If you run an online store, you’re always trying to increase your eCommerce conversion rates. Here’s how you can boost your sales without throwing a ton of money at things like paid traffic or SEO.
To begin with, the average conversion rate from a typical eCommerce website is only 1-2% on average. Which is pretty depressing, right?
Luckily there are ways to improve this figure and I’ve helped many of my clients achieve much higher-than-average sales conversions from the same amount of traffic.
Here are 7 simple and inexpensive (mostly free!) changes you can make to your website that have been proven to increase your sales conversions.
1. Offer Multiple Payment Options
When you first get started in your eCommerce business, it can be tempting to just offer Paypal (and perhaps Direct Bank Deposit) as your only payment options.
From experience, I know when I added in a credit card processor, my online sales immediately spiked.
And now, the advent of Afterpay has seen many online store sales skyrocket.
The results are in: offering multiple payment options can convert over 15% more sales.
2. Tackle Shopping Cart Abandonment
Did you know, up to 70-80% of your website visitors can add a product to their shopping cart and then NOT BUY!
This is called your Abandoned Cart rate and here’s why it happens:
The biggest cause is when people are surprised by extra fees or charges at the checkout (hello surprise postage fees!) and decide not to buy.
Some of these people may have been distracted before completing the purchase.
Some people even use your shopping cart as a Wish List!
The results are in: implementing an abandoned cart strategy can convert 10-15% more sales.
3. Offer a Guarantee
Many small business owners can feel nervous about offering extended money back guarantees (or any guarantee at all), but the fact is that they convert. Big time.
Think about when you buy online yourself – there’s always that risk, “What if I don’t like it?”
The results are in: offering a 60-day money back guarantee can convert 50% more sales. Yes, the number of refunds may also increase, but typically only by 25%. So you’re still ahead!
4. The Short Checkout Form
When you shop online, do you ever get to the checkout and feel a bit like it’s the Spanish Inquisition? So many questions to answer!
Typically, eCommerce website checkouts default to asking for the customer’s shipping and billing address, but is that really necessary?
The results are in: asking for shipping address only can increase sales conversions by more than 10%.
5. Does the Button Colour Matter?
Many people want to know – what is the best colour for add-to-cart and buy-now buttons?
And whilst colour does matter – 85% of shoppers say that colour is the primary reason for buying a product and full colour print ads get recognised 26% more times than black and white ads.
But there’s no one single button colour that out-performs the rest. What matters is colour hierarchy.
The results are in: choosing a colour that contrasts from other elements on the page can convert 5-20% more sales! This is not the time to stick to your brand palette (but it IS something you should test for yourself).
6. Communicate Your Value
Way too many eCommerce websites forget about product value statements. Product features are boring and don’t shift the needle. Remember, customers don’t buy your product, they buy the transformation or the end result.
The results are in: reminding customers about what they’re buying by re-stating a short, benefit-driven product value statement on your checkout page can increase sales conversions by up to 15%.
7. Don’t Forget Social Proof
Social proof is one of the most powerfully persuasive elements of your eCommerce checkout process. Customers are highly influenced by the knowledge that other people just like them have taken the leap of faith, bought the product, and loved it.
The results are in: including 5 or more customer reviews or testimonials can increase sales conversions by up to 20%.
What do you think?
I’d love you to let me know how you go implementing these changes and what your results are like.
Regarding the guarantee, Catherine – What are your thoughts on offering this on something like skincare when the product would obviously be used. I know some companies offer a “30-day satisfaction guarantee”
As a customer, I have appreciated having a 30 day window. I’ve only ever used it once, when something I’d bought really reacted to my skin, and I was able to return it and exchange it for something else. So yes, I think it’s a good idea, especially if you’re selling online, as this can help remove one of the risks for customers giving your products a go.
We do all of the above except point 6, must add that in. It’s nice to know we’re on the right track.
Thank you Catherine.
Nice one!
Thanks! Will get to work on these:)
Hi Catherine any suggestions as to what to say in a shopping cart abandonment email?
Hi Shah, firstly you want to treat cart abandonment emails as a customer service opportunity and offer assistance. Secondly, I’d include a link back to the customer’s shopping cart and invite them to complete their order, plus offer an incentive like free shipping to help get them over the line. Hope that helps!
Awesome tips, I can implement a bunch of these now!
Excellent!
So many great tips – thanks Catherine!
You’re welcome!
Love these tips Catherine. Thankyou
You’re very welcome 🙂