When it comes to an online store, it is important to actually have one. However, it is more important to have one that successfully sells it's products. This is often half the battle with an eCommerce site, and it can be challenging with the overwhelming amount of sites competing for the business of online shoppers. The following are 8 ideas your business can implement to help customers actually buy products when they are shopping on your online website.
Make it Easier To Buy
First, many companies need to make it easier to buy products on their sites. They can usually do this with a better web design. For example, when a customer adds a product to their basket, they should be able to click on a button that says, "Check Out Now". This call to action can advance the sale extremely quickly. If companies are worried they will lose add-on sales, they can include an additional button that says, "Continue Shopping". This way, customers know what to do after selecting products.
Use Bigger Buttons
With many websites, it is often beneficial to use bigger buttons. This helps customers understand what to do next. Although you might think a customer knows because they have experience browsing the web, they are not experienced with your site. Therefore, try to help them with the process. Make it easy for them to see what to do and understand what the next step is.
Consider a One-Step Checkout
A lot of customers appreciate the ease of a one-step checkout - especially if they plan on purchasing from you often. This type of checkout makes it easy for them to consistently purchase from you. Although it is not the ideal checkout for every company, it is right for many businesses. In fact, it can help many increase their online sales because it speeds up the transaction process and makes online shopping easy.
Avoid Redundancy
Another helpful tip that can increase your sales is to avoid redundancy. For example, if you already know the shipping address, make sure the customer does not have to enter it in again. Also, if a repeat customer is purchasing from you, you should try to store their information so that it is easier for them to checkout the second time around. This ensures that you capture their business for the long-term future.
Take Advantage of Pop-Ups
A lot of websites use pop-ups to communicate with their customers. This allows them to capture more sales. For example, if a customer decides to leave the site with items in their basket, a pop-up can come up to ask the customer if they want to purchase their items. Another helpful way to use pop-ups is to ask the customer if they need help shopping with a virtual chat assistant. This assistant can answer the customer's questions about products and help encourage them to buy certain products.
Keep Your Site Fresh
Furthermore, make sure that you are constantly updating your website. Customers may not shop if your site does not look new. However, if you have fresh content on it regularly, they will be encouraged to look around and see what you have to offer. This is a great way to capture a few sales. When you are designing your site, you can include promotions, new products, or tutorials.
Send Out Emails
You should also make an effort to send out emails to all of the customers in your database. These emails should be sent regularly to your customers. They are a great way to advertise the products and services you offer. Although it might feel like you send out a lot of emails, feel free to keep sending them out. You can never send too many emails. Just try to make sure each email has a purpose attached to it.
Use Social Media
Finally, although it is hard to find a direct correlation between social media and sales, most businesses agree that social media works. Therefore, if you want customers to buy, you should be utilizing this important tool. You can use it to link customers directly to your website or blog. However, try to make sure that the branding is consistent with the design of your website.
Hopefully these 8 ideas will help you get more of your customers to actually purchase products when they visit your online store. After all, that is the reason you have one. Remember, it takes consistent effort to have a successful eCommerce site. However, with hard work and the right design, you should experience the success you are seeking.
