A client had a thriving business selling their services via their website using a leads type method. The customers would fill out a lead form to initiate the sale. The client would then consummate the sale via iterations of email and phone calls. The client thought it would save time for all involved if they could simply buy the service via an e-commerce method – meaning the customer would shop for the service they desired on the website as if the service were a product. Then the customer would purchase that service via credit card on the website.

The result; sales came to a halt. It runs out, the customers needed the human interactions in order to convert from a shopper ino a sale.

The cost in time and money of converting the website into an e-commerce solution was not insignificant.

What seemed like a good idea turned out to be a Stupid Idea that cost.