The Jeff Beckham Weblog

For the second straight year, Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh put on an inspiring performance at South by Southwest. Zappos, an online retailer that sells mostly shoes, but also is branching out into clothing and accessories, has built its reputation and business on providing amazing customer service.

This year’s edition, titled “Top 10 Lessons Learned in E-Commerce” was a leisurely walk through the big-picture items that have given Zappos some of the most loyal customers around. Here’s a copy of his presentation:

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Breaking it down, here are the Top 10 Lessons:

1. The e-commerce business is built on repeat customers.
2. Word of mouth really works online.
3. Don’t compete on price.
4. Make sure your website inventory is 100% accurate.
5. Centrally locate your distribution.
6. Customer service is an investment, not an expense.
7. Start small. Stay focused.
8. Don’t be secretive. Don’t worry about competitors.
9. You need to actively manage your company culture.
10. Be wary of so-called experts.