities so that he can always know where he is and move from there.
An easytouse shopping cart makes it easy to modify quantities of the products your potential customers have chosen, including removing a product if desired. Your shopping cart should remain transparent so that your customer does not feel like you hid fees or something else from him. For example, your shopping cart should allow viewing an estimate of the total price, including shipping and taxes, before beginning the checkout (see Figure 39).
Figure 39
7. Related products
If some products are related to one a client is considering buying, they should be suggested to him and easy to choose from to add to the cart (see Figure 310).
Figure 310
8. The checkout process
The checkout process should be easy to go through and give little possibility for the client to change his mind. Ideally, it should be composed of only two pages: the first one displaying the items chosen and the price and allowing the customer to enter the required information to proceed to the purchase, and the second allowing him to review and approve the purchase.
9. Contact information
Contact information should be easy to find no matter what page your customer is on. Ideally, provide more than one way a customer can ask their questions. This is even more important if you are selling highvalue or highly technical items (see Figure 311).
Figure 311
10. Customer support
Make it easy for them to know where to ask any type of question they might have, including about returning items. A structured help request form provided on your website can be more reassuring for your customers, showing that you are a serious business. Quickly send an Email ensuring your client that you have received his enquiry and that it will be answered shortly. Make your FAQ as comprehensive as possible. Include all the details about your return policy, as well as replacing parts for your products if applicable.
11. Shipping rates
If you are using a major shipping company, it can most likely provide you with a tool that allows you to know how much shipping will cost. If not, you can use a fixed shipping charge that is high enough to ship any of your items. Whatever you do, ensure the information is always available to your customers (see Figure 312).
Figure 312
An account shouldnt be necessary to buy a product
Some customers might be reluctant to register a formal account with your company in order to buy something. It is recommended to make registering optional so that it will not discourage anyone from buying.
Make available several payment options
The more payment options you have, the more likely your clients are going to trust at least one of them. Accept all major credit cards and make an instantaneous electronic check for their validity.
Conclusion
To have a successful Ecommerce business, you clients experience on your website should be your main preoccupation. You want them to have a great shopping experience and to find it easy to make their purchase once they have their heart set on a product. The easier it is for them to go through all that process on your website, the most likely they will buy and become loyal customers.
(Adapted from https://www.designyourway.net/blog/
inspiration/designingEcommercewebsitesproperly/)
Words & Expressions
imperative/mprtv/adj.～ (that...) / ～ (to do sth) very important and needing immediate attention or action 重要紧急的；迫切的；急需处理的
convince/knvns/v.to persuade sb to do sth说服，劝说（某人做某事）
psychologically/sakldkl/adv.in terms of psychology心理上
unconsciously/nkɑnsli/adv.without being aware无意地；不知不觉地
usability/jzblti/n.the quality of being able to provide good service合用，可用；可用性
feature/fit/n.something important, interesting or typical of a place or thing特色；特征；特点
differentiate/dfrnet/v.recognize or show the difference between things区分
component/kmpnnt/n.one of several parts of which sth is made组成部分；成分；部件
neutral/njutrl/adj.not very bright or strong, such as grey or light brown素净的；淡素的；不鲜艳的
review/rvju/n.a report in the media in which someone gives their opinion of something such as a new book or movie评价，评论
credibility/krdblt/n.the quality that sb/sth has that makes people believe or trust them可信性；可靠性
navigation/nvgen/n.the skill or the process of planning a route for a ship or other vehicle and taking it there导航；领航
smooth/smu/adj.happening or continuing without any problems顺利的；平稳的
tab/tb/n.a small piece of cloth or paper that is attached to something, usually with information about that thing written on it标签
category/ktgr/n.a group of people or things with particular features in common类别，种类
