How to Increase Ecommerce Sales: 20 Effective Strategies (2024)

An ecommerce site that isn't doing well in sales can signify fundamental flaws in its structure or strategy.

If you're experiencing low ecommerce sales, you're not alone - many online retailers struggle with this issue. In this article, we will explore 20 proven tactics that can help boost your ecommerce sales significantly.

1. Set Targeted Pricing

The pricing strategy you adopt for your ecommerce store can have a huge impact on your sales. Targeted pricing involves setting strategic prices for your products that appeal to your specific customer base, taking into consideration a host of factors like their spending habits, average income, perceived product value, and competition pricing.

Why Targeted Pricing?

Targeted pricing allows you to compete effectively in your market. It ensures your prices appeal to your customer base, are at par with (or better than) competition, and still bring profitable margins to your business.

Setting the Right Price

There's no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to pricing. It could be a blend of several different approaches, including:

- Cost-Plus Pricing: Here, you calculate the cost of producing a product and then add a fixed percentage as profit.

- Competitive Pricing: This involves setting the price based on what your competitors charge for similar products.

- Value-Based Pricing: Under this strategy, you set the price based on how much a customer believes what you’re selling is worth.

- Dynamic Pricing: With this strategy, prices continually adjust based on a variety of factors such as demand, competition, and relevant trends.

While setting the right price, it's crucial to ensure that your customers perceive it to be fair. Never compromise on the quality of your products, as this can alter their perceived value.

Price Promotions and Sales

Running sales or offering promotions is a common pricing strategy for ecommerce stores. They can motivate customers to make impulse purchases or buy in larger quantities. Common types of sales could include seasonal markdowns, buy one get one free, or including a free gift with purchase.

2. Build an Email List

One fundamental way to increase ecommerce sales is by building an email list. Contrary to the notion that email is becoming obsolete, it remains a robust tool for forging personal connections with your customers and driving sales.

Why Should You Have an Email List?

An email list comprises potential customers who have expressed interest in your brand or products by providing their email addresses. These individuals are more likely to convert into paying customers. Email marketing allows you to reach out directly to these people to engage them, promote your products, or offer exclusive deals.

How to Build an Email List

1. Newsletter Signups: One simple way to grow your email list is by placing a newsletter signup form on your website. Entice visitors to subscribe by offering something in return, like a discount code, free shipping, or valuable industry news.

2. Pop-ups: Pop-ups can also be particularly effective for collecting email addresses. You may offer an incentive, like a one-time discount or early access to new products, to visitors who subscribe.

3. Checkout Capture: Another effective method is to capture emails from customers during the checkout process. However, be transparent about how you'll use their email addresses to ensure compliance with privacy laws.

How to Leverage Your Email List

1. Personalized Emails: Once you have an email list, personalize your emails as much as possible. Use the recipient's name, send birthday greetings, or recommend products based on their browsing history.

2. Promotional Emails: Send emails about sales and promotions. Remember to create a sense of urgency to encourage quick action.

3. Abandoned Cart Reminders: If a customer leaves items in their cart without checking out, well-crafted reminder emails can draw them back to complete the purchase.

4. Educational Content: Don't keep your emails strictly promotional. Sharing resourceful content related to your products creates added value for your subscribers.

5. Exclusive Offers: Keep your subscribers engaged by sending them exclusive offers or early bird access to your new products.

Build your email list steadily, and with the right strategies, this could be one of your most profitable channels for boosting ecommerce sales.

3. Create Promotional Campaigns for Different Social Networks

Social media channels are a powerful tool for promoting products and driving sales. Understanding the different social platforms and creating unique promotional campaigns for each can significantly increase your ecommerce sales.

Your target audience may comprise different demographics with varying interests and preferences and they're likely spread across multiple social networks. Consequently, your messaging should be fine-tuned for each platform to maximize reach and engagement. For instance, Instagram's visually-rich platform would warrant high-quality photos or videos of your products, while on LinkedIn, a more professional, informational approach might work best.

