Whether you’re selling in a store or from a website, your priority is the same: delivering an outstanding customer experience every time. However, the customer’s journey—from interest to purchase—is entirely different when purchasing something from you online rather than a physical store. What should you be doing to ensure the customer’s eCommerce journey is a pleasant one? Just as important, what should you not be doing to ensure they won’t be driven away from your website permanently?
Check out these eCommerce Dos and Don’ts to ensure you’re on the right track to online sales success.
Embrace These Ecommerce Dos
- Do present products on your website in an organized and aesthetically pleasing way.
- Do make sure your search function works properly and delivers accurate results.
- Do provide an easy-to-navigate website with clearly marked and functioning links, buttons, and tabs.
- Do offer free shipping. If not for every purchase, at least purchases over a certain dollar amount, like $50.
- Do offer detailed descriptions of your products with pictures taken from different angles. Remember, when customers shop online, they don’t have the luxury of touching the product, so descriptive words and high-quality images go a long way.
- Do offer a range of inexpensive shipping options and a free return service.
- Do make security a priority. Customers have to trust that the information you give them will be protected.
- Do make sure that your warehouse is ready for eCommerce.
- Do consider talking to a third-party fulfillment service provider about the impact eCommerce will have on your warehousing and shipping needs. An experienced 3PL partner like Taylored Fulfillment Services can create a customized solution to ensure online orders flow smoothly.
Avoid These Ecommerce Don’ts
- Don’t hide shipping costs. Customers want to know what the shipping costs are right from the start.
- Don’t make false promises. For example, if you boast a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, be prepared to make good on that promise when someone asks for a refund on day 29.
- Don’t make your search function cast too wide of a net. If a customer looks up men’s t-shirts and every item with the word “shirt” appears, including women’s and children’s shirts, then they’ll likely get frustrated and abandon their purchase.
- Don’t make the return process a hassle. Consider including a return label with every order. Or at least send a return label via email upon request, with no questions asked.
- Don’t assume people will find your site. The Internet is just too big. Make sure you advertise your site and have a marketing firm assist with SEO.
- Don’t bombard customers with messages. Sure, some customers may opt-in to receive emails, but don’t send out messages every day, or you risk annoying your customers.
- Don’t overcomplicate the checkout process. People want to get in, make a purchase and get out. Please don’t force them to create an account or provide information other than what’s essential before making the purchase.
There are ample opportunities to do right by your customer throughout the eCommerce customer service journey. Put these eCommerce dos and Don’ts into practice when creating your online shopping experience, and you’ll start attracting and retaining more customers.
If you want to learn more about eCommerce and fulfillment services, then contact Taylored Services, a fully integrated third-party logistics provider specializing in wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer unit fulfillment. Established in 1992 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Taylored Services operates 1.5 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space near the nation’s busiest ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York.