No matter how profitable your eCommerce website is, there is always room for improvement. You should constantly search for new ways to make your website more user friendly and a big part of this is related to the shopping cart. This software will turn your visitors into buyers and you have to make sure that those who decide to place something in their shopping cart can checkout easily without any kind of problems.

Basic Functionality Improvements

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After you install a shopping cart system, there are a few little tweaks that need to be made. You should take a look at what the software has to offer and see if your online store is truly functional. Your buyers should be able to modify the quantity of the product directly from the cart, instead of having to click on the “add to cart” button over and over again. A link that goes to the product page should be placed below each item and it should open the page somewhere in the background. Another important thing is the total price, so find out if this information is available and clearly visible.

Increasing Sales through Your Shopping Cart

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Increasing sales is quite easy if you know how to add a few important details next to your shopping cart. A good strategy is to add links to similar items; this will keep your customers interested and they will eventually find a product that they didn’t intent to purchase in the first place.

Once they reach the checkout page, many people won’t like their long list of items and they will be surprised by the total price. Their analytical side of the brain will kick in and they will try to get right of the products which have unfamiliar names. A good way to stop this from happening is adding thumbnails next to the name of each product. If you can see exactly what you’re buying, you won’t feel the need to take it out of the shopping cart.

As a final method of increasing sales, you can add a “free shipping if you order x more products” button. This way, some people will prefer to save on the costs of shipping and they will add a few extra items.

Reducing Shopping Cart Abandonment

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The number one reason for shopping cart abandonment is a high shipping price. This is exactly why the total costs should be displayed on the same page as the products. This will reduce the shopping cart abandonment rate drastically. Another strategy is to keep the process as simple as possible. This way, even those who are not interested in registering for your website will still be able to place their orders rapidly and effectively.

If you manage to get the email address of your potential buyers before they abandon their shopping cart, you might want to send them an email with a special discount coupon for their order. This will help you gain a few customers if you make the right offer.

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When someone is interested in buying a new product, they will most likely try to find it through a search engine. Because there are dozens of online stores that offer similar prices and products, a good way to differentiate yourself is by making your products look more attractive than the ones sold by your competitors. Even if you are selling the exact same item, you can still win some customers over by offering the right pieces of information and details.

The Little Things That Matter

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With a few exceptions, most customers who are shopping online are well aware of the difference between going to a real store and going to a virtual one. It is your job to compensate for the fact that people can’t pick your products up, they can’t feel their texture and they can’t ask the store clerk about it. Because of this, you should always add more pictures than your competitors. If you take a few unique shots from every single angle, you will satisfy even the most curious customer. You can also add pictures next to an object of reference or you can add its measurements. Keep in mind that some people prefer the metric system and others the imperial, so try to include a converter, or simply write down both measurements. Another good idea is to add in depth description on how the products look and feel and on how they can be used.

Use Persuasion Strategies

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In some cases, people will need more than a few pictures and measurements to make up their mind. This is why adding testimonials and reviews plays such an important role in any online store. After your products reach their destination, always ask for feedback on how they work and try to offer full transparency. This will not only increase your sales, but it will also help your avoid product returns since people will find exactly what they need without too much effort.

Encourage Visitors To Ask Questions

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A common problem with online stores is the high shopping cart abandonment rate. One of the reasons for dropping an order is not finding the answer to a question about the product, shipping or payment method. Because there are plenty of websites to choose from, most people have no problem searching for what they need in another online store. If you add a large “ask a question” button, they will be more inclined to contact your customer support team and find out what they need about your products. This addition to your website will help settle the minds of any indecisive customers you have left and it will help increase your sales.

Conclusion

No matter what you are selling, you have to make sure that each and every one of your products will be presented at its full potential. If you add enough detailed pictures, a long and very explicit description and the reviews from previous customers, your new visitors will be more inclined to make the purchase.

