Er... I think it is true.
And the research quoted is not our research, but that of one of the most respected internet research companies in the world.
Additionally, we do not "run our own webshop", but build webshops for others (over 300 done on Zencart alone, since 2004). There have been spectacular successes in these 300 sites, as well as a number of dismal failures, and the reasons for success/failure are mostly due to factors outside of the sites themselves (bad/good business models, good marketing, good/bad pricing and other market forces).
Interestingly, the sites we have built that are extremely successful all have very plain and conventional templates, very simple designs, and follow Nielsen's USABILITY structures. They have succeeded because they are being run by people with good business sense, who focus on product presentation and a slick, fast and efficient user interface.
At our last client convention (held in London in January 2012), we were happy to report the total turnover of our "a-list" clients (comprising just over 15% of clients), amounted to just over £4.5 million for 2011. Gross turnover for ALL clients (including those that shut down their sites in 2011) was £12.5 million, indicating a mean average turnover per client of about £42,000 for 2011.
Our company staff have a collective 120 year's marketing experience, and we have staff (and other consultants) with considerable online marketing knowledge, so I feel that we do actually do most things right. We do focus on good graphical design (we have 2 highly experienced graphic designers on board, using Adobe MasterSuite software on an AppleMac network.
Our Creative Director has worked on projects for Walkers Crisps, Branston Pickles, Jacobs Creek Wines, Bang & Olufsen, Chivas Regal, Cardies, and many other well-known UK high-street bands. I have worked with: South African Airways, Old Mutual, Standard Bank, BMW, Nandos Chicken, Sony, Liberty Life, Pearson PLC, Wessex Water, Microsoft, The African National Congress, and have done consulting for the following advertising agencies: TBWA, J Walter Thompson, BBDO, DDB Needham, WPP, Oglivy & Mather, and many more... going back to 1987.
So I think we do have a little bit of knowledge in issues relating to marketing and advertising...
Readers of this thread (inluding dgent) are free to accept or ignore our advice, and if their businesses are in competition to those of our clients, we would hope that they ignore it.
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