When you have an Ecommerce operation as part of your business (perhaps all of it), you of course want it to be firing on all cylinders.
While that is certainly the goal, there are a number of issues that can creep up, issues that can end up costing you customers and of course revenue.
With that in mind, when was the most recent time you looked at how your Ecommerce numbers are doing? If they seem to be a little stagnant, can you pinpoint why that is?
Unfortunately, waiting too long to get to the bottom of Ecommerce hiccups can end up being a dollar short and a day late.
The bottom line is that when Ecommerce is a major part of your business operation, you can’t afford to have issues slipping through the cracks.
That said is your Ecommerce operation firing on all cylinders?
Know What to Look for
So that you are able to spot any potential gaffes in your Ecommerce operations, know what to look for.
Among the potential bumps in the road:
1. Website woes
For starters, is your website a downright mess? If so, you are cooking up a recipe for disaster.
Keep in mind that your website says much about your business.
When the site is well-run, organized, and provides consumers with all the information they need to know about you and your operation, things tend to run smoothly.
On the flip side, a site that is unorganized, has numerous broken links and other errors, and is hard to produce information for consumers, that’s a site with problems.
When you operate an ecommerce website, there are many aspects of website design and maintenance to focus on, but one you cannot ignore is online visual merchandising. When you want to engage customers in person, you can use shelves of displayed products to do it. On an ecommerce website, you have to rely on visual-merchandising tactics, instead. Those tactics extend from the way you pair text with images to how you arrange those images. For example, placing images of similar products together may encourage your customers to make extra purchases. The use of testimonial videos and other visual elements can also help you paint a full picture of the products for your customers and cause them to spend more time on your site.
2. Lack of customer service
Stop for a moment and think about how you like to be treated as a customer when shopping.
If you are trying to place an order with your credit card, the order should be rather smooth, yes? Unfortunately, too many customers know that is oftentimes not the case.
Some customers will get all the way through the process and reach the checkout, only to see the order not be completed. In some instances, they will have to start all over again. For the business owner, he or she should know all too well that some customers will just say the heck with it.
So that your business does not regularly fall victim to such problems, make sure you have secure credit card processing services in place. In doing so, you will certainly open up the doors for more business, along with a reputation of security and a solid customer service.
Lastly, be sure that your customers’ personal information is protected with each and every transaction.
In a day and age where identity theft is a big concern, don’t scare customers off by letting them think you don’t make security a major priority.
Socializing Media and the Ecommerce Experience
3. Not investing in social media
If you’ve been slow to warm to social media in recent years, you likely do not know how many opportunities you are passing up.
Social media is one of the ways you can best promote your Ecommerce operations.
With action on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other social pages, be sure to let consumers know that you are open for online business.
In doing so, you will make it much easier for consumers to find your website and all it has to offer.
Part of those promotions should of course include content on your blog.
That content can address:
- How your Ecommerce operations work
- How it betters the lives of customers
- How it makes it easier to shop from the comforts of your home or office.
Lastly, make sure you allow and accept feedback from consumers.
What do they like about your Ecommerce operations? What could be streamlined to make things smoother? What are you doing (or not doing for that matter) as opposed to direct competitors?
When you engage with customers, you stand a much better chance of earning their business for the long haul.
With no signs of U.S. Ecommerce slowing down anytime soon, make sure your process is firing on all cylinders.
