There are a number of benefits for using liquid layouts as opposed to a static layout. A liquid width layout expands and contracts to fill the available space, this means that All available real estate is used, allowing the designer to display more content on larger monitors, but still remain viable on smaller displays. Liquid layouts also provide consistency in relative widths, allowing a page to respond more dynamically to customer-imposed restrictions like larger font sizes. Although there are a number of benefits to having a liquid layout there are also a number of drawbacks to this. Liquid layouts allow for very little precise control over the width of the various elements of the page. They can result in columns of text that are either too wide to comfortably scan, or on smaller browsers too small for the words to show up clearly. Liquid layouts can have problems when a fixed width element, such as an image, is placed inside a liquid column. If the column is rendered without enough space for the image, some browsers will increase the column width, disregarding the designer's instructions, while other browsers will cause overlaps in text and images to achieve the correct percentages.
I would encourage Cuckoo Games to use a static website layout, this would eliminate any potential image problems for any customers and will ensure that the website can be viewed successfully by anyone on any type of computer. Although by using a static layout you may loose some space that could have been used to place images or information the ability to view the website from any console outweighs the opportunity to have more information or images on the website.
In order to have E-Commerce it is essential that Cuckoo Games established a payment system for online orders. This will be a large part of integrating your business to the internet. The most popular payment system is PayPal. PayPal is used because it stores and safeguards your card and bank details, enabling you to pay online without entering your sensitive financial information every time you shop. This allows the customer to speed through checkout in just a few clicks, PayPal takes the payment from your card or bank directly, and your payment details are never shared on the internet. PayPal advertise themselves as 3 things: It's safer: Shop at thousands of websites without sharing your financial details. It's faster: With no need to type in your card details, you can check out in a few clicks. It's easier: All you need is an email address and password to pay online. Although there are a large number of benefits for using PayPal and that PayPal are an already highly trusted payment method worldwide there are still a number of drawbacks for Cuckoo Games by using this. Although PayPal make things easier for both the customer and the company they charge a 6% fee for doing so. Although this does not sound high when applied to a single sale, this 6% over every and any sale will accumulate overtime and take a large chunk of any money of the sales. A lot of business use this when they first start up as it is less stress and worry when starting up an online business and once they become confident enough they then edge away from it and become independent.
Cuckoo Games should use PayPal in the beginning in order to ease stress and worry and also to gain customer trust. By using PayPal in the beginning customers will feel safe as PayPal has already built up a substantial trust with customers who shop online. This will also bring credibility to Cuckoo Games website. Once Cuckoo Games has been established online for a period of time and feel confident enough they should then begin to establish their own payment system should it be their own arrangement with a bank or a service similar to PayPal.
If Cuckoo Games decide to begin using their own payment system such as their using a bank it is important to keep in mind that there will be a monthly fee from the bank in order to have the debit machine available to them. Although this fee will usually equate to a small fraction of the total sales for that month. Using a bank to have a payment system may result in other fees if payments are rejected or sent back.
Cuckoos Games must also think about international postage and how they can ensure or minimise any damages and loses etc. In order to post on an international level they must also consider the compatibility of the games allowing for the different types used in other countries. For example in the UK we use ‘Pal’ for video games were as in the USA for example they use ‘NTCS’. This may limit the number of games available to ship international or could result in Cuckoo needing to stock an international range of stock. In order to ship internationally Cuckoo will need to not only wrap their products in suitable packaging in order to preserve the game they may have to be bubble wrapped and in sealed brown paper envelopes in order to keep the contents sealed. It may also be an idea for Cuckoo to have a free return post address in order to help customers with returns. This may also backfire that customers are more encouraged to return products that they may not have before. Cuckoo will also need a method for dealing with returned items that have been damaged or the wrong items sent. This will be a vital part of the company and must be operated effectively in order to avoid fraud attempts.
Why E-commerce?
