E- Commerce For Existing Websites

Can You Add E-Commerce to your Existing Website to Push Sales?

Does your existing website have the features it needs to take you into the exciting world of e–commerce?

• An online product catalogue
• A customer contact form
• A method to order goods or services
• The terms and conditions of the online transaction
• Security Features
• A feedback mechanism
• A payment gateway
• Customer Relationship Management Software
• SMS Integration
• Search Engine Optimization

E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet. This term and the term e-business are often used interchangeably, and for online retail selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used.

E-tailing or The Virtual Storefront:

Putting your products out on the net to allow direct retail shopping has many amazing advantages. 24-hour availability, a global reach, the ability to interact with customers, the chance to gather relevant information to allow customer profiling, making ordering a personal experience for every customer, and multimedia prospects – all make the Virtual Storefront a multibillion dollar source of revenue for the world’s businesses.

The Key to Success in E-commerce is Conversion:

Anyone who has worked in e-commerce for a while will tell you that the name of the game is not just generating traffic to your website; it is getting whatever traffic comes your way to convert into actual Sales. Online conversion can come in many forms. If you’re selling a product, online conversion happens when a visitor makes a purchase and becomes an active customer, and if you’re offering a service your conversion might be getting visitors to phone-in and make contact.

How Do I Increase Online Conversion Rates?

1. Decide what your USP is and mention it on every page of your site: Many visitors coming to your site land directly on product pages, so make sure you stand out from the crowd by telling people what you’re proud of on every page. It could be your prices, your level of service, or anything of real value to the customer.
2. Keep all lines of communication open: Veteran online retailers know that it is important to backup their online offers with a solid communication platform in the shape of telephone and email support. In today’s web reality this might not be enough. Integrating SMS into your website is a neat trick that allows for quick turnaround times.
3. Make sure your customers feel secure: Integrate security features into your site with SSL certification and secure payment gateways so that every customer feels confident enough to take the last step that seals a purchase. Lay out detailed terms and conditions and explain methods of delivery and exchange or return.
4. Keep your Product Catalogue updated: Make sure that all products are current and available, regularly update prices and special offers, and remember – if there’s a better deal out there, your customers will find it! Statistics show that 80% of customers will do their research before buying a product, so never make promises you can’t back up.
5. Diversify your product offers and spread them across channels: Some customers like free offers, some go for discounts, and some want add-ons like free delivery. To become an appealing proposition, consider catering for as many customer groups as possible by diversifying your product offers. Also mirror them across channels – if for example you are offering free delivery for a day, be sure to mention the promotion on the site for visitors coming to you directly, in your paid ads for visitors coming via the search engines and in your newsletter for existing customers.

With just a few modifications to your existing website, you may be ready to enter the world of e-commerce. It promises to have the accessibility, geographical reach, cost effectiveness, and simplicity that will take your business to the next level.