Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2010. The e-commerce practices, payment options and social networks mentioned, including Tuenti, reflect that time.
Following on from the importance of having our business present on the internet, today we look at several points to keep in mind when getting into online business or setting up an internet store. We need to analyze the profile of the online shopper, because if we know how to offer them what they’re really looking for, our chances of success will be much greater.
Basically, an online shopper looks for security, speed and ease when buying online, not forgetting price: according to studies, the typical online shopper is demanding and a bargain hunter, although, as we’ll see below, price isn’t everything.
1. Security: The online shopper has decided to buy online, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t afraid of revealing their personal and banking details. So it’s vitally important to offer plenty of payment options, including payment systems such as PayPal or similar.
On the other hand, the online shopper scrutinizes the sites they visit. A site that doesn’t look professional isn’t trustworthy to them, even if there’s a good company behind it. That’s the main reason beginners with online stores fail in their internet businesses and sales.
2. Complete information: The online shopper has no chance to touch or see the product in person, so the more details we give about its benefits and features, and above all, the more detailed the description, the easier we make it for them to decide to buy.
We must be aware of how important it is for an online shopper to find the company’s details on the website, with ways to get in touch: phone number, email, registered address and tax ID (the CIF, in Spain). Having all of this builds trust.
3. Speed: I don’t know if this has ever happened to you: you decide to buy something online and, after so many years of using the internet, to the point of being an advanced user, you come across a site you really can’t figure out how to navigate, with complicated purchase steps you can’t follow.
It’s important for a site to collect customer data so it can later send related offers and build loyalty, but never make customers fill out a complex questionnaire before they can buy, or you may end up with neither questionnaire nor sale.
4. Ease: The online shopper wants to complete the purchase in 3 clicks, so you need to make sure that’s the case. You may have to invest a bit more in more sophisticated software, but in the medium term it will pay off. Customers don’t forget the sites where they were able to make a purchase with complete ease.
5. Offline service: Everything we’ve talked about is useless if, once the customer makes the purchase, they don’t receive their order in the agreed time, the product isn’t the same as the one they bought, or you’ve simply sold them a defective product.
A dissatisfied customer on the internet can force your online store to close, because you should know that there are forums where all of this gets discussed. Poor service that leaves a customer feeling cheated can spread via Twitter, Facebook, Tuenti (then a popular Spanish social network) and so on, to the point where thousands of people hear about you in less than 24 hours.
See also: What business to invest in
So, to sum up: when you decide to open your online store, use empathy. Think about what you would want to find on the internet in order to trust a site without hesitation. Then offer that to the online shopper, and you’ll have a very profitable business.
Further reading
- How to be a successful entrepreneur
- How to attract your first customers
- Why new businesses fail
- How to overcome the fear of starting a business
- The advantages of starting a business in a time of crisis
Featured image: Nenad Stojković, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
