Techniques to Engage, Retain and Entice Customers.

Techniques to Engage, Retain and Entice Customers.

For all transactional websites, they need to have good advertisement methods on their web pages, especially the home page as this is the first page the customer views. Topshop have many advertising links on their home page. At the moment there are a lot of adverts for christmas offers and delivery prices so it is appropriate for the season. TOPSHOP do this for all of the seasons, for example when it is summer they have animated slide shows on their home page showing some of their most popular products for summer. They need to display some of their products on the home page so that customers can see some immeadiate items that topshop have to offer. This technique is another form of advertising their products. Here is an example of this technique that topshop use called a 'Gift Fix':



This 'Fix' is shown on the right hand side of the home page and automatically scrolls down through many different items from topshop. You can click on them to look at the item on a separate product information page. Also on the homepage there is a link to show the 'Christmas offers' as you can see from the screen shot below:



This is very appealing for the customer as it provides a quick route for those who are christmas shopping. This also keeps the customers browsing different parts of the website as this link leads to the display of many of their products. There is also another link used on the homepage to entice customers to look at some recommended ideas for christmas. Below is a picture of this:

When looking at these two 'advertisements', they are very well presented and keep to the theme of the website, however they do stand out. The main background colour of the homepage is white, with black features, therefore the advertisements and links stand out, but all fit in. Here is another link that is displayed for the sales at topshop:


Another way in which topshop tries to keep their customers coming back to their online service is shown at the end of the home page:

The first one is a link to podcasts about topshop, there is a picture of kate moss, which is an attraction for the customers as she has recently brought out a personal range for topshop.

Here is an example of a podcast that is available:

There are many others like this one available to the customers. They get people interested further into the products they may be purchasing so they visit the site more. Videos and podcast are a very good capturing technique as the customer has to visit the website to have access to them. When visiting the website all the other advertisements and pictures of the products capture them and encourage browsing the website.

The second link gives the customer the option to download a topshop feature onto their computer/mac/laptop. This feature is called a Daily Fix Widget. It allows you to recieve fashion ideas straight to your desktop that have been recommended by topshop. If you download this widget, topshop will send you a fashion fix every day as they hit TOPSHOP.COM
If you see something you like, simply click to buy it. This enticing feature is a permnant way for customers to view topshops products without even looking at the website. Below is an example of a widget that would pop up on a customers desktop:

The third link shows students that they can save 10% simply by proving that they are a student. This entices a key target audience as they will want to save as much money as they can as students. This privilege from topshop encourages more customers. Here is another advertisement for this on the website:

This use of repetition reminds customers of what is available to them via topshop. The fact that the website is easy to use and browse entices the customers to continue using it as there is no confusion or frustration involved. All of the techniques used by topshop are very affective for getting customers online, which is their key aim.

Data Capture Methods

Capturing Customer Information:

With transactional websites there are many methods for capturing information from their customers. Topshop uses ‘overt’ methods, which means open methods of data collection so that the customer is aware that their personal information is being captured and saved. When way in which Topshop captures customers information overtly, is by asking them to register. The customer has to fill in an online form so that they can have an online account with Topshop. Here are some screen shots which show how a customer would register and the personal information they would have to give at that stage.

This page gives the customer the option to sign in with their account or register to create a new one.

At this stage all the information the website needs to capture is the full name, login name and password decision of the customer

Overt data capture is a good way of reassuring the customer that the only personal information Topshop will be capturing is the information they give themselves. This makes the customer trust the transactional website. There is some information that is taken with the customer being unaware, also known as ‘covert’ methods. However it is all for good reason, Topshop can log the customers computers IP address whenever they make a transaction. A reason for this type of data capture is to catch out people who may be using other peoples identity to pay for items on the website. The website can recognise unusual transactions which have taken place with an IP address very far away from the recognised registered one. The IP address cant be recognised if the user is not on the internet so this type of captured data cannot be accessed by Topshop at all times.

Topshop.com also overtly captures customer information when it comes to making a transaction. The customer needs to register their address and telephone information along with their method of payment details. This again is all collected via a protected online form, so the customer knows exactly what information they are giving to the company online.

Cookies:
Cookies are another way of collecting customer information. They put an individual code for that computer on the website which leaves a ‘cookie’ on the customers computer. This code creates statistics for the website to keep, with facts such as:
-The frequency of the customer visiting the website
-What pages within the website the customer looks at.
-The length of time the customer stays on the website for.
-What internet browser the customer uses.
-The search engine used to find Topshop.com.
-The words used in the search.

