We see many people flocking to jump on the E-Commerce bandwagon. For good reason, people are busy and need the convenience of shopping on the go. E-commerce retail sales are forecast to rise for the foreseeable future. By 2026, 24% of retail purchases are expected to take place online. The website must be mobile friendly, easy to navigate and work quickly.
But, once a website is built, too many business owners stop there. WHY? The tool has been built but the marketing is just beginning.
Did you know the conversion rates for ecommerce range from .05% to 9% depending on the industry with the average being 2%. This means that out of every 100 visitors (with the intent to buy) only 2 will make a purchase on average.
With millions of people online, how do you push the need for your product to the forefront of peoples mind? To be frank, this is not a build it and they will come situation. Unless you are a national brand with a household name, you need to market to compete for e-commerce spending dollars.
Tips For the Website
Appeal to peoples needs and interests
- What problem does your product solve?
- How will it make you life better?
- Why do you need to have it?
- Does this product or brand lend itself to a social purpose? Example: Is is environmentally friendly? Do you donate a portion of sales to a charity or cause?
Make sure you have very detailed descriptions and information for each product including;
- brand
- accurate dimensions
- colours with swatches if possible
- sizing charts or diagrams
- What is it made of?
- weight
- options/accessories… etc.
Remember the website viewer can not see or touch the product you are selling online so you need to describe it in a way that encourages the need to buy and gives a full picture of what they are getting.
Use Very good visuals
- take product photos from many angles
- Photos of the product in use / how it’s used
- use short video to demonstrate use of product or stage it in an appealing setting.
Have a clear shipping policy
The most common reason online shoppers abandon their cart is because of additional costs like shipping, taxes and fees (48%). Minimize the deterrent of extra costs in the cart by finding a way to include some or all shipping in the product cost or have a clear flat rate shipping policy that is reasonable. We know many are expecting Free Shipping because of popular online retailers that have volume of scale.
Allow Guest Check Out
24% of online shoppers abandon their cart because the site wanted them to create an account
More e-commerce facts from 2023
Liz Skorski is a veteran web designer and marketer. Since 2004, Liz has created websites for small business and maintained longterm relationships with clients.