Couples Convo Forum / TheCoupleSpot.com's "Couples Convo" Discussion Forum / Business/Employment Opportunities

employement

viraj — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:19:29 GMT

employementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployementemployement

What are the deciding factors for women shopping online?

declanon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:46:30 GMT

I asked a question on LinkedIn a while back, "What are the deciding factors for women shopping online?

Here are the replies I received....

My question?

I would like the opinions of females on why they shop online, specifically what makes you decide on one site over another if both websites are selling the exact same product at the same price

1) Applications service Leader at Capgemini

The design of the site - it needs to look professional and well maintained, so I can have confidence in the people and business behind the screen.

It needs to be easily navigable. I dont want or need to go through 10 screens to pay for an item. It also needs to be clear what I am paying, including any shipping and sales taxes, and when the item will be delivered.

As with the others above, a stated returns/refunds policy, especially in the case of clothes.

Accurate descriptions of items, including appropriately sized photographs whereever possible - for clothes, gadgets, shoes, jewellery, flowers it's a must, books less important (to me at least).

A website that doesnt collect unnecessary information about me when I'm trying to buy. I've come across some websites that insist on DOBs and at least 2 phone numbers to sell non-age restricted items. This has instantly put me off and I've gone elsewhere. Who knows what use my details are going to be used for? Why do I need to put 2 phone numbers in to buy a CD?

2) Executive Director/Manager

I do quite a lot of online shopping. Price and product availability being equal, I decide on one website over another based on:
-There must be a customer service address and phone number listed on the site or I will not buy.
-Reading reviews/reputation - I ask around to see if anyone knows about the site or has used them before.
-Professional look of the site
-Shipping options/pricing/sales tax clearly stated BEFORE purchasing

I hope this helps!

3) Attorney

I shop online whenever I can. If price and product availability are the same the factors that will steer me to one site over another are:
1) Product information. Does one site provide specs like dimension, weight, and other pertinent information? Are there customer reviews and ratings? The more I can find out about a product on a site, the more likely I am to use that site.
2) Shipping costs, options, and return policy. If the site doesn't tell me how much shipping will be before I put in my credit card payment then I'll find another site assuming I'm about to be gauged. Ditto if there is no return policy.
3) Reputation. Before buying from a new website I'll do a websearch and read up on other customers' experiences.

4) Senior Manager, Online Acquisition at Pacific Sunwear

I agree with both of the above respondents! It comes down to the company's reputation & customer service/return policy.

Also - check out this great article on FutureNow which speaks to the subtle differences between men & women regarding how they shop on line. It could be that one site's "feel" is more appealing to me in terms of addressing my needs for how I am shopping for a given product. Interesting reading, and some good links to other great content herein:
http://www.grokdotcom.com/2008/04/29/using-customer-review-keywords-to-pick-up-women-men/

5) Information Architect at 352 Media Group

If the product is the same price, I look at shipping next. If shipping is the same, I'll go with a site I've used before (have an account) and had success with. If all that was equal, I can't really say there is any other deciding factor. Maybe if one is easier to use than the other or a better return policy. Hope that helps...let me know if you have any more questions.

6) Summer Intern at Arthur J. Gallagher

It is important to be able to visualize how the product would look on you as much as possible. This includes things like being able to zoom in on the picture, see measurements, and select colors for the clothes. So, if the product was the same with the same price on both websites, factors like this would come into play. Price is important, so things like discounts or sales deals with perks of buying would help edge me in one direction. Shipping is not that important to me so long as I do not need the clothes urgently, and finally it would be nice to have a phone number listed with an actual live operator available to take you call and questions.

7) Web Developer
Competitive price, product availability, product variety (size, colour, style, etc), delivery service & rates.

Most importantly a website that looks and feels secure. I've shopped on many websites and would not pay online with many of those sites because of how bad they looked or functioned. Its important to have a well functioning website that enables easy and secure transactions.

So based on this feedback from a range of female shoppers there seems to be a few factors that stand out.

Women like to research and find out about customer experiences
Women like to read reviews
Women like to know about returns/refunds policy
Women like to know about shipping costs before purchasing
Women like to know there is a live person to speak to in customer service

Look out for my post on how write an effective ecommerce proposal for female shoppers.

