Written by Louise Meers on the 17/03/2009
Having an online store is great for your business. It allows individuals to buy your products from anywhere in the world without you having the hassle of maintaining an offline retail store. It might sound like something that is simple and easy to achieve – and it is. But if you want your store to stand out from millions of other online stores, there are some important features and processes that you need to keep in mind. Consider the following five points and see how your online store currently relates and compares.
Organisation is key here. It is so important that your customers are able to find exactly what it is they're looking for. The establishment of categories and sub-categories will allow for them to browse more easily. Use obvious names to describe your categories. For example, one category might be called Bags and a sub-category of Bags might be Purses. Be very straightforward with your classifications. It might also help if you draw a map on a piece of paper. Keeping all your products in mind, jot down your main categories (eg. Bags, Shoes, Jewellery) and then think of all the sub-categories these could contain.
When people shop online, they love to know everything about the product they are buying. Just like in a store, the customer will examine the product, ask questions and then decide whether or not to purchase based on the information they've received. A crucial aspect here relating to online stores is the product photography. You can’t specifically tell the customer everything they want to know, but you can show them. Make sure your images show all aspects of the product. If possible, take photos of the product from all angles. Remember: a picture paints a thousand words!
Just like a sale sign, discounts offered on your online store can work to entice the customer. No doubt, everybody loves a bargain. You can also utilise your e-newsletter here by including details of your sale. Otherwise you might just like to offer a discount to your loyal customer base. You could send them a special email with a coupon and code number they will have to enter when checking-out to receive their discount. Another feature that is effective for an online store is the gift voucher. If a customer is purchasing a gift for a friend, they might not know what to choose out of all your fantastic products. By offering gift vouchers, you are showing that you're flexible and your customers will appreciate this.
Security is a major factor when a customer is deciding whether to purchase something online. In order to emphasise that purchasing products from your online store is safe, it's a good idea to get an SSL certificate. SSL certificates were created to guarantee secure transactions between web servers and browsers. This means your customer's browser will check your certificate to make sure it's valid and related to your company. Processes like these are put in place to ease your customers’ minds and so you can distinguish yourself as a reputable online store.
A payment gateway is a service that authorises payments for online stores (for more information, see our article on payment gateways). Think of it like going to the checkout in a retail store. Using a seamless payment gateway will simplify the checkout process. Seamless means that payment will stay on your website and will not be re-directed to another company, such as PayPal. This method is recommended because payment goes through almost instantly and you and the customer will receive feedback that the payment has gone through. This will make it a lot easier for you to keep track of what is being purchased.
If your current online store utilises the above points, then you're one step ahead of the rest. Your customers will also trust the products and service you provide. If your store is lacking in any of these features then it's time to re-consider what's there at present and implement some new strategies. This will help you to boost sales and gain customer loyalty. Above all else, customers appreciate quality service and security online.
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