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Adding security features to an eCommerce website is not only recommended, it is also necessary. You need to make sure that your customers can give out their credit card information and that it won’t fall into the wrong hands. But how do these safety features affect your sales? Are people more likely to make purchases on websites with many security add-ons or on websites that aren’t focused on credit card security? The answer is somewhere in between.

Necessary Security Measures

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SSL certificates are viewed as the standard in eCommerce and running a large online business is almost impossible without this security feature. Most people feel comfortable entering their credit card information once they see the SSL logo and there is no doubt that such a feature will be beneficial. Other merchants offer similar tools for security, but the point is always the same: the transfer of information is encrypted and you can be sure that your credit card information will be kept secret.

Decreasing Sales with Security Features

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If people reach the checkout page and they need to jump through hoops before you give them the chance to place their order, they will most likely leave your store and increase your shopping card abandonment rate. A good example is adding a Captcha code next to the registration form. Users don’t like deciphering these codes and you need to find another way to deter spammers. Some of today’s Captcha codes are quite complicated and there is no reason to add them to an online store.

Security Warnings

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The worst feature that can be implemented in an eCommerce store is the pop up security warning. Most people who are navigating the internet are not very familiar with how online payments work and they are very skeptical when it comes to giving out their credit card information. If a security warning appears on the screen, there are high chances that they will simply get scared and avoid making the purchase altogether. You shouldn’t give your customers the chance to panic: just implement the necessary features and make sure that your website is secure when it comes to online payments.

Drawing the Line

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You need to draw the line between being safe and exaggerating. Online frauds happen, but you shouldn’t put your website under lockdown just because someone might make a purchase using a stolen credit card. Security features are necessary and your visitors should see a few logos that attest to the fact that your website is safe to use, but don’t add more measures that necessary. As long as you know when to stop and you don’t make your visitors feel uncomfortable, your sales will increase gradually and no one will drop their order because of your security features.

Conclusion

In the end, finding a balance is necessary if you want your sales to remain unaffected. If you add too many security measures, your shopping cart abandonment rate might increase, so don’t go overboard in this department. You simply have to make sure that your website is secure by using the most common security measures around and keep the pressure off your visitors.

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An important part of running a successful business is knowing how to deal with your customers. The customer service team needs to be well prepared and always available if you want people to gain confidence in your eCommerce website. Let’s see what you can do to improve the quality of your services and keep your customers happy.

What Do People Expect From Customer Service?

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Most people who shop online will have certain expectations that need to be met. Because your online store is open 24/7, you should provide customer support around the clock. If a client has an important question about a product, he will search for the answer somewhere else if you are not there to help him. Another important thing about customer service is that your team needs to be prepared. You can’t hire people who have doubts about how your website works and about products in general.

What Can Go Wrong?

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Without the right customer service strategy, your buyers will turn their attention towards other websites that can offer the support they need. Even worse, those who have a problem with the products they’ve already purchased, but can’t get a hold of the customer support team, will most likely spread the word. Studies have shown that unsatisfied customers complain about their experience to at least 10 people, which is definitely bad for business.

Easy Ways to Improve Customer Service

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Luckily, there are a few ways to improve your customer service. First, you should focus on offering as many details about products, payment methods and shipping directly on your website. Add a frequently asked questions page and include as many questions as you can. This way, people won’t feel the need to contact your customer support team altogether. Plus, they won’t have any problems with their products since they will know exactly what they’re buying. However, if someone still has a question and decides to send an email, try to make sure that the team you hired can handle any problem and that they can send a response rapidly. Unfortunately, there is no way around it: you will have to hire a few people to deal with your customers.

Dealing with Difficult Customers

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Because difficult customers are bound to appear, you have to set up a strategy on how to deal with them. You need to make sure that even if you are right and they are wrong, your customer support team will be as polite as possible and that they will manage to solve any problems in a discreet way. Offering discount coupons and other prizes is recommended especially if you feel that your online store caused a misunderstanding or any other kind of problem.

