9 Top tips for selling online
Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are out the way, we want to take a look at some tips that you can implement to grow your online sales and make you an e-commerce success.
Online sales have come a long way in the past few years and it’s just getting bigger and bigger. Think about it, AMAZON, SHOPIFY, E-BAY, FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE and GUMTREE to name but a few have changed e-commerce and how people buy online forever. It is now easier than ever to make a purchase and get delivery straight to your door. Even just getting rid of that unwanted couch or old digital camera is as easy as posting a photo, setting a price and boom, it’s sold.
Let’s look at some figures from the past few years:
Online has grown steadily as a percentage of retail sales since 2000
Mary Meeker’s 2019 Internet Trends report looked back over the growth of e-commerce as a percentage of total retail sales in the US, from Q1 2000 to Q1 of 2019.
The graph shows a steady climb from around 1% of retail sales in 2000 to close to 16% in 2019. Growth appears to have been relatively consistent with the exception of the period between Q4 2007 and Q4 2008 where it plateaued at around ?? and then dropped slightly, most likely because of the recession, before recovering in Q1 2009.
Online retail growth in the UK sped up in 2015
An August 2018 report by the Office of National Statistics, Comparing “bricks and mortar” store sales with online retail sales, charted the growth of online retail in the UK from 2008 to 2017 alongside the growth of store-only retail and the retail sector as a whole.
We can compare the relative growth of each retail type side by side on the index chart below, and observe trends. It becomes apparent from looking at the graph that in-store retail sales, whilst gradually trending upwards, have been fairly flat since 2008. Meanwhile, growth in online retail sales has been climbing quickly, experiencing a particularly sharp upturn in 2015.
As the report author notes,
“Online sales have shown a steady increase since 2008, but have really set off in the last three years, as online spending increased at a faster rate from 2015. This has coincided with a slight slowdown in in-store spending, which shows the beginning of a shift in consumer behaviour to spending more online.”
So what can you do to make sure you don’t miss out on this very obvious trend?
9 Top tips for selling online:
1. Establish your e-commerce strategy
To sell online well, you need to work out what your strategy is and stick to it. This includes your sales channels – are you online only (just selling via the website) or do you also have a physical store?
You’ll also need to decide on the product range you’re going to stock. Are you a specialist in one thing or do you sell a wide range of goods?
2. Think ‘cross-device’, not ‘mobile’
Consumers don’t think of browsing the internet on their mobile as being any different to using their tablet, desktop or laptop. So you can’t afford to either.
Make sure you’re providing the right customer experience across every platform (including your bricks and mortar shop if you have one).
3. Choose the right e-commerce software
There are so many different website options you can choose from – it’s important to pick the right one for your business. Make sure you know how you will accept payments online.
Most businesses are best starting with a simple off-the-shelf online shop template like Shopify or BigCommerce. These powerful e-commerce systems will do everything you need quickly and easily, so you can focus on your marketing.
4. Take pride in online customer service
The common factor of all the successful businesses is that they are committed to providing their customers with great customer service.
That doesn’t just mean having nice people on the phone, it’s about putting the needs of the customer first in everything your business does – from your products, to the website, to the delivery.
5. Create a great delivery experience
If you get your delivery strategy right, you’ll increase the conversion rate on your website and encourage repeat purchases. Your delivery strategy covers everything from the price you charge and the services you offer, through to what arrives in the parcel and how the packaging looks.
It’s really important to invest some money and thought in getting this right for your customers.
6. Encourage both the first online purchase and the repeat purchase
To be successful, you want to take people from not knowing about you to:
- visiting your e-commerce website
- enquiring
- ordering for the first time
- buying again and again
Many e-commerce businesses only focus on the first order and forget all about getting the second order – which is crazy because it’s easier.
You’ll find different marketing methods suit each of the stages of this journey. Test, analyse and change your plans accordingly.
7. Build a trusted online brand
Today’s online shoppers are pretty savvy. Just as you wouldn’t buy food out of a run-down dirty old van, an online shopper won’t buy from a website they don’t trust. You need to work hard to build the trust of your customers – it’s hard to gain, but easy to lose.
Trust needs to be built into every interaction the customer has with your business. Include customer testimonials and reviews on your site, deliver on your promises and make sure all the information on the site is accurate.
8. Keep optimising your online shopping experience
Nothing you ever do in your business will be finished; in some ways, everything is permanently in test mode. So you have to have a policy of constant optimisation – find the area that is working the least well, and make it better.
Once that’s done, find the next area you need to focus on – and repeat.
9. Advertising – Google Ads and Social Media
Don’t forget about advertising. One of the best ways to ensure your clients find you first is through Google Ads. Set up search and display ad campaigns that drives traffic to specific specials, product or services you offer and don’t forget about Social Media. Take advantage of your social media pages to showcase your products or services to your followers. There are many ways to integrate your social media profiles into your sale channels.
(Some info from Marketing Donut)
To sum it all up, there are many ways to improve your e-commerce presence and sales. Our team is always ready to consult with you and to help strategise your next move.