The ecommerce website factors that could affect sales

It is easy to get caught up in making an ecommerce website appealing. But this can distract from why you created the site in the first place – to sell. So it’s good to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and make sure you address your website’s potential sales barriers.

Not sure that this is necessary? How about this; Up to 40% of people will abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load. Or this; a 1 second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in sales.

It’s also concerning that 70% of shoppers abandon their carts before purchase. You work hard to get people to your site. To have this many give up is staggering. So how can you make changes to improve your ecommerce website sales?

Customer journey mapping

Want to know what’s stopping users from buying? Create a customer journey map to test obstacles on the path to a sale. Mapping lets you find what stands in the way of your customers buying. Your map should include what happens when they search, compare products, and view their cart, to see where issues arise.

What really matters when building an ecommerce website

We know the load time of your website can have a big effect on your bottom line. Patience is thin with shoppers, and a 3 second wait will make them give up and spend their money elsewhere.

One of the easiest ways to speed up your site is to keep image file sizes small and in a web friendly format. Page load times affect Google rankings so this means you benefit twice. Practical eCommerce has some other good ideas to speed up your website.

Your website should also be concise. The home page should have a clear value proposition to let users know they are in the right place. Then make it clear where they start their search. This might be a link to gift ideas during the peak Christmas period. Have items that are selling well? Include direct links on the homepage. In any case, don’t make your users hunt for what want.

The power of search

There’s nothing more annoying than shopping in a large, busy department store. Where do you start looking? Store signage might help – or not. You might find a shop assistant to point you in the right direction. And when you find it, you still have to locate the register – or another if that one is unattended. Frustrating, right?

The online shopping experience should be easier than this. Shoppers don’t want to scroll through pages of unsuitable items. A well-designed search function makes the ideal product appear with minimal time and effort.

Customers are individuals who think and behave differently. Take 10 people searching your site for the same item. Each will follow a different path to find it. Some search the product name or brand. Some look under product categories. Others may click on a direct link. It’s important each finds what they are after quickly. Ensure your navigation is carefully planned to suit all users.

But make sure you don’t show too much at one time. You may think having lots of options would be a good thing. However when you show too many products, fewer people purchase. Overwhelm shoppers and they can’t decide - which equals empty shopping carts.

Reviews equal selling power

Your customer has found what they were looking for, but without being able to touch and feel it, how do they know it's right? Written reviews or star ratings from others is a good start. You can take this a step further though. Did you know that 80 percent of shoppers depend on social media to help decide what to buy? Customers like to see how they can use, style or incorporate the items into their life. Integrating social media into your site builds trust and can be a great assist for online sales. For example, retail giant J. Crew says its social media followers spend double that of their other customers.

Creating an in store experience online

Great customer service shouldn’t be overlooked with ecommerce websites. Assist purchases with online chat, phone numbers, email and social media details.

Don’t be afraid to cross sell and upsell. When this is done in a way that helps the customer (e.g. suggesting they purchase batteries to go with a child’s toy) it can be effective at increasing sales. Cross selling and upselling contributes to 35% of Amazon’s revenue so it’s worth investigating.

Easy checkout

So your customer has selected a product and it’s in the cart. Sale made right? Nope…There are still potential roadblocks. The biggest of which is unexpected costs at the checkout. Consider what would motivate them. Can you make free shipping an option? Can you include a gift with purchase or reward points as an added incentive?

Complicated or lengthy payment is also a roadblock. “The more steps, the greater the chance they'll drop out,” says Sajal Agarwal, CIO at Ingenico ePayments. “Ecommerce websites should help speed up payments. Consider one-page checkouts and the ability to save card details.” Both are great time saving ideas.

Have you forgotten something?

Bonds is a great example of a company not surrendering to abandoned shopping carts. Shoppers who leave items receive a cheeky email with the subject line: ‘Yo remember me?’ - in keeping with Bond’s brand. Often shoppers abandon carts without meaning to, so this technique works. Over a third of these emails convert to a sale. Plus, it's good to remind customers about your brand as well.

You work hard to get shoppers to your ecommerce site. And you invest a lot in SEO, digital marketing strategies, social media and other marketing efforts. Using simple strategies like these can dramatically improve sales, putting you on the path to success.