Boost Sales in 2021 – E-Commerce Website Tips
Successfully running a sales business requires keeping up with the ever-changing landscape of commerce. In today’s society, that largely refers to staying up to date on current trends in the e-commerce industry, as a significant number of sales are conducted entirely online. Research on spending habits, popular digital platforms, and user feedback all contribute crucial information to help guide marketing decisions.
Every year brings forth new challenges, and 2020 has been no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immensely negative impact on the world of e-commerce in several ways. However, alongside those challenges are new opportunities as well. To help boost sales for your business, you must utilize the information at your disposal to consider those challenges and opportunities and identify how best to proceed going forward. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top three e-commerce sales strategies to implement in the upcoming year.
Mobile Responsiveness and Consistency of the Customer Experience Are Key
It is estimated that over 2 billion people access the Internet exclusively via smartphones, and every year the figure increases even further. As people continue to become more comfortable with navigating the digital world on their mobile devices, they start using their devices to shop online. Given the sheer amount of website traffic that can be attributed to mobile devices, your e-commerce site’s mobile responsiveness is more important than ever before in order to help boost sales.
Mobile responsiveness is when the website’s design can automatically adjust the size and layout of each page to fit any screen size neatly. That way, users viewing the site on a home computer, tablet, or smartphone will be presented with optimized web design. It is important to remember that mobile responsiveness isn’t just about making sure the text is in a readable size. All the important features of your site should remain functional and easily identifiable. This is especially relevant for e-commerce sites, which sometimes employ special drop-down menus, allowing access to product categories or the contents of the shopping cart by simply hovering the mouse over them and not translating well touch-screen-enabled devices. Ultimately your customer’s experience should be able to transition from one platform to another seamlessly.
Increased Flexibility Regarding Payment Options
In terms of finances, 2020 has been a very difficult year for both individual consumers and businesses. However, some corporations have had more success than others in weathering the challenges. Brands that offered more flexibility in payment methods, such as the implementation of installment payment systems like Afterpay, were able to outperform their competitors, as clients were appreciative of the options available. Looking ahead toward 2021, the future of the economy remains uncertain. Offering a diverse collection of payment options will reassure clients that they can continue to do their business with ease.
Even after the financial situation becomes more stable, the increased popularity of cryptocurrencies is another reason multiple payment options are the way of the future. Customers often display a natural preference for a specific method. If that method is not available, they will readily navigate to a competitor’s website to find what they want. Working on making your systems more user friendly will make your clients feel supported, ensuring that you can continue doing business.
Recognizing That E-Commerce Is About More Than Shopping
One of the most important strategies to implement in the upcoming year isn’t directly tied to sales figures or commercial web design; instead, it’s all about catering to the customer’s emotional needs. Increasing numbers of consumers are making their purchases via social media sites, such as Facebook or Instagram. Social media has consistently been on the rise in terms of popularity over the past few years. Still, the increased usage over the past year is just one example of how people seek out online sources of social interaction.
Instead of specifically looking for particular topics, users are more often simply browsing to see what might spark their interest. Increasing the amount of engagement on social media is one method to reach those people and make them feel like they’re a part of a greater community. Additional techniques to assist with this strategy include utilizing user-generated content, which is proven to be far more effective than other forms of advertising, and investing in tools that supply customers with personalized product recommendations and emails.
Putting These Strategies Into Practice
While all the above strategies will prove essential to boost sales through e-commerce in the upcoming year, they can be difficult to implement in a way that feels natural to your customers. That’s where the professionals at Imagine Monkey can help. Imagine Monkey offers a variety of web design-related services, including e-commerce web design. Whether you’re looking to build a new website from scratch or need assistance in redesigning your existing website to better adhere to current e-commerce trends, the team at Imagine Monkey has the skills and experience necessary for the task.
We prioritize optimizing our clients’ websites to ensure that, in addition to a visually engaging appearance and user-friendly features, you are also guaranteed the most efficient usage of your available resources, allowing you to invest more in other areas of the business. To learn more about our services, give us a call at 949-742-2156, or request a free quote today.
