In December of last year, my business partner, Ben Larson, and I launched our website for the Readydesk. For the previous three years, we had worked with engineers, chiropractors and others to perfect the design of our adjustable product that sits atop tables or traditional desks.
Customers liked our adaptable standing desk, which helps people avoid the health dangers of spending all day sitting in front of their computers. We sold the desk through our website, but we quickly learned that one purchasing option wasn't enough. We needed to give our customers more choices if we wanted to succeed.
So that's what we did. Within a few months, we also began selling peripherals (laptop stands, cable straps and standing mats) through our online store. We then added a couple more choices: our Value Combo (the Readydesk plus the Readyriser, our laptop stand) and our Readydesk: Oopsie Edition (lower-priced, structurally sound desks with minor cosmetic damage).
Since then, we've experienced solid growth. Our sales have increased 5 to 10 percent every month. We've also seen our sales conversion rate increase, and we don't receive as many inquiries from customers asking if we could create new options. We credit much of our success to the purchasing choices we added to our website early in the process.
So that's what we did. Within a few months, we also began selling peripherals (laptop stands, cable straps and standing mats) through our online store. We then added a couple more choices: our Value Combo (the Readydesk plus the Readyriser, our laptop stand) and our Readydesk: Oopsie Edition (lower-priced, structurally sound desks with minor cosmetic damage).
Since then, we've experienced solid growth. Our sales have increased 5 to 10 percent every month. We've also seen our sales conversion rate increase, and we don't receive as many inquiries from customers asking if we could create new options. We credit much of our success to the purchasing choices we added to our website early in the process.
A lot of people are drawn to our product because of its pleasant aesthetics, all-wood construction and functionality (no tools required for assembly). We've also managed to keep the cost low— our traditional Readydesk goes for $169.99, making it one of the cheapest standing desk options on the market despite being made in the U.S. with high quality materials.
By adding more purchasing choices, we've made it even more difficult for our value-loving customers to say no to us. Everyone loves a good deal, and that's what we offer with the Value Combo (a savings of about $10) and the Readydesk: Oopsie Edition: (a savings of $20, or about 12 percent cheaper than a standard desk).
Soon, we plan to give our customers another choice. In the works is a smaller version of the Readydesk, one that would be ideal for someone with just a laptop (our first model can accommodate two computer monitors). But we also want to avoid giving people too many choices. That's really not a problem at this point because we're such a small company. But as we grow, we plan to follow Steve Jobs's dictum to keep things simple. Too many choices, we realize, might paralyze and confuse our customers.
By adding more purchasing choices, we've made it even more difficult for our value-loving customers to say no to us. Everyone loves a good deal, and that's what we offer with the Value Combo (a savings of about $10) and the Readydesk: Oopsie Edition: (a savings of $20, or about 12 percent cheaper than a standard desk).
Soon, we plan to give our customers another choice. In the works is a smaller version of the Readydesk, one that would be ideal for someone with just a laptop (our first model can accommodate two computer monitors). But we also want to avoid giving people too many choices. That's really not a problem at this point because we're such a small company. But as we grow, we plan to follow Steve Jobs's dictum to keep things simple. Too many choices, we realize, might paralyze and confuse our customers.