precise/prss/adj.clear and accurate准确的；精确的
sort/st/v.～ sth (into sth) to arrange things in groups or in a particular order according to their type, etc.; to separate things of one type from others 整理；把……分类
catalog/ktlɡ/n.a complete list of things, usually arranged systematically目录
functionality/fknlt/n.the range of functions that a computer or other electronic system can perform功能
modify/mdf/v.to change sth slightly, especially in order to make it more suitable for a particular purpose调整；修改
remove/rmuv/v.～ sth/sb (from sth/sb) to take sth/sb away from a place 移开；拿开；去掉
transparent/trnsprnt/adj.allowing you to see the truth easily显而易见的
estimate/stmet/n.a judgement that you make without having the exact details or figures about the size, amount, cost, etc. of sth估计；估价
proceed/prsid/v.to do sth next, after having done sth else first接着做；继而做
approve/pruv/v.～ (of sb/sth) to think that sb/sth is good, acceptable or suitable 赞成；同意
reassuring/rir/adj.making you feel less worried or uncertain about sth令人感到宽慰的；令人放心的
enquiry/nkwr/n.～ (from sb) (about sb/sth) a request for information about sb/sth; a question about sb/sth 询问；打听 
comprehensive/kmprhnsv/adj.including all, or almost all, the items, details, facts, information, etc., that may be concerned全面的；综合的；详尽的
optional/pnl/adj.that you can choose to do or have if you want to可选择的
instantaneous/nstntens/adj.happening immediately立即的；立刻的；瞬间的
validity/vldt/n.the state of being legally or officially acceptable有效，合法性
preoccupation/prkjpen/n.～ (with sth) a state of thinking about sth continuously; sth that you think about frequently or for a long time 盘算；思虑
not necessarily未必；不一定
zoom in放大
shopping cart购物车；购物手推车
be associated with与……有关
keep track of记录；保持与……的联系；掌握……的线索
be related to与……有关
go through通过；完成
be composed of由……组成
help request form帮助请求表
be reluctant to不愿意，不情愿
Notes & Terms
FAQa list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers on a particular topic (also known as Questions and Answers ［Q&A］ or Frequently Answered Questions)常见问题；常见问题解答
search engineA web search engine or Internet search engine is a software system that is designed to carry out web search (Internet search), which means to search the World Wide Web in a systematic way for particular information specified in a web search query搜索引擎
plugina software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program（计算机）插件
popup windowa graphical user interface (GUI) display area, usually a small window, that suddenly appears (“pops up”) in the foreground of the visual interface弹出视窗；弹出式窗口
Understanding the textⅠ. Complete the following summary of the text.It is important to design the Ecommerce store to guarantee the customers a great shopping experience on your site. First, it is necessary to clearly show them the  of your products. Then, the store design should focus on the  of information for the customers. To showcase the products properly, some basic  should be incorporated into the store design, including the quality photos, reviews, layout, navigation, search, the shopping cart, adding related products, the checkout process, contact information, customer support, and shipping rates. However, it is better not to require the customers to register a formal  to make a purchase on the site. Last, it is suggested to offer several  choices for the clients.
Ⅱ. Read the text and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
()1The design of Ecommerce store should be based on the owners rules because it is difficult to predict the customers preferences.
()2When we provide information of the products, wed better use technical words to make professional description for the clients.
()3The negative reviews on products or service from the customers are harmful and useless to the Ecommerce store.
()4To provide good search results to the customers, it is helpful to think about the catalog and categories of the products.
()5The information on the shipping rates should be clearly given to the customers.
Ⅲ. Answer the following questions according to the text.
1. Why is it important to provide as much information as possible on the products?
2. What should be the main feature of the Ecommerce store design?
3. Why is it necessary to add the review function to the store?
4. Where are the basic tools of shopping cart, FAQ and contact pages usually located on the site?
5. What functions should the shopping cart have?
Language WorkⅠ. Choose the best choice to complete each of the following sentences.1. Needless to say, an open line of communication between the designer and the client is  at this stage for the final success.

