Have you decided the time is right to set off on an exciting venture as an entrepreneur? Have you also decided that the perfect platform for your new business idea is eCommerce? It isn’t surprising that eCommerce has presented itself as a very attractive option.
Statistics showed that U.S. consumers spent $222.5 billion in the second quarter of 2021 alone, which was a 3.3% increase over the first quarter. And this is nothing new. Online sales have been steadily increasing over the past decade now.
While it’s certainly exciting to look at the many opportunities the eCommerce industry offers, it doesn’t automatically guarantee success for your start-up.
There are still practical measures and tips you can take that will drastically increase your odds of enjoying a successful venture. So let’s take a look at some of those top tips and advice.
Keep the Site Clean and Clutter-Free
Most people are well aware of just how important a first impression is, and the online environment is no different. As the saying goes “you only have one chance to make a first impression” so you want to be sure it’s impactful in all the right ways.
Experts recommend that when it comes to designing your website, there is a focus on keeping it clean, organized, and clutter-free.
You want consumers to land on the page and not feel overwhelmed. They should also be able to easily navigate the menus and options. If the pages are too busy, it can end up being “too much”, meaning the customer gives up and checks out the competition instead.
Also Read: Best Online Tools To Find The Right Images For Your ECommerce Store
Give Visitors a Search Tool
Providing a search tool or search bar shouldn’t be seen as optional, this is a must-have for any eCommerce site. Customers often know exactly what they are looking for and that search tool will enable them to find it quickly and without issue. They shouldn’t have to manually search through page after page to find one item.
Keep Menus Short and Sweet
This brings us to the menu tabs, which play an important role in site navigation. While you may be tempted to add all kinds of menu options, there is such a thing as too much.
Again, you don’t want to overload visitors, you want to keep the website clean and concise. That principle should be applied to the menus – keeping them concise.
Give Shoppers a Companion App
If you want to boost the potential of your site being successful, it’s also wise to consider a companion app. This allows people to shop with ease from their mobile devices.
It should perform flawlessly with a focus on the user experience. Having a companion app also helps to add a sense of authenticity and authority to your website.
Give Merchant Apps a Try
It’s not just a companion app that’s worth it – there are also merchant apps meant to enhance your business. A big part of Shopify’s popularity can be attributed to the more than 3,000 apps dedicated to helping sellers like yourself optimize their online storefronts.
Choose a Simple URL
Did you know that the name you give your site will also help to determine its success? The URL address needs to be easy to remember, simple to spell and be relevant to your business. Ideally, it should be the name of your company to avoid confusion.
Checkout Needs to Tick Off All the Boxes
The checkout experience should also be prioritized as this will help ensure you create a loyal customer that wants to return. The checkout should be simple and fast yet secure. Shoppers need to know that their information is safe.
As for speeding up the checkout experience, this can be done by allowing shoppers to make an account. They can simply sign in when shopping and not have to worry about entering all their details each time they make a purchase.
Encouraging them to create an account also means they will submit an email address, which can be used to your advantage when it comes to digital marketing efforts.
Also check our this other business tip: how to sell amazon business?
What’s Your Shipping Like?
Another interesting tidbit is how much shipping plays into a purchase decision. When shoppers are offered quick and reasonably priced shipping they are much more likely to proceed with the sale.
Many companies will offer free shipping if a minimum purchase amount is made, which can be very enticing to shoppers.
Also Read: Things To Consider When Choosing A Web Development Company For Your ECommerce
How Will You Advertise Your Venture?
It doesn’t matter if you open a traditional brick-and-mortar store or an online store, advertising will be essential. You need to get the word out about your business and ensure it reaches your target audience.
This brings us to a few key essentials for marketing and advertising:
- Conduct thorough customer and market research in advance of launching your store. You need to identify who your target customer is and how to best reach them. Market research can help to shed valuable light on such things as demographics, what is trending, pricing, and so forth.
- Get active on social media as soon as possible. Setting up an account for your eCommerce venture on all the big platforms allows you to generate buzz, interest, build your brand and connect with customers.
- Advertising shouldn’t end when your store launches, it is a continuous effort that you should never neglect.
- Go ahead and get creative with your marketing efforts. Doing so can help you to stand out from the competition.
- Make use of cross-promotional opportunities, meaning you plug your website on your social networks and vice versa.
- Get into the habit of making announcements on social media. This will help to drive people to your accounts by creating interest. You can announce such things as new products, special sales and promotions restocks, and so forth.
By using all of these tips, you’ll be positioning your new eCommerce venture in a way that better guarantees success.
Remember, it will take constant efforts and you always need to be willing to steer off into other directions if needed.