CRO Tips from Top Online Retailers

We all love to shop online. It’s the easiest way to find deals, compare prices, and get those hard-to-find items.  It’s terrific from a customer’s point of view, but it is fiercely competitive for retailers. There are millions of online retailers, each scrambling to compete not only with each other, but with giants like Amazon, Argos, Apple, and QVC.  Here are some CRO tips that the most successful online businesses put into action.

These tips center around creating a sense of trust and value for your customers. Let’s see how the big boys do it.

• Option for review/feedback. This user-generated content is essential. When people shop online, they expect that they will be able to read reviews from customers. These must be authentic – whether positive or negative. (Remember, negative feedback is even more important than positive feedback , so respond promptly.) These reviews build your credibility and make your site more appealing to customers.
• Have a sale! A sale gives customers value. It gives them a reason to come to your site. It seems very basic, but it’s a step you don’t want to neglect. Display your specials and deals prominently on your homepage, as well as by individual products. Even better, add a coupon code in your PPC and other advertising.
• Create a sense of urgency. Make sure your customers know that this sale is today only!  Or that the first 50 customers get free shipping!  This creates the impression that they need to act now, which benefits you.  People hate to miss out on a great deal, and this many times prompt them to act now rather than abandon their shopping carts (and possibly never return to check out).
• Offer free shipping. You can afford to charge a bit more for your items if you offer free shipping. This is a tremendous value for customers, and it can be the factor that prompts them to choose you over a competitor.  Shipping costs are often prohibitive, so offering it to customers with purchases over a certain amount or to any customer on certain days is a smart move.

These all seem simple, which is great for online retailers. Better CRO isn’t a mystery; it’s not out of reach. It just revolves around offering value to your customers.