10 Tips to Increase your eCommerce Conversion Rates

Well, you definitely must have read a lot about tips that could help increase the conversion rate of your eCommerce. Hence here, in this blog, we will not try to give information that you already possess.

In fact, you will find our list interesting. This list compiled by us talks about ten scientific strategies. By applying these, you will be able to get your eCommerce conversion rate increased. Excited? Awesome! Let us get started then.

On average, the eCommerce conversion rate is 1.3%. However, not all businesses perform at this level. Few of them have conversion rates that are 2 to 5 times better than the average.

You may think this may be difficult.  No, not at all. As long as we are ready to give up our old tactics and pay more attention to what our customers really want, everything is possible and achievable.

10 Best eCommerce Conversion Rate Tips

1. Avoid biased information

Simplicity attracts the human eye and mind.

Studies have shown ambiguous and complex images have been deconstructed by the human mind into simpler images. These images make it easier to act on by understanding them. The term used for this process is called Pithiness.

So when you come across eCommerce websites that have high conversion rates, you can be sure that the information that they are offering to their visitors or customers is simple and unbiased. This helps gain the consumer’s or visitor’s trust.

Trust plays a very important role. If the visitor trusts what is told to them, then they will certainly think of buying the product. Customers buy based on trust. 81% of consumers voted yes when asked if they would buy from brands based on trust.

This principle is often incorporated by most eCommerce websites for boosting their eCommerce conversion rate.

You may ask, “How can this principle really work?”. Well, there are certain reasons that make it work.

Most consumers love to read through websites that are clutter-free, easy to understand, and have no or the least amount of distractions.

Honesty involves being transparent. And when you explain the truth in simple language, it is accepted easily and widely. It helps builds trust.

A buyer will shop confidently from your eCommerce website if their questions are answered. Around 84% of shoppers expect helpful articles to be created by brands.

Successful ways to use it

• Let the information you provide be unbiased so they can trust you.
• Be frank in telling who cannot use the product.
• Your content should make the visitors feel that their questions are being answered.
• The message of your eCommerce website should not be ambiguous. It should rather be easy to understand, clear, and simple.

2. Before Taking, Give

When one feels indebted, they tend to understand well and buy.

When you give something to someone, they feel indebted to you. This principle is applied by brands who understand this strategy. Hence you will see that their eCommerce conversion rates are higher than the others.

These shrewd websites would give their prospective buyers something before making them buy the product. The give could be anything from discounts to eBooks or anything that has some value.

Almost 29% of shoppers online who didn’t wish to shop initially will buy the product because of heavy discounts. This principle of reciprocity works like magic.

You definitely will be curious to know how this principle works so well

Gifts can help build relationships. It helps people get connected emotionally to the brand.

Nearly 88% of buyers in the U.S make use of coupon codes. As per recent statistics, in 2021, these users will number around 145.3 million. What a fabulous growth it will be.

Coupon codes offer discounts. The heavier the discount, the more likely the consumer will buy the product. Websites that gave their consumers the option of coupon codes had 26% more orders.

Also, if the shipping is made free in the U.S, then expect 79% of consumers to shop.

Effective ways of applying the principle of reciprocity online

• Buyers should be offered coupon codes and discounts.
• Offer free shipping.
• Obtain consumer contact details by giving free offers.
• Provide consultation free of charge.
• Provide product trails or samples for free.
• Arrange to send a product catalogue along with the samples for free.
• Send any valuable information about the product in any form to the customer free of charge.

3. Your product information should be very easy to grasp

Information becomes easy to comprehend when there is Cognitive fluency or ease. If the information is not very clear, then the visitor may not act.

He or she may avoid buying the product as it would involve more time in understanding what is written. Especially if they are occupied, they will not bother to waste time trying to figure what is written and what they have to do.

To convert a visitor into a buyer, it is imperative to have a mobile-friendly eCommerce site, hassle-free checkout process, and shorter forms during signups.

Most of the sales today are derived through mobile devices.

When you go to a well-designed eCommerce site and find information that is easy to understand, has beautiful high quality images, you are more likely to make a quick decision on buying the product. You will not be confused.

Today, eCommerce gets the maximum traffic from mobile users.

