Avatar News July 19, 2007

10 Tips To Improve Online Sales

Last month's launch of Rocket Cart, our shopping cart software prompted lots of people to contact us about setting up shop online. If you want to sell more products, view all 10 tips on how to improve your online sales. Here's your starter for 10...

1. Tell the customer as much as you can about each product. Remember your customer is buying online and can only view a 'virtual' item. Give them details about your product including a clear product picture and details of its colour ways, size, weight, washability, price etc.

View the full Tips To Improve Online Sales article.

Web Design, Writing & Marketing — Resources

We'd like to highlight a new Resources section of the Avatar Web site, comprising FAQ, articles, advice and a glossary of terms. Although we're still happy to respond to your questions and queries directly, you now have somewhere to go when we're not in the office!

View our Resources. (If there's anything you'd like to see added, drop us a line.)

3 Easy Ways to Reduce Web Management Costs

Even if you're not a Web design boffin, keeping your Web site up to date is an easy and relatively inexpensive exercise, if managed effectively. If you use a Web update service such as Avatar's, find out what 3 things you can do to reduce your update costs.

View the full 3 Easy Ways to Reduce Web Management Costs article.

Get A Job With Avatar

This is a great opportunity for you, (or someone you know), to join Avatar's team. We're expanding the gang again and are looking for a suitably qualified Web Developer. The successful applicant will be working on challenging and creative Web development projects and should have the right to work in New Zealand.

View more details of our Web Developer Job - (Christchurch, NZ).

Tidbits

• Take a tea break. A great puzzle game from albinoblacksheep.com called Bloxorz — be warned this may prove mildly addictive. You play at your own risk!
• Primal real estate sells for top dollar. If you wanted to live like a hobbit, for NZ$260,000 you could have owned this cave dwelling in Worcestershire, UK.
• Bush warms boy's brain. The next time you're telling a story or delivering a speech and someone yawns, take it as a compliment. New evidence suggests that they're cooling off — in a good way.
• The case of the giant penguin. Palaeontologists discovered the remains of a Peruvian penguin that would have stood over 1.5 metres tall and made mincemeat of the Hollywood Happy Feet penguin chorus line.
• 21st century farming. It looks a bit weird, but vertical farming may take root in many urban centres in the next fifty years.
• Make a desktop statement. From the Art. Lebedev Studio, a range of poster art that offers edgy, modern alternatives for your pc or home.
• Swat a fly. Get some online practise in swatting pesky flying fiends.
• Keeping up with Joneses. Find out what other people accomplished at your age and set yourself a few goals!
• The mystery of the disappearing lake. What makes a perfectly good lake go bad? Find out what happened to a once lovely lake in Chile.
• Discover your inner Matt Groening. With Springfield (NZ) having erected a giant donut at its gates to celebrate the forthcoming Simpsons movie, what better time to get inspired to create your own cartoon.

Spotlight on Latest Projects

Here's a spotlight on a selection of projects we've worked on recently ...

• FSC Cook Islands (Web design and promotion)
  The Financial Supervisory Commission of the Cook Islands recently requested an information, brochure style Web site. This site features an easy to use and clear navigation and a simple, elegant design in keeping with the client's preferred corporate-style look.
• Mr Pickwicks (promotion)
  Mr Pickwicks is a furniture and antiques store in Christchurch. We provided on and off-page optimisation services for their Web site and implemented our search engine optimisation techniques to their content management style Web site.
• Ascension Vineyard (promotion)
  Ascension Vineyards is a winery and restaurant situated near Auckland, offering venue and conference facilities. We helped promote this Web site to search engine users through the creation and addition of optimised content pages.
• Athenry Lodge (Web writing and update)
  Athenry Lodge is a Nelson bed and breakfast accommodation in a beautiful rural setting. As part of our service for Athenry Lodge, we edited the home page (introducing headings, bold text, bullet points and contextual linking) and added revolving testimonials.

Other Sites of Interest

• Mainland Cycling (Web design)
  Working closely with the Christchurch City Council, Bikesigns has been fostering a safer environment for cycling in and around Christchurch and Canterbury.
• All Safe - Safer Surface Solutions (Web updates)
  Suppliers and installers of playground safety mats, rubber mulch and outdoor surface matting for schools, playgrounds, gymnasiums and sporting facilities across New Zealand.
• RD Tours (Web updates)
  Hiking or sightseeing, off road adventures and privately guided farm, agricultural and photographic tours in the Milford Sound and Mount Cook regions of New Zealand.