When you set up an eCommerce store, you feel like there are a million and one things you need to do to be successful. One of those is developing an eCommerce strategy.
You need to find the right platform, get the perfect domain name, set up hosting, design your store, add products…the list goes on. It can be easy to feel like a website is all you need to start selling online.
But if you want to create a successful eCommerce business, you need to have an eCommerce strategy that goes beyond just having a website.
3 Foundations For Your eCommerce Strategy
Without a doubt, eCommerce is more than just a website. To create a successful online business, you need to have these three foundations in place:
1: Plan Your Logistics And Distribution
The first step to a successful eCommerce strategy is to plan your logistics and distribution.
Your planning should include figuring out how to get your products to your customers, whether through shipping, dropshipping, or other methods. You must also decide on your pricing strategy and determine any taxes and duties you must pay.
Planning your logistics and distribution might not be the most exciting part of starting an eCommerce business. Still, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place before you start selling.
2: Prepare Your Customer Facing Technology
Your customer-facing technology is what your customers interact with when they visit your store. This includes your website, your shopping cart, and your payment processor.
It would be best to ensure that all of these elements are set up and working before you start selling.
Preparing your customer-facing technology can be a bit of a technical process. Still, plenty of resources are available to help you get started.
3: Find A Unique Value-Add To Enhance Sales
Once you have your logistics and distribution plan and your customer-facing technology set up, it’s time to start thinking about how to enhance sales.
You must find a unique value-add to make your store stand out from the competition.
It could be something as simple as offering free shipping on all orders or a more complex loyalty program. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that will add value for your customers.
Enhance Your eCommerce Strategy In 6 Easy Steps
Below are six steps that you can take to enhance your eCommerce strategy. By following them, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful online business.
Step 1: Know Your Customers
Establishing a product-market fit is one of the most important aspects of any eCommerce business. Make sure your products appeal to your target market and that you clearly understand who your customers are.
The best way to do this is to create buyer personas. Buyer personas are hypothetical models that represent your ideal customer. They consider factors such as age, gender, location, income, and interests.
Creating buyer personas will help you to understand your target market better and enable you to make more targeted marketing campaigns. Do thorough research and take the time to create accurate buyer personas for your business.
Remember, it is up to you to decide the audience you want to target. It could be “Women under 30 who live in urban areas and are interested in fashion.” or “Middle-aged men who live in rural areas and are interested in outdoor activities.”
Understanding your audience will help you identify your business’s best marketing channels, brand positioning, and product offerings.
Step 2: Consider The Buyer Journey
The buyer journey is the path a customer takes, from becoming aware of your business to making a purchase. Just like a highway, there are several different routes that a customer can take.
The buyer journey can be long or short, depending on the product or service. Your goal is to ensure your customers’ journey is as smooth as possible.
You can do this by creating a buyer’s journey map. This map represents a customer’s steps, from becoming aware of your business to making a purchase.
By mapping out the buyer’s journey, you’ll be able to identify any potential roadblocks and take steps to remove them.
Anything that slows the customer is known as friction. The goal is to reduce as much friction as possible.
For example, if a customer has to fill out a long form before making a purchase, it will likely cause them to abandon their cart. By reducing the amount of friction in your buyer’s journey, you’ll be able to increase sales and conversions.
Step 3: Stick To Best UX Practices
User experience (UX) is a critical aspect of any eCommerce business. A poorly designed store can make a site lack a clear value proposition, confusing navigation, and hard-to-read font.
Ensure that your store is designed with the user in mind. Use clear and concise copy, easy-to-use navigation, and high-quality visuals.
Creating a great UX will help to improve customer satisfaction and reduce shopping cart abandonment.
Step 4: Package It Right
Packaging is one of the first things a customer will see when receiving your product. It’s essential to ensure that your packaging is on point.
Your packaging should protect your products and ensure they arrive in perfect condition. It should also be easy to open and clearly state what’s inside. Your packaging should be eco-friendly and recyclable where possible.
You can include:
- Instructions on how to leave a review.
- Your returns policy.
- A coupon code for their next purchase.
Doing this is a great way to increase customer satisfaction and encourage repeat business.
Step 5: Improve Product Delivery
One of the most important aspects of any eCommerce business is fulfilment services, also known as 3PL (third-party logistics). 3PL is the process of storing, packaging and delivering your products to customers.
There are several different ways to fulfil orders, including drop shipping, in-house fulfilment, and a fulfilment centre. The best option for your business will depend on many factors, such as order volume, product size, and delivery timeframes.
You can outsource your products’ storage, packaging, and shipping by working with a fulfilment partner.
Outsourcing will free up your time so you can focus on other aspects of your business. It’ll help to improve the customer experience as you’ll be able to offer faster delivery times and tracking information.
A fulfilment partner can also help to reduce your shipping costs and improve your margin. With the right fulfilment strategy in place, you’ll be able to scale your business and take it to the next level.
Step 6: Customer Service Will Improve Sales
A recent study shows that existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more than new customers.
If you can keep your existing customers happy, they’re more likely to buy from you again in the future. They’re also more likely to recommend your products to their friends and family.
Customer service is a vital part of any eCommerce business. By providing excellent customer service, you’ll be able to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. In turn, this will lead to more sales and repeat business.
Improve Your eCommerce Strategy With A Trusted Partner
At Digitlab, a full eCommerce consulting agency, we know how to develop an eCommerce strategy that goes beyond just a website.
We can help you to improve your online store, increase sales, and scale your business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you take your eCommerce business to the next level.
