As internet usage grows, so too does the world of online sales. More and more businesses are entering the e-commerce market, with a growing number of companies exclusively trading online. It’s a huge market, but how can you make the most out of it?
Great web design? Yes. A user-friendly e-commerce platform? Yes. How about psychology? Understanding the psychology of your customers can be really helpful in boosting online sales.
Customer reactions
Psychology is all about behaviour and the mind. It’s how humans react. In e-commerce, the focus is on how customers react to certain aspects of your website. So is there anything you can include on your site that will make them react in a more positive way and encourage purchases?
1. Time
When a customer is looking to buy a product, the more time they spend on your site, the less likely they are to make a purchase. Creating a sense of urgency can speed up the process, and make them more likely to go through the sales process. Subtle language features such as “quick”, “now” and “today” can prompt a quicker response from the customer.
This works especially well with any sort of special offer or deal. Emphasising the limited time on the offer makes customers feel compelled to take advantage of it. A countdown clock is a particularly effective way of drawing attention to a special offer or promotion.
2. Social reinforcement
Good reviews are great for publicity and bad reviews let you know where you can improve. What’s not to like? Even better, including reviews on your website can have a positive effect on your customers. People like to feel like they’re not alone and they don’t want to be the first to try something. Adding reviews, whether it’s for particular products, services, or your business as a whole, provides social reinforcement and helps to alleviate any fears or apprehensions online shoppers may have about investing in your products.
3. Clarity
In the relationship between business and customer, trust is key. 56% of consumers abandon their purchases when they’re presented with unexpected costs. This could be a higher price for a larger size, or extra shipping charges. To avoid high rates of cart abandonment at the checkout, your website should clearly display all costs and additional charges before shoppers reach the final payment screen.
With shipping, it’s worth noting that free shipping is amongst the biggest incentives for online shoppers. Nearly half of customers (47%) abandon their purchase when they find they don’t get free shipping. Free shipping can also prompt customers to spend more too. Orders with free shipping average around 30% extra in value. Of course, providing free shipping isn’t feasible for all e-commerce stores, so make sure you do the research before offering this service.
4. Appearance
Part of the psychology of e-commerce is how customers decide whether or not to buy. The appearance of your website influences your customers’ decisions immediately. In fact, 52% of online shoppers will completely abandon your site if they dislike its overall design. Usability and speed also affect a website’s effect on visitors. A poorly designed website that’s difficult to use and doesn’t offer a user-friendly experience can cost you dearly in online sales because visitors to your site will not hand around long, they’ll simply head to your competitor’s site.
Boost your online sales
Do you want to improve you e-commerce store’s sales? Fluid Digital can help. We’re award-winning e-commerce specialists with a passion for making user-friendly websites that online shoppers love. For more information, give our team a call on 0161 762 4920 or use our contact form and we’ll get back to you soon.