
Show HN: Holiday project: Send thank you cards from the web - tghw
Put this together to make my own "thank you" cards easier to do. Got it done just in time for Christmas.<p>thankerin.com
======
orangethirty
1\. The purchase process is way too long. I counted 5 different steps before I
got to the CC form.

2\. Don't ask for the email up front. Have people build the card first so they
are emotionally invested in the process.

3\. Test those bootstrap buttons.

Now, here is how I would do the purchase flow:

1\. User lands. Clicks to get started. 2\. User pick design and fills in card.
2a. Then user enters the address of the recepient, and then his address. 3\.
User clicks button that reads "Send Card Now." 4\. You take the user to the
payment page where his information is already filled in (because he already
provided it before). Different address on the card? Offer them the option to
do it, but don't show the huge form. Use an accordion or modal for this type
of stuff. 4a. Give the user the option to use paypal. 5\. When the payment is
processed load another page where you will collect their email in order to
give them notice of when the card shipped (important). 5a. Offer them an
upsell to subscribe to a monthly "Love Letter" subscription service, where
they can have a card with a love poem sent to their S.O. automatically. Charge
them $3 a month, and be done with it.

~~~
tghw
Thanks for the feedback!

------
ScottWhigham
Another "You asked for my email to start the process so I closed the browser
window" user here. And yes, I read your comments on the page:

"... we promise never to spam you or sell your email address to anyone."

Who is this "we"? I don't know you. I've never heard of you. Your promise is
meaningless to me. It does not serve to make me feel better or get over the
heebie-jeebies about giving up my email in any way whatsoever.

\------------------

So I went to Mailinator, got a DEA, and put it in - bam. Now I can at least
check it out. Of course, 99.999% of users will not do this but anyway.

I'd think it's "four clicks" is the right number. At some point these users
need to feel committed and want this enough to pay. You can't do that on the
first page - you just can't. You need page views to build the
commitment/excitement that makes someone want to pay:

1) User lands

2) User picks out card

3) User customizes card

4) User pays for card

You could move the email to the "User pays for card" step ("Would you like a
receipt?"). You just have to decide on that yourself and go with whatever you
select.

------
soundandfeury
Seems like a cool idea. I can't do anything without giving an email though, so
consequently I didn't do anything. Might be nice to let people see what you
have to offer before they hand over their personal info.

~~~
tghw
Thanks for the feedback. Updated so it goes straight to the process first.

------
tghw
Clickable: <https://thankerin.com>

