eCommerce is a long game. In a super-saturated, crazily competitive market, there's no fast-track service to success. It's not just inventory and fulfilment infrastructure you need to build from the ground up – it's also your reputation and customer loyalty.
This means patience, planning and perseverance. What it doesn't mean, however, is that
nothing can be achieved quickly.
No, Rome wasn't built in a day. But Rome was built from many materials and in many stages. It's these building blocks and stepping stones that can be fast-tracked – if you act wisely.
So, while it's highly unlikely you'll go from Vinted seller to Forbes 100 in a matter of months, there
are concrete steps you can take to grow your eCommerce business.
And as you'll see, most of these steps focus on improving the customer experience. That's because, in a competitive market, you need to remove all reasons for potential customers to shop elsewhere.
So without further ado, here are seven fast-acting strategies to grow your eCommerce business. We hope it helps you on your journey. Good luck!
1. Streamline checkout
Is your eCommerce brand suffering from a bad dose of abandoned-cart-itis? There are several possible explanations for your cart abandonment issues, but by far the most prevalent is a complex checkout.
It's not hard to see why. After all, pretty much every eCommerce provider is an eCommerce user in their private life. If you're trying to buy something, you want it to be a frictionless process – no ifs, no buts, no second or third attempts.
Streamlining your checkout will slash the number of abandoned carts. You can achieve this quickly by offering guest checkout, one-tap mobile payment methods and easy-read, uncluttered forms.
2. Improve your product pages
Congratulations! Your inventory is diverse, exciting and beautiful. Commiserations! This doesn't mean anything if they're not presented well online.
It makes sense, right? If you go into a brick-and-mortar store looking for a packet of screws, you don't want to be squinting, lunging or crawling about on your hands and knees.
Similarly, an online shopper wants the relevant information
immediately. As with checkouts, any reason to shop elsewhere will be swiftly and mercilessly taken –
if
you don't come up with the goods.
Visuals, videos and detailed descriptions instil confidence while frequently asked questions dispel doubts. Meanwhile, you can give your brand a boost with social proof – star ratings, customer photos and the like.
3. Prioritise mobile optimisation
Do you use your phone for online shopping? You're not alone – in fact, you're one of around 45 million people in the UK.
Yes, phone shopping is here to stay. Despite this, many eCommerce brands offer sites that perform sluggishly or are awkward to navigate on mobile. And at a time when fast, seamless internet is the norm, not the exception, a clunky mobile page is like a bullet to the foot.
So, if you want to bag more sales as an eCommerce business, make sure your website and online store are optimised for mobile use. Make life easy for your customers and you're much more likely to make a sale.
4. Automate email sequences
When you set up an eCommerce business, chances are you're in charge of
everything – from invoicing to taping up parcels. But as you grow, it's vital to automate some of those tasks. If you don't, you're heading for the scrapheap, both mentally and financially.
One simple way to do this is to set up automated email sequences for customers. When they make a purchase or sign up, for instance, they could receive a series of welcome emails. If they abandon their cart, you can automate a reminder. Once their order is complete, you can automate a follow-up.
This requires some planning, of course. But if your business plan is in place, you should be able to set up these emails within a day. And once that day is done, you don't have to lift a finger – at least not until you make your next exciting addition to your product range.
