Selling Like Hotcakes: 8 Proven Ways to Improve the Conversion Rates of Your eCommerce Store

Online retail is booming, and many entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the opportunities. The right product with outstanding service and a fresh approach could become the next highly profitable online enterprise. Cart abandonment is a leading challenge for online retailers. About three-quarters of online shoppers abandon their carts and never make a purchase. They want the items but don't buy them, so what can you do to get them to take action? Discover eight proven ways to improve your eCommerce store's conversion rates and start selling more of your products.

Limited Time Only Offers

People have bills to pay and often abandon a cart with the idea of coming back later. Life takes over, and they forget about what they wanted to buy. Help people get over the idea of coming back tomorrow by leveraging limited time only offers. Include limited time discounts in your online retail marketing strategy to improve conversion rates. Give shoppers an incentive to buy something new because they get a discount, free shipping, or other incentives. Put an ending date on the offer to ensure buyers feel motivated to take advantage of it now.

Establish a Rewards Program

Rewards programs are useful for two significant reasons. First, rewards programs discourage comparison shopping because shoppers get added benefits when buying from your online store. Second, rewards programs encourage loyalty. Customers need to return to make additional purchases to accrue the best rewards. Points programs and other options ensure shoppers choose your store over the competition. When they are ready to buy specific products and services, they will remember an online retailer offering rewards. Plus, you will help improve conversion rates by establishing a loyal customer base.

Brand Reputation Matters

Trusted brands enjoy improved conversion rates because people feel comfortable about taking action. They recognize the brand and readily share their personal information. Smart eCommerce brands engage in the ongoing brand and reputation management. Post on-site reviews from satisfied customers that encourage visitors to trust your offerings. Establish social media accounts for the business and post regularly. Answer other social media users and be interactive to show the company responds. Ensure the SSL certificate for the site is updated so users feel at ease making online payments.

Remarketing for the Forgetful

Life is hectic, and sometimes people forget their carts. Sending follow-up emails helps companies stay connected with potential buyers. Typically, a series of three emails are sent to remind customers to return to their carts. The first email can simply ask if the customer forgot something and include a link to their cart. The second email can be sent a day or two later to promote a special event or sale and include a link to the cart. Finally, the third email should consist of a coupon code or other limited-time incentives to get the shoppers to participate. Staying connected can help improve conversion rates.

Free Shipping

Industry leaders such as Amazon cornered their market share by offering free shipping. Now, many sites feature membership programs that provide free shipping for a year for a minimal upfront fee. No matter how you do it, having a free shipping option improves conversion rates. Some customers expect free shipping and prefer to shop at sites that offer it. Consider third-party shipping options and other ways to save money on these costs. Membership programs also offset the cost of free shipping, especially when members only take advantage of the program once or twice.

Provide a Solution

People go online to search for answers to their problems or questions. Be the ultimate resource within your industry. Research trends using tools like Google Analytics to determine where the site's traffic comes from and what the customers want. Keep up with industry updates and make sure you are on the cutting edge of the latest changes. Continue to evaluate your product line and services to make updates when needed. Provide exactly what people want and offer complimentary merchandise to enhance their purchases. Companies that become an ultimate resource are remembered for future purchases and recommended to buyers' friends.

Offer Useful Content

For years, online marketers have stated that content is king. Beyond the images and videos at your site, make sure to include stellar copy and product descriptions. Adding full descriptions helps boost search engine optimization and brings the product to life for potential buyers. Include long-tail and short-tail keywords in your copy, titles, descriptions, metadata, tags, and site backend. Choose high-volume, low-competition keywords to get an added boost on the search engines. Work with an SEO pro to determine the right keywords and the optimal way to use them in your web content.

Beyond keywords, make sure the copy is user-friendly. Provide industry and product updates as well as answers to common questions. Consider adding a blog to your e-Commerce website to stay connected with customers and attract new ones. Add blog entries that explain how to use the products and ways they will enhance the buyer's life.

Just Add Images

With content in mind, images are a critical factor in selling products online. Consumers cannot try, taste, touch, or feel products when they buy items online. Making the product real to the consumer is essential to get them to take action. Videos show how a product is used and demonstrate the benefits to the consumer. Consider adding fun videos that make people want to use the products themselves. Include plenty of images of the products, showing them from every angle. Use professional photos rather than ones taken independently to build trust at your site. For real imagery, invite satisfied customers to write reviews, post images on social media, and share them at your site.

Improving conversion rates can be a challenge in an increasingly competitive online marketplace. Use these eight strategies to drive additional targeted traffic to your site and encourage visitors to take action. Site traffic is most meaningful when you see the conversion rates improve over time. Back up your efforts with continued research to meet or exceed your financial goals.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes