Creative Ways to Boost E-commerce Sales

E-commerce is defined as the process of buying or selling products via online services. This method of commerce is becoming increasingly popular in today’s business world, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be fading away any time soon. According to Statista, in 2018, 10% of total retail sales in the United States were e-commerce based. Additionally, this number is projected to reach over 11% in 2019, and nearly 14% by the year 2021.

As you can see, e-commerce is growing at a rapid rate and will continue to grow as the years go by. If this trend continues as projected, then in the very near future, the majority of a business’s revenue will be e-commerce based. Therefore, it is crucial that every business learns how to effectively make money through e-commerce. In this article, I will be discussing five creative ways in which you can boost your e-commerce sales.

Use APIs

Implementing APIs on your website will help to boost your e-commerce sales. As API’s allow for seamless integration and quick flow of knowledge, customers are able to navigate your site and easily make purchases. There are hundreds of APIs that you can install, and nearly all of them are beneficial, but in terms of boosting e-commerce sales, there are two that I would prioritize above the others. They are site search and shipping.

Site search APIs enable a consumer who is on your website to easily search for a specific product. By making it easy for them to search for exactly what they are looking for, you are also saving them time. If your business sells a multitude of products, this API is even more beneficial for you. This type of API could also help the consumer discover new products that you sell that they may not have otherwise been aware of. On the other hand, shipping APIs allow consumers who have made a purchase to easily track where their product is. Additionally, they let them know with incredible accuracy when they can expect their product to arrive. This is important because most people need to know this information. For example, if you order someone a birthday gift, you want to make sure that it will arrive at your doorstep before the intended recipients birthday. Luckily, shipping APIs will give you an exact date and time in which the package will arrive. This will help boost your e-commerce sales because if a consumer knows exactly when they are getting their product, they are more likely to buy it.

Make Sure Your Site Is Trustworthy

Many people who purchase goods online are afraid that they are going to be scammed, and rightfully so. According to a 2018 report from the Javelin Strategy & Research, there were 16.7 million victims of identity fraud in 2017. The report also states that this number is expected to increase every single year.

Identity fraud is a real problem in today’s world, and because of this, people are hesitant to purchase items online. That is why it is extremely important to make sure that your website appears authentic, trustworthy and not spammy. Some of the ways that you can ensure to your customers that your website is legit are by making sure the site itself is secure. This can be done by adding in the secure icon right before the URL of your site. Having that icon on your website guarantees to whoever is on the website that it is trustworthy, similar to the blue checkmark on twitter. You can also display some security badges on your homepage as well that will prove to whoever is navigating your site that it is legitimate. Doing these things and making sure consumers understand that your site is trustworthy will undoubtedly increase your e-commerce sales.

Have a Mobile Friendly Website

Making sure that your website is mobile friendly will absolutely boost your e-commerce sales. As handheld devices offer convenience, a lot more people are beginning to shop for goods on their mobile phones over going to a physical store. According to Statista, 198.8 million people in the United States bought something using their mobile device in the year 2018. Therefore, it is very important that your webpage is optimized for mobile use. If your website is not optimized for mobile use, you could be missing out on an unfathomable amount of sales.

Offer Discounts

This one may sound obvious, but many businesses don’t understand this concept. Offering discounts will incentivize consumers to purchase their items. Although the concept of selling your items for less money in order to make more money sounds counterintuitive, the reality is that it works. When consumers are told they are getting something for cheaper than the normal cost, they are more inclined to purchase it. Therefore, offering discounts is a very simple and effective way to boost your e-commerce sales.

Allow Consumers to Pay In a Variety of Ways

If you only allow consumers to purchase your items in a limited number of ways, you are alienating a whole revenue stream that you do not have to be. By allowing consumers to purchase your goods by anyway in which they choose, you are increasing your odds that they will purchase it, as well as opening up a whole new revenue stream that was not there before. Doing something as simple as this is a no risk and high reward method that will absolutely boost your e-commerce sales.

In summary, the business world is becoming more and more digital. More and more people each year are purchasing things online as opposed to going to physical stores. With that being said, it is now more important than ever to understand e-commerce and the ways in which you can boost your sales in them.