With more and more consumers looking for convenience, without having to leave the comfort of their homes, there is a huge market waiting to be tapped into. No longer are small businesses bound to only a brick-and-mortar storefront, but instead, they can ship their products around the world.
According to OptinMonster, over 90% of current internet users around the world have made a purchase online. These statistics should help motivate anyone who is doubting the relevance of an online market realise that selling online can be highly lucrative when done right, though it can also be just as competitive as physical in-person sales.
Without the right e-commerce and marketing strategy in place, owners are unlikely to boost sales or retain current customers. Luckily, it’s not hard to pull a strategy together, with the following tips geared to help new e-commerce stores and savvy online sellers alike.
- Allow For Advanced Filtering of Products
The importance of creating the ability to filter products according to sizes, materials, ingredients, cannot be overstated. The ability to narrowing search results will help customers find exactly what they want and will give you the edge over competitors who have yet to refine their search process as thoroughly.
- Put New Products On The Consumers Radar
If you’re bringing in a new product to your online storefront, make the most of it by highlighting it somewhere on your home page, or app, and do this for a week or more to alert customers to this new offering.
- Ensure You Have Multiple Payment Options
If cash used to be king, multiple payment options have dethroned him and that’s a good thing for your online store. If you have the ability for users to pay in the way that’s easiest for them – be it PayPal, paygate, via an e-wallet, or Bitcoin, just like they would when enjoying online gambling, your customer is far more likely to return to you due to the ease of being able to check out. Thoroughly research which payment options are easiest to install on your online storefront, and ensure there is a form of 3D Security to put your – and customers – minds at ease.
- Build in Loyalty Programmes
If you want your customers to stay loyal to you, then creating a members only area, or loyalty programme is a good way to do this. Not only will this help customers feel important, but if you create an online forum area, you’re also able to quickly receive feedback and testimonials for great service, which you can proudly display on the front end of your e-commerce website. You’ll also be able to target these users first when it comes to offering specials and discounts, and users will appreciate being listened to should they offer improvement suggestions.
- Provide Discounts or Free Shipping
Everyone loves a freebie or a way to save money, and online customers are no different. Incentivise new users with a first-buy discount, such as 20% off with a promotion code, or offer free shipping to all consumers over a set amount. This will encourage them to buy a little more to avoid shipping fees, and the longer the browse on your site, the more likely they are to earmark items they will want to return for.