Here are the exact words of Topshop.com’s terms and conditions. This section of the terms and conditions explains the exact information they collect off the customer : “We ask for your name, telephone number, home address, email address and age for competitions, prize draws or newsletter sign ups. When a purchase is made on our site, in addition to the above, we also ask for delivery address, and payment method details. We may obtain information about your usage of our Web site to help us develop and improve it further.”

First Half of ecommerce

An Introduction to E-Commerce

E - commerce is the selling and buying of services and goods on the internet. It can be said that anything can be purchased online, from a pair of socks to life insurance. Its a way of doing 'Real - time' transactions online, which can be convenient for many people across the world. You can be anywhere in the world, providing you have access to the internet, you are able to purchase what you like from another place in the world. E-commerce became well known to the general public in 1994, however wasn't put into full use between 1998 and 2000. There are no time or place barriers with ecommerce, which inforces its convenience for anyone, anywhere. Today there are many successful, ecommerce companies online such as Amazon and Sainsburys. They both offer different goods and services, yet they are both very successful. There is something for everyone in the world of e-commerce. The company I shall be looking at as a transactional website is http://www.topshop.com/. I am looking into topshop as it is a good example of a normal high street shop, that has decided to become involved in e-commerce to boost their success in their industry. To the left hand side are links to the factors of topshop.com I have covered, use them to navigate your way through they way top.
Advantages of e-commerce:
Access to potential customers world wide. A website on the Internet can be viewed from anywhere in the world.

Less costs - there is no need to pay for rental or purchase of buildings and other costs like electricity bills etc. Set-up costs are cheap as a computer linked to the Internet is all that is needed.

Accessible 24/7. There are no restrictions on opening hours.

Customers do not need to travel and get fast response times to their ordersand some sites give expected delivery times.

Sales information is always up-to-date. The website may be directly linked to a central stock database. It is often possible to see how many of an item are currently in stock.

Drawbacks:
Computer crash or network problems may mean trading stops.

Breaches of security may cause problems.

Customers may have difficulty contacting a business if there are problems - lacks the personal touch.

Customers can only read about and see the goods for sale. They are unable to smell or touch them.


Below are some examples of e-commerce companies, the screen shots shown are their home pages:

What is the purpose of topshop online and how well does it meet its objectives?
The purpose of topshop online is for the company to sell their products to the public through the internet. Their transactional website offers all the products that are available in their high street stores and more, from dresses to baby clothes. If we take a look at the home page shown below, it is clear that the site is easy to use as the arrowed annotations show:

First impressions are very important for transactional websites, and topshop.com has a very sophisticated and appealing look. Its easy navigation is appealing to the customer which encourages them to continue using it. I believe that this transactional website has successfully met its objective of selling its products as the layout is very presentable and modern. Their clothing is clearly shown and the search bar sets good first impressions as it shows the website is advanced and easy to use.
Here are some comments the press have made about topshop, they all show the reputation of the company:

How is it structured?
The structure of a website is a very important factor. If a website is well structures, it is easier to use as the layout it clear. Topshop.com is a very well stuctured transactional website, as soon as you open up the home page it is clear how to find what you are looking for. Below is a screen shot of the home page:

As you can see, to the left hand side of the page there are product category links in a frame. This makes them stand out to a customer, so they know where to begin their shopping. Another good structure method of this page is that when you click on a category, a list will drop down providing you with a more advanced search in that category:

At the top toolbar there is a search facility, if you look at the picture below, you can see that it gives you a quick guideline on what to type in. This helps the customer to find exactly what they want if they have something specific they want to buy. Below is an example of a search i did:

Step One - Type in specific product:

Here i have type in a specific dress i would like to look at. Then i clicked on go.

Step Two - The Search Results:

The Search had been successful, it has given me three items related to my search and the first dress is the one i was looking for. Now if i wanted I could see if it is available in my size and make a purchase.There are links throughout the website, so that you can always make you way back to the homepage, or parts that you have previously visited. If we take a look at the second half of the home page, there are lots of advertisements shown for topshop, each are linked up to relevant parts of the website, which is a good structure technique, making the website still easy to use. Below is a picture of the second half of the home page:

Here is a part of the website which shows all the shoes that are available online with topshop:

Here I have selected to look at high heels, as you can see each item is shown with a picture, a short description and a price. They are displayed in a table format which makes each of them stand out. The left hand frame and top toolbar remain the same throughout the website, so that at any time you can go back to a different part of the website. Topshop make sure that every link made is relevant to the subject so that the customer doesnt get frustrated when it comes to finding what they want. The customers want a pleasant shopping experience, so if the site is well layed out then they can shop with ease.

