The last year has turned the internet into the world’s primary marketplace. Businesses that previously relied on customers walking into their real-life outlets - stores, offices, gaming floors, and such - are now increasingly relying on online sales. Actually, this is not a new phenomenon - commerce and services have started transitioning to the internet years ago - but the global pandemic accelerated the transition.
In commerce, it’s important to be where your customers are - and today, this means being online. For those who are making their first steps in the great online marketplace, here are a few ideas that will likely help them grow.
Be cross-platform“Mobile-first” has become a slogan among marketers in recent years thanks to the ever-increasing number of smartphone users who use their devices to research and shop for products. But “mobile-first” shouldn’t mean “mobile-only”.
Just look at the online pokies you can play at JackpotCity Casino. Back when smartphones were not yet a thing, JackpotCity Casino only had a desktop platform. Now that smartphones are ruling the online world, JackpotCity transitioned to mobile-optimized games - but it never gave up on its desktop users. Instead, it offers users of both device types the same collection of services and games.
To be where your customers are, don’t be mobile-first, don’t be desktop-only - make sure you have an online store that offers the same customer experience no matter how big a screen it’s viewed on.
Have great customer serviceOffering your customers what they want doesn’t just mean products or services but also your support after you’ve taken their money. And this doesn’t just mean nice people on the phone or friendly emails sent as responses to customers - it also means being proactive, and putting the need of your customers first no matter what you do. In many cases, when two competing shops or providers offer the exact same product, the thing that makes customers decide which one to choose is the customer service. Be the one that gives them this, too.
Offer a great shopping experienceLast but not least, make sure you offer your customers a great shopping experience. Just throwing your products into an online store software and putting them on a website is far from enough. Make sure your site is easy to navigate, and it is easy for your customers to find what they are looking for.
To this end, it’s always useful for you to constantly test and optimize your store, making sure that every product, every piece of information is where it should be so that your customers have an easy job finding them - and buying them. Avoid unnecessary clutter but make sure your pages have everything that can convince your customers to buy what they need from you.