If you own an online store, you must know by now the struggle to generate conversions. You have pulled out many marketing tactics to attract more potential customers into your store only to find them choose another competitor. Or, you might have seen the bulk abandoned cart, hoping that people will eventually buy the product when they don't.
Running an eCommerce store on a platform like Shopify requires a great deal of patience and persistence. No matter how long you've operated the store, getting customers is always an issue. Especially when something goes south, owning an online business can be even more challenging in today's internet landscape. Many people can easily open up an eCommerce store; however, only a few stand still against all odds.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a true example of how things can shatter into pieces in the blink of an eye. Countless businesses were forced to close during these terrible times, suggesting that conventional shops were prone to monumental events like this. What about eCommerce businesses? Do they withstand the failure during the pandemic?
Although the year 2020 seemed awful for many industries, eCommerce stores faced the opposite results. As the population needed to stay at home during the lockdown, they could only purchase their necessities from online stores.
This is the main reason for a sudden surge in eCommerce sales. A third of Shopify owners saw an increase in revenue by about 40% during the pandemic. The data sounds promising for online store owners as they can expect more sales in the outbreak situation. However, you must note that this growth was fueled by the condition that people had no choice but to stay home. This situation won't last forever, though. People are getting back to work, and more businesses will be opening soon. If you can't keep up with the new situation and yet aren't making any improvement for your Shopify stores, you'll lose. You need to update your strategy constantly to attract potential customers, especially after the pandemic ends.
Here are the six tips we think will help you grow your eCommerce business even more in 2021.
Technology isn't the only one that changes over time. Customers are continually changing in behavior, needs, and preference. That's why it's essential to keep up with these changes by conducting customer research.
Customer research includes gathering data about your target customers and then analyzing them to understand better what they need. With insights from customer research, you can take the right actions to improve your eCommerce store. For example, if your target customers rely on vouchers when making a purchase, you can send them follow-up emails that offer special coupons.
Did you know that one of the best approaches to getting new customers is through reviews from existing customers? Customer reviews are still relevant (and even become more important) these days. People are heavily invested in what others say when it comes to solving problems. When someone benefits from experiencing such a product or service, it's easier to attract more people to join the bandwagon.
It's the reason why the review section plays a big role in your eCommerce store. It straightforwardly presents social proof from actual customers. Therefore, pointing out customer reviews can help you increase sales significantly.
There are several ways to show off your genuine, authentic reviews to your customers, including using a social proof popup tool that shows reviews inline like ProveSource or via various display widgets offered by a review app such as Judge.me. This way, your visitors are exposed to reviews without navigating away from the page they are on.
Video content makes up 82% of internet traffic in 2021. This means that many users will be exposed to this type of content during most of their time on the internet. Therefore, having video content increases your chance of being found.
Including content like explainer videos helps your Shopify store land on the top of search results. When you make videos about the store, you let people share your information and allow yourself to be discovered. The more people know about your store, the more likely you are getting more conversions.
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that takes our physical world and adds digital elements into it without changing our current presence. Instead, it includes superimposed virtual-generated images in front of us. Online shopping can be exceptionally challenging when it comes to picking particular products. For example, when shopping for a pair of shoes, it's difficult to see whether the size fits yours. Or whether they look good on you. With an AR, you can see the shoe right in front of your eyes. You might as well put your foot on it to see whether it matches your preference. And, you can always observe the fabric, stitches, and other detailed information there.
However, don't be confused with Virtual Reality (VR). This technology allows you to be immersed with the new, digital world it builds through a head-mounted display. VR enables us to experience a completely different situation as if we're physically there. For instance, you are sitting by the beach in Hawaii when you're on your couch at home.
While both can change the way people shop in your store, building a VR requires huge resources. Not to mention that customers must be equipped with the tools to experience virtually in-store shopping. On the other hand, AR doesn't need massive equipment to start. Customers can comfortably use their smartphones to experience the "augment" object in real life.
Imagine if you want to purchase a product only to find that your card isn't compatible with the platform. The next thing you know is you never return to that particular store because of the same issue.
Now that you're a store owner, you won't let this situation happen at all costs. You would instantly check your payment methods and get to improve what is lacking. Having multiple payment options can broaden your audience from different cardholders. If you limit your transaction methods, you drive away potential customers in seconds. They don't want the hassle of going through your payment options when they can be convenient for the other stores. Thus, it becomes essential to provide more ways to pay for your product. Customers will appreciate it more if you offer many and easier options in your system.
Having chatbots allows customers to connect with your store immediately. The chatbots mimic in-person shopping, where you can ask customer support agents and get the solution right away. Including chatbots in your store will bring you more benefits than the other way round.
Chatbots can help provide 24/7 support, allowing customers to get a quick response to their problems. With chatbots, customers will rest assured that their case is being handled. Moreover, chatbots can quickly scan through the database to provide the necessary support like check orders, update customer info, etc. So, your customers don't need to wait too long to get the information.
After the pandemic ends, people are going to start their day normally and more businesses are projected to open. That's when online stores face another battle to win conversions. Although eCommerce isn't going anywhere soon, the fierce competition between online stores can be a huge challenge.
If you want to stay relevant to the new scenario, make sure to improve your Shopify stores by providing a great customer experience. When customers are satisfied with your products or services, they are more likely to bring others to shop in your store. Follow the tips above to boost your service to acquire more customers and increase sales.