What is the product information provided?
As you browse through the websites products, you are provided with a table of items in a category. All that's shown is a small picture of the item, the name and the price. But when you want to know more about the product, you can click on it for further information. When you click on an item of interest, you are linked to a product information page where it shows you the item in more detail. There are many fields of information. Below are some boots I selected:

(picture)

As you can see there are many fields of information on the product shown. This is the same for every other item for sale on the website below are a few examples:

Also on the product information pages the same toolbars and navigation bars are kept on each page so that the customer can continue viewing all the pages available.

Goods and Services.
You can tell that the products topshop offer online are clothes and accessories, simply from lookig at the homepage. There are pictures throughout the website to inforce this, along with navigation bars telling the products that are available. Below is a diagram to show the goods available:

Topshop also has different collections to offer online they are:
- Kate Moss
- Iris
- Jetset
- Pandora's Box
- Sno
- The Boutique
- Tall
- Petite
- Maternity

Below is a range of pictures which represent an item from each of the product categories available online, they are actually featured on the website, so you can see how well topshop show their products:

It could be said that there is a particular target audience for teenagers and young adults with topshop.com, however its products are purchased by people from all walks of life.

Services:
There is a style advisor available as you can see from the link below:

THE TRANSACTION:

How do you buy items online, and what types of transactions are involved?
With topshop, you need to be registered with an account before you make a purchase. It is recommended that you login before shopping, or it gives you the option when you checkout. The pictures on the left shows the different methods of payment that topshop accept for online transactions. To buy online the following steps need to be taken:

Step One : Adding to the shopping bag

Above I have selected the size and quantity of the product i want to add to my shopping bag. After this I then clicked on the 'Add to shopping bag' link. The website then told me that it had been successfully added with the below notification:

The notification has given me the option to checkout, this is very useful as it provides a shortcut that is easy to use, and pops up every time you add an item to the 'bag'.
You can view your shopping bag at any time buy clicking on the link on the top toolbar:

Being able to view the bag at any point ifs very useful as you can remove things from it if you desire. This link also tells me how many items I have in my bag, which is a very useful feature as it keeps you informed and on track with your shopping. Once you are satisfied with the items in your bag you can then checkout. Below is a picture of the shopping bag i created:

This is the top half of the shopping bag summary, and as you can see along the top of the page, you are given two options:

These are very convienient as they are at the top, so if you actually didnt want to see the summary of your shopping you can easily go back.
At the bottom of the summary page there are further details on the purchases you are going to make:

There is a complimentary gift from topshop for using their service for more than 3 items. The summary page shows the total amount i will be spending. It gives the option to empty the basket, along with removing individual items. All these features are very convienient and provide an easy to use service. At this point, one can now checkout by clicking on ' Continue to check out'.

Step Two : Checking Out
Once clicking to check out, the customer is asked to sign in so that the process can continue:

Now all that is needed is the customers billing information:

Step Three: Confirm and Pay

This confirmation page is provided. It shows you the final costs and allows you to choose delivery information. It also provides an opportunity for students to save money and people with promotional cards to also save money.

At the bottom, it shows the address the items will be sent to and also gives the option to change it if neccessary.

Also on this 'Confirm and Pay' page you have to put in your method of payment details so the transaction can go forward as shown below:

Now the transaction is nearly complete and once you click on 'Confirm and Pay' All of your details will be processed and your items will be sent to you through the post.



Now the transaction is complete and the customer will receive an email to helpfully reassure them that their order is being processed. This email is very good for the customer as they will know for definate that their purchase was safe and legitimate.

