Starting your online store can get a little crazy. You may not need to focus your energy on building a physical store- yet, but you’ll surely need to curate your website and make it memorable. Since online shopping is growing by 13.7% year after year, expect some competition along the way.
Standing out against your competitors means you need a website that will appeal to your target market. It has to be user-friendly, especially on mobile as many people do their shopping while killing time on the road, in the office, and at home. You also need to show that your products are better than the products of your competitors.
Since customers and probable customers can only see photos as a visual reference, you will need extra help from professionals to make your products more appealing. For instance, shooting a set of jewelry with an expensive digital camera is not enough. You will need the aid of a jewelry photo editing service to make sure the photos can portray how the stones shine in real life.
Here are some tips for creating the most successful online store:
1. Make your website pop.
More pictures, less talk. Your website should be informative by maximizing the use of photos and minimizing the use of words.
According to a study done by Kissmetrics, 93% of buyers take into account the visual appearance of the store when making a purchase. This is why the success of an online business is dependent on your store’s web design.
Captivate your visitors by using full-width images. Avoid unnecessary distractions in the form of pop-up advertisements and lengthy descriptions.
2. Have a story to tell.
Contrary to popular belief, customers read your “About Me” page. Well, if your website managed to get their attention. The next on their list is to justify their interest. It means your “about me” page should move them. They need to relate, or, better yet, empathize with your story.
Mind you; it doesn’t have to be a sob story. What people want to know is your brand philosophy. Since you cannot interact with them in person, the connection is going to be built based on your story online. They should be able to trust you before they purchase from you.
3. Customer service matters—online and offline.
Just because you do not have a physical store doesn’t mean you can forget about customer service.
Contacting you, or anyone in the company should be a breeze. Your customers should feel secure knowing that they can contact you for inquiry, assistance, and suggestion. This way, you can turn potential clients into loyal customers.
You can do this by providing a live chat feature or email button on the website. Make sure you’ll reply in a jiffy.
4. Provide convenient payment options.
Sometimes, the lack of available payment options discourages people from purchasing a product. This is why your store should be able to accommodate different banks as well as modes of payment. Let them know that shopping with you is as easy as touching the screen of their smartphones.
It might sound like it takes a lot of work and money, but don’t be discouraged. Building an online shop is cheaper as compared to a physical store. You don’t have to pay for building reconstruction and monthly rent. All you need is a talented web designer and annual payment for your web domain.