What are the deciding factors for men shopping online?

declanon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:45:51 GMT

I asked a question on LinkedIn a while back, "What are the deciding factors for Men shopping online?

Here are the replies I received....

My question?

I asked a question 2 weeks ago "What are the deciding factors for women shopping online?" and the feedback was very interesting. I would like to hear now from males on the the same topic so I can compare the answers.

1) MBA

If price and product are identical then:

- Brand: I'd rather a buy a shirt from A/X's website than the same shirt at Amazon, same with sports equipment, I'd rather buy it from Nike store or Nike's website than ebay.

- Credibility: I'd rather buy from Amazon than some random online shopping/ deal's websites

2) NetBuilder

laziness is the motivator so convenience is the answer

3) Regional Sales Manager at eircom

Convenience / Time saving factors/ Delivery to Door etc as to why shop online. Preference for own brand sites i.e Nike Store or Amazon for reputation of service and delivery

4) Owner, Proformance Marketing

Name Brand: This links to credibility Presentation of Product: (Non Name Brand) If the web site looks like it is professionally done, in my opinion could possibly be more creditable. (More likely to recieve the product purchased) If the site has secure pay: More over if the site had secure pay, the company had to qualify to obtain the secure pay link. (Also a better chance to get your money back) The usual factors: Price, availability and shipping cost

5) Conversational systems

I often buy things online because I live in the country and it's a 40 minute round trip for me to any shopping centre. With the price of fuel going up, postage and packaging charges are beginning to look very reasonable. And it's much quicker to buy online than go out shopping.

These are the things I look for:

1. Have they got what I'm looking for in stock?

2. Is it at a reasonable price, including VAT and delivery charges? (Often you don't find the answer until you get to the checkout. Bad.)

3. Does it look like a reasonably professional business? Does the website inspire confidence?

If there are positive answers to all three points, I order. I tend to return to sites where I've shopped before, as there's less uncertainty, so you could say I remain loyal if I get good service.

So basically for me it's a typically male goal-oriented procedure of getting what I want with minimum hassle! Price is only one factor; but the more expensive something is, the better I research the relative prices. Oh, and one of my pet peeves is sites that make you "register" before you can buy anything. I don't want to register as a continuing customer, I want to buy once and move on.

6) Owner at Peoples Health Insurance, LLC

I would pick the Web site with the reputation that I trust the most.

7) Student at Chapman University

Since men are more technical savvy than women (no offense), they look at websites that they make sure their financial information is safe and secure: credit cards in this case

For example take a look at these 2 websites:

http://welectronics.com/gsm/Motorola/Motorola_RIZR_Z3.HTML?gclid=CJ-nqIzTzZMCFQ-kiQodR10djQ

http://www.cellhut.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=1866&u=2&ppc=Google&name=Motorola+RiZR+Z3&gclid=CLG_yPXSzZMCFSQqagodGi2YhQ

Both websites are selling the same exact products right? the first one is selling the phone for a cheaper price but look at how all the information is organized. There is no sign of what kind of credit cards this website accepts even it is secured by Hacker Safe. The second website just by looking at it you get a relief! Everything is in its place and organized even the seller is trying to promote other compatible products with the item that you are buying.

I had live chat support system on my website and with a picture of a blond girl on it. Even there was a male technician behind the system I noticed that male customers where asking what kind of product "she" likes or chooses!! so definitely sex sales.

My last opinion is for the delivery time. God knows but somehow men are in a hurry when they purchase something online but women are more laid back and they take things easier and more relaxed.

8) Entrepreneur

My answer is a combination of things (not necessarily in this order): timeliness, professionalism, image, professional associations, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Hope this helps.

So based on this feedback from a range of male shoppers there seems to be a few factors that stand out.

Men don’t bother researching nor do they care about customer experiences
Men don’t care about returns/refunds policy
Convenience is very important to men
Brand Identity is very important to men

Look out for my post on how write an effective ecommerce proposal for male shoppers.

Careers and Internships at 352 Media Group

declanon — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:30:45 GMT

Would you like to be a part of our dynamic, award-winning company?

352 Media Group is growing and we need talented, experienced professionals throughout the country to join our team.

What we look for in new employees:

Employees that have a true passion for interactive media.
Employees that love to learn and share information with team members.
Employees that have the dedication and desire to be the best in their field.

