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Homepages that sell
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Extract 1 - Extract 2 - Extract 3
Extract 4 - Extract 5

Introduction

Sample group and methodology

Part 1:
How users read homepages

The way we view pages and pictures

- How users read homepages
- Reading horizontally, vertically or in a zigzag fashion
- Scanning a page
- Visual Bridges
- Interactions
- Factors that can alter the user's eye-path (Extract Here)

The human touch

- In which direction are the people in the photos looking?
- Surface area and position on the homepage
- Adding a human touch to the site's identity

Part 2:
The site's navigation center

Navigation: main and secondary menus

- Main menus
- Secondary menus
- Types of menus used by the 100 eRetail sites

Top menus bars: basic guidelines (Extract Here)

- Factors that affect menu readability
- Top menu bars: a few examples
- Top menu bars and roll-overs
- Examples of good-quality roll-overs
- Top-of-the-page drop-down menus
- Top menu bars with pull-down text menus

Left-hand menus

- Left-hand menus and peripheral vision
- How frequently are left-hand menus used? (Extract Here)
- Left-hand menus and drop-down menus
- Left-hand menus and pull-down text menus
- Retractable left-hand menus
- Left-hand menus and roll-overs
- Left-hand menus and types of links

Center and right-hand menus

- Center menus
- Right-hand menus

Footer menus

- Categories most frequently found in footer navigation bars
- Facts about the way the homepages use footer menus
- A standard web convention

Managing the display of links

- The color of unvisited links
- The color of visited links
- Underlining links

Site Map links

Search engines

- Lateral position of search engines
- Vertical position of search engines
- Average size
- Number of search engines
- Simple or advanced search features

Part 3:
Identity, welcome, help and trust

Building a successful online identity

- Logos
- Tag lines
- Bookmarking window titles (Extract Here)
- Favicon.ico

Welcome message and current dates

- Welcome message
- The current date

Trust, security and privacy

- Certification authorities
- Customized logos
- Respecting users' personal data
- Standard terminology

Help, contact and privacy policies: the standard conventions

- Help
- FAQ
- 1st time user tips
- Ask the expert
- About us
- Contact
- Phone numbers
- Privacy Policies

Part 4:
Optimal display of a homepage: size, length and width, frames, intermediate pages, fonts, flash, audio, video, etc.

Screen resolution, homepage size and display

- Length and width
- Liquid layout versus frozen layout
- The size of homepages

Frames

Flash files, audio and video files and other animated elements

Fonts: harmony and readability

- Type of fonts
- Font sizes
- Colors and contrast
- Using bold, italic or capitals

Intermediate pages

Part 5:
Interactivity of homepages, advertising and pop-ups

Bookmarking homepages

Send this link, or this page to a friend

Pop-ups

- Pop-ups: how frequently are they used?
- Size and position of pop-ups on the page
- Pop-ups: what's the message?
- Pop-ups: are they intrusive?

Advertising

Newsletters, sign-up and incentives

Part 6:
Online purchasing, merchandising, customizing

Online purchasing, logins, order tracking,
shopping cart

- Shopping cart
- Login / My account / My profile
- Order tracking
- Add to cart / Buy it now

Merchandising

- Product offers and navigation
- Bestsellers and/or Top10
- Spotlights (Extract Here)
- New arrivals
- Sales, specials, clearances, hot deals
- Free shipping
- Games, lotteries and sweepstakes
- Product photos: size and position
- Number of products available

Customizing homepages according to the season

Changing the pictures on the homepage

Gifts certificates, gifts and wish lists

- Gift categories
- Gift registries / Wish lists
- Gift certificates / Gift cards

Catalogs

- Ordering catalogs online
- Quick catalog orders

Conclusion

List of sites studied

Acknowledgments

Resources

Homepages that sell
100 pages PDF format - 1.44 Mo
Download Report (from DigiBuy)

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