So you took the plunge and started your very own electronic commerce website. You made a good choice in a day and age where practically every aspect of life is handled online. The likes of Amazon and eBay shopping have been around for quite some time; however, in the recent Covid years, things that we usually did in person have also transitioned to online business. From checking in for a haircut to picking up some milk from Braums, our lives are ever so entrenched in mobile apps and online orders.
So why wouldn’t you start that shiny new eCommerce business?
The good news is that you will probably do well in your ventures. The bad news – you are not alone in your quest.
How Can I Build My eCommerce Website?
The number of eCommerce businesses popping up every day is growing at an exponential rate. So if you truly want your products to sell, you need to set yourself apart. Since you likely do not have a physical storefront to remodel and put out some cute decorations to attract customers, you will need to ensure that your website is top-notch.
This article will explore 12 unique tips and strategies to make your eCommerce website more successful!
Tip #1: Don’t Overcomplicate It
You all know the acronym K.I.S.S, right? Keep It Simple Stup… I don’t want to insult anyone, so I won’t finish that. But you understand what I mean.
It has been shown that websites with simple designs have a better conversion rate. Conversion rates are how likely you turn first-time visitors into repeat customers. So obviously, conversion rates are where the money is at.
No one wants to go shopping and have to navigate a website as complicated as a Navy SEALs Obstacle course. So keeping your website design simple and free of unnecessary clutter will help increase your conversion rate. Designing your webpage with a clear CTA (Call to Action) button that takes customers less than 3 seconds to find is what you are trying to accomplish. Do not distract your potential customers with clutter. This will deter them and send them looking elsewhere.
Tip #2: Keep Your Products Organized
Keeping your menus as simple as possible is also vital. Avoid having too many categories for your customers to choose from.
You surely have been on a website trying to find a new shirt and had to go through 3 to 5 stages of categories just to get to the shirts. This is just too many. Instead of having to go through:
clothing -> gender -> tops -> t-shirts -> size - > color -> etc.
you should combine it all to tops. This will make your potential customers have to work less and be more likely to convert to repeat buyers.
Tip #3: Focus on the User Experience
Simplicity is the main point here, as with the other two tips. Make it simple for the buyers to choose your business. Adding a search bar is a tried and true method to accomplish this.
For a larger business with many products, combining your categories could result in a LOT of product choices. This could also deter some shoppers, so adding a search bar can help them refine their searches.
In addition to the search bar, add a few filters for the customers to choose from. Anything to help narrow the customer’s search down from 100 options to just a few will likely drive your conversion rates higher. This means money for your company. Money is a good thing.
Tip #4: Cheaper Isn’t Always Better
Think ahead when you are starting your eCommerce website. You might think using a more budget-friendly web-hosting provider will yield more profit. However, with cheaper products come slower loading times and possible site crashes. If your potential customers can’t get your site to load, then how are they supposed to convert to repeat customers?
The quick answer is they won’t. They will find a website that loads and give them their money.
So instead of choosing a budget-friendly provider, choose a premium web hosting plan from Maennche Virtual CMO. This will prevent future site problems and increase your conversion rates.
Tip #5: Streamline the Checkout Process
When customers go to a physical store, they find the product they want and then take it to the cashier. They then pay the cashier, get their receipt, and go their merry way.
This is how your business should function online as well!
Avoid adding too many tedious steps to the checkout process. It has been shown that too many checkout steps deter potential customers. Some have even admitted to abandoning the entire process to find an easier one. Create your checkout process to only get the essential information from them.
While we are on this topic of the checkout process, imagine going to the mall, finding the perfect outfit, and then being forced to create a profile with the store before being allowed to make the purchase. You might decide that the outfit is not perfect and go elsewhere.
Once again, model your online business after how you would like to shop. Do not force the potential customer to create an account to proceed. However, if you suggest it and make it an easy process, you might find that many of your repeat customers will want to create one.
Tip #6: Don’t Let Your Customers Walk Away
Sometimes shoppers have to go back to work, start cooking dinner, or just get bored with shopping. They will abandon their shopping cart before they make the purchase. You do not want to let them get away that easy. Sending out shopping cart abandonment emails could be just what they need to return and finish their purchase. In fact, email marketing should be a focal point of your marketing strategy to create a viable sales funnel.
Tip #7: Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Most customers do not know about your company if you are just starting. Many online shoppers go straight to search engines, type in what they want, and begin browsing through their options of stores. If you are not one of the top options, then you have no hope of gaining their business.
Make it a top priority for you to get your eCommerce business ranked as one of the top websites on the many different search engines. This will put it first in line to gaining those precious customers. If you struggle to create content that helps achieve this goal, Maennche Virtual CMO’s SEO services may be an excellent option to start making ground.
Tip #8: Explore Your Payment Processing Options
Accept as many payment options as you possibly can. This is a real deal breaker when converting potential customers to repeat customers. The more payment options you accept will set you apart from your competitors. Yes, even those that charge a higher merchant transaction fee. The idea is to spend a little more money to gain a lot more profit.
Tip #9: Create Engaging Content as Often as Possible
Get in touch with your customers by writing product blogs regularly, providing detailed product details, and creating an email subscriber list. We know that content writing might be hard for some people, or they might not have the time. Maennche Virtual CMO provides content writing services to help fulfill this need.
The same customers are not likely to shop for your product regularly. If you have a fun blog for them to read, they will likely come back more often. This blog could be new product highlights, your future plans, or just an engaging topic that is fun to read. The same goes for product descriptions.
What better way to keep your repeat customers in the loop about your new products and blogs than building an email list? This can be accomplished by collecting emails during checkout. Make sure you give them the option to opt out of email notifications. Sending out unsolicited emails could work against you and drive away your customers.
Tip #10: Develop a Mobile Application
Creating a mobile app will do more for your eCommerce website than anything else. Think about how often shoppers have their phones with them. Think about how often shoppers use their phones to shop. Having a specific app for customers to find your products will make it easier for them to convert to repeat customers.
Tip #11: Create Incentives for Customers
Anytime you can offer customers incentives for buying from you, it will drastically increase conversion rates. Once again, you need to set yourself apart from your competitors if you wish to be the top dog of the eCommerce world.
The most significant incentive you could offer is free shipping on orders.
Shoppers will come running if you choose a minimum total for free shipping or just on all orders. You could even account for shipping in your prices. Setting your price points slightly higher to cover a fraction of the shipping costs will help maintain your profit while enticing potential customers to buy your products.
Offering cashback bonuses on money spent is also a great way to entice repeat customers.
Tip #12: Be Your Own Biggest Advocate
The only downside to online shopping is the lack of touch-and-feel shopping. This means potential customers will likely rely heavily on images and demonstration videos to make purchase decisions. While most business owners will be content with simple shots from their iPhone, we can help with photography and video production if needed.
Make your website prominent and flashy with tons of product images and videos to show how your product looks and works. Adding multiple angles with high-quality photos and a zoom feature will increase your conversion rates.
Word of mouth will also help you convert potential customers. Make customer reviews and testimonials visible to all shoppers. You would also benefit from replying to all reviews and be sure to display your responses along with the reviews. This shows that you care what your customers think and value them above all else.
Ready to Build Your eCommerce Store?
Creating an eCommerce website that outperforms and outshines the others will mean serious profit for your business. These tips and strategies will get you and your eCommerce business where it needs to be. At Maennche Virtual CMO, we have helped countless businesses begin their journey into online sales, then provided the support and resources needed to help them scale. If you are ready to build your eCommerce store, we would love to help you outshine your competition!