People do not like filling forms. And if you make the form shorter, they will be more than willing to fill the form and get started.

Also, if the customer feels less harassed during checkout process, the sales will definitely rise. Who would love to spend money on a naggingly slow eCommerce site?

Ways to apply this

• Let your eCommerce site message be clear and straightforward.
• Your product videos and images should be good.
• Make the checkout process simple.
• Filling forms and page navigation should be simpler.
• Your eCommerce site should be mobile-friendly.

4. Do not give in easily at first

When you fear losing something, you try your best to possess or own it. This fear helps increase sales.

Many brands give various offers but also mention a time period to avail of the offer. And consumers who would not like to miss out on this product would grab this offer.

Millennial consumers experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out) grab the product offers in less than 24 hours.

Through time-restricted offers, clearance sales, and limited editions, brands make the customer feel that the product will not be available if they don’t buy it right away. They play hard to get for the consumer.

It definitely works

The use of fear of scarcity is a very old marketing trick. It works most of the time.

People don’t like to lose out on things they like, especially when offered at a lower price.

And many people love exclusive stuff. Hence limited edition sales work effectively.

How can this be applied effectively?

• Coupon codes or discounts offered should be time-bound/restricted.
• You can create urgency reference a promo by having a count-down setting.
• Plan flash sales on popular dates.
• People abandoning their carts should be given time-bound coupons through retargeted ads.

5. Let your offers be irresistible than pushy or forceful

Ecommerce websites that have high conversion rates mostly use this principle. They do so by providing offers that are conveniently accessible and stand out from the rest.

According to this law, the time needed to reach the target point should be covered easily and quickly.

If you want your eCommerce site visitors to hit on the ‘shop now’ button, you have to make sure the button is visual. This just doesn’t apply to that one button but also to all important elements on your page.

By visual salience, we do not mean to grab attention with large pictures. That would only feel threatening rather than attractive. It actually means putting images that would not only just stand out but also grab the viewer’s attention.

Brands with great success stories are the ones that make sure that their offers are non – intrusive, visually salient, and easily accessible.

Reasons that do this works

There are fewer cart abandonments due to guest checkouts. As per one study, around 23% of customers will prefer abandoning the shopping cart if they are required to have a new account on that website.

On the other hand, visual salience allows offers and CTA (call-to-action) buttons to get noticed easily.

Also, when products are recommended, the buyer gets options.

So how can you apply it?

People shop if the shopping is made hassle-free.

Do not make it compulsory for guest visitors to have an account in order to shop on your site. The checkout option should be simple and easy.

Display other products that could be high or low in value compared to the main product.  The buyer will get good options this way.

You could also combine products and sell them at a discounted price. Bundled products are considered to be more attractive as compared to stand-alone products.

Make the important elements stand out on your page using visual salience.

6. Go high on endorsements

Authoritarian figures are generally trusted by people. They obey them.

As per Stanley Milgram’s experiment, many people obeyed or followed the instructions from a person in authority.

Brands that are successful understand the value of this principle. By using reviews from buyers, endorsements, and testimonials, they get the brand authority reinforced.

As per a study, 77% of B2C customers purchase from brands based on their name. This shows that these customers look for brand strength when they shop.

What makes it work?

When people see other consumers enjoying the product that they wish to buy, they feel encouraged.

Customer reviews play an important role. Many online shoppers check these reviews before buying the product. In fact, online buyers depend on these reviews more than on viewing the sales copy and product description.

Also, content that is user-generated helps boost revenue by almost 18%.

Today majority of people trust an influencer’s recommendation than that of a traditional celebrity. Influencers are game-changers.

So how can you get this principle applied?

• Recommend other products to buyers on your product page by using ‘those who bought this, also bought.
• Let your homepage have happy client testimonials
• Discard buyer remorse by using happy customer’s case studies.
• Let verified buyer’s product reviews and ratings be visible.
• Upload images showing influential people or celebrities using your product.
• Give gift cards to your buyers. They could use this to gift someone they love or care about. By doing this, they will be promoting your brand indirectly.
• Encourage customers to upload their pictures where they can be seen using the product.
• Affiliate programs help to widen your reach.
• Avoid fake testimonials, reviews, and endorsements.
• Respond to bad reviews. Do not try to delete them.