Conclusion

Putting some extra attention into customer support is quite important when it comes to eCommerce. The more happy customers you have, the easier it will be for your online store to grow, so focus on implementing the right strategy and hiring the right customer service team.

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Any eCommerce website owner should struggle to offer the best buying experience for his customers. A big part of purchasing a product online revolves around the checkout process. If placing the actual order is too difficult, some customers will get frustrated and others will even drop their order, so it is your job to make sure that each and every one of your clients can make an order rapidly and without too much hassle. Here are some of the things you can do if you want to make the checkout process simpler.

Reaching the Checkout Page

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As a rule of thumb, once the visitor enters the product page, he should be able to reach the checkout page in one click only. You should never add unnecessary pages between the product and the checkout page, so make sure that your online store has a clear, large checkout button for those who want to end their shopping session rapidly.

Checkout Accessibility

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As soon as your visitors click on the checkout page, they should have access to a simple checkout form and the secure payment form on the same page or, worst case scenario, on the next one. Adding a registration form between your products and the checkout page will prove to be a deterrent because people don’t want to spend their time validating email addresses and choosing usernames and passwords for their accounts. Many people will drop their shopping cart on the spot if they don’t have the time to register or if they don’t know how to do this. You should focus on requesting the pieces of information you actually need for the shipment, such as the name, address, email address and credit card information.

Payment Options

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Offering multiple payment options on the same page is the best way to keep your customers happy. They will simply choose the most convenient option for them and they will complete the checkout process easily. If you place the payment options on multiple pages, some potential customers might leave your website before they reach the page that contains their preferred payment option.

Offer the Right Pieces of Information

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Before your customers reach the checkout page, they should have enough information about the products they are interested in and the shipping costs that go along with the order. Once they reach the payment processing page, you should offer a few extra pieces of information about your product return policy and anything else that might be relevant. The more information you offer, the higher the chances that your customers will complete the order.

Conclusion

In the end, customers will put a lot of though into choosing the right products and adding them to their shopping cart. Once they’re done, they will expect the checkout process to go smoothly, so try your best to optimize your eCommerce website to their needs and start making the changes that will keep your customers happy: add detailed product descriptions, include more payment options and don’t add a registration form.

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One of the easiest problems to avoid when running an online store is reducing the number of product returns. No matter what you are selling, you should find a way to stop people from returning your products. The best way of doing this is by making each and every one of your customers happy with their order and making sure that they receive what they pay for. If you apply these strategies, you won’t have to waste money and time because the number of product returns will decrease considerably.

Focus Your Attention on The Products

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When you are adding new products to your online store, you have to add the proper descriptions and images next to them. The more detailed your descriptions, the lower the chances of receiving that product back. If you don’t want to describe the product yourself, you should hire someone to write a simple review; this way, the customers will know the exact size of each product, the material it was made from and any other detail that might be significant. It is very important to add images next to each product, preferably from many different angles, next to an object of reference so that the customer gets a better idea of the size and you should upload the images in high resolution. Even if the product is normally accompanied by a thumbnail, you should allow customers to view the original image; this way, they will notice the subtle details.

Always Ask for Feedback

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A good way to keep your customers happy is by allowing them to write small reviews next to any product from your online store. This way, your new visitors will receive more information about the products that they are interested in directly from those who already bought them. Many website have implemented a rating system and you should consider this option too.

Customer Support

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If you manage to create a bond between you and your customers, you won’t have to worry about product returns anymore. Your customer support team should have access to all the information available about each product and they need to be online 24/7. This way, if someone has a question about a product that they want to order, they will receive an answer instantly and they will know which product is the right one for their needs. Your customer support team should make recommendations on products and they need to make sure the customers receive what they need.

Conclusion

Many people know what they want, but only few of them know which product can satisfy their needs properly. You can make your customers’ jobs easier by adding insightful descriptions and many detailed pictures to go along with each product. Plus, the customer support team will always be there to deal with those who are indecisive, so you can be sure that each product you decide to ship out will be the right one. If you implement these tips, your product return rate will decrease sooner than you think.