Facebook

Facebook is a versatile platform where you can create targeted promotional campaigns with a broad or specific reach. You can reach specific demographics based on users' likes, location, age, etc., using Facebook’s ad platform. One practice that's known to improve conversion rates is to create a Facebook shop that syncs with your online store, making shopping a seamless experience.

Twitter

On Twitter, you can create promotional campaigns using tweets with catchy copy and relevant hashtags. Timely tweets around specific events, trends or holidays can result in more engagement. It's also a great platform to leverage influencer marketing if relevant to your business.

Instagram

Instagram is ideal for businesses with visually appealing products. High-quality photos and videos, Instagram stories, shoppable posts, and influencer collaborations can all be elements of your Instagram promotional campaign.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is ideal for B2B businesses. Sharing high-quality content about your products, insightful blog posts, webinars, or whitepapers can help draw in potential clients.

Determining the platforms that your audience frequents most can guide where to place your efforts. You can use social media management tools like Buffer, SproutSocial, or HootSuite to manage and evaluate the effectiveness of your campaigns on various platforms.

In addition to creating regular product posts, consider utilizing paid advertising options. These can dramatically increase your reach and are often customizable to target particular demographics or user interests.

Creating well-structured promotional campaigns on different social networks can ensure you capture the attention of your diverse audience and transform them into active buyers. But it all starts with understanding your audience and each platform's nuances. With that knowledge, you can create uniquely suitable campaigns for each site, which will have a positive effect on your ecommerce sales, overall brand recognition, and customer loyalty.

4. Use Scarcity to Get People to Act

The law of supply and demand is an essential principle in economics, and it shapes buyer behaviors remarkably in ecommerce. Implementing scarcity tactics can induce a sense of urgency that compels shoppers to buy, improving your sales figures in the process.

Scarcity can be leveraged in various ways:

Limited-Time Offers

Nothing breeds urgency like a ticking clock. Limited-time offers create just the right pressure to stimulate immediate action. Flash sales, daily or weekly deals, and seasonal promotions are perfect examples of this strategy.

Creating a countdown timer for these sales on your website or through promotional emails can add to the sense of urgency and drive impulse buys.

Limited Stock Notices

Displaying a limited quantity of a product can make it seem more valuable. "Only X left in stock" can be a powerful message. Online shoppers often fear missing out on a product they like, and the thought of someone else buying it if they don't can push them to make a purchase. Products with limited availability can come across as more exclusive and desirable.

Exclusive Products

Offer products that are available exclusively on your platform. This not only brings a sense of assurance but also increases the perceived value of those products because they can't be found elsewhere. Limited edition or time-bound exclusive products can also raise the perceived value, leading to more sales.

However, scarcity tactics should be used responsibly. If an item marked as 'limited stock' is suddenly restocked continuously, or a 'this week-only' offer is extended repeatedly, customers may lose trust and feel manipulated.

Implementing scarcity the right way can deliver a powerful psychological nudge that can definitely fuel your ecommerce sales in the right direction. Although there's a fine line between urgency and pushiness. Always ensure transparent and ethical practices so that while you may instigate 'fear of missing out,' you never risk causing unnecessary panic buying or false urgency.

5. Create a Money-Back Guarantee

A money-back guarantee is more than just a return policy. This is a pledge to customers that if they are not satisfied or find any fault with your product, they can get their money back with no questions asked. This guarantee is a powerful tool that can influence buying decisions and help to boost your ecommerce sales.

Why a Money-Back Guarantee Matters

Online shopping inherently involves risk. Customers cannot physically see or touch the products before purchasing them. A money-back guarantee lessens this risk because it provides customers with an assurance that they can get their money back if the product is not as expected.

Building Trust and Confidence

A money-back guarantee can dramatically increase customer confidence and trust in your ecommerce store. It shows that you are so confident about your product's quality that you're willing to bear the burden if it doesn't meet the customer's expectations. This trust can often be the decider between choosing your ecommerce store over a competitor.