7. Visitors should feel at home

A positive experience lets buyers feel comfortable with the brand. It gives a home feeling.

The type of experience that a customer has with the website decides whether they will be loyal advocates or avoid the site. A negative experience can have a bad impact as the customer will not want to come back to shop.

When we talk about the customer experience here, we imply their buying journey.

If a customer is well instructed or guided by giving them customer support, a personalized experience, and timely notifications, they are bound to be loyal. This positive experience will make them feel at home.

Reasons that make it work

Goodness is well appreciated so is a positive experience.

If your customer support is very responsive, buyers will feel at peace. They will not feel bullied or forced into buying the product.

Today, apps on the mobile devices make shopping very easy.

Via push notifications, brands are able to send real-time coupons and updates to their customers.

Nearly 42% of customers prefer to chat live with a person rather than be contacted later via email or other forums.

How can this be applied?

• Let your customer be able to contact you using the phone or live chat.
• Using geo-locations offer personalized content to your online visitors.
• Have push notifications and email setup. This can come in handy when you wish to notify your customers of a sudden drop in prices or when a certain product is back in stock.
• Have a mobile app for the online store.
• Your page should have support articles that are informative and easy to understand.
• Make sure there is someone to chat live with the customer during the time specified on the website. Failing to do will leave the visitor dissatisfied.
• When there is no staff online, the conversion should be taken over by a chatbot.

8. Intelligently price your products

We all know in economics that the more expensive, the product the less the demand for it.

The story is the opposite for savvy brands, however. This is because decoys are used by them to boost sales.

Businesses that are subscription-based offer different pricing ranges. The pricing decoys they use are intelligent enough to make the customer select the package they have predetermined.

Using point systems, various pricing options, and product bundles, successful eCommerce companies have managed to have a high business conversion rate.

Reward and loyalty programs also play an important role. The loyalty program makes nearly 84% of buyers stay with the brand. The rewards earning option makes 66% of buyers modify their behaviour towards spending.

Reasons for it to work

A shopper will buy when they feel value for money. If they are getting more than what they pay for, why will they not buy?

By using loyalty and rewards programs, companies are able to influence their buyer’s loyalty towards the brand and their spending behaviour.

When customers earn points on shopping for a product, they are bound to come back to shop more and earn more.

Bundle products tempt most customers into buying more than they planned for.

So how can this be applied?

• Give various pricing options and smartly make the customer choose the package you want to be selected. Bait that package intelligently.
• Let customers earn points on shopping. This will encourage them to shop more in return.
• Offer bundled products by carefully selecting the product and pricing them smartly.
• Let customers earn rewards on their purchases. This way, they will refer your eCommerce business to strangers who could become your customers in the future.
• Dropping prices or bundling products to give more at less could eat into the company’s profit. Be mindful when setting the discounted price, as this could affect the company financially.

9. Make avoiding losses your strategy to win

We all like gains as compared to losses. Hence as we try to make some profit, we have to make sure we avoid any losses. Losses would eat away the profit.

Loss aversion is a primitive tendency wherein a human will prefer not to lose $10 than gain $10. Online businesses that are successful today know the importance of this winning strategy.

These companies help their buyers prevent any losses rather than just focus on giving. They do this by offering easy returns, money-back guarantees, and customer protection. When returns are easy, almost 92% of consumers prefer to shop again.

Reasons that make this work

Humans wouldn’t want to bear a loss.

Most customers will always check the returns policy before shopping.

They fear they may regret buying the product that they have not seen in person. Hence if the money-back guarantee is offered to a buyer, this fear gets eliminated.

Also, when you offer to ship the product for free, you help the customer save money.

They will shop with confidence when they know they will not lose money in shipping if the purchase doesn’t meet their expectations.

How can this be applied?

Offer the following to your customers and respond to them when they ask about it:

• Money-back guarantee
• Warranty
• Easy cancellation
• Return policy
• Buyer And Seller Protection

Please note that it is not important to use this strategy all the time. It normally works only when the consumer is aware that they could lose something.

10. Instant gratification should be honored

Anyone loves to be gratified, and that too immediately. Customers definitely love it.

The overall experience offered by a brand helps people decide whether they would want to shop from them or not.