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In the online world, shopping cart abandonment is a real problem and most website owners have to deal with it one way or another. Just because a person found a few products they are interested in, it doesn’t mean that they will go through with the order. Here is what you can do if you want to reduce your shopping cart abandonment rate.

Why Are Shoppers Backing Out At The Last Minute?

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Finding a solution against shopping cart abandonment is easier for those who can figure out the cause. Unfortunately, the reasons are different from person to person, so pin pointing the motive is quite difficult. You need to take a look at the most common reasons and figure out which one is most likely for your online store.

Is Your Website User-Friendly?

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Because many of those who are shopping online are not familiar with the process, you need to make sure that your website can be operated even by people who don’t know how to use a computer. Make sure that your checkout button is visible and that once people reach the checkout page, they only have to fill in a few fields before they make the order. If you add a registration form and email verification, they might get confused and abandon the order. You also have to make sure that your online store is displayed properly in every browser and that your customers don’t have to install additional plug-ins if they want to surf your website.

Does Your Website Inspire Confidence?

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Most people who are shopping online are not interested in the way the transaction works until they reach the checkout page. This is when they will decide if they are happy with the payment options you are providing, if they will send you their credit card information and if they are really going to make the order. This is why you should make sure that you offer information about shipping and any other cost in advance. No one wants to spend half an hour searching for the right product only to find that shipping costs twice as much as the product itself. It is your job to make sure that your customers get access to all of the information they need before they reach the checkout page. This way, there will be no surprises and if you have their preferred payment method included, they will most likely place the order.

Dealing With Indecisive Customers

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Some of the people who reach the checkout page decide to forget about their order once they see the total amount they have to pay. It is human nature and the best way to deal with it is by offering extra incentive. The moment your customers reach the payment page, you should offer a deal like free shipping, a special prize or a discount coupon for future orders. This way, your customers will feel like they are gaining more than what they are paying for and the chances of shopping cart abandonment will be lowered.

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One of the main benefits of running an online store is that you can get instant access to one billion potential customers. This is the number of people who currently have access to the internet and more and more people are entering the online world as we speak. Instead of limiting yourself to your city or country, you can easily increase your profit by going global. Here is what you need to think about before making the decision.

Market Research

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When you are setting up your marketing budget, you need to analyze the market and pin point your target buyers. If you assume that more clients will come from France than from Poland, you should focus your financial resources on French advertisements and banners. However, you shouldn’t neglect Poland either. You need to offer world wide shipping because even if you don’t receive many orders from a country, there is no reason to exclude it from your list. Even without advertising in a specific country, people will start finding out about your website and you shouldn’t restrict their access.

Shipping And Handling

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The most complicated part is finding a shipping company that can handle your needs at a reasonable price. This depends on what you are trying to ship, but you will eventually find a reasonable solution if you spend some time researching. No matter which company you choose, focus on offering a tracking service for your customers, so that they always know where their product is.

Optimizing Your Website

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Any online store can work perfectly with one or two thousands visitors per day, but those who plan on going global should focus on a better hosting package. You need to be prepared for growth, so try to focus on how many visitors can surf your website at the same time without causing it to slow down or crash. Those who want to expand their business to a different continent should consider getting a dedicated server for their off shore needs.

If you are focusing on a few countries in particular, you might want to offer the option of changing the language of your website, but this is not always necessary. A more important step is offering a conversion page if you are using imperial units and your visitors are interested in metric measurements.

Understanding The Market

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Online shopping is popular in most of the countries that have access to the internet, but you have to understand their needs if you want to bring your products into their homes. Make sure that you specify how much shipping costs, that they might have to pay extra fees at their customs office and include all of the payment options you have at your disposal.

Conclusion

There is no reason to limit your online store by offering your services and products in only one country. You should take the first steps and inform yourself on what it takes to ship products oversees and figure out if making this change can prove to be beneficial for your business.