Removing Barriers to Purchase

Often, customers have a potential purchase in their cart but can't muster the confidence to complete the transaction, particularly for high-value items. A money-back guarantee reduces this purchase barrier by ensuring that they can recover their money if they're dissatisfied.

Turning Returns into Opportunities

While no business enjoys getting returns, a customer choosing to return a product is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. Offering simple, hassle-free returns can turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one, perhaps securing a loyal customer for life.

However, be prepared to fulfill your guarantee and make the return process as smooth as possible. The terms should be clear, simple, and easy to find. Also, make sure the financial implications of offering a money-back guarantee are sustainable for your business.

Implemented judiciously, a money-back guarantee can become a valuable asset, increasing customer trust, satisfaction, and eventually, ecommerce sales.

6. Establish Trust by Offering Social Proof

Social proof is a psychological concept that people will follow the actions of others in an effort to reflect correct behavior. It’s a powerful marketing tool that ecommerce businesses can use to establish trust and credibility among potential customers. There are several ways to incorporate social proof in your online store.

Customer Reviews and Ratings

One of the most effective forms of social proof is customer reviews and ratings. Shoppers trust their peers more than advertisers. Encourage your customers to write reviews of the products they purchased and make them visible to shoppers. Honest, unbiased feedback can alleviate potential customers' doubts and steer them toward making a purchase.

Testimonials

Testimonials are another form of social proof that can increase trust. They are typically positive reviews from happy customers, promoting specific products or your brand in general. You might place them prominently on your homepage, product pages, or a dedicated testimonial page.

Case Studies

Case studies are stories of how your product has helped your customers. They usually offer a deeper insight into how a product works and can help potential customers understand how they could also benefit. This form of social proof helps especially in selling complex or high-value products.

Endorsements and Influencer Reviews

Endorsements from celebrities or industry influencers acting as brand advocates can greatly boost your brand's reputation. These individuals' followers often trust their opinions, which can influence their purchasing decisions.

Media Mentions

If your product has been featured or reviewed in media outlets, share this on your site. This kind of exposure adds credibility to your brand and can help to drive sales.

Trust Seals

Trust seals from recognized authorities (like the Better Business Bureau or TRUSTe) showing that your site is secure can make customers feel safe about sharing their payment information and completing a purchase.

Social Media Following or "Follower Count"

A large social media following often translates to higher perceived credibility. If your brand has a considerable number of social media followers or likes, display this information prominently.

Presenting social proof helps to build customer confidence in your products and your brand. It's a testament to the value you provide and can be instrumental in driving conversions and establishing long-term customer relationships. However, the key is to ensure the social proof you provide is genuine and relevant. Misleading customers can harm your brand's reputation and result in lost sales.

7. Use Paid Traffic to Promote Your Sales

While organic traffic is undeniably important and valuable, the power of paid traffic for ecommerce cannot be overlooked. Paid traffic refers to visitors who come to your site via paid advertising. You could use several popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to run paid ad campaigns that drive targeted traffic to your ecommerce site, and in turn, amplify your sales.

Facebook Ads

Facebook provides a highly-targeted advertising platform where you can focus in on specific demographics and reach potential customers directly in their content feed. Their 'Custom Audiences' feature can target users who have visited your site before or have a similar profile to your current customers. Running sales-specific ads during high shopping periods could also help increase conversions.

Twitter Ads

Twitter's ad options include promoted tweets, accounts, and trends. Their 'Tailored Audiences' feature can target visitors who have visited your site, similar to Facebook's custom audiences. This can be particularly useful when launching new products or promoting sales to a relevant audience.

Instagram Ads

For visually-driven products, Instagram's ad platform is highly effective in driving sales. Their different ad formats like photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, and shopping ads allow a wide range of promotional possibilities. Instagram’s 'Shop Now' button directly drives traffic to your website, creating an easy journey from discovering a product to purchasing it. Plus, being owned by Facebook, Instagram also allows advanced targeting options.

While using paid traffic, it is essential to create an engaging and attractive landing page. If prospects are going to invest time in clicking a paid ad, they expect to land on a page that offers value and entices them to buy your product or service.

