Why not having an 'About us' page could cost you a sale says Enterprise Nation

http://www.enterprisenation.co.uk/detail/Why_not_having_an_About_us_page_could_cost_you_a_sale/3376/22.aspx (as seen here)

As an avid online shopper myself, I've strolled the virtual high street for many years, popping into the big department stores of the 'net (Amazon.co.uk, eBuyer, etc.), but also the smaller, independent, 'boutique' shops. But what makes the difference between a purchase and a closed-tab is an affective 'About Us' page. So, don't forget to include one!

I'm not worried about Internet security. I know what the padlock looks like in my browser. But I'm really concerned with two things when I shop at independent, often home-based online retailers:

1. Design: You may have the best product in the world, but if your website looks tacky, I'm going to be skeptical about its quality and will probably be put off. Not always, mind you. But it might make me wince!
   If you don't have the resources to make your online shop everything you want it to be, just keep it simple. As a customer, I'd rather that, and I'd be more likely to buy your goods, then you can invest that money into making your website a little more 'slap-bang' and a little less 'hit and miss'.
2. Transparency: This is hugely important to me. I'm comfortable shopping at Amazon.co.uk, but if I'm going to shop at an indie online retailer, I like to know who I'm dealing with. After all, that's an advantage you have over the 'department stores'.

'About Us'

A good 'About Us' page should have the following:

• Your actual name: It's terribly frustrating to scour a website, looking for the name behind the business. What's the big secret? It makes a huge different knowing - and puts shoppers at ease knowing that there's someone accountable for the transaction.
• A photo: It's a powerful thing for a customer to imagine who they're dealing, but to see them as well helps us empathise in a way we can't with businesses like Amazon.co.uk.
• A short bio: We're not looking for your life story, but something brief about how you arrived at this point in your life, where you hope to be in a few years and a few personal tit-bits maybe. It's harder to walk away from a sale when it's someone you know!
• Contact details: This is really important. Not only do we want to know where your stuff's coming from, but we want to know that someone's accountable for the transaction - and there's someone we can contact if something goes wrong.

What do you think?