88% of online shoppers research products online before deciding to purchase an item. 88%. That should be reason enough to make sure your store is online and up to date. If you’re struggling to keep your site afloat and unsure of why no one is buying your merchandise, keep reading. We’ve got answers and solutions!
1. Your site is old.
Yep. Trust is a huge factor when it comes to online shopping. If your site looks like it’s from the age of flip phones, then you’re going to have a hard time convincing customers to buy from you. When your website makes it hard to navigate by category, difficult to view products, and a pain to get product information, then not only are you going to frustrate your potential customers, you will also give off the signal that your site is not very trustworthy.
So what do we do about that? It might be time to trade e-commerce providers. Get a facelift and go with a professional e-commerce company such as MOCE. MOCE creates beautiful e-com websites that are mobile ready, easy to navigate, and transition through a smooth transaction process. With MOCE designs and user interface experience, getting customers from cart to finish is a piece of cake.
2. You’re not using Online Marketing correctly.
We get it, Facebook is not everyone’s friend, but when it comes to e-commerce marketing, the social media giant is a necessary evil. We’ve found that many people who use Facebook to push their brands are doing it backward. They have a Facebook feed on their website, but their Facebook page is devoid of any mention of their site.
Listen, we love cat pics just as much as the next person, but your business Facebook page isn’t about pretty kitties. (Unless your business IS about pretty kitties, then you get a pass.) Become a master of Facebook marketing and watch the world come in to visit.
But Online Marketing isn’t all about Facebook. That’s just one slice of a much bigger picture. This is a picture that is so large that all the big box companies have their own departments dedicated solely to marketing their products online. These are masters of email marketing, social media, content generation, SMS and Search Engine Optimization. Most mom and pop companies don’t have the time or resources to manage this kind of operation.
We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we might know a company that specializes in this. Even if you don’t look to JH Specialty to manage your online marketing needs, it is essential that you find someone to help you out, and fast. If customers don’t know you exist, then they can’t shop on your site.
3. You’re not using an SSL certificate
This is another huge trust signal. Shoppers are becoming more tech-savvy than ever before, not to mention that Google is heavily punishing those who don’t use SSL. Get educated on what type of SSL is right for your business. So cough up the extra dough and get yourself a certificate. It tells your customers that their data is safe and that you care about their privacy.
4. You’re not utilizing reviews.
Here’s a little note for you from Inc.com: “Research shows that 91% of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84% trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. And they make that decision quickly: 68% form an opinion after reading between one and six online reviews.” Yeah. Need we say anything else?
But how do you do this? Well the cheapest and quickest route would be to use Google My Business. Google My Business is a free service that gives you a listing on Google and allows you to see and respond to reviews. Read about how to manage your listing On Google My Business. And if you haven't heard, requesting reviews is now even easier.
You may want to learn a bit of review etiquette before responding to a displeased customer. Don’t come out guns blazing. Treat this customer just as you would any customer in your store. Listen, empathize, and solve. Being a problem solver looks good to everyone.
A failing site is a waste of time and money. In order to bring your site back to life, you’ll have to shell out some cash, make some changes, and think like a consumer. That shouldn’t be too hard, because you are one! Take into consideration your own judgments when you visit a site. What are they doing that works? What are they doing that doesn’t work? Use this knowledge when you’re re-building your site and take this article to heart. It’s time for an upgrade and now you have all the tools you need.
