Many online store owners do not realize that their websites speak volumes to their customers. Websites serve as sales personnel in a traditional brick-and-mortar store. These strategies help to improve your website and most importantly let your customers have an enjoyable and memorable online buying experience. And you might soon see your sales rising.
1) Make Your Websites Load Faster
Cyber time is different from real time. Although customers do not have any qualms spending five minutes to half an hour to get to a brick-and-mortar store, they may become extremely impatient when it comes to visiting your online store.
They won't wait 5 to 10 seconds for your web pages to load. Quick-loading websites are essential to getting traffic and retaining them.
Avoid having large pictures or JavaScript on your homepage or your landing pages as these slow down loading time but do nothing to increase traffic or sales.
2) Give Out Freebies
Amazon, one of the largest online retailers, provides free shipping (purchases above $25). So do other big names such as Dell, ShoeBuy, and DrugStore.
It is increasingly becoming an industry norm to provide free shipment to customers. Sometimes, potential customers refrain from buying stuff from your websites because the shipping costs more than the item they are purchasing - they feel that it's not worth it.
3) Provide Essential Information to Customers Early
Customers need to know if the item they are purchasing is available. Do not allow customers to go through check-out before telling them that the item is currently out of stock. This can be very frustrating to the customers.
Other information that is important to note upfront would be the shipping charges. If you do not provide free shipping service, display your “shipping charges and policy” information visibly in your homepage. Your customers would appreciate it.
4) Provide Suggestions to Customers
Potential customers may have only a vague idea when browsing for stuff to purchase. For instance, they may want to buy flowers for a loved one but do not have any idea what kind of flowers or floral arrangements would be appropriate.
Good websites provide recommendations on the hottest products or the best deals. For example, customers can browse flowers based on different floral arrangements such as bouquets or gift baskets. They can also browse based on different occasions such as Valentine's Day or Anniversary.
With Amazon, you can find “Today's Deals” and “Gifts and Wish Lists” tabs clearly displayed on the top of every page. By providing many great suggestions to your customers, there is no way for them not to have something they like to purchase at your store.
5) Make It Easy for Customers to Contact You
It is very important for your customers to be able to reach you. Some may not be comfortable buying online and thus, would prefer to have someone they could speak to.
Make sure you have a “Contact Us” tab clearly visible on top of every page. Dell displays its 1800 telephone number on every webpage. This makes it easier for customers to call them if they have further queries.
Nowadays, there are many online stores providing “Online Help” service. This gives your customers a chance to communicate with a customer service personnel “live”. This is a great way for your customers to ask questions which may not be sufficiently answered in your FAQ.
Also, if you have brick-and-mortar stores in addition to your online store, make sure your stores are listed in an “Our Stores” tab. Some customers may just want to browse your site before proceeding to your physical store to purchase.
6) Offer Various Methods of Payment
Not all customers have a credit card or want to use them online. With cyber fraud on the rise, many customers are hesitant to reveal their credit card details online.
Other methods of payment such as bank transfer, electronic fund transfer, cashier's order, check, or money order, must be provided in order for customers to feel comfortable shopping at your online store.
7) Eliminate Customers' Risks
Potential customers may refrain from buying your product or service because they do not want to be disappointed with a product or service which is not up to their expectation.
In a brick-and-mortar store, your customers can easily return their goods at the store if they are unsatisfied with it. But with the invisible cloak of your online store, your customers may feel distant from you and your store.
However, you can eliminate customers' risks by providing a 30-day money-back guarantee, with little or no condition. Make sure you honor the guarantee, though. This will definitely help your customers trust you and boost your sales.
8) Know Your Target Audience
It is important for you to know who you are selling to. There is no point selling sweet juicy steaks to a strict vegetarian.
If you find that there are many Italians purchasing from you online store, you may want to provide an Italian translation on your site. This makes it more comfortable for them to purchase from you.
A very good example of website or portal which focuses on its target audience is iVillage, a website for women. As you step into its website, you will find the soothing colors and warm pictures only women would be fond of. It also provides lots of information only women would find interesting.
Basically, you need to know what your customers would like and put that in your homepage.
9) Provide Value to Your Customers
You can provide value by giving free but nevertheless useful information to your customers.
For instance, if you sell baby stuff, allow your customers to compare products and prices easily. You can provide reviews by customers who have already purchased the item. Make sure you ask permission to include their names in the reviews.
You can also provide relevant information about taking care of babies or parenting issues on your website.
10) Personalization
Customers love to be greeted by their names. When you enter Amazon.com, you have a personalized greeting, welcoming you to the site.
Other ways you can personalize your customers' buying experience would be to have a “My Account” tab so that they could track their previous purchases and make decisions on their future purchases easily.
They should also be able to track their current purchases and the location of their item in the shipment process.
Improving your customers' buying process is the best way to boost your traffic and your sales. Try some of these strategies and you might see your sales figures reaching new heights.