ANOTHER METHOD OF PAYMENT: THE GIFT CARD

To pay with a giftcard online, you need to register the details of the card. To do this the customer can clcik on 'Gift Cards and Sprees' at the very top of each page. Then this will be displayed:

Structure of topshop.com

The structure of a website is a very important factor. If a website is well structures, it is easier to use as the layout it clear. Topshop.com is a very well stuctured transactional website, as soon as you open up the home page it is clear how to find what you are looking for. Below is a screen shot of the home page:

As you can see, to the left hand side of the page there are product category links in a frame. This makes them stand out to a customer, so they know where to begin their shopping. Another good structure method of this page is that when you click on a category, a list will drop down providing you with a more advanced search in that category:

At the top toolbar there is a search facility, if you look at the picture below, you can see that it gives you a quick guideline on what to type in:

This helps the customer to find exactly what they want if they have something specific they want to buy. Below is an example of a search i did:

Step One - Type in specific product:

Here i have type in a specific dress i would like to look at. Then i clicked on go.

Step Two - The Search Results:

The Search had been successful, it has given me three items related to my search and the first dress is the one i was looking for. Now if i wanted I could see if it is available in my size and make a purchase.
There are links throughout the website, so that you can always make you way back to the homepage, or parts that you have previously visited. If we take a look at the second half of the home page, there are lots of advertisements shown for topshop, each are linked up to relevant parts of the website, which is a good structure technique, making the website still easy to use. Below is a picture of the second half of the home page:

Here is a part of the website which shows all the shoes that are available online with topshop:

Here I have selected to look at high heels, as you can see each item is shown with a picture, a short description and a price. They are displayed in a table format which makes each of them stand out. The left hand frame and top toolbar remain the same throughout the website, so that at any time you can go back to a different part of the website. Topshop make sure that every link made is relevant to the subject so that the customer doesnt get frustrated when it comes to finding what they want. The customers want a pleasant shopping experience, so if the site is well layed out then they can shop with ease.

Accessibilty of Topshop.com:

This site has been designed and constructed to the W3C's WAI accessibility AA rating. This means that the site can be navigated using the tab button and by pre-defined access keys.
The site can also be read by screen readers, Braille displays and other access devices. There is a list of access devices available for people with different impairments further down the page.
You can also find more information on by following the web accessibilty links shown at the bottom of the page.

Access Keys
You can access the key features of topshop.com without the need for a mouse using the following access keys:
C - Jump to main Content
N - Jump to primary Navigation
S - Skip navigation
1 - Home page
4 - Search

To activate the acces keys, just press Alt+ Access key.

Images
All content images on this site are provided with descriptive ALT attributes.
Where images contain important information, such as graphs and charts, alternative information is provided in the form of inline descriptions of tabular data.

Navigation
All pages contain a link to the home page (access key 1) and search box (access key 4).
Jump to main content (access key C) is available to users of screen readers and speech browsers, to bypass graphical and navigational elements - such as the logo and header components - and jump directly to the main navigation.
Jump to primary Navigation (access key S) is available to users of screen readers and speech browsers, to bypass graphical elements - such as the logo and header components - and jump directly to the main navigation.
Skip navigation (access key S) is available to users of screen readers and speech browsers, to bypass repeated page elements - such as the top and side navigation links - and jump directly to the page content.

Accessibility Devices :
Screen Readers:
VoiceOver (Mac)
Jaws (Win)
Window-Eyes (Win)
Emacspeak (Linux)
Braille Displays:
Focus (Win)
Brailliant (Mac)
BrailleNote (Linux)

The fact that topshop.com is easy to use for all kinds of people is a strong advantage. The devices listed above are used by people with certain disabilites, and topshop.com is user friendly for all of them. The website is very easy to use especially with the navigation aids and access keys.

If you dont know the URL for topshop, then you can easily seach for it through the search engine 'GOOGLE.COM' Below is an example of a search i did on google for the topshop website:

The first result I got was the exact home page of topshop.com. This shows that the site is easily accessible through other websites. To prove this I shall use another search engine 'yahoo.co.uk':

Yet again the first result is topshop's home page.

Plans for e commerce website

Main Pages needed:

1. eCommerce

- introduction explaining what it involves with some examplar websites and introduce the website i will be looking at in more detail - http://www.topshop.com/

- the purpose and objectives of topshop.com and analyse to see whether the website meets its objectives and shows clearly its purpose. Talk about what their main products are and why they would want to sell them online.

- how topshops website is structured , is it easy to use? use screen shots to explain the structure and annotate. Explain what different parts of the wesite do.

- what does topshop offer online, talk about the goods and services that topshop offer online, show pictures of the products and show all topics available online, for example dresses and shoes, talk about the range that is available and perhaps a target audience.

