Are you managing to turn the browsers on your website into a shoppers? 

Or are you allowing them to use your ecommerce site as a museum? Do they wander around looking at the pretty things and just leave?

If there were browsers in your store right now, would you engage with them in a warm and welcoming way? Would you offer suggestions and alternative products? Recently, I have spoken to many retailers who seem to have forgotten this key aspect of the sales process.

If potential shoppers can leave your website with just one item (or worse, with nothing at all), then they are likely to shop elsewhere and not come back. Keep track of your conversion rate to measure your progress. 

Don’t give your competitors the opportunity to make a loyal customer out of one of your potential dream shoppers.

Ten 10 tips to improve your online sales:

1. Engaging with consumers via email marketing, social media channels or via a chat box on your website is vital. Build trust, while exciting and inspiring your future customers to buy.

2. Add value to increase your sales. It is easy to reduce your prices, but it is bad for your profit margin and it isn’t a long term strategy for growing sales. Establishing the value of a product in a customer’s mind is achieved through excellent product descriptions online. Added value can also be found in services; free wrapping or shipping, next day delivery, click and collect or even VIP virtual shopping appointments.

3. With excellent product knowledge comes the opportunity to boost the value of every sale. A new suit isn’t a complete outfit, it needs a shirt and tie. In-store it is easy to suggest complementary products, but retailers really struggle to achieve this online. Start thinking about up selling and cross selling online and you will quickly boost your sales.

4. Include testimonials or reviews from customers who have already bought from you. Better still, could you share images of your customers or video testimonials? If we trust you, then we’ll buy from you!

5. Make sure your website and your social channels match. It sounds obvious, but so many businesses start talking about Mother’s day while displaying landing page banners for Sale or worst still, Christmas. Clear and simple messaging will not distract or confuse the customer. Get it right and they will buy!

6. Don’t rave about a product on your social platforms if you only have one left! You would never allow a large empty fixture or aisle end to greet a customer instore, likewise you should never greet a customer with a landing page full of sold out tags. Only advertise or promote products that you have in stock. Ideally you should forecasted ahead when you plan your content.

7. Make the buying process simple. I wrote a blog post about the online customer journey that explains the need for simple, easy processes. Too many clicks and too many questions will put people off buying from you.

8. Make sure your services are clearly displayed. I should be able to view your delivery charges, returns policy and terms and conditions before I buy from you. I shouldn’t have to wait until the checkout to see the delivery price. Remove barriers to make the buying process easy.

9. Check out your competition! What can you offer that they don’t? How can you stand out online to ensure consumers buy from you and not them.

10. Thank the customers for their purchase. If you can genuinely thank customers for shopping with you, it will leave them with a great lasting impression (just as it would instore).

To recap:

Your aim is to attract and importantly convert customers. The next goal is then to keep them coming back!