The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that all retail businesses need to think seriously about their online presence. Without an engaging website, a solid SEO strategy, and a branded social media presence, you will struggle to match it with your competitors.
Many established retail stores and small businesses shy away from the idea of selling their products online. This can be for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you enjoy the face-to-face nature of customer interaction. Maybe you are unsure whether the time and effort you put into setting up an online store will translate to real customer sales.
Whatever the reason, it’s now time to take the plunge and explore the world of e-Commerce. In 2021, it is expected that online sales will account for 18.1 percent of retail sales worldwide. While that’s certainly not a majority figure, the number is estimated to grow to 22 percent by 2023. e-Commerce is slowly (but surely) taking over the world. Don’t get left behind!
Setting up an e-Commerce store doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience, particularly if you use an established software like Kentico CMS. Continue reading to discover tips and tricks to make the process simple — perhaps even enjoyable!
Navigation is key
One of the great things about launching an e-Commerce store is that you’re moving into a well-established space. That means that customers know what to expect from a digital retail site and trust the process of buying goods online.
With that in mind, make sure your site is structured appropriately. Setting up an e-Commerce store should not be viewed as an opportunity to reinvent the wheel. Study other popular online retail stores to get an idea of where features such as the cart should be located. Provide quick links to popular products and ensure that everything is clearly labelled.
The quicker, the better
Statistics show that one in four users will abandon a website if it takes more than four seconds to load. That’s 25 percent of your potential customers. Suffice to say, site speed is very important.
There are a few strategies you can use to make sure your site runs as quickly as possible. Some are obvious — don’t overload your website with unnecessary photos and videos. Others require a more technical background to implement, like making sure your code is as clean as possible. If you think there’s even the chance of losing customers through a slow load time, contact a professional developer as soon as possible.
Think of your website as your shop front
If you’ve ever owned a physical store, you know how important it is to create a calm, welcoming atmosphere. This can be done through lighting, choice of background music, and product displays.
Imagine the design of your e-Commerce store as being your physical store front. Making a first impression on customers is very important and so great time and effort needs to be put into how you present your products.
Invest in high quality photography and videography, consider how the navigation design of your site impacts the user experience, and try to convey your personal brand through choices in colour, font, and graphics.
Have fun designing your online store! It should be a creative, enjoyable experience.
Provide certainty
Online retail has been around long enough so that most people trust the process and are happy to hand over their personal and financial details.
However, scams and cybercrime are on the rise, and we are constantly being told to be careful of what websites we visit and who we choose to do business with in the online world. With that in mind, provide your customers with certainty they can trust your online store. Use security features, such as an SSL certificate, and offer reputable payment options (PayPal is a great choice). Include a FAQ section and offer active customer service, so customers feel like they have someone to turn to if they have a question or an issue with their order.
Make things easy for yourself
The best way that you can build an engaging, customisable e-Commerce store is by using a CMS.
A CMS, or content management system, is a software that makes web development easy. Kentico is a great example of a CMS that offers features specific to the work of digital marketers and online retailers. What’s more, by using a reputable CMS, you can have confidence that your site is functional and secure.
Make things easy for yourself by using Kentico CMS.
Setting up an e-Commerce store is an exciting time for your business. If done correctly, you can expect a significant increase in sales and brand recognition. Use all the tools, resources, and personnel at your disposal to make your mark in the online world. Good luck!
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