More so than ever, online customers have options. At the click of a button, a search on Google or other search engines can reveal countless places to shop for the same product. So how can e-commerce businesses create trust in their channel and stand out from the competition?
To win online, you must build trust in an e-commerce website.
The Role of Transparency in Establishing Trust
Transparency and communication are key in establishing trust with potential and current customers. E-commerce businesses should be clear about their policies, procedures, and expectations.
But far more importantly, if your business is not a household name, a shopper has to know that your business is real. While the online world offers countless benefits, it’s also rife with fraud and “get rich quick” charlatans seeking to take advantage of the unsuspecting public to make a quick buck. You can stand out from the crowd by helping your visitors to see that you are real people, and have a real business. Photos of the team, your headquarters, and a clear (and correct) address and phone number can help to convey that customers can trust you.
Building Trust through a Great User Experience
A great user experience also helps to build trust with your audience, and helps build sales too! Great UX and UI shows a commitment to the customer – their needs come first, and you are listening to feedback to improve the experience. It also helps to build customer loyalty, as a satisfied customer is more likely to return to your site to buy again.
Great product content is a key area to invest to improve your user experience. With great content, you create a rich user experience, and can have a robust site search experience to keep customers happy and engaged. We can help with our content creation services! Need a PIM system to support content processes, we can help with that too!
The Importance of Security in Creating Trust
When customers are shopping online, they are entrusting you with their personal and financial information. It’s crucial that you take steps to ensure that their information is safe and secure, and that their transactions will be processed safely. The best way to do this is to use a reputable and well-known payment processor, such as PayPal or Stripe. You should also have a secure SSL certificate installed on your site, to ensure that all data passed between the customer and your site is encrypted.
Bottom line – nothing says “don’t buy from me” like a browser security warning. Don’t skimp here – it’s important!
Creating Trust through Social Media and Customer Reviews
These days, social media is a powerful tool that can help you to build trust with potential and current customers. Use social media to build relationships, answer customer questions and concerns, and show that you are a real business with a real commitment to outstanding customer service.
Customer reviews are also a great way to build trust with potential customers. When potential customers see that others have had a positive experience with your business, they are more likely to take the plunge and make a purchase. The power of word of mouth and direct referrals cannot be underestimated – many times, especially in the B2B world, this is the most powerful and effective driver of new business.
Wrapping Up: Key Takeaways to Build Trust in an E-Commerce Website
In this article we’ve discussed the importance of building trust with your audience. Here are a few key takeaways:
1. Be transparent about your policies, procedures, and expectations.
2. Help visitors to see that you are a real business with a real commitment to outstanding customer service.
3. Use a reputable and well-known payment processor, and have a secure SSL certificate installed on your site.
4. Use social media to build relationships, answer customer questions and concerns, and show a commitment to interacting with your customers openly and honestly.
5. Nurture customer reviews
E-commerce is extraordinarily powerful and fiercely competitive. By taking the time to build trust with your audience, you can set your business apart from the crowd and reap the rewards in terms of increased sales and customer loyalty.
