Since the start of the pandemic, the way we shop has changed drastically. From panic buying and emptying shelves in supermarkets to some shops being closed for months, it’s safe to say that brick-and-mortar took a hit.

Digital stores, however, have been fairly safe during all the panic. Customers have been able to browse online shops without leaving the comfort of their homes, making purchasing items easier than ever. Thousands of businesses worldwide are now realising the implications of running an eCommerce website, and how convenient, reliable and robust they can be.

If your business isn’t able to adapt and move with the times, you will lose out on numerous potential sales. However, simply running an eCommerce shop isn’t enough. Your shop must be user-friendly, easy to navigate and consistent if you want your visitors to go through with a purchase. After all, no one is going to buy a product from a fragile, poorly coded site with images that won’t load.

Peak season is approaching, and Ad Lab, a leading Magento agency, is here to give you some tips on how to optimise your site, ready to get the most conversions during this busy time.

Make your shipping policy clear

No one likes to be hit with a surprise delivery cost or long delivery time, so try to make your shipping details clear at multiple points during the customer journey – ideally on each product page. By alerting customers of shipping details before they start their purchase, they’re less likely to abandon their cart at the checkout screen.

If it’s possible, why not offer a free shipping option? It’s one of the most successful promotions, proving to increase the average order value for almost every industry.

If customers are able to collect their products in-store, be sure to let them know in advance. This could be a selling point to some shoppers, especially those who like to see products in person before buying.

Make sure your home page is welcoming

Your home page is the most important page on your site, as it’s often the first page people will see when they visit. First impressions count, so make sure your home page is welcoming and features your best-selling categories, as well as any offers and promotions that you’re currently running. Visitors should be able to find important information with ease and be met with several interactive, engaging calls to action.

If your home page looks clustered, lacks structure or is simply outdated, why not enlist the help of Ad Lab’s London website designers? Our skilled team will present you with a set of unique, fresh, exciting desktop and mobile designs that have been specifically tailored towards your business or brand.

Optimise your most visited pages

While your home page will be the most viewed page on your website, it won’t always be the first place your visitors land. Research and find the top ten most landed-on pages and, like with your home page, make sure they are optimised and engaging. While you should check that the product descriptions, images and buttons are correct for every page, definitely start by double-checking these ten.

Look at trends from previous years and compare how your site is doing now to how it was a year ago. Check what your most popular pages were, as well as which ones resulted in the highest conversion rates.

Have you noticed a decrease in website traffic over the years? Ad Lab is a London Google Shopping agency, as well as an accredited Google Partner, so we know exactly how to get your site back on its feet. Our Google Shopping specialists will create and manage your campaigns, optimise bidding, and work with you to develop a strategy in line with your sales and profit goals. Get in touch today at [email protected], 01279 655187 or by filling out our online form.

Add an instant buy option

If the buying process is quick and easy, customers are less likely to abandon their orders at the checkout. Single-page checkouts are convenient, result in faster conversions and don’t send customers to an unnecessary number of pages before they can confirm their purchase. Adding an instant buy feature is great for returning customers, as they won’t need to re-enter all their details.

If you don’t already offer a guest checkout, we highly recommend that you do. Guest checkouts are proven to increase conversions, as many shoppers fail to complete their order if they are required to sign up for an account. Once a guest checkout is in place, you may then persuade customers to sign up for an account or newsletter, by notifying them of the benefits of each. For example, there may be a loyalty scheme in place, a special discount or an instant buy feature.

Need help adding it to your site? Ad Lab is a leading Magento agency in London and is happy to help.

Offer several payment methods

While credit/debit card payment is the most popular online payment method, why stop there? Other methods, such as PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Wallet can be far more convenient for some customers, and also offer a high level of security. 

You should consider offering a deferral payment option for those who require a flexible alternative to paying upfront. The past couple of years have been financially tough for many, so by integrating extensions such as Klarna and Paypal Credit, customers get the option of help with their finances. Klarna allows users to either pay in instalments or defer their payments until they have the funds – but don’t worry, you’ll still get paid. Being flexible with payment can improve customers’ overall website experience and entice them to return.

Ad Lab is an Adobe Solutions Partner and has several Adobe certified staff who can help with most Magento related tasks. Need help integrating a third-party piece of software with the Magento platform? Ad Lab has teams of expert developers who can help with Magento Linnworks integration, Magento Sage CRM integration and more. 

Need help upgrading from Magento 1 to Magento 2? Sure, no problem. Want to build a bespoke Magento eCommerce site? Speak with our team today. You can email us at [email protected], call us on 01279 655187 or fill out our online form.

Let users sign up with social media credentials

Sometimes, when visitors are browsing your website, they won’t have the energy to fill out an account creation form, think of a password and enter pages worth of personal details. By giving users the option to sign up with their social media accounts, like Facebook, Twitter or even their Google account, they are more likely to go through it, as it’s quick, easy and convenient. 

Keep newsletters consistent

When it comes to email marketing, make sure that your newsletters always use a similar design that stands out and is representative of your brand. Don’t send too many emails, or you risk overwhelming your customers, causing them to unsubscribe. But, at the same time, you don’t want to send them too infrequently. In a 2020 study, it was found that 2 to 4 emails a month resulted in the best outcome.

When it comes to newsletter sign-ups, make sure that you use the reCAPTCHA tool, to minimise bots and spam and maximise security.

Speak live with your customers

While your FAQ page may be fairly detailed, it won’t answer every possible question. Offering a live chat feature on your website is a great way to communicate with customers and answer specific questions that may not be found anywhere else. It is very unlikely that a first-time visitor would call your support line to ask a simple question, but by making it easy to enquire, you encourage site engagement, which could result in a sale.

We hope that these tips will help your business get the most out of the upcoming peak season. If you ever need a Magento agency in Essex to help you design, build, manage, market or measure your eCommerce website, you know who to call.

Ad Lab is also a London WordPress agency and London Adobe Commerce agency, but our services do not stop there.

To find out more about how Ad Lab can help your business, speak with our friendly team today by calling 01279 655187 or emailing [email protected].