Did you know 81% of UK internet users have bought a service or product online? Ecommerce has quickly become a vital part of many business strategies. Having an up-to-date website for your business is beneficial, but why is having an e-commerce website important?
Competitive marketplace
Well, for starters unless you are an extremely niche business, no doubt you will be part of a competitive marketplace. If your competitors are able to sell their products online, why aren’t you? If you don’t have a high-quality ecommerce platform then you are missing out on the opportunity to grow your business and increase your sales. Did you know that 93.5% of global internet users have purchased products online – so what are you waiting for?
Ease for Customers
With the decline of the high street, more people are opting to shop online. This means that even if customers don’t live near where you are based, they can still buy your goods through your e-commerce store. This allows for your business to grow and for brand awareness to increase, as you will be reaching a wider audience.
Features such as a ‘wishlist’ or saving what is in your basket for up to an hour makes it easier for customers to buy. Having to crawl through your website to find what they were going to purchase may put them off. However, a feature that saves items can encourage visitors to buy as it is right there infront of them. The easier it is for a consumer, the more likely they are to buy from you.
It also means you can improve your customer service too. With live chats being part of web designs, you can have your team ready to answer any questions while they are shopping and help them through their buyer journey.
24/7 Business Opportunities
The beauty of having an e-commerce website is that your shop is available 24/7. No matter what time your customers are looking at your products, whether it’s in the middle of the night when they can’t sleep or during the working day when they usually wouldn’t be able to visit a physical store, they can purchase them whenever they want. This means it is likely that your sales will increase because your products or services are so readily available.
Showcase Your Products
All of your products will be in one place. With clear photography, you can boost your sales and grab visitors’ attention. Through product photos, videos, and product descriptions you can give every customer everything they need to know about what they are thinking of buying- something you may not have time to do if you were to tell them about it in your physical store. It also means even if a product is out of stock, you can still guarantee sales by having pre-order options.
Easily Scale Your Business Up or Down
No matter whether you are wanting to add more to your product pages or wanting to reduce your e-commerce site due to its popularity and demand, having an e-commerce store allows you to scale up and down depending on your circumstance.
It also allows you to run your business from anywhere or while you’re on the go. Unlike a shop that needs to be staffed and has certain opening times, you can run your business even if you are not there through starting an online store.
Personalised Online Shopping Experience
Having an online business enables you to target your customers to exactly what they are looking for. This could be the use of drop-down menus with specific product pages, gift guides, or filters so customers can choose what they need. You can also provide ‘similar product’ or ‘product suggestions’ based on previous buying habits.
Ecommerce sites also allow for you to re-target your potential customers. You can see when your customers have left the checkout process and send them an email to push them along the buying process. Not only will this make more sales for you, but it will make the customer experience easier for your visitors.
Reviews
People trust what people think. Ecommerce website designs allow you to have review sections so that people can leave feedback on your product/services. How many times have you looked at the reviews before making a purchase? Having reviews right next to the product creates trust and builds brand loyalty.
Having an online review section on your ecommerce business is also a helpful marketing tool. It helps you see what products or services are the most popular so you can push them on other platforms such as social media and shows you what you need to improve.
Marketing Campaigns
Through ecommerce stores, you can run effective marketing campaigns. You can run specific online-only offers on your website such as flash sales that only last a day. 37% of shoppers say discounts or coupons can attract them back to retailers’ websites.
It also allows you to create social media or Google ad campaigns that push followers to your ecommerce website. You can offer free trials, competitions or offer your customer a free extra when they buy.
E-commerce Website Design With Yellow Box Marketing
At Yellow Box Marketing we have lots of experience in creating e-commerce websites. We know what it takes to create a positive customer experience and can help you with fully secure checkouts and card payments.
So whether your business is already selling online, or looking to start an e-commerce store, contact us today at hello@yellowboxmarketing.co.uk or make an online inquiry now.