A major benefit of ecommerce is that you are not do not suffer from geographical limitations. With a stand alone store you are limited to the number of products you can display and the number of which you can stock at any one time. With ecommerce this is not the case as you are able to advertise as many products as you wish at no extra cost. This will benefit cuckoo games as they will be able to advertise more products than they can currently at their store. This will also allow cuckoo games to stock more of a particular products that may be extremely popular such as the latest games or accessories.
Using ecommerce cuckoo games will also be able to gain new customers that may have never heard of the company before simply by the use of search engines. It is vital that cuckoo games have a good ‘search engine visibility’ so they are returned as an option when a potential customers makes a search that could be related to them.
The costs to selling through ecommerce are relatively low in comparison to those of running a high street store in a number of ways such as the advertising and marketing. In order to advertise and market a store can cost thousands and for a small store such as cuckoo games this is completely unachievable, however advertising for ecommerce is relatively low cost and effective with the use of social media and search engine traffic. The number of staff needed in order to operate an ecommerce website is significantly less than in a high street store. This will give cuckoo games the opportunity to increase sales whilst keeping costs low.
A benefit for ecommerce is that the customer is able to find a product they are looking for quicker than they may be able to if they were to purchase it in a high street store. This also helps to eliminate the travel cost to the customer as they are able to browse the catalogue virtually. Not only is the customer able to find the product faster but it makes it easier for cuckoo games to promote offer they have available and any special deals that are currently running helping to encourage multi buys and return customers.
Although there are a large number of benefits to ecommerce there are also a number of drawbacks that must also be taken into account for cuckoo games. To begin with ecommerce lacks the personal touch that a number of people still prefer to have today. The personal touch may be a number of things such as a simple greeting when entering the store or building a relationship with the store staff. With ecommerce the customer does not receive this and it may discourage them to use the ecommerce.
Another downside to ecommerce for cuckoo games could be that there is a delay for receiving the goods for the customer. A customer using ecommerce will have to wait for he product to be dispatched and posted to them. Many people interested in computer games will not want to wait to receive their product and may be encouraged to use other company’s meaning cuckoo games will loose custom.
Shopping through ecommerce does not allow the customer to experience the product before purchasing it. In the majority of game stores there are consoles set up with the latest games in order for the customers to try and encourage them to purchase. By using ecommerce in cuckoo games it will unable to encourage customers to purchase new line products in the same way they are able to in store.
There is always the element of authenticity for customers when browsing websites online as there is very little regulation on who can and cannot set up a website and use ecommerce for illegal activities. This may effect cuckoo games as they are a new company with little or no internet credibility. This may encourage customers to shop elsewhere and loose cuckoo business. Customers who may not purchase goods regularly online may be worried about security and stick to the mainstream and well known websites despite price and offers simply to ensure security.
A major benefit of ecommerce is that you are not do not suffer from geographical limitations. With a stand alone store you are limited to the number of products you can display and the number of which you can stock at any one time. With ecommerce this is not the case as you are able to advertise as many products as you wish at no extra cost. This will benefit cuckoo games as they will be able to advertise more products than they can currently at their store. This will also allow cuckoo games to stock more of a particular products that may be extremely popular such as the latest games or accessories.
Using ecommerce cuckoo games will also be able to gain new customers that may have never heard of the company before simply by the use of search engines. It is vital that cuckoo games have a good ‘search engine visibility’ so they are returned as an option when a potential customers makes a search that could be related to them.
The costs to selling through ecommerce are relatively low in comparison to those of running a high street store in a number of ways such as the advertising and marketing. In order to advertise and market a store can cost thousands and for a small store such as cuckoo games this is completely unachievable, however advertising for ecommerce is relatively low cost and effective with the use of social media and search engine traffic. The number of staff needed in order to operate an ecommerce website is significantly less than in a high street store. This will give cuckoo games the opportunity to increase sales whilst keeping costs low.
A benefit for ecommerce is that the customer is able to find a product they are looking for quicker than they may be able to if they were to purchase it in a high street store. This also helps to eliminate the travel cost to the customer as they are able to browse the catalogue virtually. Not only is the customer able to find the product faster but it makes it easier for cuckoo games to promote offer they have available and any special deals that are currently running helping to encourage multi buys and return customers.
Although there are a large number of benefits to ecommerce there are also a number of drawbacks that must also be taken into account for cuckoo games. To begin with ecommerce lacks the personal touch that a number of people still prefer to have today. The personal touch may be a number of things such as a simple greeting when entering the store or building a relationship with the store staff. With ecommerce the customer does not receive this and it may discourage them to use the ecommerce.
Another downside to ecommerce for cuckoo games could be that there is a delay for receiving the goods for the customer. A customer using ecommerce will have to wait for he product to be dispatched and posted to them. Many people interested in computer games will not want to wait to receive their product and may be encouraged to use other company’s meaning cuckoo games will loose custom.
Shopping through ecommerce does not allow the customer to experience the product before purchasing it. In the majority of game stores there are consoles set up with the latest games in order for the customers to try and encourage them to purchase. By using ecommerce in cuckoo games it will unable to encourage customers to purchase new line products in the same way they are able to in store.
There is always the element of authenticity for customers when browsing websites online as there is very little regulation on who can and cannot set up a website and use ecommerce for illegal activities. This may effect cuckoo games as they are a new company with little or no internet credibility. This may encourage customers to shop elsewhere and loose cuckoo business. Customers who may not purchase goods regularly online may be worried about security and stick to the mainstream and well known websites despite price and offers simply to ensure security.
Without question E-Commerce has been a positive introduction for many people providing jobs for people and made shopping easier and more convenient. Although e-commerce has been beneficial to a large number of people the biggest problem e-commerce has is that the buyer and seller do not know or see each other resulting in e-commerce potentially being dangerous.
The most obvious thing about e-commerce is the scam side on the part of both the buyer and the seller. The ability to hide behind a computer screen seems to invoke the criminal side of people. The thought of the other person being hundreds of miles away on the other side of the world and never going to see them seems to encourage buyers to use fake credit cards and fraudulent information. Many people claim the product has not been delivered or that it is damaged knowing it is cheaper for the company to send a replacement product rather than to have the “broken/damaged” product returned to them. Cuckoo games will have to be extremely aware of this and be prepared with a procedure to deal with these claims. It may be beneficial for cuckoo games to establish a name for having the products returned if such claims are made which may encourage potential frauds from attempting these scams.
On the switch side seller have found a number of ways to take customers money without the intention to ever send a product or to send a product far below the standards of the one the customer is expecting. This is not helped as feedback is very easy to fake and can lure the customer into false sense of security. Although this is a general problem for e-commerce this will not be applicable to cuckoo games as they have no intention of defrauding their customers. However it may be important to consider support in order to reassure their customers encase of delay in delivery such as postage strikes or problems.
Even if both the buyer and seller act with integrity there are a number of other issues that may arise and cause problems. For example, when buying goods online a cred or debit card must be used and thus the customer is entrusting the company to keep their information safe. If a company did not keep the customers information safe it my result in the data being lost or hacked resulting in the customers information being used without their knowledge. This will result in a loss of sales for the company as it is unlikely the customer will return after their information has been stolen. It will be essential for cuckoo games to keep the information their customer trust them with safe, not only to help the customer returning but also to help build a better reputation for the company.
Cuckoo games will need to be aware of potential DOS attacks that will aim to take their website down In order to prevent customers from being able to purchase their goods. There may also be jokesters who will hack a website just to prove they can. Cuckoo games must ensure that their security is advanced enough to stop this and keep their website up.