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From time to time, sending an email to each and every one of your customers is recommended. But before you press the “send” button, you need to take a few steps back and figure out exactly how to create a successful email marketing campaign. This way, you won’t disturb your customers and the result will be a success.

Email Marketing Basics

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The first things that you need to figure out are why you are trying to start the email marketing campaign and your main objectives. No matter what you are searching for, make sure that you are creating an email that will help you obtain what you need. For example, if you are trying to convert visitors into buyers, focus on writing a sales letter more than a regular email or if you are simply trying to get some attention, try coming out with a few special offers or prizes.

Writing The Email

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When you are writing the email, you should focus on the overall format, the pictures you decide to include, your tone and the information that needs to go through. Sometimes it is best to keep it concise and leave them wanting more, but other times you might want to go into detail. The most important part is coming up with an original subject line; if you can’t write something attractive, most people will ignore your email or consider it spam. This is exactly why, most of the time, it is better to hire a professional for the writing part of the deal. Keep in mind that most people are not interested in regular updates, so try focusing on a clear and valuable message. This way, the person who is reading it won’t feel like you just wasted his time.

When to Send The Email

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The best moments for starting an email campaign for an ecommerce website are when you first launch it, when you are offering major discounts and during the holidays. Other than that, there really isn’t much reason to send an email, at least from the consumer point of view. Because you are trying to keep your visitors happy, make them feel like you are offering a deal and that they are lucky to receive your emails. The best way to do this is by offering free shipping to those who make an order as a result from reading the email or by including a discount code in every promotional email you send. If you try to be creative and you know how to put yourself in the customers’ shoes, you should figure out what they want and you will know how to make it happen.

Conclusion

As long as you know why are you trying to start an email marketing campaign and how to attract the attention of your potential customers, you shouldn’t have any problems creating the right email and reaching your objectives. Just focus on every step of the process and you will obtain great results.

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If you are running an eCommerce website, you will often have to deal with credit card fraud. When this happens, you will lose valuable time and money. Luckily, if you take a closer look at your transactions, you won’t have to worry about chargebacks anymore and you will avoid dealing with dishonest people. All you have to do is follow a few easy steps and you will be able to avoid fraud in most situations.

1. Check the IP Address

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A good way to detect fraud or suspicious behavior is to check the IP address of each order and match it to the destination of the shipment. There are many free programs and websites that can trace IP addresses and if you notice that a large order is being placed for a different location than that of the IP address, you should take a closer look at the buyer. You can also find out if the order was placed through an anonymous proxy. In this case, the chances of fraud are even higher since most people would not try to hide their location without a reason. This is not an exact science and sometimes the buyer will be honest, but it is best to double check if something is suspicious and the order exceeds a couple thousands of dollars.

2. Ask For an ID

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Most people who attempt to purchase items with the help of a stolen credit card will run into problems if you ask them for their ID. A false driver license is not easy to obtain, so you should ask for one if you have any reason to suspect that the order is fraudulent. You shouldn’t bother your regular customers with extra identification methods, but those who want to make large orders should abide to these rules.

3. Look At The Country of Destination

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You can find a list of high risk countries on the internet, but you shouldn’t put much work into it. Just because fraud is more prevalent in some nations, you shouldn’t punish every client that lives there. Try to use this method of detecting fraud only if the buyer offers you some other reason to be suspicious.

4. Hire an Anti-Fraud Expert

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The best way to make sure that you won’t have to deal with fraud is to hire someone who can improve the quality of your services and keep an eye on every transaction. Anti-fraud experts can implement new methods of stopping suspicious transactions and they can lower the total number of chargebacks you usually have to deal with. The right person will implement a better credit card processing strategy and he will offer some extra tips on how to avoid fraud.

Conclusion

Detecting fraud is a difficult job and sometimes it is best to let the professionals handle it. If you don’t want to spend money in this department, you will have to take a closer look at each transaction and rely on your instincts if you want to catch fraud before it happens.

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