Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Report for E-commerce

Think about an instance when you needed to buy something, be it a shirt, a pair of shoes, or any kitchen appliance. What was your first reaction? Did you go to the market? Sounds bizarre right? Of course, you took out your phone and searched for the product. That’s how deeply eCommerce has integrated with our lives. Just look for the product online and there will be myriads of businesses offering you the same product or maybe better. E-commerce is expected to be a 5 Trillion USD business in 2027. But why is it so? Why has E-commerce become such a potential threat to traditional Brick and Mortar shopping?

Perks of E-commerce: A Win-win for Both Marketers and Customers

From the Customer’s Perspective

• You get to choose a wide range of products and services from outlets across the world just at the tip of your fingerprint.

• It's much more convenient. No worries about the rain, chilling cold, or as we saw recently a pandemic.

• It saves you time.

• You get to know the reviews of other customers as well using the exact same product, a feature missing in traditional shopping.

From a marketer’s perspective

• It is much cheaper than opening a physical store.

• You can open an online store within a few days.

• You will get customers from across the world.

• You have the data of your customers once he/she makes a purchase which can be acted upon in the future.

Now we know that an online store has numerous benefits.

So, anyone can open an online store and become successful?

The answer is no.

To make sure your online business is doing well, you need to be thorough with the concept of Conversion rate optimization.

CRO and Its Perks

Conversion rate optimization is an ongoing process of optimizing your E-Commerce website so that more and more visitors complete an action set by you. Implementing CRO can save you both time and money. Moreover, CRO ensures a better user experience which translates into a better ranking on Google.

Let us look at some actionable CRO techniques that can boost your business as well as make your customers happy.

1. Chatbots: Your Digital Salesman

Here are some interesting figures −

• Chatbots help in 85 percent of purchases online in 2022.

• 45 percent of the customers are open to using chatbots to assist them in their purchasing decision.

Chatbots can save your customers from the cumbersome task of going through all the products to find a desired one. Chatbots can easily collect customers’ preferences and suggest products accordingly. They can also answer customers’ queries like expected delivery date, return policy, etc. Chatbots will be there for the customers 24*7 bolstering user engagement. A human substitute for this service will cost you a lot of money and hence chatbots are pocket friendly as well.

Many established brands like Levis's and H&M have leveraged this feature to gain an advantage over their competitors.

2. Display your products from multiple angles

If online shopping has any disadvantages, that would be the customers’ inability to touch, feel, or inspect the product while making the purchase. Maybe technology will make it happen in the future. But for now, the best you can do is to display your product from all possible angles so that they have a better understanding of your product.

3. Have a detailed description of your product

A detailed product copy goes a long way in satisfying customers and turning them into loyal ones. Cover every aspect of your product that a curious customer may think of. Try to be concise instead of too wordy. Tell them all the special features of your product. Tell them the perks of using your product. Tell them how you are better than the rest in the market.

4. Smooth Checkout Flow

Checkout is the juncture where you can convert your visitors into buyers. It can break or make the deal for you and hence requires special attention. Keep the following points in mind to make your customer’s checkout process smooth.

• Don’t mandate account creation. Allow for guest checkout.

• Optimize for mobile checkout.

• Use autofill for address fields.

• Your call to action must stand out. Color contrast can help.

• Use the progress indicator of the checkout process.

• Provide a clear content summary.

• Accept multiple payment options.

• Incorporate trust symbols on your page (eg-verified by VISA).

• Do not have hidden charges. Have a clear breakup of charges.

5. Include Reviews and Ratings

Social proof is one of the major advantages that E-shopping boasts. According to a report, 90 percent of buyers read online reviews while making a purchase. Hence, you will be better off if you include reviews and testimonials of your previous customers for each product.

6. Pop-ups

Pop-ups can be a great way to make the customer take action. But often pop-ups can be irritating or intrusive to the visitor. Almost 70 percent of online visitors dislike pop-ups. But when used smartly, the same pop-up can drive the sale up by 10 percent, according to Search Engine Land. Hence following points should be kept in mind before integrating pops into your E-shop.

• It should be a time-delayed popup that appears when the visitor has browsed through your page for a while.

• Your popup should have a clear purpose whether it is a discount offer or an email signup for the newsletter.

• Make sure it goes with the page design.

• Do not use the same pop-up twice.

Conclusion

When it comes to CRO, even the slightest efforts have significant consequences. Make sure you have a chatbot to help your customers 24*7. Have a clear display of your product from multiple angles. Write everything about your product in a concise and creative manner. Make the checkout process smooth for the customers.

Make sure your CTA( Call to Action) stands out from the rest of the page elements. Include what your previous customers have to say about your product. Do not turn off your visitors with a pop-up right away. Use them smartly.

Lastly, you will not drive your sales up overnight. It is a gradual process. Keep a track of what is working, and what is not, and do the modifications accordingly.