As the holidays draw to a close, I hope that small and home-based online retailers out there also enjoyed brisk sales. I was leafing through the October 2005 issue of Internet Retailer magazine and saw an article on how to improve conversion rates and increase sales online. Their tips are as follows:

1. Provide an online version of your print catalog/local flier
2. Guide users to what is important – don’t overwhelm them with options
3. Refresh, renew, revise: keep your content fresh
4. Test alternatives and measure results
5. Ask customers what works and what doesn’t
6. Do not ignore the benefits of multiple channel distribution
7. Encourage word of mouth
8. One size does not fit all: shopping carts need to be adaptive in cases when customer orders 1 or several items
9. Knowledge equals power and profits: allow customers to view their previous orders, personalize customer’s visit
10. Bring the personalized offline experience to your online channel

Review these tips as you prepare for next year’s holiday season.