Even though most buying and selling transactions are being done offline, the internet has been touted as the next frontier in commerce. More and more people using the internet and it won’t be long until most transactions happen online. The retail E-commerce industry experienced over $500 billion in sales for the 2018 financial year. This is a clear indicator of the booming financial market. Those who haven’t taken advantage of E-commerce are definitely missing out on a lot. If you’re already in the sector or thinking about to join, there are some tips that could make you successful. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel.
Don’t Rush the Launch
This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to launch an E-commerce platform. The front-end might justify the launch but there could be a lot of untested issues that cannot easily be detected. It could be an issue with the hosting not being able to handle the traffic. Shopify is one of the best platforms you could start your E-commerce website when compared to big commerce enterprise. The big reveal should only be done when you’ve made sure everything is working well. There should be beta testing and then a pre-launch just to make sure everything is in place.
Focus on the User
The E-commerce platform should be user-centric. You might have the best design in the world but it won’t mean a thing if it is not user-friendly. A customer may not be able to feel or touch a product but they want the best possible experience when shopping online. The website should be easily navigable and mobile-friendly. Having a mobile-friendly website gives you an upper hand when it comes to ranking. Google has stated that Mobile-first is going to be one of the key ranking signals in 2019.
Focusing on the user goes beyond the website design. You want to make sure all their shopping needs are met. You can provide offers and incentives on purchases. A good practice would be to provide free shipping for bulk orders and make the checkout process as seamless as possible.
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Test
Testing can never be emphasized enough. This is the only way you can know the robustness of the system in place. The customers you will get will be varied and each may have a different experience on the platform. You want to make sure all the different variables are tested before you officially launch the website. Even when the platform is live, you can do A/B testing to see which landing pages are performing better than the others. You can also do tests with the pricing to determine the right range.
Incorporate Social Media
Social Media is going to play a big role in the success of your E-commerce business. If it is a niche business, you want to know where your target audience hangs out. There are some products that could be more tailored towards a particular social media platform. You don’t always have to try to advertise on every major social media website.
SEO Strategy
It would be suicidal to go into E-commerce without an SEO strategy in place. Majority of online purchases begin with a search. You should make sure you’re appearing on the top pages when people are searching for your product. Search traffic is considered warm leads since those inquiring have already made a purchasing decision and just want to be pointed in the right direction.
You can hire an agency or an In-house specialist to handle all aspects related to Search Engine Optimization. SEO, when used together with Pay-per-click advertising, can be very effective in growing your E-commerce website.
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Collect Information
Collecting information is crucial for the continued growth of an E-commerce platform. The feedback you get will help in creating a better product or service that is more customer-oriented. Collecting information can also be important for lead generation. When a customer lands on your website, you want to make sure you’re collecting the info. You create an email-subscription system where customers can enter their information willingly. You can always use the collected information for future launches or when you have a new product or discounts.
The online space is constantly changing and what worked yesterday might not be applicable when solving current challenges. Customer tastes may change over time and selling them the same product might be a good idea. Technology is also evolving and it is important to be aware of what is happening in the E-Commerce field. Staying ahead of the curve means that you’re adaptable and open to new ideas and technologies.
To sum it, E-commerce can be very lucrative if done right. Don’t go for a crowded space when you’re just starting because you might not have the budget to compete with big giants. Instead, you can niche down and concentrate on delivering high-quality products and services.
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