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PayPal - Functional versus Professional March 27, 2006
If your website generates a lot of visitor traffic but your sales conversion ratio (number of visitors who actually buy) is low, you need to take a critical look at your website. An obvious starting place lies in the aesthetics of the design and layout. Companies that invest in website redesign will see an immediate return on investment. Why? Because we judge by appearances, and if your company website looks professional, your business instantly gains credibility over your competitor's site with the poor design. Step two? Get rid of PayPal®.
PayPal® sends the message that you are getting started in business but can't afford a merchant account. Merchant accounts and gateways--necessary to securely transact business online, are a small investment in professionalism. Through Thunder Data, they are $35 dollars per month. And they send a message that you are open for business.
On the web, we can only send visual cues about who we are. Professional web design with its inherent good navigation and marketing elements and online credit card purchasing are just a two items you need to give a solid first impression. Follow these steps for increased sales.
ThunderBits are ideas on website design, custom software applications, and Internet marketing. Changing monthly (okay, maybe just once in a while :), we promise to offer useful principles that build better businesses. 
