As a business owner, I have complete and utter faith in the products and services my company provides to our clients. There is no doubt in my mind that you also feel the same way about your own business. The truth is though, is that you’re not the person that needs convincing to shop with you. The people who need convincing are the consumers out there wandering the streets of the World Wide Web. You need to ask yourself what people look for in an E-commerce website/store. What makes them click to the next stage in the transaction process and, what makes them click the back button to the search results page. Here I’ve compiled some advice which I have found has suited my needs and, I hope it serves you well too.
An E-commerce website/store they can trust. Even if your main source of revenue is through an eBay store, for example, people will look to your rating to see if they can trust you or not. Building trust will not happen quickly either. It takes time. The reputation of your business will help to determine if someone wants to shop with you or not. So to stand out online, firstly, you need to always think of how you can build trust. All of this occurs before a customer has even decided to purchase from you and, it doesn’t stop there! The entire transaction process will test how much the customer trusts you – right up until they receive the item they have bought. It can even extend beyond this if the customer experiences a fault with their item and they need to return it or get it exchanged. Watch customer reviews and feedback as these can be key indicators of areas where you can improve upon and build trust.
Okay, so every business has some kind of loyalty program. The vital part is not to spam people with offers, deals and specials once they have decided to sign up. You can actually use other businesses errors in this field and use it to your advantage. If you only use your loyalty program for genuinely exclusive, real-deal savings, your customers will take notice.
Nothing can light up a customer’s face as much as the term ‘free shipping’. I know I do, I instantly think of picking that thing I’m considering at a UPS near me when free shipping is involved. While this may come at an extra cost to you, in paying for the shipping expenses of your customers, or even only offering free shipping for purchases over ‘x’ amount, you’re providing an incentive for them to shop with you. It catches their attention! Furthermore, you’re providing another reason for consumers to shop online. Why should they purchase something from an E-commerce store when they can drive to a ‘bricks and mortar’ store instead and only pay for the price of the item?! The solution = free shipping.
There is nothing which will drive a customer off, who is using their mobile device to browse your E-commerce website/store, faster than an unresponsive, non-mobile friendly site. Make sure it’s mobile friendly! People are using their mobile devices to search the internet, even when they’re sitting at home and there’s a laptop sitting on the coffee table in front of them. If you’re not mobile responsive, you’re missing out.
Provide customers with a seamless transaction experience. The moment a customer gets frustrated with some aspect of the transaction, or if your correspondence or a landing page says you will do something and you don’t follow through, you have ruined that transaction. You must ensure you’re handling your leads.
Think about the number one thing you always notice in an E-commerce store or website. Remember, this is a judgement which is subconsciously made within mere seconds. The majority of people would agree that a unique design, while still being user-friendly and easy to navigate, would be the number one aspect that initially draws in their attention. You want a design which will catch people’s attention, but you want it to be for all the right reasons as well. Your E-commerce website/store can be broken down into three categories; Technology, Content and, Design. Find someone to work with, if need be who can work with you without all the jargon. It is possible to build an amazing E-commerce website/store and not know how to write code.
But to be truthful, there is no one blanket answer here, which is why many businesses feel a little lost in cyberspace. Your business is unique, and the solution you need to stand out will be unique also. Remember, no one knows your business as well as you do. The best way to determine if what you are doing is right for you will be through listening to your customers and knowing who they are. If you know this, you can provide them with the personalised service and solution they’re looking for.
