As every single business works, it aims for profits and its successfulness through many ways possible. E-commerce as an electronic commerce has almost the same purpose, yet e-commerce has some differences in ways to make it such a successful business. Nevertheless, it is inevitable by the business to make sure some important features of e-commerce are in the website. Such as:
Plan your strategic direction:
You should be clear about the products you sell, the target audience, their ability to buy, the competitive edge (whether someone else is selling that product and if yes, at what cost and with any added facilities or not).
Easy user interface:
Your online store should be easily navigable. From the home to the 'thank you’ page (the page that a shopper will get once he completes a purchase) everything should be optimized properly and have uniform display. All offers, discounts, terms etc. should be clearly mentioned in your store.
Build trust:
To run a successful online retail store, you will have to build trust. The best way of building trust is by giving your customers a sense of security. Your customers should feel that they are buying from an authentic source who will respect his/her privacy.
Offer all widely accepted payment methods:
The payment gateway you use in your store should readily process payments from your customers. Avoid those gateways with limited credit/debit card processing facilities.
Robust technology platform:
Your online shopping cart solution should be built on a robust technology platform such Microsoft .NET. A .NET-shopping cart can give the necessary interface to attain a truly scalable shopping cart solution that will withstand sudden sales-rush during those seasonal shopping sprees.
Have transparent policies:
The terms and conditions, return policies, out-of-stock policies, shipping time etc. are very important for all shoppers visiting your store. Keep these policies clearly defined and strictly adhere to your policies in every transaction.
Personalization:
Maintaining personalization is the key to success through any shopping cart solution. Your customers should know the type of products you are selling IMMEDIATELY on reaching your online shopping cart. Your products should be specific to your customers’ demography.
Incentives and discounts:
Online shoppers often look for best deals and bargains – so, give them freebies and discounts! Most importantly, while giving discounts or freebies, make loud and clear on your online shopping cart.
Manage your customers:
Encourage your customers to suggest changes and when you implement a suggestion – let the customer know. In addition, run polls, run communities and discuss about various beneficial aspects of your products. Be an expert in your line of business and solve customers’ issues.
Maintain a solid customer support:
Good customer support is the key to sustained growth of an online retail store. Display your contact details clearly on your store and answer your customers’ queries as quickly as you can.
There are also factors why e-commerce might facing failure:
1. They do not find the optimal product
2. Our offer is not convincing enough
3. They do not trust some details of the offer
4. The process of the purchase is difficult and illogical
5. They cannot choose from our range of products
6. They do not find an appropriate method of payment
As like any other business, e-commerce needs to ensure that they have great marketing strategies too. It can be explained through this 10 minutes video:
Last but not least, e-commerce is also linked to the security, privacy and legal issues.
- Introduction
- Firewalls, Anti-virus programs, and Anti-malware programs
- Choosing Your Software
- Using Your Computer Safely
Nevertheless, internet users need to be aware that whenever they are going to particular website (such as payment page), it is important to make sure that the link of the website needs to be https:// to ensure its secureness. And it is also important to manage what should we reveal to the public (in this case the other internet users) and what we should keep to ourselves. Thus that people are not able to misused our information.
It is indeed inevitable to disregard internet and its usefulness. However as smart internet users, we need to ensure that we have read well the terms&conditions and information that we reveal.
And whenever anyone wants to start an e-commerce, as business organization, it is important to ensure the basic key factors of success are in the website. Thus potential buyers are attracted and purchase goods from the website. It is also important to manage the customers you already have. Because these loyal customers might help you become even more famous, through mouth marketing, in which it is a FREE cost for the business yet it gives huge benefits to the organization.
Good Luck if you are going to start a new e-commerce =) and if you are already doing an e-commerce, keep maintaining your good work! =D
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