Digital technology is developing faster than ever, and businesses try to catch up with it. In 2019, having an e-commerce store is not enough. Your e-commerce website needs to stand out in the competition and turn the visitors into loyal customers.
Speaking of competition, it’s insanely huge. According to Forbes, the Internet economy has already reached $4 trillion so far. If you are planning to launch an e-commerce solution for your business in the near future, you are probably wondering how to do it in the most effective way. We’ve prepared three tips to make it easier for you.
1. Ready-Made Vs. Custom
When you start researching the possible options for creating an e-commerce website, you’ll find out that there are only two: using a ready-made solution or building your website from scratch. The choice here is not simple, as it most likely depends on your budget, deadlines, business peculiarities, competition, profit, and target audience. Ready-made e-commerce solutions are appealing when it comes to cost and timelines. However, they lose most of their charm when it comes to branding, scaling, and owning the rights to your e-commerce store.
Provided you find an experienced, trustworthy web design agency to build a website from scratch, you will avoid all of the pitfalls ready-made solutions have. In this case, an e-commerce website cost usually differs significantly from that of a ready-made solution. However, by choosing to create your product from the ground up, you will benefit in the long run. Opportunities for scaling and infinite customization, ownership rights and uniqueness will go a long way.
2. Follow the Trends but Not Too Much
It’s not enough to be online anymore. The quality of your business presence is what matters most. Things like smooth performance, intuitive design, and stylish interface are the etiquette rules of contemporary web development. However, they are not enough for an e-commerce solution to stand out. One of the ways to keep your website in the spotlight is following the trends.
Recent studies show that 52% of all the global website traffic comes from smartphones. It means that if you’re not making your e-commerce website mobile-friendly, you’re potentially cutting your traffic in half on purpose.
Artificial intelligence and chatbots are also among the hottest trends now. Chatbots can be there for your customers 24/7, and the speed of their response is better than you can expect from your best sales representative. Further, chatbots can help you cut down on website administration costs considerably.
Though keeping up with the trends is great, it’s important to stick to the sensible middle as well. Do not distract your website visitors from the offered products with too much technological fireworks.
3. Make It Personal
Over recent years, businesses have turned from general to personal. Many brands search for local influencers to be their brand ambassadors, instead of shooting a million-dollar commercial with the most famous movie star.
Nowadays, people enjoy the convenience of online shopping. By getting what they need online, they can save money, time, and energy for something more important than a trip to a local department store. However, if a modern user finds themselves on a poorly built website full of glitches, they will leave. They are also very likely to leave a website that doesn’t have clear pricing and shipment policies or does not offer personalized customer service. Users strive for personalized services, as they help them get the product they need faster and more easily. Your task is to make the customer journey easy, quick, and fun for your clients.
Personalization can help you drive more sales. Track the individual needs and interests of your website visitors to offer them recommendations they might be interested in. Small details like personalized notes, wrapping and easy returns will help you win the hearts of your customers.
Final Thoughts
Building an e-commerce solution that catches the attention of the users in 2019 is not easy. Still, it’s possible provided that you spend enough time and effort researching the market, the competition, and the target audience. Make your website custom, modern, and personal the best way possible, and monitor its performance after the launch closely. This way, you will be able to facilitate the online presence of your business greatly.
