8 Game-Changing Tips To Run A Successful eCommerce Website

More and more entrepreneurs are jumping on the eCommerce bandwagon. It’s not at all surprising when one considers the state of the eCommerce economy. In 2017, the global e-retail sales amounted to 2.3 trillion U.S dollars. If that makes you think that the eCommerce may have reached its apogee, you are wrong. As per Statistic, the total sales from e-commerce are projected to grow up to 4.48 trillion U.S dollars by 2021. That’s enough reason for anyone to try their luck in the eCommerce arena.

While some people have success launching their eCommerce website, many experience failure. Clear indication that success isn’t guaranteed even in the most burgeoning industry. So what’s the point of difference between the thriving and struggling players? Let’s find out in this blog:

1. Sensible Launch

The launch of your eCommerce website has to look steady and sublime as opposed to quick and dirty. That is to say, you should only launch your website once you know that you’ve done the necessary groundwork and there are no loose-ends to it. Internet puts you on the global stage and given the fierce competition in the eCommerce arena, you only get one chance to showcase your best. There’s nothing wrong in purchasing the domain name and putting up a fancy ‘Coming Soon’ message until you prep things up for the big launch. Also, take the time to set up your social media channels and defining a content marketing plan before flirting with thoughts about the launch.

2. Minimum Website Downtimes

Downtime is just not an excuse when you’re on the eCommerce landscape. Each time your website goes down, you lose sales. The damage can be far-reaching; some of your staff will go out of work for the whole duration of the downtime. Your website’s ranking is also bound to suffer if users quickly open and close the website after seeing the downtime error. Finally, there’s the reputational damage, the price of which is difficult to calculate but can’t be underestimated. So it’s best to address downtimes early and effectively before they become a cause of worry for you. Investing in a quality backend server can ensure minimal downtime.

3. Innovation Is The Key

As pointed earlier, competition is fierce in the eCommerce arena and no one’s going to notice you if you just came up with a website a better alternative of which already exists on the internet. To make people switch their favourite eCommerce website, you have to bring something new to the table. Businesses rise or brought to a crashing low on the weight of innovation. Think of integrating something like virtual reality, letting users get a better look and feel of the products, or drones for faster deliver just to give yourself an edge over your competitors. However, innovation doesn’t always mean hi-end tech, it could be something as simple as special offers, engaging content and highly personalised mobile apps to invite the user in.

4. Niche Matters

With eCommerce you could sell just about anything. But that doesn’t mean you should. The huge competition in the eCommerce can be too much to handle. So it’s best that you stick to a certain niche. This will also help you forge a way towards your long-term success in the industry. But in order to find that niche, you’ll have to do a whole lot of homework in understanding the choice and preferences of your target audience. Look to get answers through questionnaires and surveys. All in all, it becomes easier to focus and improve your strategy when you have a single target to aim at.

5. Journey To Make A Purchase

The journey from how a user searches for a product to placing an order should be short and simple. The user-experience holds great significance in just about any service, and it’s more true in case of eCommerce. The ideal number of clicks it should take for a user to complete a purchase should be between 4-6. The website can be simplified by adopting such techniques as clustering, filters and even visual searches, which make it easier for user to avoid the clutter and quickly get to the product they’re looking for.

6. A Premium-looking Website

The eCommerce market has become highly saturated and it’s often argued that everyone’s trying to offer the same thing with their own branding. Branding really is the key point here and how your website looks can say a lot about your products and services. The best eCommerce websites are all designed wonderfully well. That’s because they understand that users are unlikely to make any purchase if their website has a dull and unappealing outlook. So, it’s a good idea to give your eCommerce website a premium and user-engaging look. With high quality product shots, beautifully written descriptions and necessary call to actions, you can turn your website into a powerful online store.

7. Reliable Logistics Partner

In the initial stages of your business, you can get away by partnering with courier services. But eventually, partnering with a logistics partner would be in your best interests. By tapping into the logistics partners’ innovation, optimized transport management system, and risk management, you’ll find you have more breathing space and can devote more time and energy on the core business operation. Furthermore, by gaining an understanding of your business model, the logistics partner will help you cut down on unnecessary costs.

8. Payment Options

This one’s a bit too obvious but still needs highlighting. People from all across the globe can be visiting your website. What if at the time of payment they find their mode of payment isn’t available? That’s a lost sale. In modern times, there really can’t be an excuse for not offering enough or all the major payment options. Debit cards, credit cards, ewallets and internet banking and even COD should cover the needs of a wide-range of audience and should be available on your website.

Final Thoughts

So, those are the key factors that can determine the success and failure of your eCommerce website. By carefully working on the tips and suggestions offered in this blog, you’re bound to experience a greater degree of efficiency and output in your business. Is there something else that’s instrumental to ensuring success in eCommerce not included in the blog? Share your thoughts in the comment section below: