More and more retailers are moving to eCommerce platforms. 80% of shoppers compare prices online before ever visiting a store. The move just makes sense. The development of an ecommerce platform is a large undertaking with lots of moving pieces. One that often gets overlooked, marketing the platform. You can have the greatest site, and the best products, but if you don’t create an airtight marketing plan you may find the number of visitors remains low, your conversion rate doesn’t grow, and your revenue stays small. Of course starting with a solid idea and business plan is important but this post is going to assume you have already done that homework and are ready to begin the next phase. Below is a list of tips and suggestions for you to consider while launching your ecommerce site.
Email Lists
Few customers buy on the first visit, sending emails as reminders keeps you on their radar
Email marketing isn’t fool proof but it is more successful than many other options out there. Build your email lists by asking visitors to subscribe to newsletters and special offers. More than half of email recipients will make use of the offers and coupons you send them
Cart Abandonment
How can how you stop users from filling their carts but not completing checkout? Cart abandonment is the window shopping of the internet, and the bane of many ecommerce sites. Marketers are still researching ways to combat this. So far one of the easiest ways to remind your would-be customers is making use of that email list you worked on. Shoot them a message letting them know their items are waiting for them. Is an item running low on stock? Use that to encourage them to buy it before it’s gone. Craft your message to be funny and clever, but above all keep it useful so they stay away from the dreaded “unsubscribe” button.
Cross and Upsell
You may notice features on major retailer sites such as: “other customers also bought…”, “product suggestions”, “Interested in an upgrade?”, or even a list of similar products underneath the current product. These are all strategies to get your customer to buy the newer (more expensive) model or to buy additional items from you for that product. So if they are looking for a Nikon D5100 camera, you may suggest the D5200, or D5300 instead, as well as suggest an extra lens, flash, or case.
Product Reviews
More and more people are doing extensive research online before a purchase, especially for a large purchase. Make their research easier with customer reviews on all of your products. But how can you encourage customers to write a review? Follow up with them after their items are delivered. Ask them if they are happy with their purchase. Didn’t get a response? Trying upping the offer. Send a special discount as a thank you for reviewing your items.
Mobile Friendly
Creating an app for your store is a great idea as more and more purchases are made through mobile devices. More than an app, you need to make sure that your web app (Learn the difference between a web app and a website) is mobile browser friendly. Not every customer will want to download your app but most will want to be able to access your store on the go to look up and compare products.
There is a lot that goes into an ecommerce site. A solid marketing plan before and after launch is a key to success. Don’t stop at this post, keep researching. For every suggestion there is another application that can help you accomplish it. A functioning site with a great user experience is still important. If you have the next great idea, reach out to us for more information, we are here to help.