- product information - select a few products to analyse how topshop go into further detail about them, to intice the customer to buy them. Show all the fields of information that are shown looking at further information, for example with some jeans, it would show the price, the sizes available and some information on what they are made out of, and the style they have been made for. Talk about how the structure of the detail page is, with screen shots to visually represent.

- The Transaction - explain what happens when you purchase online with topshop, go through the steps of the transaction showing what should happen on your screen throughout the process with screen shots and pictures. Use lots of annotation to explain. Talk about the shopping basket as a feature of the transactional website and how it makes using the website easier. Perhaps actually buy an item online to show the full process and how you recieve a conformation email. Take a picture of the packaging the product has been sent in and add to website along with a picture of the product.

- Advertisement and capturing skills, how does topshop.com capture customers and interest them in their products. Do they advertise through other methods such as TV or radio, or do they advertise on other parts of the internet. How do they make their page different to others to make their products stand out and intice customers to purchase their products. Talk about the fact the website is easy to use so customers are more inclined to use it as it isnt confusing. People like straight forward processes and topshop provides this. Use print screens of certain advertisements, perhaps of special offers or general product advertisement. Talk about how you can make the page a favourite and keep that saved on your computer. When you sign up with topshop, you often recieve advertisement emails on new products that are available online - this is a strong method of getting customers attention.

- How do they get customer information - they get you to sign up, and to do so successfully, they need most of your personal details, such as name, address etc. They have a terms and conditions to ensure your privacy and follow buy the data protection act. Topshop online shows items that a customer might like after they have added an item to their shopping basket, making suggestions that would go well with the product. They also keep a record of what the customer has bought so they know their interests.

- Authentication techniques - talk about the use of passwords and usernames, how they are one of a kind and only the individual show know them. They are a method of security to stop others from getting access to your personal details and using your card details to purchase items online.

- How accessible is the website and how is it to use? Talk about the layout of the website and that it is very staight forward to use. Mention the search field at the top toolbar for help in finding specific products. Use zoomed in screen shots of the home page to show how the products are listed in categories which are easily accessible.

- Customer comments and experience - ask some friends to browse the website then fill out a questionnaire (make). Collect the data and write a general evaluation made buy the customers and provide some quotes. Mention all advantages and the floors of the website, whether there could be room for improvement or not.

2. Diagrams to include

- A flow diagram to show the activities taken before making an online purchase with topshop.com

- A diagram to show what happens when a customer has made an online purchase, and how the information is collected before sending the item(s) out to the customers home address.

- A diagram to show the information that flows into and out of topshop and between areas/departments as a result of the eCommerce process

Production

Production

Many different businesses sell a product, in the process of making the product there is the production process, this is either mass production, batch production, continueoues production or one-off production, with a good IT system the production is kept going and the supply under control if this supply was not kept under control then for example a car manufacturer may run out of components and th eproduction line will come to a standstill, either though the workers are getting paid for this.Batch Production- is when there is a small amount around 1000 being producedMass production- when there is huge amount being produced like car manufacture like FordOne-off production- is when a product is made only once like a conecpt gadgetContinueous production- is when the production line is running 24/7 like making aluminiun cans.

Finance

Finance – Any department within a company/organisation needs budgets to prevent them from becoming bankrupt. This is because if a company spends more than they earn they get themselves into debt. It is important that every organisation, even those that are non-profitable such as schools and hospitals, keeps track of their finances.

Main Categories of Expenditure in a School
· Staff wages
· Text books and stationary
· Equipment for technology, art, cookery etc.
· School trips· Student Insurance
· Internet Connection
· Extra curricular activities (clubs)
· Maintenance· School Food

Human Resources

Human resoursces (HR):
Large organisations have a whole department that looks after recruiting new staff and looking after existing workers. They have to make sure that promotions are dealt with, applicants of the right qualifications and that interviews are conducted according to set rules. They need information about the applicants and about the staff who are already working at the company. IT systems are vital here.

Activity:

A PC retail outlet wants to hire some sales staff:

what information will they need before they call an applicant to an interview?

1. CV - especially name and phone number so the applicant may be contacted.
2. Their communication skills because they will be sales staff and these skills are vital here. the applicant must be a confident person.
3. Qualifications needed for the job e.g. maths, english, etc. etc.
4. An idea as to whether the person may be right for the job.

what extra information will they need if they appoint someone?

