E-commerce platforms have taken over your overcrowded and bustling malls so swiftly that no one saw it coming. The onset of e-commerce platforms came as a boon to many couch potatoes, as what could be better than sitting in the comfort of your home and having all your wants and needs delivered to your doorstep? This also meant that many businesses scrambled to shift to the e-commerce sector for better profits. 

With so many varied options in the industry, customers can now get choosy. Standing out in such a competitive market is hard, but here’s what you can do!

User Experience

Amazing user experiences allow you to have one foot outside the door since people buy when they like what they see. The easier it is to navigate through your site, the fewer hurdles the user has to overcome when billing, and the better. A slow-loading page and hard-to-navigate customer support would only increase your bounce rate, as users prefer a smooth experience thanks to the technology they’ve become accustomed to. Ikea is one such app that offers phenomenal UX. If you’re a furniture enthusiast and want to know what Ikea’s furniture would look like in your room, they’ve got it covered! Their AR technology brings Ikea into your home. Point, click, and choose—and bam! You now know whether that bed frame will go with your side table!

You could also guide your customers throughout the process with call-to-action buttons. Pop-up boxes or links would require more mental capacity from the user's side, so it's best to avoid them. The bottom line is: if you want your shoppers to buy something from your website, make it as easy as possible!

Conducting A/B testing

To understand the user’s perspective better, you need to take a walk in their shoes! Conducting A/B testing rounds would help you compare different versions of the product and know which one your audience prefers. Every drop counts. To ensure better conversion rates, you could test everything from headlines, colors, and descriptions to calls to action. A/B testing would show you the strengths and weaknesses of your platform and help you address those concerns better.

Mobile Optimization

When creating an e-commerce platform, one must always keep in mind the need for mobile optimization. The mobile phone is now an identity for anybody living in this century and is considered for anything and everything. It also allows the easiest access, so mobile optimization of your e-commerce platform is key.

To do so, make sure your font size is large enough, images are compressed, and pages load quickly. Customers expect a smooth mobile experience, and your e-commerce platform must provide the same, if not better!

Better Reviews

People tend to buy things when they hear other people recommend them. This is exactly why we check reviews before buying anything online. The authenticity of the products on your platform depends on reviews.  If reviews aren’t present, your platform might have a bigger bounce rate as people would think your platform to be shady. 

Product images should be accompanied by reviews to show your customers the product. Instead of seeing the one primarily posted on the platform, they’d prefer to see something that looks more natural.

Consumer is King

Respond to your customer’s feedback. This would make your customers feel heard as well as build trust in your brand. Responding to their doubts and reviews would help you build brand loyalty. Even if your customers had a bad experience while purchasing, showing your support would give the consumer a reason to come back since they’d know you would definitely address their problems. Myntra sends you an email as well as a notification asking you to rate your experience. You could tell them what went wrong here, and you’d soon have a customer service executive calling you to find out what went wrong! Nykaa offers its customer service not only via rating but also via social media! If you had a bad experience and Nykaa isn’t responding, take it to social media! You could tag Nykaa, and Nykaa’s social media team would help put you through to their customer support team. Their customer success team ensures they solve your problem. 

Discounts and Offers

Everybody loves a good discount. not to mention the term "free shipping." In fact, many consumers agree that they’d buy any product with no discounts as long as they didn’t have to pay extra for shipping! The joy of applying a coupon and seeing prices drop is also a guilty pleasure for many. Personalized discounts will make your customers more interested in your application because they will believe it is more genuine. This would boost your conversion rates by turning your consumers into loyal customers.

The Shopping Arena

The shopping arena has seen a massive change, with consumers having an overload of options. Customers can now compare and contrast different e-commerce platforms to know what's best for them. Hence, standing out in such a competitive field is getting trickier by the day. Step up your game with these practices to ensure customer loyalty and a better brand image!