Cuckoo games must be aware that at any point the bank or another financial institute that process the payments for the company. They can have they accounts frozen, locked or even terminated without any prior notice for a number of reasons such as a high level of chargebacks, unacceptable sales to return ratios, having a lot of customer complaints or violating the terms and conditions of their contract. This may be a problem for cuckoo games if they do not monitor their sales and returns efficiently or provide a service that satisfies the customer.
Another problem that cuckoo games could be faced with is that employees who have been brought in to run or manage the website may not actually know what they are doing but have been sourced from forums or classified sites who appear to have a good portfolio but may be talking themselves up or may not have any experience in this particular area. Cuckoo games must ensure that any extra employees that are hired are either experienced in this exact line of work or have suitable qualifications. This is because the company is putting their entire website in their hands, there are a lot of fraudulent profiles that have alternative motives for getting jobs running and managing websites for a number of reasons such as to steal customer information, to add destructive or explicit material and have the ability to take the website down at any time.
Another problem that cuckoo games may have is with downloadable or digital content such as game extension packs or membership etc. This is because it is possible for hackers and thieves to navigate themselves around servers in order to get the content without paying. Another problem is that one person may download the content and openly share it with friends or post it openly on the web. It will be essential for cuckoo games to ensure that they have suitable security and legislation in order to protect any of their digital or downloadable content perhaps with the use of generated passwords or a limited number of licences.
Trading online has a number of knock on effects such as high street stores closing. With the introduction of e-commerce high street stores are beginning to close and the number of shops in a given city or town has fallen. This is because it is much cheaper for a company to sell their goods online in comparison to the costs of having a high street store. For example in order to have and maintain a high street store the company must pay a number of things such as rent, wages, utility bills, cleaning costs and transportation costs for bringing in new and replenishing stock. This is a huge amount in comparison to what is required to sell their goods via e-commerce. The total price for selling up a website can be as little as £5000 to have a fully functional and active website were a the cost to set up a high street store can be as much as 10times this or more.
With this in mind a lot of company’s are moving away from the high street and forcing customers to hop online as they have no alternative. This provides benefits and drawbacks for both the customer and the business and can have an effect on the local community as they may have lost jobs or have less jobs being created for them.
In order to get your website more well known and to help encourage customers to use your website there are a number of possible things cuckoo games may want to think about. For example an email campaign. cuckoo games could build up a list of email contacts and send a universal email linking them to the website and perhaps even offering discounts or prizes for doing so. Although this is a cheap way to get to a large number of people there is also a large number of people who will simply discard the email without reading it.
Another good way to get the website promoted is to do a press release. This may just be a local newspaper or could be a national or even international. This will help cuckoo games get recognised and can help with the reputation of the company. Using the local media to do a page on your business will help to build reputation and encourage customers to check out your website. This also benefits the store as locals will be interested to check out what the company does.
Google plus now offer pages for business which you are able to add photos, videos, links and contact details. Cuckoo games may want to build a Google plus page in order to share their latest stock or promote special offers. As Google is such a well-known and reputable brand the advertising on their pages will also help with customer confidence. Google also offer a service called Google places in which you can enlist your business name, website and address and all contact information.
Cuckoo games may also want to consider advertising through social media websites such as Facebook and twitter. By creating a Facebook page it is easy for customers to contact the company and cuckoo games will be able to advertise through their customer perhaps offering discounts for anyone who hacks their profile, this will also help with customer feedback as they will be able to post their experience and help encourage other customers. Twitter will also be another very valuable social media site that cuckoo games can make use of. For example, cuckoo games will be able to “tweet” their latest offers or promote new stock along with their website and contact details. A downside to this is that it ill require upkeep and perhaps even 24/7 management in order to deal with customer questions or complaints
A popular method of promotion is writing compelling contenting and submitting it to blogs related to the company, for example cuckoo games would post on gaming forums and websites of their target market. By doing this cuckoo games already know that the people posting on these websites are already interested in what they sell which may make it easier for them to sell their products. Although this may be a good way to promote their website it will also require semi constant management in order to reply to comments and threads that could benefit cuckoo games.