E-commerce is the new frontier for small businesses. With so many options and prices, getting lost in the vast sea of online shopping is easy. This can be a huge problem if your business needs to prepare for this brave new world. But even if you are still getting ready to sell goods online, plenty of benefits still come with being an e-commerce business owner--and they all start with strategy! Here are nine tips that will help boost your e-commerce sales this year:
Become a customer advocate.
Connecting with your clientele and earning their trust is possible through customer advocacy. Facilitating the resolution of issues, the acquisition of desired outcomes, and the subsequent positive emotions experienced by customers is the name of the game.
Whenever a customer has a problem or concern, it's best to approach the situation by asking questions. For instance, "How can I help?" As in, "Can I be of any further assistance?"
In this way, they are more likely to open up to you about their problems, and you and the rest of the team can work together to find a solution (which often leads to frustration).
Offer free shipping
According to experts at First Mile, the most effective way to increase online sales is to provide free shipping. People willing to pay more for expedited shipping are more likely to become dedicated patrons who frequently shop at your e-commerce site. Providing free shipping can be done in a variety of ways:
- Offer a discount for paying with a credit card or debit card
- Offer a discount for paying with PayPal accounts (or other payment methods)
- Offer something else entirely - like cash back!
Optimize your checkout process.
The checkout process is one of the essential parts of your e-commerce business. You want it to be as smooth and easy for customers, so they can quickly complete their purchases.
To make sure you're optimizing your checkout form, consider these tips:
- Always opt for a safe method of payment (like PayPal). This will protect your customers' privacy and allow you to get paid faster than with credit cards or checks.
- Supply customers with flexible shipping choices. A customer who makes an online purchase from you might need the means to wait for the item to be shipped from Amazon. In this case, it's essential to make it as easy as possible for them to get the product delivered to them as soon as possible.
- It's also a good idea to include tracking numbers so buyers can keep tabs on their packages as they make their way from the seller to the buyer. This can help alleviate any anxiety they may have about the status of their order and head off any potential issues with the shipping process, such as delays with customs clearance, taxes, etc.
Use the right tools.
You need the right tool to get the job done. If you're looking to boost your e-commerce sales, here are two must-have tools that will help you do just that:
Google Analytics
This free analytics tool from Google provides detailed reports on website traffic, which is great for seeing where people are coming from and where they're going after buying something from your store. It also gives insights into what content performs best for users, so you know what type of content works best on each page to increase conversions and sales overall!
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks allows small businesses with limited resources access to accounting software that would otherwise require purchasing expensive software like Xero or FreshBooks; for example, it's worth looking into if this could help improve efficiency within their business operations!
Be willing to experiment.
For online stores to thrive, they need to try new things. You will only know which ones work best once you put different strategies to the test. Finding what works for your business can be time-consuming, but it's well worth it in the long run because of the positive effects on sales and productivity.
For example, if one of your products is selling well but not at the total price (or even close), consider lowering the cost so more people can afford it—but only if this particular product has been consistently selling well during previous months or years of operation. If demand drops off after being lowered from $100 to $50 per unit, you may want to offer discounts on larger orders instead of trying anything else at this point!
Use retargeting
Retargeting is a marketing strategy that uses online ads to target people who have previously visited your website or app. The goal of this type of advertising is to drive traffic back to your site, which then increases sales.
Retargeting ads are shown to people who have already visited your website or app so they can see what they were looking at while there. Retargeting campaigns can be highly effective at driving sales because they don’t require users to take additional action beyond clicking on an ad!
Use data analytics
Data analytics is a powerful tool for improving your e-commerce business. It can help you:
- Optimize your website's performance and increase your conversion rates by studying visitor flows, search engine results, and user actions at each buying process stage.
- Locate untapped markets and create advertising strategies that will outperform those of competing businesses.
- Incorporate post-sale customer feedback into product development to give buyers what they want instead of a mediocre product (or nothing at all).
Suppose you will use data analysis to determine whether or not an employee deserves a raise or promotion. In that case, you should ensure they're meeting or exceeding your expectations (not just subjective opinions).
Use upselling and cross-selling techniques.
Upselling and cross-selling are some of the most potent ways to boost your sales. Upselling is when you ask a customer if they want to buy something else, while cross-selling is when you offer a customer something related to what they are buying.
For example: If someone has just purchased a new pair of shoes from your store, offering them shoeshine or shoe repair services could be an effective way to upsell their purchase. This can also be done by offering coupons for other products from your company at no extra charge (upcoding).
These strategies will help you turn your customers into your most loyal advocates. If you want to get more sales this year, then these strategies are just what you need.
