Nine Essentials for a Successful eCommerce Business

Nothing can replace that feeling of those first sales on your new e-commerce website. This is true whether you’re a new business or an established company that is just starting out with online sales. However, this is frequently where you find out whether or not each component of your website is operating at its full potential.

You might observe that the first surge of sales slows down and that the anticipation of reviewing your stats turns to fear. Soon enough, you can be left perplexed and attempting to determine what went wrong. Sales and marketing for e-commerce couldn’t really differ that much, can they? That’s the very belief that could be keeping your business at the bottom rung instead of the top. Some things are indeed tried-and-true marketing techniques that have stood the test of time. The digital landscape is always changing, though. If you want to succeed, you’ll need to know your way around both.

So here are a few top tips to make sure that you’re getting as much out of your e-commerce website as you’ve been putting into it!

1. An Irresistible Product

Without the right product, you might as well be pouring money down the drain. Learn all you can about your target market. Their pain points especially. Offer them the solution that makes their lives easier. If they’re already looking for the kind of product or service you’re offering, that’s half the battle!

2. It’s All About Your Brand

Odds are, you have competitors. If their product or service is similar to yours, you need to stand out. Do you have an eye-catching logo? Clever business or product names? A relatable value-driven mission? Think of it like a welcome mat that instantly tells your customers that they’re in the right place for the solution they’re looking for.

3. A Customer-Centric Website

Nothing will chase customers away like a website that’s confusing to navigate. If it takes more than a couple of clicks to find what they’re looking for, you’re already in trouble. Clear, unique pictures and accurate, vivid product descriptions are a must. What kinds of questions would you have as a customer? Think of them and provide the answers your competitors left out.

4. An Easy Checkout Experience

Collect only the minimum information needed so customers can pay you as quickly and easily as possible. Consider integrating sign-in options like Google or Facebook, and payment options like PayPal and Venmo. Ensure an easy way to securely save their credit card information for repeat visits. Don’t make it a hassle to buy from you!

5. Get Found

Unless you’re a huge, well-known brand name, don’t count on name recognition alone to get customers to your e-commerce site. Make sure your website is using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices, as that’s one of the best ways to get free traffic. You can also use paid ad campaigns to push the competition aside.

6. Show Up in Their Inbox

Use a comprehensive email marketing campaign to build brand awareness, highlight your blog, and offer special deals or perks for being a subscriber. Make sure the content is useful and relevant to your reader, feels personalized to their experience, and isn’t poorly timed. Turn your email list into brand loyalists who will champion your business!

7. Easy Shipping and Returns

Customers might think twice about hitting that “buy now” button if your shipping and return policies aren’t on par with your competitors. If they can get something comparable from Amazon in less than a week with free shipping and returns, the strength of your brand might not be enough to carry you.

8. Excellent Customer Service

Make sure you offer a great customer service experience. There’s almost a no faster way to lose a customer than to make it a battle for them to do business with you. And twice as many people will tell their friends if they’re dissatisfied. Whether it was a great experience for them or not, ask for reviews. Great reviews will show potential customers what they can expect and bad ones are opportunities for improvement.

9. Show Up!

This doesn’t just mean getting found online, shipping a customer’s item with a smile on your face, or providing an unforgettably good customer service experience. It means demonstrating that your business is there for the long haul and that you’ll be here today, tomorrow, and the next day. Nobody wants to buy from a business that looks like they’ll be gone in a week or flakes on orders or customer service.

Close the Sale

If you come from a traditional retail background, it can be surprising to discover all the things which need to happen behind the scenes on an e-commerce website. Without them, no product or service can compete in today’s busy online marketplace. Follow these tips and your competitors will be shaking in their boots!