Whether you’re just stepping into the world of online shopping or you already have an e-store, eCommerce can be a great source of profit. The number of people using eCommerce is growing rapidly and in 2021, over 2.14 billion people worldwide are expected to buy products and services online!
However, the competition in this industry is quite fierce, so it’s going to take more than simply uploading product pictures and hoping for the best.
If you want to succeed, you need to put some effort into creating a solid strategy. If your budget allows it, you might want to consider hiring a specialized Shopify development company that will help you improve your online user experience and business efficiency.
If not, keep on reading the following 7 steps for achieving lasting success with your eCommerce store.
1- The First Impression is Everything
It only takes seconds for visitors to determine whether they like your eCommerce site or not. So, if you don’t want them to leave your store and go to your competitors, make sure to leave a good first impression.
Your website design should be eye-catching in order to entice people into coming in and making a purchase. However, that doesn’t mean you should overload it with a bunch of different elements. Keep it clean and make sure everything is easy to understand. Keep in mind that the user experience is your main tool of communicating and transacting with customers, so it should relay information concisely in order to evoke trustworthiness.
People should be able to find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, so be sure that your navigation is simple and intuitive.
2- Optimize for Mobile
According to eCommerce stats, mobile eCommerce done through smartphones accounted for $117 billion in the US alone in 2018.
One of the reasons why online shopping is so popular is convenience. Consumers can take out their smartphones, access an eCommerce site or an app, and begin shopping. So, if you want to stay competitive, you’ll need to optimize your e-store for mobile.
Luckily, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to build a mobile app. You can use responsive design with solid mobile search features, easy-to-use navigation menus, and easy payment and checkout over mobile. You could also try optimizing your images so they can load faster.
3- Offer High-Quality Products
Not so long ago, people considered products sold on eCommerce websites to be of lower quality compared to those sold in brick-and-mortar stores. Even though this is no longer the case, you still need to persuade your customers that your products are as good as those sold in physical stores.
If you are considering dropshipping business model, be sure to work with trusted suppliers that deliver good-quality products and be consistent. Never compromise your reputation for low-class products. Choose high-grade products like cheap narrow boats for sale. They have a massive selection of new and used boats with premium quality.
It takes one subpar product and one dissatisfied customer to damage your business, even if you have a replacement/return policy. If something like this happens, make sure to take corrective action ASAP.
4- Optimize Your Customer Journey
Did you know that about 70% of your site visitors will leave without making a purchase? Think about how much your revenue would increase if you didn’t lose these sales.
There are various tactics you can use to optimize your customer journey, like launching a cart abandonment email campaign, setting up a retargeting campaign, or creating limited-time offers.
Try each one of them to figure out which one works best for your eCommerce business.
5- Get the Pricing Right
Customers compare prices between brands all the time, which means that you, as an entrepreneur, need to know how much your competitors are charging for their products. Luckily, there’s a bunch of online tools you can use to easily compare the prices of competing e-stores.
You can also use different pricing strategies to make your products more attractive and increase your sales, depending on the type of products you’re selling and the market. For example, keystone pricing, which is basically the doubling of the wholesale price, is one of the most common strategies. You could also try competitive pricing, discount pricing, value-based pricing, psychological pricing, etc.
6- Offer Outstanding Customer Service
Research has shown that about 45% of consumers in the States are ready to drop their shopping carts if their queries aren’t addressed quickly and efficiently. Offering outstanding customer service is crucial to the success of your eCommerce business.
Offer live chat support, create a detailed FAQ page and self-service content, and incentivize product reviews. All of this will help you build trust with customers, at the same time providing your business with valuable social proof.
7- Make Sure Your Site is Secure
Security is one of the main concerns for both eCommerce consumers and retailers. E-stores handle sensitive personal information online (including credit card details), so the risk of this data getting compromised is always there.
Using SSL should be enough to put customers’ minds at ease. SSL makes sure that all data and transactions are encrypted, minimizing the chance of them being stolen. Another good way to secure your eCommerce website is by using two-factor authentication and other verification methods (just make sure it’s not too hard for your customers).
Final Thoughts
Starting and running an eCommerce business can be very difficult. There’s so much information to sift through, so having a solid plan of action is necessary. These 7 tips should provide you with the essentials you need in order to take your first steps in the world of eCommerce and achieve lasting success.
