As an ecommerce business, your success depends on getting the right people to your website, then converting them to make a purchase. Earning a consistent flow of traffic to your ecommerce site is the first challenge—one that can involve a combination of search engine optimization, affiliate marketing, and other digital marketing strategies.
The second challenge is conversion. To turn browsers into buyers, your site needs to keep their interest, give them a clear call to action, and make it easy to find what they need and check out. Throughout that process, you also need to find ways to instill confidence in your brand so people feel comfortable buying from your site.
Why is consumer trust so important for ecommerce?
With the rise of online scams and fraud, consumers are wary of giving their financial information to ecommerce merchants. Shopping at a brick-and-mortar store seems a safer bet for many since they leave immediately with their purchase, and there is the perception of finality.
Common fears of ecommerce websites
Although ecommerce sales in the U.S. broke the $1 trillion mark in 2023, people are still anxious about shopping online.
Account takeovers—in which a fraudster hacks a website to steal credentials—increased 131% during the second half of 2022. Meanwhile, 71.6% of consumers who were victims of online purchase scams last year lost money.
While some of the most significant concerns revolve around stolen credit card information or personal data breaches, other concerns about shopping online exist.
Some consumers are apprehensive they won’t receive an order they’ve paid for or that the product ordered won’t match what they receive. Others are frustrated if they can’t track an order or make an easy return or exchange.
What impacts trust the most?
Many consumers determine their trust level in an ecommerce site before purchasing. Let’s explore some factors that influence how much confidence a consumer has in your ecommerce website.
Is the company real?
Consumers want to ensure that the ecommerce brands they do business with are authentic and that the company sells actual products or services. If you have a compelling origin story, carve out a space on your site to tell it. Many people like to connect with a brand’s story and mission.
The general website design and user experience will often dictate how consumers feel about your brand before they buy anything. Consumers may navigate away from a site if it doesn’t load quickly or respond to their prompts. Consider investing in a good website designer and developer to ensure your site meets consumer standards and functions in a user-friendly way.
Are the policies clear?
It’s also essential to detail clear policies on your ecommerce website. This includes displaying accurate estimates for an order’s shipping time, as well as return and exchange policies.
Is the checkout process smooth and secure?
It’s happened to the best of us. We place our items in an online cart, and a snag hampers the checkout process. Many consumers don’t proceed when this happens because they feel if there is a problem during checkout, they can’t trust the vendor to secure their personal information, or there will be a problem in receiving their order. It’s vital to ensure a seamless checkout experience, from managing carts to entering payment information and completing purchases.
How to build trust in your ecommerce site
Building trust in your ecommerce website will increase your bottom line through boosted sales, customer loyalty, and a stronger online reputation.
Here are some ways to establish and strengthen trust:
1. Prioritize customer support
Accessible customer support is essential for your ecommerce business to succeed. According to Salesforce, 91% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase again with a brand after having a good customer service experience. The ultimate goal should be to deliver real-time customer service through live chat, phone support, or a chatbot to earn customer loyalty.
2. Create detailed product descriptions
Detailed descriptions play a vital role in increasing the visibility of your products and converting visitors into paying customers. The more helpful information you include about your products, the more likely consumers will add them to their carts.
3. Use real product photos
Avoid using stock photos for your products. Conveying authenticity is powerful in building trust with potential customers. Nothing can replace high-quality images when selling your products. Consider investing in a professional photoshoot that accurately represents your products and captures their unique qualities and features.
4. Use photos of real people
Similarly, you want to include some photos of real people on your site so your customers can envision themselves using what you’re selling. You can achieve this by purchasing the license to use stock photos that represent your target market, but you should also feature photos of actual customers if possible.
5. Include customer reviews and offer social proof to potential buyers
Customer reviews and testimonials are key to building credibility in today’s ecommerce landscape. Anybody who’s shopped online knows that reading reviews is an essential part of making a purchasing decision. Show you value customer satisfaction by having reviews on your site and responding to them thoughtfully.
6. Display logos and seals
A trust badge or seal can give consumers confidence about shopping on your ecommerce site. Security logos show shoppers that your site is legitimate and that their personal information is safe and protected when they complete an order. Many customers initially identify a secured website by the lock icon next to the URL.
7. Feature social proof
Featuring social proof can encourage potential customers to make purchases. Various forms of social proof like media recognition, article mentions, and user-generated content can all create a compelling narrative that reassures visitors that your business is legitimate.
8. Maintain a blog
Blogs are an essential component of ecommerce website optimization. They’re one of the most effective ways to bring targeted traffic to your website. Developing a cohesive content marketing strategy can increase credibility for you as an authority in your field (and to the Google algorithm) and offers an opportunity to educate users about specific products and features. Plus, it’ll show consumers that you are committed and legitimate because a blog takes time and effort to maintain.
9. Offer a loyalty program
Customers value being rewarded for their continued patronage. A loyalty program can build trust in your ecommerce brand and encourage customers to return. Consider giving discounts to frequent customers, offering free shipping to ‘members,’ or sending exclusive offers to their emails.
10. Ensure a smooth customer experience
Every customer wants a frictionless customer experience from start to finish. When a user lands on your website, you want to ensure that all the information—such as pricing, shipping, and return policies—is easily accessible. Your website should load fast, and navigation should be intuitive. Consider investing in a website audit to show where technical improvements are needed to boost functionality. Finally, the endpoint of the customer journey is when they receive an order. Follow up to ensure they’re satisfied and ask about their experience with your brand.
The most successful ecommerce businesses are ones who continually find ways to improve.
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