How to Optimize Your E-Commerce Site A Guide for Apparel and Accessory companies by Jun Loayza of Viralogy
Goal: Increase Revenue
Lets be honest. The goal of every project your company engages is to either generate more revenue or cut costs. We understand this, and have created a guide that WILL help you generate more revenue with your e-commerce site.
How to Increase Revenue There are 2 ways to increase revenue:
1. Increase sales conversions for current visitors 2. Drive more traffic to your site In this guide, we are going to focus on proven methods that successful companies use to convert their visitors by generating more sales per visit and more items per sale. (For more information about how an e-commerce site can leverage the social web to drive more visitors, check out our Social Marketing Guide)
The Problem converts visitors at an astounding 35% This means 1 out of every 3 visitors buys something
The Top
100 e-commerce sites on the internet convert visitors at an average of 10%-15%
You
The majority of e-commerce sites convert visitors at an average of 2.5%-5%. This means that only 2-5 visitors out of every 100 that land on your site are buying a product.
The Solution Top 17 methods to improve conversions
Home Page
1. Tell them what they want to hear Do you have what I need?
“I am a 25 year old male living in Southern California looking for some refreshing clothing for the warm weather coming in Spring. What products can you offer me that solve my problem?�
1. Tell them what they want to hear Do you have what I need?
Targeted call to action
Value: I immediately know this site has what I need
1. Tell them what they want to hear Can you give it to me at a good price?
“I am a 19 year old woman looking for fashionable, trendy clothing on a budget. What featured products do you have on sale for me?�
1. Tell them what they want to hear Can you give it to me at a good price? Price is immediately made clear
Value: I know how much I can expect to pay
1. Tell them what they want to hear Key Takeaway: Understand exactly who your visitors are and what they are looking for on your site. Therefore, you need to measure, measure, and then measure your data some more. Use Google Analytics as a simple, free analytics tool to understand your visitors.
Link: http://googleanalytics.com
2. Create incentives for immediate action Offer special deals to your visitors Incentive to buy today
Value: I am more likely to buy because I’m aware of a special discount
2. Create incentives for immediate action Take note: You don’t have to give incentives 100% of the time, but make sure to analyze and compare your sales and profit when you run an incentive campaign and when you don’t. Mix it up a bit and change the incentive every month, season, and for holidays.
3. Show them what they want to see Visitors come to see your products. Show it to them. Products recommended for me, located right on the home page
Value: I’m here for the products. If I see something I like immediately, I am more likely to make a purchase decision.
3. Show them what they want to see How to implement a recommendation app on your home page: Viralogy will integrate a recommendation app on your home page that understands your visitors and provides them with a set of products that have a high probability of converting into a sale. Viralogy shows visitors products that they’re likely to buy Contact Us: Joseph.Yi@Viralogy.com 818.939.9978 http://Viralogy.com
4. Get their information Why should I give you my information? Clear incentive to give my info
Value: If I like what you offer, then I’ll give you my valuable information
4. Get their information Caution: The pop-focus method of the previous page can at times be very intrusive for a shopper and potentially turn them away from the site. If visitor bounce rate increases because of the pop-focus method, switch to an on-page version of the newsletter form. We recommend using Aweber for all newsletter marketing.
Link: http://aweber.com
Category Page
5. Not all visitors are the same The three types of shoppers: The price sensitive shopper “I am looking for the best deal at the cheapest price. It’s all about low cost items and saving money!”
The competitive shopper “I am looking for the newest, top of the line product. I love being the first one among my friends who is on top of the newest trend or style.”
The emotional shopper “I love wearing what all of the celebrities and stars are wearing. I stay on top of who is wearing what, and go for the most popular items on sites.”
5. Not all visitors are the same How to target the three types of shoppers: Newest, Most Popular, and Price filtering
Value: Every type of shopper has the ability to filter items to their preference
5. Not all visitors are the same Take note: Filters are excellent, but you have to make sure you show the right type of filter first.
Sort by Top Sellers
Sort from A to Z
Sort by uniquely recommended products for each visitor
Sort by price
6. Don’t be shy. Show it off Show the visitor how much he will save List name, color, and price
Show 25-50 products on a single page
Value: A clear, cohesive view of my purchase options
6. Don’t be shy. Show it off Caution: It’s great to show off a lot of products; however, too many products and too much information can clutter the page. If the page is cluttered and the shopper has too many options, decision paralysis can occur. Decision Paralysis: When a shopper is presented with so many options that she chooses to not buy instead of choosing from the multitude of options.
