Conversion ➽ E-commerce lends itself ideally to data-driven growth: first validate an idea and only activate the improvement for everyone upon success. However, some functionalities have already proven themselves so many times that validation is really no longer necessary.

Top 4 must haves for greater returns

Live chat / contact

A collection study by Kissmetrics found that ninety percent of e-commerce site visitors find the presence of live chat helpful. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of these visitors were more likely to return to a site with live chat, and 38 percent of buyers reported having made a purchase using live chat support. Being able to be helped is key in conversion success here. In addition to live chat, the presence of a toll-free phone number is also a success. Be available to your customers; it instills confidence.

Payment methods

By definition, adding a payment method that is widely used in the market leads to greater returns. So for each country where you deliver, know the payment preferences. Domestically, iDEAL is a “no brainer,” followed by credit cards (12 percent) and PayPal (five percent), according to GfK. Mr. Cash is considered the iDEAL of Belgium and Giropay that of Germany. However, one-time authorizations (six percent) and bank transfer (five percent) are also still highly valued. Afterpay is a useful extension (three percent) and don't forget accepting gift cards (three percent).

Shipping costs

Consumers today expect free shipping on orders. Or at least free shipping from a certain order value. The dropout rate when consumers are confronted with unexpected shipping costs at the end of the ordering process is therefore extremely high. However, studies by Etailing show that if you correctly estimate the order amount above which free shipping applies, the average order value can actually increase by thirty percent. Make sure you test where the ideal threshold is for your business to increase your margin.

Reviews

Nielsen research shows that, on average, half of consumers consult product reviews before making a purchase. And so, as an e-commerce player, you want to show all product reviews, both positive and negative. After all, the latter also help your customers make the right choice. In addition to the product reviews, don't forget the reviews about your own company. Like about your delivery speed and your service. Especially in a market where prices are almost the same, consumers base their choice on this. Ask each customer for a company review after delivery and a product review after a few days.

Ton Wesseling fills in the recurring conversion column each month on behalf of Online Dialogue Emerce magazine: the magazine about “the next step in E-business.” This month he writes about: Top 4 must haves for increased returns.

Click on the image to enlarge it, or download the pdf here.