I was recently interviewed for an article on web retailing. The reporter asked me for five suggestions on how retailers could improve their sites, or what they should keep in mind if they are launching their first site.

Here are the five tips that I shared:

1. Skip the introductory page and Flash-based code.
   Consumers are impatient and an introductory page takes time to load. You run the risk of people leaving your site while they wait. Plus, an introductory page won't be indexed by search engines.

2. Easy navigation is key.
   How many times have you left a website because you were frustrated that you couldn't find what you were looking for? Easy-to-use navigation will ensure that consumers can easily find what they came for, and will encourage them to explore other areas on your website as well. Logic tells us that the longer a customer spends on your site, the more likely they are to make a purchase (and if you don't offer e-commerce, the more likely they will be to visit your store).

3. Include easy-to-find store information.
   It seems like common sense, but a lot of websites that I visit have their contact information buried, no physical address or store photos (I recommend posting at least one photo of the inside and outside of your store), they forget to post their store hours and it's nearly impossible to find a store phone number.

4. Quality content.
   By providing quality content on your website, you increase the likelyhood that consumers will find your store when they do an online search for a specific product that you're selling. Retailers often ask me how you provide quality content: it can come in the form of a daily blog, posting a product description for each product you sell and/or a detailed store description on the "about us" page. Plus, the more you update your information the more you will increase your search engine ranking when people try to search for products that you sell.

5. Collect names.
   Your website provides an invaluable place to collect names for sending your email marketing efforts. Be sure to offer incentives for sign up (maybe a free product they pick up in the store), and be clear about how you intend to use the list.