8. Start Upselling

Upselling is a sales technique where a seller induces the customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades, or add-ons in an attempt to generate more revenue. When implemented effectively, upselling can increase your average order value and significantly boost your total ecommerce sales.

Upsell on Product Pages

Product pages are a prime location for upselling. When a customer is viewing a product, suggest related products or premium versions. If you sell items with different feature levels, show customers how they could benefit from using the upgraded features of a higher-tiered product.

Bundle Products

Offering product bundles with a slight discount can be an effective way of increasing the perceived value of a purchase. If items complement each other or are commonly bought together, it makes sense to offer them as a bundle at a lower price than the combined individual prices.

Post-Purchase Upsells

After a customer completes a purchase, you can offer upsells on the confirmation or thank you page. The customer has already decided to purchase, so they may be more open to adding something extra to their order.

Upsell Via Email

Use your email list to offer exclusive deals to your subscribers. This could include bundled deals, upgrade options, or special offers on higher-value items.

It is also important to understand that upselling should be done carefully and in a way that genuinely adds value for your customers. Avoid aggressively upselling or doing so without considering your customer’s needs, as this could turn them off and potentially harm your relationship.

9. Revise Your Checkout Process

The checkout process is a critical element in the customer's journey and significantly affects your ecommerce sales. A complicated, confusing, or lengthy checkout process can cause frustration and ultimately lead to cart abandonment. Revising and simplifying your checkout process can promote a pleasant shopping experience and boost your ecommerce sales.

Single-Page Checkout

Instead of spreading the checkout process over multiple pages, consider condensing it into a single page. This allows customers to see all the required fields at once and reduces the effort needed to complete the purchase.

Guest Checkout Option

Forcing customers to create an account can be a significant barrier and a leading cause of checkout abandonment. Offering a guest checkout option allows customers to make a purchase without creating an account. User account creation can be offered after the purchase, preferably with a benefit, like order tracking or future offers.

Clear Pricing and No Hidden Costs

Avoid surprising your customers with hidden costs like shipping fees, taxes, or other charges at checkout. Instead, provide all pricing information upfront. If your customers reach checkout only to find unexpected costs added, they may abandon their carts.

Multiple Payment Options

Offering a variety of payment methods increases the chance that a customer will have a preferred payment option available, making it easier for them to complete the purchase.

Security Seals or Indications

Display clear signs that your site is secure; this can be done with recognized security seals or simple indications like "https://" in your URL. Customers need to know their personal and financial information is secure when making an online purchase.

Mobile-Friendly Design

Ensure your checkout process is designed to be mobile-friendly, as a growing number of shoppers use their smartphones to make purchases. Buttons should be big enough to tap easily, and pages should fit on small screens without requiring horizontal scrolling.

Remember, your goal is to make it easy for customers to give you their money, any unnecessary barriers or complexities can lead to lost sales and missed opportunities. A streamlined, user-friendly checkout process can significantly improve your ecommerce store's conversion rates.

10. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Payment options are a crucial element in an ecommerce transaction. By providing multiple payment options, you cater to a wide variety of customer preferences, promoting a seamless checkout experience and, in turn, increasing sales.

Traditional Credit/Debit Cards

The most common form of payment on ecommerce sites is through credit and debit cards. Ensure that your platform accepts the majority of card providers.

Mobile Wallet

Mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay are becoming more popular due to their ease of use. Users simply log into their wallet where their card details are stored, without typing out long card numbers each time, making the process swift and hassle-free.

Bank Transfers

For high-ticket items, some customers may prefer using a direct bank transfer. It is worth offering this option, particularly for B2B sales.

Digital Currencies

With the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, some ecommerce stores now allow for payments using these digital currencies. This might be a worthwhile inclusion if your target customer base is likely to be cryptocurrency users.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options like Afterpay or Klarna have become increasingly popular. These services allow customers to purchase an item and pay for it in installments over time, often with no interest. This can significantly help to drive sales, especially for higher-priced items.

