7 CRO tactics for your ecommerce store

Ingredients to increase you Ecommerce conversions

Let’s take a moment and think about your favourite shoe brand – Is it really a brand or is it an Ecommerce store just like any other? How did it became your favourite? Well, the answer is straightforward. Of the online brands that initially spring up as an Ecommerce store, their evolution into an effective brand depends on what kinds of products and services they provide, and more importantly what they do to make their customers feel happy and satisfied. Then, a brand becomes more of a feeling that drives customers to your store.

Fundamentals of E-Commerce branding

Before you decide on a successful brand strategy, you must have a sound understanding of your own business. Start by brainstorming on following issues to discover what makes your brand stand out.

• Does your online business have a goal?
• Does your product solve any problems?
• What your customers think of your business?
• What your visitors think of your business?

Ideally, you will be able to answer these questions, but it is even better if you promote these on your online store. For instance, a 'Company Philosophy' page to promote your business’s message or a 'Customer Reviews' page to let visitors know what existing customers think about your business. Try getting into your customer’s head by asking them for feedback.

If you feel a drastic increase in your conversions, know that you are succeeding in keeping up with your customers’ expectations and you have already started evolving into a brand. There are a lot many other factors, which contribute more or less to help you create a brand of your Ecommerce store, but here we will focus mainly on what it takes for the customer retention and increasing conversions.

• 1. Create demo videos for your Home and Landing Pages

Adding videos that demonstrate how your product functions is a great step towards convincing your visitors that you sell quality products. Watching the direct benefits of your products highlighted in the video is highly useful as it equip the customers with knowledge. This knowledge will help them know that they are getting a product that is simply mean't to fulfill their needs.

Also, think about a video presenting a glimpse of the manufacturing process of your goods. People enjoy behind-the-scenes kind of video because it makes them happy to know what goes into their favourite products.

• 2.  Flawlessly working Search Function

You know the exact product name, number and other details and still the website does not show the results, then you might be knowing this frustration very well. A missing filter such as brand, size, price can instantly drive back potential customers. People have very less tolerance for poor search functionality, and will take their business elsewhere.

To hold them onto your site, make sure the search function of the website is fully functional and accurate. But, that’s the basic; to get better results, you need some better tools too. There are various popular online tracking and monitoring tools like KISSmetrics and Crazy Egg. With the data from all these research tools, you will be able to carry out better improvements to search functionality and customer retention.

• 3. Reinforce your Product Pages

Know that once the visitors are on the product page, they are just one step away from converting to customers. To increase the chances of conversions, you need to be sure that images for each product should be original and of the highest quality. Try taking pictures from various angles and lighting effects; in short, avoid anything that might cause them to surprise when they receive the actual product.

Here's an example below from Harry's.

Indeed, not every e-commerce website is able to integrate fully featured rating system, product videos, and more, as they might bog down its speed if you are running a slow host. But, you should consider high quality images, product availability, product basic description, wishlist option, and basic rating and review system as meeting an Ecommerce standard. 

• 4. No Surprises with price

Think of a product you like, and you get to know that you cannot afford it just before when it comes to making payment. In short, customers do not like surprises when it comes to the price.

Display price on the product page itself; and if you are giving discounts or deals, list them there. Do not make them wait until the item has been added to the shopping cart or until they checkout. Also, do not keep the delivery and handling charges hidden. It may lead to cart abandonment. 

• 5. Encourage buyers to rate your products

Customer ratings can basically be helpful for the new visitors on your website. It creates a positive feeling about your website and goods you sell. Also, asking for the reviews will make your current customers feel valued and part of your business. Posting new reviews is a great way to keep your site look fresh, and giving a boost to your reputation.           (source: www.amazon.com)

• 6. Quick effortless checkout

You might be thinking that once the customers are in a checkout process, they are surely going to complete it. Well, that’s not the case every time. If your site does not assure your customers about the security of their personal information, you might lose them. Moreover, do not ask them to fill a long list of details that is not required as well as never make them type the same information again. It just brings in the risk of typos and adds fussiness to the process. 

• 7. No compulsion to register

According to a research, one of the most common reasons for customer abandonment is compulsory site registration. Keep the registration optional, and allow them to checkout as a guest if they do not want to register. Simultaneously, point out the benefits of registration like order tracking, or better customer support.

These are just a few points, but hopefully the most influential ones. With just a little bit of care, you can easily avoid things that affect customer happiness and satisfaction, and then your conversion rate will take care of itself.

Thanks to Christopher Meloni for sharing his advice and opinions in this post. Christopher is a Marketing Manager at Dealslands UK, within a fast growing online coupon industry. Apart from his profession, he also has a passion for the Ecommerce Industry and likes to explore new and innovative methods of marketing within his field. You can follow the company on Facebook or Twitter.

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