eCommerce growth continues to rise in 2017, and whilst the benefits presented by competing in the online marketplace are great . The low barriers to entry and the fact consumers can switch providers effortlessly means those that fall behind when it comes to customer experience and pricing strategy will struggle to be profitable. We continue to see the benefits and endless blog posts praising the benefits of “going online”, however retailers are noting the profits aren’t as prolific as they were 5 years ago. Are we entering another era of vicious discounting?

Sure, price impacts conversion rates and abandoned carts, but so to do many other factors including the lack of a brick-and-mortar location, delivery lag and privacy concerns. The modern consumer’s shopping behaviour is changing and many retailer’s are getting left behind.

• 58% of customers are deterred by shipping cost
• 49% of shoppers don’t buy online because they can’t touch and inspect a product
• 34% of respondents cited a difficult return process for their purchased goods

Our top 3 tips for eCommerce in 2017

1. Because shipping costs are the #1 reason that shoppers abandon their carts, the best thing to do is to offer free shipping. Free shipping is a major selling point, and an incentive for customers to shop with you versus your competitors, so make sure you take full advantage of this fact.
2. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes – The most important thing to think about from a user experience point of view is simplicity. Is the page easy to understand? Do the eyes draw to the add to basket button? Do you over complicate the page with lots of bright colours and a lot of pointless features? Is the checkout process as simple as possible?
3. Trust and Ease of Returns – Trust signals are hugely important. Try to offer guarantees and take advantage of well known certification brands like GeoTrust and McAfee. Provide a clear step-by-step guide to returns. Another way of generating trust is by adding genuine reviews of your service. Display your phone number and live chat icon clearly. This shows your customers they can reach you quickly if there’s a problem.

If all else fails, you can always try a professional. There are some fantastically talented conversion specialists within reaching distance. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, the costs involved can easily be recovered if they do their job correctly.