Incorporating multiple payment options not only improves the convenience and flexibility for your customers but also increases your business's credibility.

However, it's essential to ensure that with each added payment option the security of transactions remains uncompromised.

Offering a variety of secured payment options can encourage customers to complete their purchases, leading to higher conversion rates and increased sales.

12. Install a Chatbot or Introduce Live Chat

The introduction of chat functionalities on your ecommerce site can enhance user experience and help boost your sales.

When it comes to chat functions, businesses usually have two popular options: live chat (staffed by humans) or a chatbot (powered by artificial intelligence or AI).

Let's explore why and how you can make them work for your ecommerce store.

Why Live Chat?

Live chat allows rapid and real-time communication between your customers and your sales or support team. It provides instant responses to queries, creates a personalized shopping experience, and can often make the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart.

Making Live Chat Work

Aim to keep your live chat available as much as possible. You should clearly state your service hours. Doing so keeps customer expectations realistic, especially when providing live chat service around the clock is not feasible. Instead, you can use an out-of-hour quick contact form or a chatbot to assist when your live chat team is not available.

Why a Chatbot?

Chatbots are AI-powered tools that converse with customers on your behalf. They're available 24/7, providing instant responses and carrying out basic customer service tasks. When built correctly, they can answer frequently asked questions, help customers navigate your site, suggest products, and even assist customers through the checkout process.

Making Chatbots Work

To make a chatbot work for your online store, ensure it is programmed to understand and respond correctly to a wide range of common customer queries. It’s also important that the chatbot can recognize when a human needs to step in. If a query is too complex, the bot should be able to forward it to a human staffer.

In conclusion, both live chat and chatbots have their merits. You can even use them in combination - a chatbot for handling basic queries and a live chat for more complex issues.

The idea is to provide users with immediate responses to improve their overall shopping experience and, in turn, foster higher sales conversions.

13. Ensure Consistent Messaging Throughout

In ecommerce, the consistency of your messaging plays a critical role in crafting a coherent and trustworthy brand image, which in turn leads to better customer experience and increased sales. Here's what consistent messaging entails and why it matters.

What is Consistent Messaging?

Consistent messaging means maintaining uniformity in the content, tone, style, and values expressed across all your brand's communication channels, including your ecommerce website, email campaigns, social media, customer service, and offline marketing efforts. It supports seamless integration between different customer touchpoints, delivering the same brand experience no matter how or where a customer interacts with you.

Why Consistent Messaging Matters

1. Builds Brand Recognition and Trust: When customers see consistent messaging, it reinforces your brand image and identity in their minds. This builds brand recognition and helps establish trust, as consistency reinforces the perception of professionalism and reliability.

2. Enhances Customer Experience: Consistent messaging ensures that customers receive the same high-quality experience from every interaction with your brand. This can result in increased satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, higher sales.

3. Creates a Strong Brand Story: Consistency helps you create a compelling, memorable brand story. Every part of your messaging contributes to this story, supporting your brand values and vision.

4. Streamlines Marketing Efforts: With a defined approach to your messaging, every new marketing piece or communication becomes more straightforward. You know your tone, style, and key messaging, which makes everything more consistent and cohesive.

How to Ensure Consistent Messaging

1. Create a Brand Guide: This should define your brand voice, tone, style, and core messaging pillars. Keep it updated, and ensure everyone who creates content or communication for your brand has easy access to it.

2. Align all Departments: Every team, from marketing and sales to customer service, should align with your brand messaging. Regular training and communication can ensure everyone is on the same page.

3. Audit and Update Regularly: Regularly check that all your communications adhere to your brand guide. Also, review your guide periodically to keep it relevant as your brand evolves.

Remember, consistency breeds trust, and trust breeds sales. Being consistent with your brand message can indeed provide your ecommerce business with a significant competitive edge.

14. Offer Free Stuff!

Who can resist the appeal of getting something for free? Offering freebies can serve as a powerful incentive for customers, guiding them towards making a purchase and subsequently contributing to an increase in sales. Here are a few ways you can introduce free items into your ecommerce sales strategy.

