Over the last decade, the e-commerce industry has seen rapid and significant growth. According to various sources, the international e-commerce market was over £4.7 trillion in 2023 and this is expected to increase to £5.4 trillion in 2024 and £6.4 trillion by the end of 2026 – some serious figures that aren’t to be overlooked.
Furthermore, the UK is the fourth largest e-commerce market in the world, which shows how much the British public like to shop online.
With the huge increase in digital shoppers, something that has not gone unnoticed, more and more businesses are offering online shopping to potential customers.
If you want your business to stand out against its competitors, and want your shoppers to spend more money while they’re visiting your store, then there are a few essential considerations. Below, we list six of the most important.
1. Free Postage
Free postage on your businesses e-commerce site is more than it seems. Not only is it a great way to appeal to customers in general, it is a proven way to get your customers to spend more money.
By increasing the basket cost that enables free shipping, customers will buy more to get it. So, a small increase in the amount to trigger free shipping is a great way to make more money from your store.
There are a number of strategic ways to offer free shipping, which we can advise on.
Besides, if you aren’t offering free shipping and a competitor is, there is only one likely business that is going to land the purchase.
But don’t be too hasty, it should also be noted that shipping costs cause 48% of online shoppers to abandon their carts, so very much a balancing act.
2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An FAQs page is an important, and sometimes overlooked, asset on any company website, but did you know it can also help generate more sales from your e-commerce store?
Getting customers to purchase products from your website has a lot to do with eliminating customer facing issues. A well thought out FAQs page is a great way to answer questions quickly, keeping potential buyers on your site and stopping them looking elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions also go a long way to providing a better customer experience. Happy customers who can find quick and easy answers are far more likely to make a purchase.
FAQs also build trust, which for smaller, unfamiliar brands is important and can help buyers realise that you are legitimate, and not one of the increasing number of rogue traders.
3. User Journey
As mentioned, the world of e-commerce is highly competitive. If a website is difficult or complicated to navigate, a user will simply look elsewhere. At one point or another, we have probably all been frustrated by a non-user-friendly website, so you know how it feels.
Additionally, if the process of actually getting to the checkout to make the purchase is arduous and long, fewer users will make it to the checkout.
Things like user journey can also impact on how people think of your company. Users develop opinions about businesses based on their experience and interactions with said business. So, a poor first experience may keep people from coming back at all.
4. Site Speed
Much like a poor user journey, a slow site speed is a sure-fire way to frustrate and lose potential customers. As the internet and online tech develops, users are becoming less patient (remember dial-up?), so slow loading and site speed is going to result in a drop off.
Good site speed also directly affects SEO, so a slow site will see your store appearing lower down on Google searches.
5. Search Function
Most customers that visit an e-commerce site already have an idea of what they want to buy, so a good search function is vital to help the buyer find what they want. If a customer can’t easily and quickly find what they want, the drop-off rate will increase.
Basically, it is another way to improve that all-important customer experience.
6. Utilise Social Media
Nowadays, there are very few e-commerce stores, who don’t use social media to advertise and drive traffic to their sites.
Social media provides a perfect platform – full of bright images and encouraging captions – to highlight what is being sold, how it works, what it can do and so on.
Well-run social platforms also allow for real-time interaction between customers and the business. Customers can ask questions and provide feedback – something that gives an extra layer of legitimacy to the individual or business selling the product.
Paid or sponsored social posts can go a step further in reaching new audiences.
Making Money
Without sounding too corporate, the main purpose of any e-commerce site is to make money. Without a constant and realistic income, any store in the world – whether a physical shop or an e-commerce store – cannot survive.
So, if you have an e-commerce store or a business that relies heavily on online purchases, make sure you can tick off all of the above pointers.
If you are struggling, or simply need a more professional skillset when it comes to e-commerce, please get in touch with the WADEDIGTIAL team and we will be able to help.
