In e-commerce, whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you’ve likely heard of hundreds of different ways to help you sell more. As an e-commerce business owner, I can tell you for sure that while having lots of information is more often a good thing, it can also be challenging to sift through the details and find the most basic pieces of data to boost your success.
The following are some of the critical dos and don’ts to keep at the basis of your e-commerce business on your way to success based on my own experience:
Don’t…..expect success overnight
This is one of the lessons I learned from Jeff Bezos- Amazon founder and CEO’s trip to e-commerce. As talented as I am in e-commerce and business development, I learned that there are definitely lessons on patience, consistency, and playing the long game, and that overnight success is 100% exaggerated.
Do…..Be true and loyal to your brand
Andrew Forbes of Forbes magazine said, “Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business.” Let your e-commerce site design, logo, color, and tone represent your heart and the originality of your brand. Let these attributes be reflected across everything from your social media posts to product descriptions. This consistency will create trust and loyal customers.
Don’t..… Expect customers to come to you
“If you create an online site, many customers will come,” is not a practical method to have a successful e-commerce business. The best approach is to go out there and advertise. You can start with members of your networks, friends, family, and social media. Effectively leveraging social media, search and shopping engine optimizations, and other online tools associates help drive qualified traffic to your website. Make sure to have your advertisement visible, that way many who come across it will be compelled to visit and browse through it.
Do…..Carefully study your customer trip
In order to maintain and attract more customers, you need to know your customers’ tastes, preferences, and how your customers prefer to buy your products and services(Visa, Mpesa, Airtel Money, Paypal) and then ensure that your e-commerce business reflects that. Understanding customers’ trips, is the path to more business and income.
Don’t…..Forget to Keep your site fresh
Yes, it’s great to have fast-moving products. However, you don’t want to be monotonous especially if you’re looking to expand your online business. To maintain and attract even more consumers, it is important to keep your site fascinating and vibrant. Make sure your content, products, and promotions are up to date, especially during promo seasons such as Mother’s day, Christmas, back to school, etc.
This will help you sell more products and limit repeat visitors from going elsewhere looking
for new ideas and featured products.
Do…..Make your products pop
Your customers cannot touch and inspect any online items. So to increase engagement, stimulate their other senses by using high-quality images. Give them the inside, outside, and 360° view of your products. In addition, use colorful and elaborate descriptions to outline the merchandise. Customers’ good experience sells more.
Don’t.…. Let your checkout be lengthy
Most online shoppers prefer a fast check-out. Your customers should never be more than 2 or 3 clicks away from your checkout. This will improve customer experience and improve the probability of the next site visit and purchase.
Do…..Use a secure site for your customers
Many purchasers are weary of online con and fraud. Ease customers’ weariness of shopping online by ensuring your website has SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certification that’s visible on your checkout page. This ensures consumers of the authenticity of your business.
Don’t..… Edit out negative reviews
The saying, “You can’t please all of the people all the time” is accurate. We all need to accept that getting negative reviews are a part of life, nothing more, nothing less. Editing negative comments and reviews from your website in favor of glowing testimonials has a high probability of harming your business and making you look untrustworthy. So let the negative reviews stay as they are and take them as positive critiques.
Do…..Provide excellent customer service
Customers like to feel that there are real flesh-and-blood humans behind the web presence. Engage with your customers, answer all queries they may have, and even make suggestions. Provide them with a positive experience at every turn by relating with them. This can improve your business sales as many customers may refer your site to others.
While some of these seem obvious, it doesn’t hurt to keep them in mind as you continue expanding your online business, experience, and presence. Remember: simplicity is always best!
