You have great products and a great looking site, yet your customers aren’t returning…This kind of scenario is incredibly common amongst fledgeling e-commerce proprietors and while many business owners are left scratching their heads, their competitors are raking in trade and snatching potential clients away at an alarming rate.
In order to create a sense of customer loyalty, you should be shifting your focus onto the customer experience. If your site isn’t user-friendly or giving your customers a straightforward shopping experience, then why would they want to come back? Here we’ll explore how you can improve the customer experience on your e-commerce site.
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Invest in payment processor
When your customers visit your site and hope to make a purchase, they need to know that their payment is safe and secure and that they’re protected from potential fraud. Investing in a payment processor that will accept credit card payments and debit cards, ensures a smoother transaction between the bank, the merchant and the customer, verifying the details and processing the transaction within seconds. This simple addition to your website will improve the transparency and the integrity of your e-commerce site, influencing customers to return again and again. This kind of feature can also help your business to grow, as you’ll be able to accept international payments, with all the conversions and transfers done for you.
Product support is a must
When a customer has a question about a product, they’ll want it answered as soon as possible. This not only gives them the information they need to make a purchase but also highlights your knowledge and makes your business much more dependable. Consider providing your customers with multiple support options, from live chat boxes to specific product support forums, direct messages on your social media pages and contact forms to keep all bases covered. Having someone specifically in charge of customer product support will ensure that their queries are answered promptly.
Mobile optimisation is key
Not everyone will be accessing your site via a traditional desktop or laptop computer. Today, smartphones are one of the primary ways we browse, shop and connect. Ensuring your e-commerce site is optimised for mobile will enhance the customer experience in terms of functionality and ease of access – if your customer needs to order a new product ASAP, they should be able to do it on their commute home, rather than waiting to fire up the laptop later that evening. An effortless mobile experience will have customers returning again and again.
Returns and refunds should be crystal clear
Sometimes, things don’t always go to plan and customers need to know that they can return products and get their money back if necessary. A customer is more inclined to try your products and take a gamble with your business if they know they can return the products easily if they’re not satisfied. Setting out a crystal-clear returns and refunds policy and making it easily accessible on your site is a must.
Final thoughts…
The stronger your customer experience, the more customers you’re likely to attract and retain! Consider the steps above to get your e-commerce site off the ground.