Excellence in Ecommerce: 5 Tips to Optimize Sales
Starting an ecommerce business is an exciting venture, but in an increasingly competitive online marketplace, you’ll need to stand out. Like any business, marketing efforts have a direct impact on sales, and the world of ecommerce brings benefits (and challenges) unique to the digital landscape when it comes to showcasing a product.
Here are some important tactics to keep in mind when growing your ecommerce business:
Capitalize on User Generated Content
One of the obvious downsides to any ecommerce business is that customers can’t “try” the product before purchasing, and as much as we hope a product is as good as it says, credibility is everything. Potential buyers will often seek out others' approval before buying, this is why having zero reviews on a product seriously impacts sales.
Encouraging user generated content is crucial to help build authenticity and form a solid reputation for your company. User generated content refers to any form of content created by consumers rather than the brand itself. One way to leverage this content is to implement a section for product reviews on your website —you can offer incentives to encourage more people to write reviews, such as product discounts. Another way to utilize user generated content to your advantage is to share or repost the content that customers make featuring your product. This type of content is also encouraged by starting fun initiatives like hashtag campaigns or giveaways on social media.
Invest in High Quality Visuals
When it comes to ecommerce, your website is your storefront, and the first impression when someone “enters your store” matters. How you display your products plays a significant role in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Since your audience can’t physically pick up the product to assess the quality, the photos havea lot to live up to.
High resolution images that provide a detailed and accurate depiction are a must. You might also consider including photos that show the product in real life applications, or photographed in a unique and creative way, sparking interest for new site visitors. See for example Lululemon, who showcase their apparel on a range of body types, and in both studio and real-life settings.
Improve the User Experience of your Website
Beyond the visuals of your product, the overall look, feel, and experience of your website is crucial. The UX design (or user experience design) of your website needs to offer a seamless shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and on your site for long periods of time.
For example, ensuring that you have a highly visible call to action, a prominent search bar, and clearly organized product categories are all elements that contribute to a successful shopping experience for your customers. Another great way to enhance UX design is to include personalized elements such as a “recommended products” or “frequently bought together” feature, something you might have seen on websites like Amazon when you go to
make your purchase. By leveraging a customer-centric website and monitoring success over time, you drive sales and enhance the long-term growth of your business.
Take your Products to Social Media
Given that the average person spends over 140 minutes on social media per day, why not make the purchase process easier by having your product be directly shoppable on platforms like Instagram and Facebook?
A shoppable post essentially allows customers to buy your product directly from social media without having to navigate to your website. By integrating a “buy” feature directly into the post, consumers skip straight to checkout with the click of a button. When it comes to ecommerce, efficiency is everything — so the less steps it takes from viewing a product to making the purchase, the better. Not only that, having a shop integrated post also helps with discovery. Since many social media platforms have specific feeds dedicated to shopping, there is a higher chance someone will come across your product, expanding your reach and customer base over time.
Streamline Checkout
Checkout is the most common area for customers to abandon their item. Unlike a physical store where simply tapping a card makes a purchase, too many steps to buy a product creates unwanted stress and frustration for customers.
Ensuring the checkout process is streamlined is crucial to maintaining sales. Barriers such as requiring account creation, unexpected costs, and a lack of payment options can all contribute to lost conversions. The goal here is to make the payment process as quick and efficient as possible, although this can be tricky when dealing with shipping charges, localized payment options, and secure payment methods.
On the back end, carrying costs and inventory might become a challenge as well. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert on the intricacies of ecommerce finance to succeed. Guildstreet can help you understand and manage your payment options and your finances, so that you can focus on making sales.
Written by Hannah Lemiski
Want to learn more on how your business can succeed in a competitive online market? Contact Guildstreet today – the first call is always free!