The Ecommerce industry is quickly gaining ground on the whole of all retail sales. At the beginning of 2017, ecommerce sales reached $105.7 Billion in just the first quarter and made up 8.5% of all retail sales. Ecommerce is predicted to make up 17% of all retail sales by 2020. With its enormous growth track and thriving markets, entering the ecommerce world has never been easier or more appealing. But what does it take to run a successful ecommerce store? Here are 6 tips to help you succeed at and after launch.
1. Prepare before Launch
One of the biggest mistakes you can make for your ecommerce site is rushing your launch. You only get to launch once, so make sure all the groundwork is laid so that you can maximize your company’s early days. Make sure your SEO is in order, your content marketing strategy is set up, and your social media is all ready to go.
2. SEO
As mentioned above, the ecommerce industry is growing at a rapid rate. More and more ecommerce businesses enter the market every day. Make sure you stay on top of your site’s SEO as it will be key in beating the competition and gaining new customers.
3. Mobile Optimization
Mobile is the future. Whether people are using smartphones, tablets, or iPads… statistics show that more and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet than computers. This means your ecommerce site needs to be optimized for mobile users. If it’s not, your going to lose a massive group of potential customers.
4. Social Media
Social Media is the heart of your ecommerce business. It is an essential tool that if you fail to utilize, could ultimately end up drowning your company. Because you’re selling online, your community is online as well. Makes sure you’re Social Media is all set up and ready to engage customers and build community.
5. Customers are your Brand Ambassadors
When developing your site make it easy for customers to leave reviews and share their experience when buying from you. Nothing adds credibility to your business more than the shining review from a satisfied customer. Your customers and the community you cultivate are your biggest assets in spreading your brand awareness.
6. The Dreaded Checkout Process
The last hurdle, and often times the hardest for receiving an order, is the checkout process. A difficult or complicated checkout process can easily lead to customers leaving the shopping cart and giving up on their order. There are a few things to avoid when designing the checkout process. Do not require an account creation. Save shipping and billing information when possible. Provide several options for your customers to pay for their order. Lastly, reduce the numbers of windows and pages the customer has to go through to place their order.
Very insightful post… though I wonder if their is a way to change the outlook of the checkout process. To better engage customers, if you can find a way to better excite them into action and make the purchase streamlined… you could increase loyalty and build your reputation. Another note along side of social media important to note that a well maintained blog with content interesting to your customer segment will go a long way in building your SEO and creating an audience.
This is such a great overview of how to prepare and think out a startups launch. Including the sixth point, the checkout process, is huge too. So many people add something to their online cart and then leave it there. So, simplifying the process will not only benefit the consumer, but also increase your sales.
Great six tips and points on launching a successful e-commerce site. I really liked reading about number five. It’s not something you often think about from that perspective, but is ever so important.