Are you struggling to sell online? There are a couple of reasons that you may be. Check out the list below and see if you fall into any other these categories so you can make a change to your online business today!
Unprofessional & Dated Designs
As we are commonly learning day by day in our society, visuals and visual quality matter. That’s why people are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on things that look great and aren’t functional (why many of our businesses survive).
But in all seriousness, customers are less willing to buy for sites with outdated web design and ads. They see it as being unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Poor User Experience
This could mean many things. A colour scheme that hurts their eyes, non-mobile-friendly sites, irrelevant pop-ups, and even interrupting their user experience with your pop-ups. Ensure that your site is friendly for today’s users and naturally suggests enhancements instead of pushing your ads.
Missing & Unclear Product Information
No one wants a long story on the product (unless it’s a huge purchase). They prefer the short and sweet, but that contains all the relevant information they will need to make their decision and compare the product to competitors product.
Similarly, people want to see pictures of the product. They do not want to see the same image 28 times. They want to see the different angles, the small, infrequent details of the product.
Reviews could serve as product information. Reviews will determine if the customer can trust you, and when it comes down to the purchase, if they are deciding between two, the one with the higher reviews will typically get the sale.
Selling Still Matters
You still need to work to sell. By that, I mean writing a good, solid and compelling sales pitch for the product. What benefits will the customer gain by owning it? How is it going to make their life better? How is it better than the competitors? Knowing your target market in depth with be a strong determiner of how well you will connect with them on this part of your sales platform.
No Reviews
Red flag. Everything and everyone has reviews these days. So make sure your products offer them too. Go back and offer something to previous customers if you must to get reviews on your site. But make sure you have them. They build trust and determine whether you get the sale or your competitor does.
Too Complex of a Checkout Process
I personally always say (and it drives my partner insane) “why on earth would I work hard to give someone else my hard-earned money? It should be so easy and painless. They should be lining up for my cash and working for it, not the other way around” (insert my partner’s eye roll here). But it’s true! If you’re going to make me jump through hoops, I’ll go to your competitor. People are lazy. Don’t give them one more reason to be.
Long Delivery & Poor Tracking
Let’s be honest; Amazon has set the standard too high for every other online business out there. Seriously? Free two-day shipping… How do the little guys compete with that? Easy. Humans are still human and can be understanding and compassionate, ONLY if you set expectations. In reality, people want to support the little guy but don’t like it when shopping with the little guy goes wrong. Just be upfront when shipping takes too long, the tracking is a mess, or anything else. If it doesn’t work for them, well, they will buy from Amazon. But spend a couple of bucks extra to make sure you are meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
No or Non-Flexible Return Policy
When people can’t return or exchange things, they are more hesitant to buy it. So look at options that may be feasible for your business today and let your customers know about it before they start checking out.
All in all, the point is to make it as easy as possible to shop online. It’s like inviting someone into your home, make it comfortable, don’t harass them, don’t be complicated just be upfront and honest, and have them back when they want to see you again with open arms and right where you left off (with items in your basket). It will be a rewarding friendship.
Happy posting!
~ Aethra & Brontide Consulting