As you transition to e-commerce, you may make mistakes, especially if you have historically relied on brick-and-mortar stores. You might struggle to set up a new social media account or provide the same quality service online as you would in person. Thankfully, there are about as many ways to avoid these pitfalls as there are pitfalls to avoid, and sometimes all it takes is just a little adjustment.
- Account Creation and Surprise Costs: One of the biggest causes of cart abandonment for customers is registration before purchasing. Customers should not be obligated to sign up for an account—and certainly not have to pay for one—in order to shop on your website. Offer a free trial if you’d like, and be transparent about other potential costs like shipping, taxes, and handling fees. If you hide these costs from customers up until checkout, then they might lose interest and abandon their cart.
- User-Unfriendly Website: Another problem you may have concerns the overall feel of your website. One thing you can do before launching your website is perform a “test purchase.” Visit your website or mobile app as if it were your first time seeing it, and note any point where you might have trouble navigating. If it’s hard to find what you’re looking for, then add a built-in keyword search engine; or for purchases, allow shoppers to pay directly from whatever page they’re on. Display customer reviews, return policies, and contact information. These are just some ideas. Overall, if your website is confusing or frustrating, then make the right adjustments.
- Technical and Visual Errors: Slow loading times (anything over 3 seconds) can cause customers, especially first-time visitors, to search elsewhere. Bad layouts also tend to turn people off. Make your website look good and run smoothly. Avoid clogging up your page with confusing menus and intrusive pop-up ads. Also avoid stock images and make sure that any photos of products are accurate and clear. You want to keep everything efficient and consistent with your brand.
Represent yourself online as you would in person. If your customers find it easy and enjoyable to use your app or website, then they will likely come back to it; if not, then you might lose their trust. Think of annoying experiences that you may have had with online shopping—mobile or on the computer—and try to avoid making those same mistakes.
