Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Ana Luisa Perez Olagaray, Content Editor.
Online shopping is growing strong in recent years, showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, online shopping has grown by over 50% in the past 5 years. With ever-expanding options suppliers are going international, using global shipping to go beyond their local marketplaces. These dynamic shifts in the market make for challenges that change on what can seem like a daily basis.
One of these challenges is that customers cannot touch, feel or try on before they buy. Selling products that can’t be touched or tested can present a major barrier for some consumers. A great example is a mattress, it can become extremely hard to convince a customer to buy a mattress online. This is since people are very particular when they decide to buy what is essentially the place where they spend one-third of their life on, sleeping. But worry not, the internet has developed tools that help make the buying decision easier like reviews, videos and brand confidence.
Customers find reviews from friends, family or total strangers to be extremely helpful. Reviews allow customers to verify that the product is real and that the supplier is trustworthy. Reviews play an important role in online shopping as they serve as a link between different, at times unrelated, customers. In reviews, customers can share their opinion on a purchase already made or make sure that their purchase is a good one using the information provided by others. Even in cases when not all of the reviews are positive, the product listing still benefits from an air of authenticity.
Authenticity is the most important thing about reviews, without it they aren’t as worthwhile. Despite how tempting it can be to manipulate them it can be counterproductive. In order, to get more reviews you can reach out via email to customers who bought a product, asking how was it or even try out a short satisfaction survey.
One big difference between physical retail stores and online stores is the ability to interact with products. Some consumers wish to get a feel for the merchandise, but there is the inconvenience of getting to the store, dealing with sales assistants or crowds. Pair those with the lack of ability to compare a product across several vendors at once and not always finding what you came for, online shopping starts to sound pretty great. eCommerce combines an easy, hassle-free interaction with the convenience of buying at home – but without getting to experience your purchase before making it.
One way to overcome the challenge of a customer not being able to test out the product in-store is video. Videos are great for showcasing an item, what it looks like, how it moves, works and be used. Short videos are gaining popularity as they both cater to the user’s desire to see the product in action and can be shared on social networks. This way plenty of people can see the video, engage with the product and increase the chance that they’ll want to buy it. The key here is to keep it simple.
On average, you lose 33% of viewers in the first 30 seconds of video. This means that videos don’t have to be long or to feature only the products that they promote. Videos need to engage the viewer and to make them want the product. It’s important to make them interesting but short so the customer doesn’t get bored or feel that they’re watching an ad.
Another way to increase consumer’s trust in eCommerce is an established brand. By leveraging established platforms that are already trusted sellers can gain consumers trust in their own brand. If a trusted brand or media publication is covering your brand or service it will inspire greater confidence in your brand. Building these relationships can really help establish your brand as trusted and reliable.
Platforms that have been around for some time or that are popular have invested time and effort in establishing their brand with consumers. These platforms provide a sense of security for their audience, who view what the platform publishes as reliable. That’s why striving to work together with such platforms, and building a solid relationship with them can foster a sense of trust with audiences who are encountering newer brands or sites.
We are seeing a booming growth in eCommerce, but there are plenty of myths and speculation about online shopping that we need to overcome. The important thing is the sellers focus on customer satisfaction, and their sales and marketing strategies must prioritize it.
That’s why paying attention is important especially when it comes to providing payment options and a diverse offering of products. This way, customer’s need for a secure and easy payment option is answered along with the convenience of finding what they want. This is a strategy that is used by new eCommerce sites like Linio, making all payment methods available, such as debit and credit cards and payment upon delivery. Making it possible for the customer to get their products while feeling comfortable and secure at all times.
Sell on Linio and get paid through Payoneer!