You’re really relying on those conversions, but they just aren’t coming in. You poured your soul into building your site, and you feel as though you’re offering something that people would genuinely want to purchase. So why aren’t they making transactions with you? You could be killing their trust without even knowing it. With so many scams on the web, people are hesitant to hand over their personal information to companies that don’t appear to be trustworthy. Are you guilty of making any of these eCommerce mistakes?
Your Images Are Bad
You could have the best web copy in the world, but if you’re presenting potential customers with cell phone quality images of your product or service, it undoubtedly makes you appear shady. Clean graphics and high quality photos will always translate as more professional. If you’re offering something like a digital download, you may not have any images of a physical product to show. In this case, make use of high quality stock images that are relevant to your site.
You’re Not Displaying Security Information
People want to know how secure your website is. Make sure everything is hosted on a secure connection (https) and place all of your security seals in plain sight. If you have your website regularly monitored for malware or protected against malicious attacks, place seals from those companies in the footer of your page. Customers love seeing the Verisign seal before they attempt to make a purchase. They want to know your site is safe.
You Haven’t Told People Who You Are
How do they know there’s a real person and a legitimate business behind your eCommerce site? Create a comprehensive “About” page that lists the names of the people behind your brand, and links to their personal profiles. If your company has a physical address and a phone number, place them here. Encourage them to investigate you on other outlets, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. They’ll be able to verify your identity, which will give them peace of mind.
You Aren’t Clear About How You Intend To Use Information
Would you give someone your PayPal account information or credit card number if you didn’t know what they intended to do with it? Personal information is bought and sold all the time. Potential customers need to know that they aren’t placing themselves at risk by providing you with their personal information. Provide a comprehensive privacy policy that clearly illustrates where this information is going.
You Don’t Offer a Guarantee
What happens if they’re dissatisfied with their purchase? What should a customer do when they want to return your product or cancel your service? People aren’t willing to gamble with their money. If you don’t provide them with a trial, they may not have a clear idea of how their purchase will work for them. Offer your buyer a guarantee. If they’re unhappy after a certain period of time, offer them a refund. They’ll feel more comfortable buying if they know that in the end, they won’t be stuck with something they don’t want.
While plenty of legitimate businesses exist on the web, eCommerce is drastically different from traditional commerce. Without a physical storefront, people have more questions they want answered. They want to know who is behind the website, and that the business is being run by someone reputable. Keep an open door, and be easy to contact. Always utilize customer feedback to make your eCommerce website a thriving business.
Emily Burgess is an avid blogger who enjoys writing about all aspects of improving a business, be it marketing, customer service or training. Emily is currently sharing some of her ideas at Course Guru – experts in the field of online education. Personally, she’s a great fan of foreign languages.
