Purchasing online is quickly becoming a preferred way of shopping, mainly because of the convenience it offers since you can shop from anywhere. Customers shop from their homes, offices, vehicles, the coffee shop, literally anywhere they have the opportunity. In 2018, the US had over 200 million online purchasers who were browsing and buying from online businesses.
The number of online customers is increasing as more businesses are deciding to have an online outlet for shoppers who have not got the time to make a physical visit to their stores. Clients realize that they have many options to choose from and are becoming savvy online purchasers, asking questions and finding out how online buying operates.
The two main things online buyers want to experience are that shopping is a productive venture, and, that they will be safe making purchases online. It is easy to secure your business website for online transactions; you need to install SSL certificate so that your customer information is out of harm.
Let’s take a look at the other points that online buyers will consider.
Customer Reviews
Before buying a product, most people will browse through the product lines listed on your website and identify the one that interests them. Then, they will check out the product reviews from other clients who have bought it. They want to know the other customers’ experiences of the product and how much they like it.
Reviews are an excellent platform for establishing a strong brand for your business. When the evaluations are positive, you will get a higher chance of new online buyers making orders for your products or services.
It is a good idea to keep encouraging customers to leave their comments on your website’s review section. The commendations can convince online buyers that they are buying genuine and quality goods.
Ease Of Use
Since the online buyers are forgoing the physical visit to your store, the experience must be smooth, friendly and comfortable. They want to be able to search quickly for the products that interest them. When they find an item that arouses their interest, customers must be able to filter according to their tastes, almost as if they are rifling through the options while in a physical store. For instance, the different colors, brands, sizes, customization options, and any other varieties that your store carries.
Consumers want to experience an efficient buying experience. They want to know that they have seen everything they wanted to pick. Usually, the faster the website navigation is, the better the shopping experience. Slow speeds tend to frustrate.
Efficient shoppers also want to have a simple registration method. Once they have made a choice, they don’t want to hang around for longer than it takes to make the purchase. Online buyers want to browse, pick, pay and play.
Is The Shipping Free?
Customers are aware that some stores charge shipping fees. The growing trend of free shipping is an attractive selling gimmick, but, the customer who knows what they want is willing to pay a little extra on shipping fees, to get their preferred product.
The best place to state your shipping fees is at the beginning of the online experience. If you have a delivery charge for door-to-door service, it is best to indicate that at the beginning as well. Online buyers will feel that you are honest traders and are more ready to believe the product information on your business website.
The Online Business Has A Secure Website
In this modern day of cyber activity, you can be sure that online buyers will have concerns that any information they give out is safe and secure. E-shoppers will expect to find the standard payment methods on offer: credit and debit cards and Paypal. One slip-up could mean that their bank and credit details are made public.
A protected website will have the basics that customers need. The site will have https at the beginning of the URL, and the Green padlock at the far Left end. These essential points are familiar to internet users and are likely to convince online buyers to want to shop from you because they are confident that their transaction has shields against hacking.
Explicit Cancellation, Refunds, And Returns Procedures
Customers want to know that if their purchase order brings a wrong product, they have clear procedures that they can follow to return, collect a refund, or make cancellations. Businesses that indicate the rules, and methods for returns and refunds, will observe an increase in sales.
CONCLUSION
E-commerce is a growing sector with customers who are more comfortable about purchasing online. Buyers are also becoming more aware of what makes their online shopping experiences better. They want to have efficient web browsing time, safe transactions and no hidden costs. They are attracted to websites that offer full disclosure and will shop around until they find a site that meets their needs.
