Entrepreneurs and companies that operate ecommerce websites, should look to improve and increase sales conversion online. There are common mistakes made in design, structure, technology, navigation, and so forth that drives the chances to convert a website visitor into shopper drastically down.
For existing websites this process of improving online sales is called Conversion Optimization. New website design projects should be done professionally by an experienced team for best results. For existing ecommerce website operations, owners know the monthly visitors by using tools such as Google Analytics and Webmaster Central. They also know their monthly sales and orders. To improve sales online, these common mistakes should be avoided.
Top 10 Reasons Ecommerce Website Visitors Aren’t Buying
1. Too Many Steps
A universal rule for all ecommerce websites is shorten the amount of steps it takes to accomplish the purchase. Every click counts and can be the cause to loose the sale. Checkout processes and viewing of products should be accomplished with the least amount of clicks necessary.
2. Forcing Action
Anything that is not necessary should not be forced upon the website visitors to complete a purchase. Too many websites are designed and developed forcing visitors to certain actions when they may not want too. One example would be forced registration, or required specific personal information and so on.
3. Unclear Navigation
To increase and improve conversion, the steps to accomplish tasks on websites should be made very clear to visitors. Navigation should be made clear and very visible such as “Confirm Order”, “Buy Now”, “Proceed”, and as such. When websites are created with unclear steps, visitors often are deterred from buying.
4. Broken Elements
Any websites that have broken pages and certain elements that do not function properly will loose sales. Website visitors loose trust quickly when experiencing broken areas on a website. Ecommerce websites should be maintained properly to avoid negative reaction by visitors and existing customers.
5. Shopping Cart
The shopping cart, when not displayed in a user-friendly way or properly working causes loss of sales and customers. Shopping cart pages and the checkout must be working properly, easy to use, and trust worthy. The checkout accounts should be displayed well to shoppers. Also, it should be easy to review what a shopper has bought.
6. Payment Options
Companies and entrepreneurs should offer many payment options to their customers and website visitors. To increase online business and sales, ecommerce websites should offer PayPal, credit cards, and other payment options.
7. Delivery Structure
In most cases, the delivery of products is an area that can break the deal and sale. With most things old online, when delivery is involved, the options, cost, and checkout process are affected. Online operations should ensure these areas of a website are addressed and plenty options given to customers.
8. Lack of Support
Often website visitors and customer have questions or need some assistance, but websites lack customer service and support. At times it is such things as no life support, no phone number available, chat, or other types of communication such as email addresses. Ecommerce websites to improve conversion should have plenty of support available to the shoppers.
9. No Incentives
Websites that want visitors to turn into customers must offer incentives for them. In most industries, incentives can be offered to website visitors to sway them to become customers and fans. Businesses can use shipping discounts, product promotions, seasonal specials and many other types of strategies to increase sales conversion.
10. Be Honest
Nothing frustrates an online shopper more than false advertising. If a website visitor things they are getting a certain deal, but as they checkout it is not reflecting, the sale is lost and so is the customer. Be honest in offers, and accurate to earn the trust and business of customers.
Website owners and companies that wish to improve existing websites can hire professional help to review the data and help with a clear strategy for improvement. Consulting services can assist a business with this task as well as Conversion Optimization services.