A. impressiveB. implicitC. imperativeD. impartial
2. Organizations do not have to evaluate each product,  or raw material input to control the cost.
A. innocentB. componentC. companionD. opponent
3. The newly released annual report  any doubts about the companys future.
A. improvedB. evolvedC. approvedD. removed
4. The high quality and unique design of our new products have received extensive and positive  from the users.
A. reviewsB. interviewsC. previewsD. purviews
5. Money management needs to be able to  sales and profits at any given time from the moment the tickets go on sale.
A. keep track ofB. keep away from
C. keep back fromD. keep out of
Ⅱ. Match the English words in the left column with the English explanations in the right column.1. featureA. clear and easy to see or understand
2. credibilityB. to continue to do something that has already been planned 
or started
3. transparentC. an interesting or important part or characteristic of 
something
4. proceedD. a question you ask in order to get some information
5. enquiryE. the quality of being believable or trustworthy
Ⅲ. Translate the following sentences from the text into Chinese.
1. It is worth investing in highquality photos for every product displayed on your website so that clients can zoom in and take a closer look at every detail.

.
2. Customers should always be able to locate where they are on the website, which means your website must have a highly functional navigation menu.

.
3. The checkout process should be easy to go through and give little possibility for the client to change his mind.

.
4. A structured help request form provided on your website can be more reassuring for your customers, showing that you are a serious business.

.
5. The easier it is for them to go through all that process on your website, the most likely they will buy and become loyal customers.

.
Ⅳ. Translate the following sentences into English using the proper forms of the words or expressions given in brackets.1. 董事会将于下周开会讨论是否通过这项并购提议。(approve)

.
2. 根据政府部门的保守估计，未来5年，跨境电商规模有望翻番。(optimize)

.
3. 在面试中，求职者需要尽最大的努力来说服面试官自己就是最合适的人选。(convince)

.
4. 他们并不一定是要解散管理层，只是在表达他们对公司的糟糕业绩失望到了何种程度。(not necessarily)

.
5. 全球贸易量的规模与世界经济周期的变化紧密相关。(be associated with)

.
Supplementary Reading: How to Choose the Perfect Product for Your Ecommerce StoreYou can have all the Ecommerce knowledge and expertise possible, but without an amazing product to sell, your Ecommerce store will be heading nowhere. Picking the right product is probably the most important decision youll make in starting your Ecommerce business, and you should take the time and care to make the right choice.
Youll want to pick a product that sits in a growing market, as well as one that youre incredibly passionate about. After all, this will be the basis of your Ecommerce business for the foreseeable future.
Heres how to pick the perfect product for your Ecommerce store:
Follow Your Passion
Perhaps the simplest way to pick a product for your new Ecommerce store is to opt for something that youre passionate about. Choosing a product about which youre passionate will make the daytoday running of your business so much easier, thanks to the extra motivation that comes with doing something you love.
If youre choosing an industry or sector in which you have experience, then youll be able to more easily understand the needs of your customers, as well as target your marketing campaigns effectively. Having a good understanding of the market youre entering, as well as any legal and technical requirements will make getting off the ground a whole lot easier.
Identify a Niche
For a new Ecommerce business, trying to jump right in at the deep end with a mass market product offering can be tough. Instead, think about a product that fits a smaller niche. You want to be able to target a specific market and address their concerns really effectively. Starting with a smaller niche market means youll likely have less competition, and wont have your prices instantly driven down by competitors.
Spot a Trend
Spotting an emerging market trend is a great way of picking out a product with fantastic growth potential. If you can capitalize on a developing trend and be one of the first to market, youll immediately have the jump on competing Ecommerce stores. If you can identify a growing market for your Ecommerce store and pick the right product, youll have a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of growing demand from customers. Spotting the right trend can get your Ecommerce business off to a flying start.
Pick Something Unique
Think carefully about picking a product that isnt easy to replicate. If you are able to offer a product that is truly unique, youre immediately adding value to customers.
Differentiating your product selection enough means you wont be in direct competition with much larger brands right away. Perhaps most importantly, you wont be so susceptible to having your prices driven down by the likes of Amazon. Huge brands like this could otherwise run similar products as loss leaders to squeeze you out of the market.
Think About Repeat Customers
With the longterm success of your Ecommerce business in mind, its vital that you consider repeat customers when choosing your products. Unless youre selling an incredibly high value item, youll need to keep customers coming back to make a success of your store. Its much cheaper to retain your existing customers than just attract new ones, so think about how often your customer will have to make repeat purchases. Are your products of choice consumable or will it run out of use often? Perhaps you could run a subscription model to maintain a steady stream of customers?
Consider Storage & Shipping
While it may not be your first consideration, how easy your products are to store and ship can have a big impact on the viability of your Ecommerce business. If possible, pick products that can either be stored for long periods, or produced and shipped quickly. You need to make the most of the storage space available to you, and you dont want too much capital tied up in stock.
You should also think about choosing a product that is easy to store and ship. A product that can be packaged easily and wont break in transit will incur lower shipping costs, allowing you to pass these savings on to customers.
In Summary
Picking a product to sell is a momentous moment for your Ecommerce store. It will define the shape of your business for years to come, and picking the right one can be the difference between success and failure.
A great product is unique, captures a growing trend and is something you truly care about. If you can find a product for your Ecommerce store that ticks these boxes, youre a long way to finding success.
(Adapted from https://www.statementagency.com/blog/2017/06/howtochoosethe
perfectproductforyourecommercestore?from=groupmessage&isappinstalled=0)
Words & Expressions
target/tɑgt/v.to try to have an effect on a particular group of people面向，把……对准（某群体）
niche/ni; nt/n.an opportunity to sell a particular product to a particular group of people利基
spot/spt/v.to see or notice a person or thing, especially suddenly or when it is not easy to do so看见；看出；注意到；发现
replicate/rplket/v.to copy sth exactly复制；（精确地）仿制
susceptible/ssptbl/adj.very likely to be influenced, harmed or affected by sb/sth易受影响；敏感
viability/vablt/n.ability to work successfully 可行性；生存能力
incur/nk/v.to become subject to (something unwelcome unpleasant) as a result of ones own behavior or actions招致；引起
momentous/mmnts/adj.very important or serious, especially because there may be important results关键的；重要的；重大的
make decision in在某方面做决定
sit in出席；参与
passionate about热衷于某事
the foreseeable future不久；很快
opt for选择
daytoday running日常运行
get off the ground起飞；成功运行
address concerns解决问题
Notes & Terms
add valueincrease the value of sth增加（利用）价值
repeat customersomeone who buys again what they have purchased before 回头客
existing customerregular customer常惠顾客
Text ComprehensionChoose the best answer to each of the following questions according to the text.1. Which of the following is highlighted in the text?

