Consumers today are pickier than ever, and when it comes to shopping, they have more options than ever—from visiting a physical store to buying online or even on their phones.
So how can you convince them to visit your ecommerce website, browse and buy from you? Start by making sure your website has what they need to make a purchasing decision.
What are consumers looking for when they consider whether to buy from your ecommerce site? Basically, they want it all, according to a new report from UPS and comScore.
Shoppers seek comprehensive information so they can buy from you with no surprises regarding shipping costs, delivery date or return policies.
- Provide detailed product information. Only 68 percent of respondents are satisfied with the amount of product detail provided to help them make a decision.
- Link to online reviews and buyer feedback from your website. More than one-fourth of respondents say they regularly use their smartphones to view reviews and comments in-store before deciding to buy.
- Make it easy to get help. Only 59 percent of respondents say they are satisfied with the ability to find a customer service phone number or other company contact information during the search phase of their shopping journey.
- Put your return policy where it’s easily accessible. Nearly 90 percent of shoppers view a store’s return policy at some point, but only 60 percent say it’s easy to find. Making sure your return policy is clearly posted will help shoppers feel confident in their buying decision.
- Provide help throughout the process. Often, companies provide many customer service options (such as live chat popups) while customers are browsing or researching, only to abandon them during checkout. Just 53 percent of respondents say they are satisfied with the availability of customer service info during checkout. Make sure your customer service contact information is clearly posted at the top of every checkout page and consider having chat popups when customers are taking inordinately long on a step or are re-filling out forms multiple times.
- If you don’t already, consider adding click-to-chat options. Only 45 percent of respondents say they are satisfied with the availability of click-to-chat on ecommerce sites. AI chats are also great for personalization as they can memorize each customer’s action, access their shopping cart and adjust answers accordingly. According to Shout Digital Agency, personalization is key to a successful sales funnel.
- Offer reasonable delivery options and provide a delivery estimate. Fully half of online shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart at some point because delivery date estimates were not provided or because delivery was going to take too long.
- Ensure the best possible mobile experience. Even among consumers who own a smartphone or tablet, 68 percent still prefer to shop and buy on a desktop computer. That’s because 43 percent of shoppers can’t get a clear enough image of the product on a mobile device, and 34 percent say product information is too hard to read on a mobile device.
- Cross-sell! You need to go where your customers are shopping, so they can see your brand again and again. This builds brand recognizability and brings more sales! Here’s a quick guide on how to sell on Etsy, Amazon and eBay.
In today’s crowded marketplace, winning over consumers requires a laser-focus on their needs and expectations. Ecommerce businesses that succeed will be those that provide a seamless shopping experience. This means offering detailed product information, accessible customer support options, clear return policies, reasonable delivery choices, and optimized mobile design.
Additionally, showcasing buyer reviews, implementing personalization features like AI chat, and embracing cross-selling across multiple platforms will build trust and boost sales. By catering to these crucial consumer demands, you’ll transform your ecommerce site into a destination that shoppers actively choose and return to.