Free Samples or Gifts

If the nature of your business allows it, consider offering free samples of your products. For instance, cosmetic and skincare brands frequently offer free sample-sized versions of their products. Alternatively, you could offer a free gift with the purchase of a specific product or once the total bill crosses a certain amount.

Free Shipping

Zero-cost shipping has become almost an industry standard in the ecommerce space. Many customers expect it, and its absence can often lead to cart abandonment. Offering free shipping can be a major attractor - it simplifies the mental math customers must do while shopping and can push them over the line to complete a purchase.

Buy One, Get One Free

Also known as "BOGO" deals, these often appeal to customers because they feel like they're getting an extra product for free. This can be particularly successful with items that customers typically buy in multiples.

Free Returns

Just like with free shipping, free returns have become the norm in ecommerce. Offering free returns reduces the perceived risk of online shopping and can convince hesitant customers to make a purchase.

Free Trials

For service-based ecommerce businesses, offering a free trial could be the key to getting potential customers onboard. After experiencing the service for free, they may be more likely to purchase a subscription or a full version of the product.

Remember, while the word 'free' can surely attract customers, it's essential that you clearly mention the conditions (if any) involved in claiming the free item.

Transparency will help maintain customer trust and satisfaction, reducing the likelihood of complaints or negative reviews.

Moreover, make sure any freebie strategy lines up economically with your overall revenue and pricing structure.

15. Track User Engagement and Find What Works

Understanding how your customers interact with your ecommerce store is invaluable data you can use to enhance the user experience and boost sales. By tracking user engagement, you can find which of your tactics are driving positive interaction and which need rethinking.

There are several ways you can track and measure user engagement. These include:

Analyzing Website Analytics

Website analytics provide a wealth of information about user interactions on your site. Common analytics tools like Google Analytics record data such as the number of visitors, time spent on pages, click-through rates, bounce rates, and so forth. These statistics can help you identify trending products, popular pages, and potential pain points.

Monitoring Conversion Rates

Conversion rates reveal how many site visitors are completing the desired actions—whether it's making a purchase, signing up for an email list, or completing a survey. By tracking conversion rates, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your sales funnel and marketing strategies.

Using Heatmaps

Heatmap tools provide visual displays of how users interact with your site. They show where users click on a page, how far down they scroll, and what elements attract their attention. Such insights help you identify engaging content, arrange page elements optimally, and eliminate distractions.

Customer Feedback and Reviews

Customer feedback is a direct method to gauge user engagement. Encourage product reviews and ratings, allow comments on blogs, and create a feedback form on your website. The more you listen to your customers, the more you can improve their shopping experience.

Conducting A/B Testing

A/B testing entails creating two versions of a certain aspect of your website (like a product page or a call-to-action button) and seeing which version generates better engagement. This testing can give accurate insights into user preferences, enabling you to take data-driven decisions.

Monitoring user engagement is not a one-time job. Regular checks and adaptations are necessary to keep improving and staying aligned with your customers' changing needs. Remember, what works today might not work six months from now. Always test, analyze, and iterate to keep your ecommerce store engaging and sales-healthy.

16. Improve Your Mobile Browsing Experience

With the surge in smartphone usage over the past decade, it's no surprise that mobile commerce (or m-commerce) has become an integral part of ecommerce.

People are not just browsing but also making purchases more frequently on their mobile devices, and by ensuring your ecommerce store offers an optimal mobile browsing experience can help capture this audience and increase sales.

Mobile-Friendly Site Design

First up, your website must be mobile-friendly. A website that's easy to navigate on a mobile device is absolutely crucial. It should scale and adapt to different screen sizes while keeping key functionality intact. Template-based website builders usually offer mobile-responsive designs as standard, but if you're building from scratch or using a bespoke design, you’ll need to ensure it's thoroughly tested on different devices and screen sizes.

