For the eCommerce website owner, the 12 days of Christmas represent 12 times as many shoppers, 11 times as many questions, 10 times as many shipping requests … you get the point. The holidays are equal parts wonderful and terrifying. While the holidays can boost a thriving brand, it can also sink an unprepared website.
Here are 6 ways to make sure your eCommerce website is ready for the holidays.
1. Edit. Edit. Edit. Make sure your website’s content is the best it can be. Hunt for errors. Replace pixilated images. Brush up on your knowledge of SEO. Raise your Google ranking. ECommerce web design is of critical importance when customers are making their buying decisions.
2. Become mobile literate. If your eCommerce website is not easily accessible on multiple devices, you are behind the curve. Consumers are becoming more dependant on their devices all the time. If climbing Mt. Everest seems easier to you than mastering mobile apps, we can help.
3. Build trust. Customers want to feel comfortable using a website’s shopping cart and payment processing service. With hackers showing up in the news with increasing regularity, consumers are highly suspicious of websites who do not use popular shopping cart or payment processing options. Don’t give customers a reason to leave your site. Make sure your check-out process is up to par.
4. Improve your customer service. Whether you have a staff and can provide live chat capabilities or whether you are a do-it-yourselfer and can only offer a phone number or e-mail address, be sure you respond kindly and promptly to every customer who makes contact. A disgruntled shopper can do more damage to a brand than a bad product. Rule #1 in how to get customers: listen to the ones you have.
5. Test! Test! Test! Discount codes drive holiday sales. Thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, savvy shoppers become hesitant to buy non-sale items during the holiday season. Give them the deal they are looking for with a promotion or discount code, but be sure you have adequately tested (and re-tested!) your eCommerce marketing configurations and applications to avoid a messy and/or embarassing situation.
6. Share within your network! Don’t forget to market your eCommerce website on your social media platforms. Since you’ve spent your precious time and hard earned dollars finalizing products and creating ads, make sure people see them! Remember: Customers don’t know what you don’t tell them.
‘Tis the season to be jolly. Be sure your eCommerce website is ready for the holidays so that your only memories this year are good ones!
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