1. Criminal record check.
2. Previous job records.
3. National Insurance number
4. Uniform size

Data Processing

Data processing:

Real - life scenarios:

Someone wants to buy a book from Amazon - Transaction processing – because computers are constantly making sure that the details are always up to date and as accurate as possible. So if an item goes out of stock, the website is updated immediately. There is also a database containing all the fundamental information that is needed, such as a list of stock or students. Another example of transaction processing is when banking online.

Someone wants to buy a ticket for V festival – Real time processing – because the database behind the transaction is always updated immediately, so the data is as accurate as possible. This is important for bookings so that things don’t get double or over booked. Another example of this is using PayPal and eBay.

Someone wants to pay their gas bill – Batch processing – because when they pay their gas bill the amount of gas they have used will need to be measured, therefore data is being collected together, it is then fed into a computer system so it can be processed. Human involvement is not necessary. This batch processing can also be used fo preparing electricity bills, processing checks and exam results.

Automated Data Capture

This is used to minimise the amount of human involvement, so that errors are avoided. There are lots of methods for collecting data automatically, and wherever possible, the software or hardare should be used to its full effect for the best possible outcome.

Some examples are:

• Bar Codes - these are used for scanning goods in supermarkerts or clothes shops. The items bar code would be scanned with a scanner peripheral and all the details of the item will go onto the system and be recorded. The price will be automatically shown for the customer so they know how much it is. Before bar codes were around, many shop assistants had to memorise the cost of many products in order to provide a faster service. But now with barcodes, the system is a lot quicker. Furthermore, they are ideal for keeping on top of how much stock there is, once an item has been purchased by a customer, then it will deduct it from the amount of that item left in stock. This is also known as 'Tracking items'. Bar codes can also be used on identity cards so that they can be scanned to see if they are real or not.
• Magnetic Strips - These are used on ATM cards, train tickets, plane tickets and car park tickets. They store data so when they go through a device they can be easily read. They hold relevant data which the device needs to collect, for example, on a train ticket, it will have the type of ticket - single, the age of the person with the ticket - adult, where they are going and when the ticket is valid until.
• Smart card chips - are used in credit cards, satellite TV box viewing cards and identity cards. There are there to hold data along with for safety. They make these things harder to make fake productions. They can also be used on sim cards in phones.
• Optical mark recognition - are used for things like lottery numbers and school registers.
• Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) - Cheque numbers

Screen Controls

When using the programme microsoft excel, there are many drop - down boxes and other screen controls which reduce the likelihood of errors.

Certain controls mean that you can only accept certain entries, they are similar to validation ( mentioned in a previous post) however they are more general. There is a drop-down box called a 'Combo box'. This is where you are given a list to select from to answer the field of information, for example your gender. It will give you the selection of 'Male' or 'Female', and you will click on the one you are!

You can use check boxes to give you a definite choice, which keeps the data being entered into the computer similar, so it is easier to collect and understand.

Capturing and processing Data

Capturing and processing DATA:

Data – collection of facts. What we input into computers is all data. Data is often useless with out information to back it up.

Information – is what humans want, it is output from a computer system. It is data in context, it has meaning to us but not to the computer, a computer only understands data.

Knowledge - it is coherent understanding based on information. It includes understanding links between different items of information and how actions can be decided.

Data capture is a process of getting data information from the outside world and putting it onto a computer.

Paper Forms:
Human data collection usually means filling in forms. Forms are useful because they can force a structure on the data being collected. For example, if someone is filling in a form in order to provide a name and address, there will be separate spaces for each item of information. Tick boxes can be used to restrict the information being entered. When forms are given out to people, they will all have to fill in they same type of information so that it is easy to process
The structure can have some restrictions so that the data is more generalised and easy to store on a database.

Computers:
It easier to change mistakes on a computer and validation is available. Validation makes sure that the information you are typing in is relevant to the field you are entering data into. You can set the format of fields, for example whether the data is going to be words or numbers. Validation cannot stop all mistakes. In a table that holds stock items, validation can check that you do not enter a letter for the number of items in stock, or a number less than zero. But, if the number in stock is 25 and you enter 35, validation checks are unlikely to stop the error. You can set a maximum, but it won’t notice the mistakes in numbers in-between. Computers also save a lot of time.