Speed Optimization

Speed is critically important for any online experience, and even more so on mobile where users are often on the go and might have slower internet connections. Compressing images, minimizing code, optimizing scripts, and leveraging browser caching can all contribute to an increased loading speed.

Easy Checkout

The checkout process should be seamless on mobile. Inputs should be minimized through automatic address lookup and the option for digital wallets like Google Pay, Apple Pay, or PayPal. Lengthy forms and unnecessary steps should be avoided.

App Development

If your business model supports it, consider investing in a mobile app. Apps can provide a more personalized user experience, save user preferences, enable push notifications, and offer offline accessibility.

Mobile SEO

Finally, you’ll want to ensure your site is optimized for mobile SEO. This includes making sure it loads quickly (as we mentioned earlier), is easy to navigate, and the meta descriptions and titles are optimized for a mobile view.

The ongoing shift towards mobile browsing isn't going to reverse any time soon. By optimizing your mobile browsing experience, you will make it easier for customers to shop at your ecommerce store, leading to a growth in your sales.

17. Work on Reducing Cart Abandonment

Cart abandonment is a perpetual issue for ecommerce businesses around the globe. Seeing your potential customers get so close to making a purchase — only to abandon their virtual shopping carts — can be disheartening.

However, understanding why customers abandon their carts and taking measures to mitigate these issues can increase your conversions significantly. Here’s how:

Simplify the Checkout Process

A complicated checkout process is a massive barrier to closing a sale. Save the customer's time and effort with a simplified checkout page. It should, ideally, be a single page with a simple form, clear pricing (including taxes and shipping), and an easy button to finally make the purchase.

Offer Multiple Payment Options

Limited payment options can lead to cart abandonment. Customers have their favorite and trusted ways to pay, and if those aren't available, they might not complete the purchase. Offering a variety of commonly used payment methods, including credit/debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Buy-Now-Pay-Later services, can help to improve checkout success.

Show Transparent Pricing

Unexpected add-ons like taxes, shipping costs, or other service fees at the final payment page can shock customers into abandonment. Display all expenses upfront on the product page or even as early as the product listing page, so there are no surprises during checkout.

Implement Cart Abandonment Recovery

Capture the email address at the start of checkout. If they abandon their cart, you can send an email reminder after a certain period, sometimes with a discount offer.

Provide Cart Save Feature

Some customers may want to save their cart to purchase later. Ensure your ecommerce platform has this feature enabled.

Reassure Security Measures

Online security is a significant concern for online shoppers. Ensuring adequate security measures and displaying trust badges at checkout can comfort users and may increase the likelihood of sales completion.

Each shopper is unique, and there may be other reasons they abandon their carts, but the above recommendations cover most cases. It's about making the purchasing process as simple, transparent, and reassuring as possible to prevent second thoughts and improve your ecommerce sales.

18. Create a “Best Sellers” List

Creating a "best sellers" list is an excellent strategy to appeal to potential customers, highlighting your most successful products.

Almost everyone at some point has been intrigued by "best-sellers" or "most popular" products while shopping. They immediately attract attention and instill a sense of trust and quality in the product. After all, if many people are buying it, it must be good, right?

How does a "Best Sellers" list increase sales?

The power of a "Best Sellers" list lies in its ability to create a powerful herd mentality response. Shoppers often like to know what others are buying. It provides reassurance and eliminates the need for lengthy decision-making.

Where should you display "Best Sellers"?

The placement of this list is vital. You should place it in an easily accessible and visible area of your website. Consider showcasing it on the front page or in the navigation menu. You can also personalize this feature by showing best-selling items based on the customer's past purchases or browsing history.

Refresh your "Best Sellers" List

Keep your "Best Sellers" list updated. This shows the dynamism of your customer preferences and maintains the interest of repeat customers.

Optimize Each Best Seller's Product Page

Ensure that each product listed on your "Best Sellers" list has an optimized product page. Include a detailed, exciting description, high-quality pictures, and customer reviews or ratings. This will provide all the necessary information for customers to make a purchase.

