Published on February 14th, 2016 | by Guest

5 Important Aspects of a Successful E-commerce Store

Welcoming your customers in the flesh and offering them a tangible product or service is one thing, but e-commerce is a completely different approach to doing business. The online world is booming like never before. A substantial increase in buying and selling both goods and services over the Internet has been recorded in the past decade, with estimates claiming that by the year 2019, more than 12 percent of overall sales worldwide will be done in this manner. This spells fierce competition, so if you want to be at the top of the game, here are the five fundamental aspects of e-commerce that will help you raise the odds in your favour.

No marketing, no honey

You can have the talent, the product, the quality, and the uniqueness, but if you lack proper marketing you won’t even be detected on the market’s radar. There are rare cases where things just went viral and exploded overnight, but that is almost the same as winning a lottery, so you shouldn’t rely solely on lucky circumstances when it comes to business. Instead, opt to do a decent marketing yourself, learn the mechanisms of exposing yourself to the public’s attention. The key is to be present on relevant portals and websites of your niche; to be fresh, inventive, and appealing; and, primarily, to be consistent. It is the same as going to the gym – you may be able to get that rock hard body by working on it diligently, but once you stop, your results will gradually start to diminish.

Shipping/packaging

This can put you in an awkward situation, because all manner of complications can occur when it comes to packaging and shipping. This is the main reason for customers returning goods and asking for a refund. No matter if you do your marketing right, the sold product has to meet the expectations of your clients (the best scenario would be to exceed them), so delivering it to your customer in an unscathed and pristine state is of top priority. This is why choosing an outside company like this fulfillment center San Diego is a good idea, as then you have professionals handling all aspects of the shipping for you. If you are planning to expand to Europe, you will need a reliable partner for Fulfillment in europe.

Payment

Each country has laws which regulate the flow of digital commerce and finances, so make sure to check them before you decide which method of payment you will use. Credit cards were the usual way to pay things on the Internet, but nowadays there are many alternative payments services available which are more convenient for both sides. Make sure that such transactions are done in a secure and simple manner.

The checkout issue

The checkout process is considered to be among the more frequent complaints of customers. What can be tedious and annoying about this instance, especially to your loyal customers, is the amount of data required to be filled in, slow and/or hard to manage interface, and the multiple stages of this process which can be time-consuming. By enabling a 1-click checkout which utilizes your database with registered customers/users, you do everyone a favor. This will also motivate new users to “join the club”. According to Mind Arc, a digital agency from Sydney, designing your website properly is critical to success, so make sure you don’t rush this step.

Fast response

Customer care is of utmost importance, so responding instantly to conceived questions is of the essence. Yes, a FAQ section should always be at your clients’ disposal, but being there to provide additional information and to resolve ambiguities is always a big plus. It can be a hard job, since clients usually call when they are either angry, dissatisfied, or confused. However, responding to such questions in a timely and constructive manner will surely increase loyalty and trust, you just have to hire someone patient and tactical who can answer things calmly and accordingly.

If you implement these five aspects in your e-commerce strategy you might just enhance your presence on the market and form a stronger connection with your customers. Remember, everything you do has to be consistent, do not rely on your former glory, and always find ways to maintain your current clients, while also exploring methods which will attract new ones. You cannot rush success, though, so just take one step at a time.

About the author:

John Stone is a business consultant and regular contributor to Bizzmarkblog. He believes in the notion that form should always follow function and that thinking outside of the box is a prerequisite of being a successful entrepreneur.

Tags: aspects, business, e-commerce, important, store, successful