Transactional Websites

A transactional website is a type of website where you can buy things from, for example Amazon or eBay. It is called a transaction website because when you buy something you are making a transaction when you give your card details. There is a connection between the customer and the company, therefore a transaction is being made.
Transaction websites all have to:
Collect details form the customer – e.g. card details and address
Collect Payment – Some people use paypal instead of direct credit card payment, paypal is a feature linked up with eBay.
It is an intermediary between the customer and the company.

Databases play a big role in these websites to store all of the customer’s information, like payment details, names, phone number and address. It might be details of what you have already purchased from the company, like a purchase history record, showing how much you have spent as a customer so the company can keep track if the payment hasn’t come through. Furthermore, they could have a database to keep on track of all the stock they have.In order for organisations to function, they need to store and communicate information. Information they need on a daily basis is email addresses to keep their customers informed etc.

Websites like Amazon will also need information such as addresses, what is in stock and what isn’t and the quantity.People say that information is the most valuable thing for a company as it can give them a competitive edge. Business can succeed or fail depending on how effective they are in information handling.Information is extremely vital for hospitals and police as in hospital, if information about patients is lost about previous treatments or allergies, then this could lead to major problems with correct prescriptions and treatments.If police databases were lost, then they would have no record of the criminals they have to keep track of, and all the information they need for detective work. Below is an example of a transactional website for the high street clothing store Topshop.

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The Home Page: http://www.topshop.com/
If you want to buy online with topshop, the website clearly guides you on how to do so. On the home page you can tell that you need to make an account in order to purchase items online, here you can see the image of the toolbar at the top of the page:


Once you have logged in you can start shopping and adding items to your shopping bag. You can also create a wish list to either use as a christmas list for you family or personal reference. As you add things to your shopping, bag it tells you how much you have in there as you browse the website. Here is an example of a wish list:



Along the side of the homepage, there are links to all the different areas such as : Coats, Shoes and Accessories. Also when you click on one of the links, it provides you with a drop down list of the different items, for example when you click on 'Dresses' it gives you the options of : Plain, Printed or Knitted.

Now we shall look at what happens when I purchase an item. I have selected this printed dress to purchase from Topshop.com and have added it to my basket, to do this i clicked on the item, selected my size and quantity, then press 'Add to basket', here is a picture of my shopping basket:



Once you are satisfied with the amount of items in your shopping basket, you can check out and purchase you items by entering your card details and your home address.

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Investigating the role and design of transactional website.

The purpose - All transactional websites have a purspose of selling their product or service. That is the aim of the website. In Topshops' case, its purpose is to sell its clothing and other products, where as with a life insurance online company, their aim is to sell their service. With each site, the customer needs to browse the pages as if they were shopping, so all the items need to be clearly shown on the website with prices. First impressions are very important when it comes to online shopping. Personally, if I come across a transactional website which doesnt look very organised or professional, i will not give it a chance and just shut it down and look at another one. If the website is easy to use and is aesthetically pleasing, then i would continue browsing and perhaps purchase something they have to offer.

Case Study - A well known computer company called 'Dell' has the objective to sell their computers online. The site frely allows customers to browse their products and buy a wide range of stock, from home to business. I am going to look at its site and decide whether it meets its objective, here is the home page: http://www.dell.com/

After browsing the website, i feel dell has met its objective. It offers a wide range of computers and many other peripherals, such as printers. They also provide an ink cartridge refill service. Below i have collected together a collage of the different items available. As you can see Dell, offers their products from homes to large businesses:

Structure of transactional websites - Structure is a key thing for a website, in order for it to be easy to use and organised. Customers must be able to adjust to the way the website works quickly so that it saves time and confusion. Often frames are used in websites to keep the stucture of the website in place, and therefore the customer does not get lost whilst browsing the website. It is common for most web designers to keep the pages minimalistic and easy on the eye. For example, the designer of easy.com Jeremy Gillies, has used a very simple colour scheme of orange and white, to distinguish the company and keep it simple, as you can see from the screen shot below:

As you can see from the homepage, there is a search facility. This is essential on a big website as it allows customers to find what they want quickly without pending hours looking through the website to find it.

Case Study: http://www.ebuyer.co.uk/-
This website sells many thousands of computer-related items. Below is an image of the home page. As you can see it has many large panels with special offer items. Every other day these are changed and updated.

You are able to search for items easily as the website has a 'Product Finder' and navigation bar at the top of the page. Like all transaction websites, it has a shopping basket and a membership subscription. The website has a menu and other components all in a frame.