Online Window Shopping
As an online merchant, you struggle to attract visitors to your website. You engage in search engine optimization, search engine marketing and other strategies to increase traffic to your online store. However, even if you are successful in generating traffic to you website, you may not actually generate any revenue.
The odd strongly favor that the vast majority of visitors to your website who initiate purchases will abandon their online shopping carts without making any purchases. There are a variety of reasons for this, ranging from high shipping costs to lower prices discovered elsewhere. While you cannot prevent all instances of shopping cart abandonment, incorporating online sales software can convert a significant proportion of abandoned shopping carts to completed online sales.
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Send Follow-Up Email Reminders
In some instances, sending follow-up email reminders will trigger shoppers who might have abandoned their shopping carts due to outside distraction such as a phone call. A friendly message inquiring whether an incomplete purchase was perhaps forgotten may well result in a return to your website to complete the sale. Email reminders can also convey additional information or incentives to entice shoppers back onto your website, this time to complete their purchases. For instance, offering a one-time discount or waiver of shipping fees may inspire a shopper who hesitated due to high prices or stiff shipping fees to reconsider his or her decision to abandon an online shopping cart.
Simplify Website Navigation
If you have a large number of visitors who abandon shopping carts early in the process, perhaps faulty website navigation is to blame. It is necessary to obtain vital information such as shipping addresses in order to complete a sale. On the other hand, requiring shoppers to complete lengthy profile forms in order to make purchases may drive shoppers away -- resulting in a loss of revenue. A wiser strategy is to allow customers to complete opt-in membership or profile forms either during the checkout procedure or afterward. Customers who do not want to complete profiles should be able to check out as “guests” without undue hassle. Providing an additional opportunity to opt-in after the sale is complete is likely to inspire recent customers to accept the offer to engage more actively with your online enterprise.
Post Upfront Charges and Prominent Promotions
Customers hate shipping fees. However, customers hate HIDDEN shipping fees even more. If you must charge shipping fees, state the fees upfront. It should go without saying that your fees should be as low as possible. Customers are savvy enough to figure out when a merchant is attempting to pad profit margins with exorbitant shipping fees. Consider featuring alternating promotions on the splash page of your website such as free shipping or a fifteen percent discount for first-time customers. Encourage referrals by offering gifts or discounts to customers who direct others to your online storefront. Post a social media profile with incentives for visitors who “like” your company or who “share” your materials with their friends and family through their own social media pages.
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I never thought of using online sales software. This will really help.