You’ve combed all the malls for that perfect gift for your girl friend without luck. Do not be surprised to find that you got just the thing you wanted on the web. E-commerce is now so much a part of the mainstream shopping experience that today shoppers tend to buy anything, starting from a simple pen set to expensive camera gear from the web.
Reasons for the Shift from Brick and Mortar Retailers to Online Shops
A few compelling reasons stand out when we analyze why the shoppers of today are opting more and more for online shops.
* Experience: More and more people are comfortable buying online. They are saved from the hassle of travel. They can buy from the comfort of their home and at any convenient time they wish.
* Wide Selection: Consumers have more choices because they can survey plenty of online stores just by a few clicks of the mouse.
Factors to consider while setting up an E-commerce site
If you are a newbie wanting to start an E-commerce Website, the going will not be a breeze unless you sort out the following issues.
* Focus on Your Customers Needs: Customers need to know what value you are providing. You must highlight why they should buy from you. Is your price more competitive? Are you offering discounts that others are not? Do you have a wider range of products? Are your shipments faster?
* Create Easy Navigation: Your website needs to be well designed so that web surfers will find it easy to navigate and search for the products they want. A search bar appropriately located on the E-commerce Website will help surfers type in the product name and jump straight to the product’s page. Multiple ways to help customers find new products will provide that extra punch to your E-commerce Website. You can do this by showcasing featured products on the home page of your portal. You can even drive more sales by adding personalized recommendations for customers’ special area of interest.
* Create an interactive forum where customers can provide feedback for products. A thriving feedback forum adds new information that visitors love to go through. It will help boost your sales.
* Create User Friendly Graphics: Customers love to see attractive images of products with information about them. This makes it easier to decide when buying. Customers must find it easy to collect multiple items in the shopping cart.
* Simplify The Check Out Procedure: You must make it easy for the customer to go through the entire procedure of check out. A cumbersome process can make your customers want to exit from your website.
* Include Advanced Features: Adding features like including personalized notes while shipping, especially for gifts, will help improve sales. In addition, keep a feature for order tracking. People like to track and know the status of their purchases.
* Maintain Transparency: Customers will be put off if they read that they have to pay additional charges and taxes at the far end of the check out process. Avoid surprises by disclosing all terms and conditions upfront. Specifically, make the return policy clear to your customers.
E-commerce Website has tremendous potential to make the customer’s shopping experience fun and easy. Customers can find things which they otherwise may not find in a brick and mortar shop.