A. The importance of the Ecommerce knowledge.
B. The importance of the product selection.
C. The importance of presales.
D. The importance of the platform.
2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the author regarding the advantages of choosing a product you are passionate about?
A. It will make your daily operation easier.
B. Youre more motivated to do what you have a desire to do.
C. You will have better understanding of the customer needs and product requirements.
D. You will be able to sell the product at a more competitive price.3. What does the author say about choosing an Ecommerce niche product?
A. You will have fewer competitors.
B. You will have fewer customers.
C. Only a small group of people can afford to purchase it.
D. It will be difficult to expand your business.
4. Which of the following is most important for a quick success of an Ecommerce business?
A. Securing storage space.
B. Identifying the market trend.
C. Offering shipping solutions.
D. Locating a market niche.
5. Which of the following is most important for a longterm success of an Ecommerce business?
A. To retain customers.
B. To find a unique product.
C. To follow your passion.
D. To have Ecommerce expertise.
Language Work
Fill in the following blanks with the words or phrases given below. Change the forms where necessary.spotstoragerepeatnichereplicateuniquepassionviabilityincurpick
1. Media is , downloaded, backed up and stored.
2. Some sites focus mostly on selling a wide range of products while some specialize in selling products based on more indepth analysis and their expertise about product .
3. Do you want to know what it takes to successfully increase customer satisfaction and generate  sales?
4. I recently came across a tutorial which explained how to  fraud.
5. To start an Ecommerce business, you need a sales process and  methods that meet the demands and high expectations of your customers.
Workshop
Presentation: Work in a group and discuss the selection of a product that you agree to sell on your crossborder Ecommerce web site, taking into account what you have learned from this unit. And make a presentation in the class to explain your ideas.
References
［1］ https://ecommerceguide.com/guides/ecommercestoredesign/, retrieved on 20190322.
［2］ https://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/designingEcommercewebsitesproperly/, retrieved on 20190329.
［3］ https://www.statementagency.com/blog/2017/06/howtochoosetheperfectproductforyourecommerce
store?from=groupmessage&isappinstalled=0, retrieved on 20190413.
［4］ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAQ.
［5］ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_search_engine.
［6］ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugin_(computing).
［7］ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popup_ad.
［8］ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.
［9］ http://www.youdao.com/.