10 Tips for Selling Online
Although e-commerce has been around for some time it is only more recently that many small businesses feel confident enough to venture into the world of online trading. Nowadays many software packages have dispensed with the need for programming knowledge, allowing anyone with basic computer skills to run, manage and promote their online store. Starting an e-commerce website has brought new found success to thousands of existing shop owners selling a myriad of physical and digital products. Getting those products found on the web and instilling buying confidence in your customers is the key to successful online trading. The following ten e-commerce tips, some of which are basic but often overlooked, should be a foundation for any small business selling online.
One: Make sure your online store looks professional.
Ensure your online shop is presented professionally to your site visitors. I have come across literally hundreds of online stores run by legitimate businesses where the appearance lets their business down. Take a look at your competition and see what their e-commerce website looks like and draw some inspiration. A professional appearance builds confidence and helps convert visitors into paying customers. After all, would you buy from an online shop that looked unprofessional?
Two: Place products on the front page.
Placing products on the front page of your e-commerce store allows you to deliver exactly what your visitors have come for as soon as they walk though your virtual door. Some stores have lengthy text about their company or pictures of their high street shop with a “shop online” button buried somewhere in the jungle of links on their site. This is a critical mistake and can lead to many visitors simply pressing their back button. If your shop sells mountain bikes then make sure a selection of mountain bikes is right on the main entrance page. Better still, feature your best deals and money-off bikes as an incentive for shoppers to go deeper into your store.
Three: Structure your product categories sensibly.
Have a clear set of product categories somewhere highly visible on your pages and try to ensure the list of categories appears on all pages. There are a host of better quality e-commerce software packages that follow this ethos and will construct your categories for you automatically once you have entered the details. Think about how your customers will find their way around your store and name your categories in easy to understand terms and not shop-talk or just price brackets. Not only will this assist your visitors with navigating your website but in addition the presence of categories can be used to promote other products. For example, I may be viewing a product in the “Road Bikes” section when my eye is drawn to the “Discounted Bikes” category.
Four: Name your products correctly.
Product names are critical for your shoppers and your position on the major search engines and can have an immense impact on the amount of visitors your online shop receives. Naming your products logically will also allow your visitors to use your own in-shop search box more effectively. In my experience the most effective formula for product naming is Brand + Model + Item, such as “Peddler Hilly500 Mountain Bike”, “Peddler” being the brand, “Hilly500” being the model and “Mountain Bike” being the item. Many quality e-commerce software solutions will name the product page URL after the product name which is a huge help with search engines, so you now have a friendly URL for the product page such as
www.yoursite.com/peddler-hilly500-mountain-bike.html
Five: Use high quality product images.
Product images can greatly influence the decision to buy on your store so it is very important your images are clear, sharp, a decent size and blend in as much as possible with the “look and feel” of your e-commerce shop. The product thumbnail image should be large enough to be able to see the product easily and the larger image should load quickly and not require the visitor to scroll, especially left-to-right! I tend to advise clients to make their larger images no wider than 800 pixels which ensures easy visibility in all screen sizes. NEVER use images from other websites without permission and always obtain permission from manufacturers if you intend to use their images. If you are an authorised dealer for your product range most manufacturers are happy for you to utilise their images and some will even supply an image library on CD or DVD.
Six: Type compelling and accurate product descriptions.
The description part of your product page is your sales pitch to the customer, yet this section is often the most overlooked on product websites. Your visitor has seen the name of the product, one or more good quality images and now is the time for you to clinch the deal with a knock-out description that will convince them to buy. Simply pasting in a specification sheet is probably going to be meaningless to most of your would-be customers and the same spec sheet can be found on every website selling the same item. Type an accurate description of the product, why it is popular with your customers, the advantage of buying that product, features and benefits versus other similar products, etc. A two paragraph unique description for every product may take longer but the rewards will follow with business. Try to mention your product name at the beginning of your description, somewhere in the middle and again towards the end and NEVER copy and paste product descriptions from competitors’ websites. After all, if the content on your site can be found on 10 other websites there is no reason for Google or any other search engine to give you a good ranking.
Seven: Try to include product reviews and customer testimonials.
In addition to your product description it’s a great idea to include a product review from an existing customer on the same product page. Not only will it add credibility to your website but it will also bolster the sales potential of the product, bringing a level of reassurance from existing customers to new customers. Either a single well written product review or one or two customer testimonials can make all the difference when promoting a product and will provide more product-related unique content for your e-commerce store.
Eight: Be clear about prices, taxes and shipping.
Your prices should be highly visible and preferably located at the top of the product page next to the product name and image. Different circumstances and countries dictate the tax situation but make it crystal clear if your prices include tax or not. You also need to be public about shipping costs, even if it’s free, preferably right beside the price. Shoppers online often abandon their baskets when a nasty shipping charge is presented on the checkout page so presenting your postage or courier costs upfront will keep your visitors fully informed. A separate “shipping and returns” page is essential on your site to display your shipping policy, your returns policy and any other terms relating to sending products to customers. It protects both the retailer and the customer and if any disputes arise in the future the shipping and returns page may be used for reference.
Why not ask your customers what they think of your e-commerce site?
Nine: Ensure good communication with your customers.
Nothing is worse than buying something from an online store only to hear absolutely nothing from the retailer – not even a thank you in some cases! Worse still, they have taken your payment from your card and the item still hasn’t arrived! Stay in contact with your customers, thank them for their orders and keep them well informed with events relating to their purchase. If your client has ordered that “Peddler Hilly500 Mountain Bike” from you and it’s out of stock – get in touch! Even a simple telephone call or polite email can save the day and gain you a lot more business through good customer referrals in the future.
Ten: Provide Top Class Customer Service
Your customers are your bread and butter and those same customers are holding the plate, so providing top class customer service is a must. Good communication, helpful assistance and a “we are pleased to hear from you” attitude can dramatically increase your online business. The old saying “the customer is always right” has never been more correct, even when they are wrong, so try to assist them whenever they require your help and be happy to resolve problems or challenges when they arise. In the virtual world, just as in the real world, problems do occur but good customer service coupled with a polite and helpful attitude will probably see your customer return to shop online at your store again!
