Many people prefer the convenience of shopping online over braving the stores in person to get what they want. In fact, according to a study by Pew Research Center, 8 in 10 Americans are now shopping online. This is a huge increase from the 22% of Americans back in the year 2000.
More and more eCommerce websites are popping up because of this. From makeup, to furniture, to basic needs like food and clothes, shoppers can basically get whatever they want online. This means that you are going to have to work extra hard to make sure your website stands out from the rest. If you’re interested in starting your own eCommerce store, or if you are looking for ways to make your site better, here are our 5 tips to help your site stand out.
1. Keep it on Brand
Forget boring templates and standardized themes. Don’t limit yourself to a website that looks exactly like ten other websites out there, down to the colors and layout. You owe your brand more than that.
The colors of your website are very important. If you have a logo, use a variation of that color scheme. If not, choose a color palette that best suits the products you’re selling and the market you want to appeal to. According to a study by the University of Winnipeg, people make up their minds within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with either people or products, and over half of their assessments are based on colors alone.
Pick a simple but strong font to go with it, and make sure to use only the best and most striking photos in your online storefront. All these elements come together to create a unique experience for your customer as soon as they get to your landing page.
You want an eCommerce website that speaks to the style of your brand so it can speak to your potential customers as well.
The colors of your website are very important. If you have a logo, use a variation of that color scheme. If not, choose a color palette that best suits the products you’re selling and the market you want to appeal to. According to a study by the University of Winnipeg, people make up their minds within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with either people or products, and over half of their assessments are based on colors alone.
Pick a simple but strong font to go with it, and make sure to use only the best and most striking photos in your online storefront. All these elements come together to create a unique experience for your customer as soon as they get to your landing page.
You want an eCommerce website that speaks to the style of your brand so it can speak to your potential customers as well.
2. Simplify the Process
Most people turn to online shopping for convenience. So if they get to your eCommerce website only to find that skimming through your products is confusing, or that it’s difficult to add items to the cart and checkout, they might begin to regret their decision and look elsewhere.
Take a page out of the book of the most popular online shopping sites. What they all have in common is their success in offering customers the solutions they need. Amazon displays related items based on your purchases, Ebay provides everyone a place online to start and join auctions, and Google Shopping shows the least expensive items first. What’s important is making the process as easy as possible for your customers.
Something as simple as an organized product list, an easy credit card payment process, or a filtered product search, can help streamline the shopping process. You can highlight your best products, and at the same time make it easy for the consumer to look through all the options on your site. That way, no product gets left behind and no frustrated customer clicks out.
Take a page out of the book of the most popular online shopping sites. What they all have in common is their success in offering customers the solutions they need. Amazon displays related items based on your purchases, Ebay provides everyone a place online to start and join auctions, and Google Shopping shows the least expensive items first. What’s important is making the process as easy as possible for your customers.
Something as simple as an organized product list, an easy credit card payment process, or a filtered product search, can help streamline the shopping process. You can highlight your best products, and at the same time make it easy for the consumer to look through all the options on your site. That way, no product gets left behind and no frustrated customer clicks out.
3. Be Available to Connect
It’s not always enough to give customers a great shopping experience. Even if you’ve set your website up with all the necessary information, there will still be customers who have questions along the way.
Include a “Contact Us” form, or have a live chat feature that your visitors can easily access. Set your store apart by giving your customers a chance to easily communicate with you.
When current and potential customers know they can reach you for any questions about the products or services you offer, it adds a sense of security, trust, and credibility.
Include a “Contact Us” form, or have a live chat feature that your visitors can easily access. Set your store apart by giving your customers a chance to easily communicate with you.
When current and potential customers know they can reach you for any questions about the products or services you offer, it adds a sense of security, trust, and credibility.
4. Publish Interesting Content
Including a blog on your eCommerce website is a great way to add more depth to your store. You can use this blog to periodically highlight products, post about real life community events your store will be participating in, put a spotlight on customer reviews, write about things that are relevant to your products or services, and so much more. A blog with relevant and optimized content is also a great way to help you rank better on Google Search, which will increase traffic to your online store.
You’ve given your business the perfect face online, and having a blog integrated with your website will give it a voice too. This can project a well-rounded brand that will no doubt attract potential customers, and keep current customers interested.
You’ve given your business the perfect face online, and having a blog integrated with your website will give it a voice too. This can project a well-rounded brand that will no doubt attract potential customers, and keep current customers interested.
5. Go Mobile
People nowadays are always on the go. Having an eCommerce website that they can access at home is a good start. But you need to step it up even more and make sure your online store is accessible via mobile devices as well.
Your website may look great on a laptop screen, but what happens when someone tries to access your site on their phone during a moment of shopping impulse? 51% of Americans are purchasing from their mobile devices. If your website looks askew or is hard to read on a phone, you could lose half of your potential customers.
So cater not only to customers accessing from their computers, but also to those who are on their phones for most of the day. Make sure to have a mobile friendly website that will look good on all screens.
Your website may look great on a laptop screen, but what happens when someone tries to access your site on their phone during a moment of shopping impulse? 51% of Americans are purchasing from their mobile devices. If your website looks askew or is hard to read on a phone, you could lose half of your potential customers.
So cater not only to customers accessing from their computers, but also to those who are on their phones for most of the day. Make sure to have a mobile friendly website that will look good on all screens.
Bottom Line
Remember that what will make your eCommerce website stand out is also what makes your business, your products, or your services unique. Start from what you know you do best, and go from there!
Marc Prosser Marc Prosser is the co-founder and managing partner of Marc Waring Ventures, a firm which develops specialty internet properties.