These days consumers have more choice and more options of where to shop than ever before, no longer is shopping done solely on the high street, consumers now have the option to shop on independent ecommerce websites, online marketplaces and even through social media. Whilst these new developments are great for consumers looking for convenient ways to buy, it also means that if businesses are looking to keep customers interested and grab attention then there’s plenty to consider.
In order to keep customers engaged and even to appeal to new customers you need to be able to ensure a positive customer experience to all of your customers, which will lead them to keep coming back for years to come.
Fast loading times
Todays customers want they information they need in one click, online shopping is all about convenience and if a website fails to loads or takes too long to process information it’ll quickly drive your customers away. You should always aim to keep your website load time within around 3 seconds, any longer and visitors will likely get frustrated and go for the back button. Not only can a slow website be frustrating for customers it can also lead many to assume your business, similarly to your website, is also slow and untrustworthy, again leading them to shop elsewhere.
Responsive websiteÂ
Don’t forget that your website also needs to be mobile and tablet friendly, what may seem like common sense is sometimes still forgotten by many businesses, leading to high bounce rates and few leads or sales. With so many different screen sizes out there and with a continually increasing amount of people using mobiles and tablets to shop online, it’s important to reach out to these audiences from the get go, rather than them arriving on your website to find it confusing and designed only for desktop users.
Focus on navigationÂ
Customers want to be able to navigate around your website easily, without becoming confused or lost. It’s important that your website navigation is simple for your customers to use and that every bit of information needed can be found with as few clicks and necessary. If your customers have too much information and find themselves endlessly scrolling or clicking to find out more then it’s likely they’ll get bored or frustrated with your website and leave, meaning you’ll lose out massively.
Clear contentÂ
Your content is one of the most important factors of your website, from your images to your copy to your font style, it all matters, so it’s important it’s not underestimated. Your customers want high quality photographs and clear copy, not blurry, low resolution images and nonsensical text which confuses customers more than it does inform them. This is especially true if you’re selling online or promoting a location such as a hotel or restaurant. Low quality images don’t show off your business for how great it actually is and low quality writing can make your business seem confusing and unprofessional, don’t ignore your content.
Simple checkout process
One of the most essential parts of your ecommerce store is your checkout process and yet it’s often one of the most overlooked parts of the building process. Your checkout process needs to be seamless, streamlined and simple, letting customers shop easily and navigate through the checkout in a straightforward manner. People want to be able to fly through the checkout process, entering only the most important details and making an order in a few clicks. If it takes too long for people to make a purchase then it’s incredibly likely that they’ll go to your competitor to find a simpler way to buy.
As an ecommerce store your main focus should be on offering a great customer experience one which not only encourages sales, but one which also helps build and develop a great customer relationship, as well as building long lasting loyalty.