A "Best Sellers" list brings your top-performing products to a prime spot in your ecommerce store, driving more views and purchases to these products. Remember to keep it updated and attractive to get the best results. As your shop evolves, so should your "Best Sellers" list. This will keep customers intrigued and more likely to return to your online store.

19. Add Reviews on Your Site

Online reviews have a significant influence on consumers' shopping behaviour. They not only provide third-party insights about your products but also help build customer trust, which is crucial in the ecommerce industry. Let's delve into the importance of customer reviews and how they can boost your online store's sales.

The Importance of Customer Reviews

Research shows that the number of customer reviews on a product can significantly impact its sales. Products with high ratings (even as few as five reviews) can experience higher conversion rates. On the other hand, no reviews or low ratings can deter potential customers.

Moreover, reviews provide more information about the product from the customer's perspective. This can alleviate potential uncertainties and encourage the customer to press the "Buy" button.

How to Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews

It's important to make it as easy as possible for your customers to leave reviews. Here are a few ways to do this:

- Email Follow-ups: After a product is sold, send a follow-up email to the customer, thanking them, and inviting them to review the product they purchased.

- Review Rewards: Offer incentives like discount codes, loyalty points, or entry into a giveaway to motivate customers to leave a review.

- Easy Review Process: Reduce the friction in review process by making it simple and intuitive. This includes a clear call to action, a simple form to complete, and a rating system that's easy to understand.

How to Handle Negative Reviews

Negative reviews, while not desirable, are unavoidable. However, they are not always harmful if handled properly. An appropriate response to a negative review can show your business's dedication to customer satisfaction and problem-solving. If a customer points out a genuine product flaw or a misstep in your service in a negative review, it’s an opportunity for your business to learn and improve.

Undoubtedly, incorporating reviews into your ecommerce website is a great strategy to foster trust in your products and to drive more sales. It's important to remember that authenticity is key here. Don't remove or fabricate reviews. Genuine customer reviews, whether good or bad, play an important role in maintaining the integrity of your online store.

20. A/B Testing Different Campaigns

Deciding on the most compelling messaging, design, or call-to-action for your ecommerce site can be challenging. That's where A/B testing, also known as split testing, comes into play. This involves testing two different versions of a web page, email, or other marketing content to see which version performs better.

How A/B Testing Works

A/B testing typically involves changing one variable at a time on your website. This could be the headline, product image, call to action, pricing information, or any other element that affects user behavior. You show version A (control) to half of your audience and version B (variant) to the other half. Armed with the resulting data, you can determine which version leads to more conversions.

Why A/B Testing is Important

A/B testing is a critical tool for ecommerce sites because it can directly impact conversion rates and sales. By continually testing different elements, you can optimize your website to encourage the desired user behavior, whether it's making a purchase, signing up for an email list, or any other goal.

Best Practices

To get the most out of A/B testing, follow these best practices:

1. Test One Variable at a Time: This ensures that you can attribute any changes in user behavior specifically to the variable you tested.
2. Be Patient: Wait until you have enough data before concluding the test. Drawing conclusions from insufficient data can lead to incorrect inferences.
3. Think holistically: Consider how the aspect you're testing fits within the overall user experience of your site.
4. Implement, Learn, Repeat: After analyzing the results, implement the more successful version, learn from the test, and start again with a new variable.

A/B testing takes the guesswork out of improving your ecommerce sales, allowing you to make data-driven decisions. By continually refining your user experience based on what works best, your ecommerce site can maximize its conversion rates and boost sales.

Conclusion

Creating an ecommerce store is only the first step. The real challenge lies in expanding its reach and increasing its sales.

Luckily, there are numerous strategies available to overcome this hurdle, whether it's setting targeted pricing, establishing trust with social proof, leveraging the power of paid advertising, using A/B testing, or using scarcity tactics - each approach offers its own unique potential to elevate your ecommerce sales.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all solution in the world of ecommerce, tailoring specific strategies to fit your business model, target audience, product line, and brand philosophy is what truly drives success in the online marketplace.

‍