People around the world have increasingly started to shop from the comfort and safety of their homes, and it is believed that eCommerce businesses will face fierce competition for revenue.
So, whether you’re looking to launch an online store or take your existing one to new heights, you’ll need to prioritize creating a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience for your customers. This includes business registration in the USA, ensuring fast website loading times, high-quality product images and other important factors.
In order to stand out from the crowd and encourage customers to choose your online store over others, it is really important to follow best practices listed below. These practices can help you create an attractive and user-friendly platform that keeps customers coming back for more.
Website Designs
Even if you have an incredible range of products that rivals even Amazon, an unpleasant website experience can drive away potential customers. A successful online store is characterized by a well-designed website that prioritizes two things: ease of use and speed.
While the former helps visitors find what they’re looking for, the latter is often overlooked, but it is a critical factor for eCommerce success. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your website loads quickly to give your customers the best possible experience.
Simple Checkout Process
To prevent customers from abandoning their carts and improve the checkout process, it’s crucial to create a convenient and hassle-free experience. Cart abandonment can be detrimental to an online store’s success, as statistics show that over two-thirds of carts are abandoned on average.
However, there are various measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of customers abandoning their carts and optimize your checkout process.
Competitive Shipping
As eCommerce continues to evolve, customers now expect affordable shipping rates and faster delivery options. To ensure that you can meet these expectations, it’s important to research and compare various shipping couriers and their capabilities, instead of relying solely on a familiar one like USPS.
Additionally, you can streamline the shipping process and improve customer satisfaction by setting up automated Order Shipped emails to notify customers when their packages are en route.
While it may not be feasible for all sellers, offering free shipping to your customers could be a competitive advantage. Although you might initially take a hit on your profit margins by absorbing the shipping costs, in the long run, it may help you increase sales and attract new customers.
Different Payment Options
Offering a variety of payment options is a smart business practice that can help increase your conversion rate. By allowing your customers to choose their preferred payment method, you can make the checkout process more convenient and user-friendly, which may lead to more completed purchases.
In addition to accepting major credit and debit cards, it’s also wise to consider incorporating other popular payment methods like PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and even cash on delivery, if feasible. Providing a range of payment options shows that you are committed to meeting the needs of your customers and can help build trust and loyalty with your audience.
Descriptions & Images Of Good Products
When running a small business, it’s tempting to handle all aspects of the business, including product photography, in an attempt to save money. However, this approach may not be the best option when it comes to presenting your products online.
Keep in mind that the first impression that potential customers have of your products comes from the images on your website. If the quality of your photos doesn’t match that of your products, you may not have another opportunity to make a positive impression.
This is particularly crucial for online stores, where customers don’t have the chance to touch, feel, or try out the products in person. In such cases, they rely mainly on two factors: photos and reviews. If either of these elements is lacking, customers are likely to abandon your site and look elsewhere.
Mobile-Friendly
As eCommerce continues to evolve, mobile purchases are becoming an increasingly significant portion of total sales. It’s crucial for businesses to recognize this trend and make necessary adjustments to stay competitive.
Although developing a mobile app may not be feasible for your business at this time, it’s still essential to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly.
With a growing number of customers relying on their smartphones and tablets for online shopping, it’s important to optimize your website for mobile use. Neglecting to do so could result in lost sales and a less satisfying user experience for your customers.
Customer Support
For an online store to thrive in today’s market, providing exceptional customer support is crucial. As your business expands and becomes more complex, it becomes even more important to address a wider variety of customer inquiries.
One effective way to streamline customer service is to provide an easily accessible self-help section. This can save both you and your customers valuable time.
Multichannel Storefronts
While it may appear that selling on Amazon is only feasible for large-scale businesses, this notion is far from reality. In actuality, it is possible for you to sell your products on various platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and more simultaneously.
The concept of multichannel selling is based on the notion that each storefront serves as a different aspect of a single store. Regardless of the origin of an order, they can all be conveniently accessed on the same dashboard that you are already acquainted with.
Call To Action
Employing a subtle psychological trick can significantly increase your chances of converting web traffic into sales. Offering a swift and straightforward means for visitors to show their interest in your business can pave the way for a buy-in, which could ultimately lead to a sale.
This buy-in tactic could take the form of signing up for your newsletter, entering an email address to receive a first-time-visitor coupon, or simply proceeding to the next page to continue browsing.
To execute this approach, incorporate a call-to-action or CTA button, which should clearly outline the desired course of action. Opt for phrases like “Sign Up For Free,” “Learn More,” “Subscribe,” “Get Started,” or other similar terms to create an impactful CTA.
Special Promotions
Almost everyone loves a bargain. The feeling of scoring a great deal can be just as satisfying as winning in a competitive sport. Offering discounts on your products doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing profits.
In fact, it can be an effective way to boost sales that you may not have made otherwise. It’s a win-win situation: customers get the products they want at a lower price, which can encourage repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals, while you, the business owner, benefit from additional transactions and potentially gain new loyal customers.
