By Paul Matthews

An e-commerce business should have a prime focus on making sure that the conversion rates are up to scratch, as it should be for any business. With a user having a range of products to choose from, there can be confusion that having a high volume of traffic is a good sign for e-commerce stores. However, what’s the point in having a large amount of traffic if the user is not purchasing items? To be competitive in such a huge market, you need to be able to grow conversion rates. Here are several ways to do this.

Prioritize quality traffic over quantity

Think about it, would you rather have 1000s of window shoppers that come on to your site to have a browse of what you have or 100s of engaged shoppers who are actively looking on your site with the intention to purchase an item? Your focus should be to target audiences that are interested in the products you have and who at the time have active purchase intentions. For example, making the most of Facebook ads where users who like pages to do with gaming and you use an ad about a sale on your console accessories.

[amazon_link asins=’1118404106′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’e5738da7-9195-11e8-a719-d778d5f025ca’]Provide good UX design and user interface

Make the buying experience for the user as easy as possible. Providing a website that’s easy to use and efficient will make them more likely to purchase from your website. Some features that can help to make their experience easier can include:

• Filter and sort features when browsing items
• Cart value and product information of what the user will be purchasing
• Several ‘ways to pay’ options (i.e debit card, PayPal, Mastercard etc.)
• Navigation menu
• Currency options

Invest your time and effort into your e-commerce design. Perhaps consider the option of hiring a UX expert to create your website.

[amazon_link asins=’1119315522′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1195292c-9196-11e8-9028-7d9104d1cb21′]Easy returns policy

If there’s one aspect of e-commerce that can put people off purchasing items, it can be your returns policy. Limited days or complicated methods to return an item makes a user less likely to purchase from you. Choose a more flexible returns policy, and shoppers will trust your service more, making them more willing to commit to a purchase knowing that if anything’s wrong they’ll have no problems with returning the item.

Good use of images

Customers need to know that the product they’re purchasing is right for them. They’ll won’t have the privilege of being able to look at the item and put it on beforehand. By using quality images to sell your product, the customer will feel more comfortable that the item fits well and is what they’re looking for.

Sales

A customer that knows that they can purchase an item for a better value price will always be interested. Getting a ‘bargain’ is a dream for any shopper, so having a section dedicated purely to discounted items is likely to turn your traffic from quantity to quality. Be sure to make the section prominent and easy to find for users so they’re more likely to see it.

[amazon_link asins=’B07CN8NXJJ’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’38d11b88-9196-11e8-8f79-2bcf301c1efb’]These are a few examples of how you can increase your traffic and attract more quality customers to your website. This process will take time though and won’t be something that will occur overnight. It takes time to understand your audience, their purchasing habits and analysing further opportunities. Implementing these simple tactics will help increase brand awareness, increase conversions and gain more sales.

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Paul Matthews is a Manchester based business writer who also works closely with an acoustic attenuator provider in order to better inform business owners on how to run a safe and successful office. You can usually find him at the local library or browsing Forbes’ latest pieces.