Websites focusing on e-commerce usually reach only 1-4% conversion rate. The most successful, however, can sell in up to 15% of cases. How do they do it?
When designing an e-commerce website, do not forget the 3 basic rules of online shopping:
- The user must find what he wants.
- The product must be properly presented.
- Orders must be confirmed and payed for in a a simple process.
1. Find a product
Even though it seems unlikely, the main reason why visitors do not buy is not a high price or their indecision. They just did not find what they were looking for.
To navigate your audience correctly, you must first understand them. Good website service several types of buyers: Those who know exactly what they want. For them, speed is the most important factor. Others just come to have a look. Their advantage is that they often act impulsively - they can be influenced to a large extent. The third group would like to buy, but need a little help. Reassurance that the product can easily be returned if there is a problem, may help a lot. Each of these types of customers presents an opportunity.
2. Product display
Once the user clicks on a product, there is an opportunity to convert the sale. Your goal is to put the product into their shopping cart. Pay attention to the following:
- Photos: People respond to visual stimuli, therefore, high-quality photographs are essential. If you have only one photo, it is important that there is not anything else on it to distract attention from the product itself.
- Price: One of the main reasons why shoppers look to the competition. However, since the price can not be amended much, you can make the shopping easier: Display the price clearly and without registration. If it is lower than elsewhere, clearly indicate the discount.
- References: They have more influence than anything you write about the product. Positive comments help sell products, negative offer you room for improvement. Anyway, all comments increase the credibility of your website.
- Add to shopping cart: Call to action is absolutely necessary, because the "add to shopping cart" button must be clear enough to attract attention. If the user has to look for the button, you are loosing him.
- Related items: Their views present an option of additional sales. In addition, you offer alternatives if the customer did not find what he sought.
- Special offer: All buyers will respond to promotions and special offers. The most common one is for free shipping.
3. Closing the business
The biggest obstacle to conversion is the final processing and payment procedure. Shopping is fun, but the same does not apply to spending. So you have to process customer payment quickly and painlessly.
The most effective is to use a one-page form. Multi-page forms take long to load, each page must be filled-in, and the customer may loose patience.
Great success seems to be offering an option to contact customer service via chat. It is precisely during the processing of orders that something may occur that the client wants to consult.
If you have already obtained the email address of the customer at the beginning of their order, you have a chance to regain a seemingly lost sale.
Currently it is not recommended to require registration. It can help you in the future, but it should be only an option, not a necessity. Social apps such as Facebook Connect can also help to speed up the process.
Cookies help if the user leaves your site and returns later. If he won´t need to search again for the products, the likelihood of conversion increases.
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