And if their website loads in few seconds, that would only make their shopping experience good.

Making a customer wait is something that successful brands avoid. They focus on offering instant access, fast delivery, and tracking of the order on a real-time basis.

Some of the ways that eCommerce sites use as instant gratification to the customers are:

• Quick loading website
• Quick downloads
• Quick and responsive customer support
• Mobile apps to help shop

Reasons that make it work

Today’s consumers check for convenience and speed when shopping.

Buyers want to have their purchases in their hands quickly. They do not like the wait if it is too long. They would rather buy from another website that delivers quickly unless there are good offers involved.

Some more reasons that make this principle work are:

When a customer is able to track their order on a real-time basis, they wait for the packet peacefully.

If the website loads within few seconds, the eCommerce conversion rate would go up. The speed of the site, if improved, helps improve the customer experience.

Mobile apps are preferred to websites by shoppers today. And if you give them this option, they would find it easy to shop while on the go.

Great customer service attracts more sales from their existing buyers.

How can this be applied?

Few ways of applying instant gratification are:

• Try to work same-day product delivery or in few days.
• A digital download option should be given.
• Your website should not be heavy and should load quickly.
• Offer real-time order tracking.
• Develop a mobile app to help people shop via it.
• Your contact details should be usable and visible to the consumer instantly.
• Express shipping should be given as an option.
• Your team handling customer support should be well trained. They should be helpful and be able to answer customer queries.
• Focus on quality while trying to offer instant gratification. In the process of satisfying a customer quickly, many brands lose sight of their product quality.

More Tips

Product Videos and images should be very good.

Though we know that we should not use cover to judge a book, when it comes to eCommerce sites, this is not true. Shoppers online look at the product image and judge it by its look.

For your products to stand out from the rest, you should focus on high-quality product photography. There should be some uniqueness to it.

Also, add product videos if you can. These will help the customer understand your product better. They will be able to feel it virtually before owning it.

CTAs should be used moderately.

Smart websites set a purchase path that their customers automatically and systematically follow. When you have a CTA (call-to-action) button in place, the customer will be prompted by default to take the next step.

Make sure this CTA button is very visible. This button should look attractive. The use of proper colours and the proper size helps to gain customer attention.

Avoid using too many of these buttons. Too many will only create confusion. You may want to educate the buyer about your product and offer some free guides or even offer other product options.

Just remember that the main goal is to make the buyer shop from your site by giving them an easy and good shopping experience.

Focus on Abandoned Carts

On average, the abandonment rate of shopping carts online is around 69.57%, irrespective of the industry. You can win back these customers by investing in an app related to abandoned carts.

Send few customized emails to these shoppers, so they get tempted or encouraged to complete the purchase.

Provide Alternative Payment Options / Methods

When you offer more than one way to make the payment, there are lesser carts abandoned. Sales increase when the customers are allowed to pay using PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, instant financing, and other options. 

Conclusion

If you really wish to increase the eCommerce conversion rate of your business, then do use these ten steps.

Offer unbiased information to your visitors as this will increase their trust in your brand. Trust only increases sales. The more transparent you are, the less fear the buyer will have of being cheated or manipulated.

Try to give to your consumer before receiving from them. You can do this via offers, discounts, or even by giving them free eBooks.

Using beautiful visuals and easy navigation tools will increase engagement and make the checkout process simpler.

Apply the principle of scarcity to make the buyer feel the need to buy the product soon than losing it. You can do this by offering time-bound coupons and by promoting limited editions.

Visual salience makes your website offers easily accessible and stands out. When you offer guest checkouts without the need to signup, and when you recommend other similar products of different price ranges, it has a positive impact on the buyer.

Customer testimonials, reviews, brand endorsements, ratings should be displayed on your eCommerce store. This helps build the brand and thus increase sales.

Make your customers comfy by giving them a great customer experience when they reach your website.

Incorporate the decoy theory by offering point system, rewards, and bundle packages.

Let your customers know what they can lose instead of only telling them what they will gain. You can do this by offering warranties, free returns, or even by guaranteeing money-back.

This will let them shop tension-free when they understand that their money will not be lost. You can also check our article on Secure Web Browsers To Protect Your Data And Privacy.