If you’re in the process of trying to grow an online store or plan to open an eCommerce site soon, you’re likely focusing on product choices and prices, marketing, packaging, and so on.
However, have you thought about the fact that consumers don’t get to see you face to face and can therefore be wary about handing over their personal and financial details?
While online shopping has grown hugely in recent years and is becoming ever more utilized by people of all ages, scams also abound, and thus shopper hesitancy. With so many hackers out there targeting unsuspecting consumers, you must make visitors to your eCommerce site feel they can trust you and your store. There are many steps you can take to build more online trust.
Improve Your Website
To make people feel comfortable enough to buy from you online, you need a professional website. The site should clearly have had time and effort put into it, and show you care about doing things well. People are quick to click away if an online presence isn’t up to scratch.
Choose a good font for your site that’s easy to read, and insert quality graphics. Don’t clutter pages with too much stuff, which can overwhelm people and look unprofessional. Adhere to your general branding guidelines, so there’s consistency. You need a user-friendly website with logical navigation that enables people to easily move from one page to another without getting lost or frustrated. Ensure people don’t have to search too hard to find the things they want nor get put off by a confusing or laborious checkout system.
Also, websites need optimizing for mobile viewing, since so many consumers use smartphones and tablets to browse and buy online. Your site should have an automatic resize system in place or use a separate version designed specifically for mobile devices. Furthermore, the payment processing system you use should work seamlessly. Avoid taking shoppers away from your site to another spot to finalize transactions. When this happens, many people get worried about security.
Provide Plenty of Information
Another way to help people trust your site is to provide them with plenty of information. When selling online, each product listing should be comprehensive with details about the size of goods, materials used, where and how they’re made (e.g., sustainable or handmade factors, where appropriate), and how the items can be used.
Add enough clear graphics of each product that people get a good view inside and out. Videos help make people feel confident that what they’re looking at online will suit their specific needs, too. Your site should also include more general information about your business, like your ethos and the people behind the company. Feature contact details so shoppers can get in touch if needed, plus details about shipping costs, delivery timeframes, and returns policies.
It also pays to include a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on your website. Round up various questions and answers in one place and make the page easily scannable and searchable. This way, they can quickly get the details they need and feel more confident about trusting your venture. To determine which questions to put on this FAQ page, notice what people ask on email, phone calls, live chat, etc.
Plus, utilize a comprehensive web analytics tool that gives you an idea of the search terms people input and how they operate when on your website. A heatmap tool will let you see which pages people look at, where they pause and where they click away on each, the points in the checkout where they seem to get stuck, etc. The more insights you obtain about your target audience and how they browse and buy, the better you can target all the information on your site to them. In turn, they’ll be more likely to trust your business.
Showcase Credibility Signs
Another way to engender trust with consumers is to showcase credibility signs. For instance, add relevant site seals, logos, certifications, membership numbers, and the like to your website for factors such as your payment processor, SSL certificate, and industry memberships.
You might upload verification of your use of PayPal, Apple Pay, eBay, American Express, Visa, GeoTrust, Thawte, or Shopify, and membership in the Google Trusted Program, the BBB Accredited Business group, or the Green Business Bureau, among other things.
Also, display feedback you receive from customers, such as product reviews and testimonials, as these go a long way to building trust with shoppers. They like to see that other people have used your site and had good results from doing so.
Every step you take to show how your business is a legitimate one worth getting involved with will help consumers feel safe enough to part with their personal and financial details. Spend the time and effort on this now to reap the results in the future.
