By Sandor Panton, Contributor 
TECHNOLOGICALLY, THE Internet may seem like a pretty easy place to conquer. Some think it's as simple as setting up a web page with e-commerce, then kicking back as "hordes" of visitors to the site buy everything and anything that's available on it, making the owners multi-millionaires in no time. For a smart few, that scenario may actually exist, while for others, their online venture(s) may quickly fade to nothing, usually because they failed to identify and eliminate some of the factors that can cause the Internet to be a very difficult place strategically.
The factors (e-commerce no no's) outlined below are not a comprehensive list, but they can serve as a useful "What Not To Do" guide, especially for newcomers to the world of e-commerce.
SLOW LOADING PAGES
If it takes too long to download, the average Surfer is not going to sit around waiting for that 'special' page. They're simply going to move on to another site that they probably hope will have what they want, but without the long wait as the page loads.
EXTRA-LONG FORMS TO BE COMPLETED
The average online purchaser wants to be able to give you their name, e-mail address, shipping and contact information as quickly as possible, and with minimal hassle. Don't annoy them. Those extra-long forms that ask everything from "How many children are in your household" to "What size company do you work for" will turn off most buyers who simply want to shop. If you really need to collect this information, make it optional so that those who are not interested can bypass it easily.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL
Tell a potential purchaser that "All sales are final" or that you have no Return Policy, and they're very likely to put away their credit card and look for the product(s) elsewhere. While there are certainly some products that cannot be returned once they are sold, typically, not having a Return Policy will make your online business look like a perfect candidate for the "fly by day" business category. Potential customers will find it hard to trust you, and your products will almost certainly not sell.
UNSECURED TRANSACTION SERVER
With so many consumers being extra-cautious about credit card fraud these days, especially online, not many would be willing to put their credit card number in a form that is on an unsecured transaction server (computer). The web-savvy online spender of today is on the lookout for that yellow closed padlock symbol at the bottom of their browser window one of the indications that it should be safe to put their credit card information in the form.
ORDERS BY FAX
Unless it's a "B2B" transaction of some sort, you can't seriously expect a buyer to print an order form, complete it and then fax it to you. Orders by fax make it easy for them to buy it online directly from your competitor with just a click of the mouse.
If you've got e-commerce ambitions for your Jamaican business, take it online and make it work by avoiding some of the common mistakes above.
Sandor Panton is an Internet specialist and consultant. If you have any comment contact him at feedbackjamaica-gleaner.com. This series is brought to you by www.go-jamaica.com, the portal website of the Jamaica Gleaner.