Company Beliefs:

We believe in a fun, non-corporate work environment, while still working very hard as a team to provide a great service to our clients.
We believe recognition and appreciation of employees is absolutely critical to our success.
We provide ongoing training because we feel that training adds value to our employees and our company.
We take pride in everything we do.

Company Benefits:

A full set of company benefits, including health, vision, dental, 401k, paid time off, paid holidays, etc., plus too many “added value” benefits to list.
Co-workers willing to share knowledge and learn from each other.
An outstanding work environment and recognition for your work and dedication.

Would you like to be a part of our award winning company?
Are you ready to work with the “best of the best” in the industry?
Do you have the qualifications we need?

E-mail your resume (and portfolio if applicable) to hr@352media.com

We also have an excellent internship program for students in Gainesville, Florida. To find out more information about our internship program, email jsasser@352media.com .

We are currently hiring for several positions, but here are a few job descriptions for the positions we hire for most often:

Web & Flash Developer

Designs and builds interactive projects such as Web sites, interactive CD/DVDs, Flash movies and more
details »

ASP.NET Web Programmer

Programs custom Web applications, using ASP.NET 2.0 and C#.
details »

The Couple Spot -- 352 Blog Post

declanon — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:13:55 GMT

Many networking and social web sites are available for single people, but not so many “respectable” ones exist for couples. In light of this, TheCoupleSpot.com approached 352 Media with an idea to create a website that makes it easy for couples to network and socialize with other couples. Together, we worked as a team to launch www.TheCoupleSpot.com, whose company motto is "Connect, Share Interests, and Enjoy Life!” ©.

About TheCoupleSpot

TheCoupleSpot.com is an upscale community website that has been created and designed exclusively for couples. Moreover, TheCoupleSpot.com is a professional and interactive site that makes it easy for couples to meet and share interests with other couples in a safe, user-friendly environment. Couples can interact with other users in their local areas, or they can interact with other couples around the world.

The Solution

TheCoupleSpot first contacted 352 Media in June 2006. However, it was February 2007 before we had our first face-to-face meeting in Gainesville, FL. TheCoupleSpot’s CEO met with myself (Account Manager), Evan Blake (Business Analyst), and Don Wedington (VP of Sales). The meeting as I remember was quite formal due to all the previous phone and email communications. The “TheCoupleSpot” team wanted to ensure they were dealing with a reputable web company that could deliver a website that lived up to their very high expectations; and I suppose it did because in April 07 we penned the deal. Shortly thereafter the statement of work and contract were signed, and work immediately commenced on www.TheCoupleSpot.com.

The Features

The site is being built in phases, and it is currently in Phase 1. Couples can currently:

· Build profile pages

· Upload photos

· Conduct and save advanced searches

· Block users

· Communicate with other couples using an internal e-mail system

· Update Headliner Profiles

· Refer a friend (refer 10 friends and be rewarded)

· Take advantage of FREE Travel Coupons (‘Quarterly’ members will be given access to discounted travel and accommodations in Hawaii, Cancun, Orlando, Las Vegas, and many other great places)

· Participate in the site’s ‘Couples Convo’ discussion forum which has been designed exclusively for TheCoupleSpot.com’s members and visitors. A few of the main topics currently posted there are marriage, parenting, sports, travel, cooking, investing, military themes, and business opportunities

As far as affiliates and marketing are concerned, TheCoupleSpot.com is particularly interested in hearing from companies who provide goods and services that benefit couples.

Many exciting things are planned for the future. So, go now and register at http://www.thecouplespot.com/Register1.aspx. It’s free with full access for the first 90 days. My profile is here: http://www.thecouplespot.com/ViewProfile.aspx?profileid=157. See if your interests are similar to ours, and if so, add me/us as friend(s).

Thanks to the following 352 Media Staff Members:

Raina Van Cleave -- Project Manager
Peter Bernardo – IA / Business Analyst
Sean Jeng - Programmer
Xiao Lui– Programmer
Lincoln Anderson – Designer
Brandon Mitchell – Designer
Jared Allen - QAR
Preston Braswell – QAR
Andrew Keller - Support
Edward Egun – Support
Evan Blake -- Business Analyst
Dan Vogt – Director of Development (Programming)

And of course the “TheCoupleSpot” team!