It’s no secret online shopping has replaced many physical stores. And many customers prefer comparing and buying products from their laptop rather than on a busy sales floor, so much so that your business could seriously struggle if you do not evolve to reflect this trend. Because of this, the online shopping experience simply has to be be engaging and delightful!
Online shopping in Australia already generates $15.6 billion in revenue, and is expected to see annual projected growth of an incredible 8.9% in the next five years, according to this year’s IBISWorld industry report. It’s practically a given that companies will list their products online, but often they don’t think about the online shopping experience. E-commerce providers have to think about how their customers normally shop, and seamlessly translate that to a digital environment.
When we shop, we like to browse and imagine - experiencing and discovering the product from every angle - and make comparisons. This is inherent in a consumer’s decision making process, so it only makes sense that an online store should allow for this process.
Here are our top five strategies for a more interactive e-commerce experience:
1. Offer multiple views of the product. Can the customer rotate, zoom, or look inside? When a customer is shopping, how does he or she handle or move the product around in order to investigate it? Finally, it’s absolutely essential users can zoom in on the product features that matter.
2. It’s imperative shoppers must be able to compare products simply and clearly. Show a clear and succinct list of features and benefits when comparing two or more products side by side.
3. Think carefully about how your shoppers are searching for products. Make sure that you list intuitive search options in order for customers to search the way they want.
4. Figure out why users are abandoning their carts. This is lost revenue that should never be lost! Why are users are doing this? Are they going to competing sites? Are they not able to use their preferred method of payment? Are the shipping costs too high? Or something else altogether? Offering solutions like discounts, more payment methods, and clear calls to action for customers who are still undecided, can help eliminate this problem. Also make sure that the navigation path to the shopping cart is always clear and intuitive!
5. Is your site optimised for mobile and tablet users? All across the board, digital users are choosing to go mobile. And this trend won’t stop anytime soon! As opposed to desktops, smartphones and tablets are connected to users 24/7, so why not capture them whenever and wherever the urge to shop hits?
Just because your platform is online, doesn’t mean that your in-person customer service should decline; in fact it should be the opposite! If you can provide the best user experience with the added convenience and peace of not having to brave the crowds in a shopping centre, why would your customers go to any other store?
If you’ re not entirely sure how to optimise your e-commerce site, Salt & Fuessel is here to help! From testing and feedback to know where your users are getting stuck or frustrated, all the way through to strategy and implementation, we are here to help increase your online transactions!
