How to Improve Your Ecommerce Offering

in Business

Online shopping has become the go-to for most people who want to buy stuff, and post-COVID, it doesn’t look like it’ll show any signs of slowing down. That’s why companies who offer online shopping should invest in making sure they have the best possible ecommerce offering. A few simple changes can make a big difference to the service you offer, so here are some things you might want to implement.

Make sure shipping is fast

Customers expect more from shipping. They’re no longer willing to wait several days for items, and often prefer next day shipping where possible. You can also have a challenge on your hands if you ship specialist equipment, as you need the services to be reliable and safe. Consider using Rhenus High Tech, who can deliver specialist items, and also offer a general delivery service. This ensures you don’t have disappointed customers who could potentially damage your business’s reputation.

Ensure your website is easy to use

When you’re a customer, the most annoying thing is when you’re trying to buy an item online, but the website functionality is slow or unwieldly. It means you either have to try over and over or give up and use a competitor instead.

You can ensure better website functionality by:

  • Keeping video and images to a minimum for quick scrolling
  • Cutting down on tracking cookies and adverts, which cause lag
  • Making it easy to find the right product
  • Ensuring that the checkout process is fast and easy

When people shop with you, they want to be able to do it quickly, without a lot of hassle, and internet shopping should be secure for their peace of mind. Work on your website to ensure it meets your customers’ needs and get it tested by professionals if you’re unsure.

Offer a relevant range of products

A lot of online retailers fill their websites with huge amounts of products, which can be confusing for customers and can make them difficult to brand. However, too few products can make your website too niche. You should strike a balance, ensuring you have a good range, without looking like you’re stocking pretty much anything you can think of. This will ensure things are manageable and people can find what they want.

That said, if you aren’t getting the sales you want, you can look at ways to expand your customer base, which can include slightly tweaking the kind of focus you have. As with all modern businesses, flexibility and agility are key to success, so don’t stick with the same range for too long if things simply aren’t working.

No-quibble returns or refunds should be offered

The problem with online shopping, from a customer’s perspective, is that it can be a bit of a gamble. Ultimately, it’s hard to know what a product is like until it’s in your hands.

If you want to encourage people to buy, then you need to make it easy for them to return the things they don’t like. Accepting returns and giving refunds promptly and without hassle can improve your company’s reputation and ensure you have happy customers. If people are on the fence about buying, showing that you accept returns and won’t quibble can help encourage people to take the plunge.

The worst thing that small businesses can do is to quibble over refunds, insisting on restocking fees, or arguing with customers about whether you’ll give their money back. While you may save a little money on that particular transaction, one bad review from that customer can see your ratings tank.

Treat customers how you’d want to be treated

The best way to improve your ecommerce offering is to think about what you’d realistically want from an ecommerce provider and give it to your own customers. When you shop online, what do you look for? You’ll no doubt have shopped online yourself and have plenty of positive and negative experiences under your belt, so can use these experiences to build an excellent online store of your own.

There are many ways you can improve your ecommerce offering and bring new customers to your site. By working on building an excellent website and offering good customer service, you’ll soon build a great reputation in your industry.


Image Credits: Davie Bicker

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