It’s been proven time and time again that the most important factor that comes into play when an online shopper makes a purchase is how much they like the site selling it. There are so many instances in which buyers are so much happier to pay a little more for a product to buy it from a site they can trust, rather than take what they consider to be a ‘risk’ by buying it elsewhere. Even with the best products on the face of the Earth and the lowest prices on everything, it is impossible to develop a strong following and a good reputation with a site that looks awful and performs terribly.
Building successful sites for ecommerce purposes is for the most part a tale of simple common sense. First and foremost, the choice made when it comes to platforms will make a big difference - a reputable platform like Mcommerce for example will always outperform a lesser alternative you’ve ever heard of. In terms of characteristics, it’s a case of thinking what it is that would win you yourself over as a buyer and making it happen with your own site.
For example, there is nothing in the world more off-putting than a supposedly professional website littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You might argue that these have no bearing on the products themselves and you’d be right, but the minute a shopper gets the idea that the store’s owner is carrels, they’ll head for the hills and never come back. The same also goes for general appearance as your online store is essentially the virtual shop floor that tells your visitors about you and your brand. If you come across as professional with a stunning site design you’ll be taken seriously, but if your site looks like it’s been put together for ten bucks in a back bedroom somewhere, you’ll have trouble earning any trust.
Simplicity is also a golden rule when it comes to successful ecommerce stores. The reason is being that your shoppers have come to you for a reason so they probably already have a good idea what they want and would like to find it as quickly as possible. So if you make it easy for them to see what they want and make a purchase, you’re heading in the right direction. Use your own photographs, your own writing and your own personality across every page in order to avoid a generic feel and you’ll also be well on your way to developing a brand identity they’ll want to come back to time and time again.
Jeniffer
