Your eCommerce website acts like your online, virtual shop window, and unless it engages prospects immediately, they will leave and visit a competitor. December is the time of retail decline as the Christmas purchases are more and more often made already in November - so what will help you to minimize this trend?
In order to boost your web traffic and sales, you must make sure the basic technicalities are done right on your website.
Eliminate the probable mistakes and you can look for further ways to increase your conversion rate and boost your eCommerce. Now - to the facts!
Mistakes eCommerce businesses make during peak season sales
- Poor product images - Every product you sell should have at least one compelling image. And, if you can, offer several, as customers like having the ability to examine items from every angle.
- Inaccurate content and descriptions - Lack of information about products, and typos in your product descriptions, will not just frustrate your customers but will have a negative impact on your Google ranking. So, feature meaningful descriptions with accurate details. And, remember to write for human readers, not crawler scripts.
- Confusing navigation - User experience and the way your audience navigates around your website should be simple and easy. Consider users that are visiting your site for the first time, and the placement of links, the basket icon, and contact details.
- Lack of customer service - Your business email address, phone number, physical address and returns information should be easily found. Lack of customer service details is a sign that a company has something to hide.
Images and descriptions are quick fixes while adjusting your navigation can take a little bit more time. You could think that setting up great customer service would take time but nowadays a live chat solution makes your life much easier. So what else can you do?
3 Ways to boost your eCommerce sales
1) Provide a personalised online shopping experience
Physical stores are all about using human interaction and sales techniques to boost sales.
From the moment a customer walks into a shop, sales assistants can make recommendations and provide guidance to push them to the moment of purchase.
To stand out in the competitive eCommerce landscape, and increase sale opportunities, consider delivering this same customer experience online.
2) Implement Live chat support for your eCommerce website
Live chat can be used as an online customer service platform, and boost your sales team’s levels of productivity.
Research has shown that customers prefer live chat due to its convenience and accessibility (and our own case studies back that), and it helps customers feel welcome, whilst providing an effective way for you to promote your business offering.
In addition, it allows customers to ask questions and have them answered immediately, acting as a great alternative to ringing up a customer support line and being put on hold.
3) Use visitor data to provide a proactive service
Live chat technology can support your sales team by providing valuable insights into your customers and visitors. For example, you can gain insight into when users visit your site, and how long they stay on certain pages.
Your sales team can then use this information to their advantage and engage with customers at the right time, which helps combat shopping cart abandonment and presents more upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
And, unlike call centres and physical stores, live chat can be provided 24/7, no matter what time of day a customer wants support - even in December.
Suddenly, you now possess some tools to tackle your eCommerce - how about crushing it!
Read our guide on how to succeed this peak season and beyond, and get 10 tips for your eCommerce strategy!
