As more and more consumers turn to the internet to fulfill their shopping requirements, it is becoming increasingly important for merchants and retailers to deliver an exceptional online experience. Gone are the days when a simple product catalogue and online checkout functionality would suffice. The online retailer of today needs to provide would-be buyers with a truly memorable online shopping experience that not only drives higher conversion rates, but results in satisfied customers that return in the future.
The importance of custom design
When it comes to designing a first class online store, customised design is a must. Not only will a personalized approach ensure that your online store is firmly in line with your brand identity, it will foster continuing relationships with satisfied customers and drive continued business and increased revenues. Personalizing your product catalogue is certainly something you should be thinking about. Effective scripts are particularly useful in keeping track of the purchase history and shopping activity of your customers. They can be utilized to recommend products of interest to regular customers, resulting in larger single transactions and repeat business. You may also wish to provide loyal customers with tailored promotional offers and discounts. Consider offering regular customers a small discount on their purchases as a thank you for their loyalty, or think about slashing the cost of shipping. Once you have landed a regular customer, these nominal incentives will cost you next to nothing, yet the potential benefits they can bring to you and your brand can be substantial.
Optimize your online store for a seamless sales experience
One of the biggest barriers to successful conversions is clunky design and awkward checkout steps. Many would-be customers often drift away from a potential purchase if too many steps are involved between adding a product to a basket to finalizing a purchase on a checkout page. To narrow this gap and ensure minimal drift, consider adding payment options directly on product pages themselves. One-step checkout solutions can also be implemented across multiple platforms, including mobile and social. Providers like Shopify Plus are worth investigating if you are looking to significantly boost conversion rates across the board.
The importance of analytics and reporting
It pays to have a deep understanding of your customers and their buying behaviour. Effective analytics and reliable reporting is essential when determining customer demographics and behaviour in data form. When selecting a platform for your online store, always opt for one that will allow you to enjoy at-a-glance insights of various metrics. Properly implemented, these insights will allow you to monitor key performance indicators, as well as identify opportunities for growth. If you have big plans for expansion, this is crucial in ensuring you can achieve the scaleability you desire and bring your business onto the international stage.
Remember, any successful business needs to be make sensible decisions based on hard data. Without access to this data, you are essentially flying in the dark and have no chance of developing a digital presence with global reach.