To prevent decision paralysis, keep the page clean with uniform spacing, large product images, and readable text.
7. Give them quick options Simple browsing and selection through the category page Show Quick View on hover
View and ‘add to cart’ via the category page
Show multiple product SKUs
Value: Easily accessible products through the category page
7. Give them quick options Key Takeaway: The faster and easier the shopping experience is for the visitor, the more likely that the visitor will convert into a sale. Browse and purchase capabilities from the category pages allow shoppers to click less, and spend more time making educated decisions about what to buy.
8. Place categories just a click away Categories should be accessible 100% of the time
Complete category layout for easy browsing
Value: I am able to easily browse all categories without returning to the home page
Product Page
9. Product Image is KING Make the image large and in charge
Product is the clear focus of this page
Value: A large image with many views draws my attention
10. Show the product in use Have a model wear the product Products just make sense when they’re worn
Value: I can see myself wearing the product
10. Show the product in use Key Takeaway: How does the shirt fit on a person? How would it look on me?
vs
These are questions that are immediately answered when the product is worn by a model. The goal is reduce ambiguity and uncertainty. The more certain and confident the shopper is about the product, the more likely she is going to buy.
11. Make savings blatantly obvious Show the old price tag compared to the sale price Clearly marked price comparison
Value: I know how much I will save if I buy this product
12. Sell more through recommendations Up-sell and cross-sell through targeted recommendations Showcase of products that compliment the currently viewed item
Value: I will likely add products to my shopping cart that go together as a complete outfit
12. Sell more through recommendations How to implement product recommendations on the product page: Dynamic Insights easily adds the following features to your site: 1. People who bought this also bought... 2. People who viewed this also viewed... Viralogy recommends products that shoppers will likely purchase together Contact Us: Joseph.Yi@Viralogy.com 818.939.9978 http://Viralogy.com
Shopping Cart
13. Establish full confidence Can I trust you with my purchase? Reasons why the shopper can trust you
Value: This site is legitimate and I can trust it with my money
14. Never stop selling What products can I add to complete my outfit? Apparel and accessories that compliment what’s in the shopping cart
Value: If I see a product I like, I can easily add it to my cart!
14. Never stop selling How to implement product recommendations in the shopping cart Dynamic Insights analyzes the products in the shopping cart, compares them to what has been purchased in the past, and produces recommended products that will likely convert into an up-sell for the shopper.
Viralogy recommends products that shoppers will likely add to their cart Contact Us: Joseph.Yi@Viralogy.com 818.939.9978 http://Viralogy.com
15. Answer all questions immediately How much will it cost to ship? When will the products arrive?
Exact price and ship-time
Value: All my questions are answered and I can focus on making the purchase
15. Answer all questions immediately Key Takeaway: Ambiguity is bad. If a shopper feels unsure about anything, whether it’s the legitimacy of the site or how much shipping will cost them, then they’re likely to take their business elsewhere. Don’t wait for them to ask you the questions. Beat them to it by answering all questions clearly on the page.
16. Give them a reason to add more Use threshold notifications as incentives to shop more Clearly marked threshold for free shipping
Exact additional spend needed
Value: I have a clear incentive to spend just $20 more to save $7 on shipping
17. Buttons that click What makes a button appealing to click? 1. Increase the size: 2. Add icons: 3. Add gradients and depth: 4. Use colors that stand out: 5. Describe what the button does:
Value: Makes it easy for me to click the ‘checkout’ button
Love your shoppers The techniques discussed in this guide are meant to help you generate more revenue; at the same time, your ultimate goal should be to make your shoppers happy. A happy shopper purchases a product. A happy shopper tells her friends about your brand and your products. It’s not just about recommending products so that a shopper will buy them or about giving free shipping so that the customer will spend more; it should be about making the overall shopping experience pleasurable and fun. Use these techniques to keep your shoppers smiling and buying!
Viralogy Dynamic Insights Targeted purchase recommendations that increase sales conversions and items per sale Joseph Yi
Contact Us Today:
joseph.yi@viralogy.com 818.939.9978 http://Viralogy.com
Special thanks and credit to Jason Billingsley his work and knowledge made this guide possible