Building a trustworthy brand directly affects how consumers view your business. This is particularly true with eCommerce brands. People do business with brands that they know, like, and trust, which is why every successful brand concentrates on messaging.

But how does branding affect your eCommerce conversions? The key is meeting your customer where they are and providing an excellent customer experience. The goal is to confirm in their mind that they’ve made a great decision doing business with you.

Two ways to solidify trust within your brand are establishing a solid customer service team and building a user-friendly website. Digital marketing consultant, Shane Barker says that “Your website is the single biggest weapon you can use to gain customer trust.”

It’s not only aesthetically pleasing to have a great site, but it is a crucial component to getting your message across. While most companies have some type of website, most do not fully invest in a brand marketing budget that focuses on creating an excellent online experience. Some don’t see the advantage of a reliable, user-friendly website, but it might be worth asking, “Can you afford not to?”

In 2017, an estimated 1.66 billion people purchased online. Global e-retail sales hit 2.3 trillion USD and projections are saying that by 2021, it will reach 4.48 trillion USD. The trend in internet purchasing continues to skyrocket and business owners need to invest in an eCommerce website to stay relevant.

Ensuring Your Presence is Strong

You probably aren’t new to online shopping, but there are key components that can enhance user experience in your website to create a brand that people know, like, and trust. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating your current website capabilities.

Page Load Performance

How quickly does your page load? If it takes longer than 4 seconds, it is too long. (Hint: Every 1 second of improvement = 1% improvement in conversion rates.)

Mobile Friendly

Does your current site have mobile capabilities that make shopping easy on the eye?

Abandoned Carts

Is your site set up to recapture lost customers who added to their cart and then forgot to complete the purchase?

Refunds

Is your current refund process easy? Is it a headache for customers to return products?

Customer Service

What does your current customer experience look like? Many businesses use live chat and Zendesk to ensure excellent customer service because it will have a lasting impact on brand image.

Marketing

Is your marketing strategy effectively conveyed through your current platform?

It’s not just about getting the perfect customer, it’s about keeping them. Building trust through brand development and best practices helps customers relate to you. The goal of a website is to provide a user-friendly experience that makes your brand the obvious first-choice when customers are ready to purchase.

Customer Service that Exceeds Expectations

It’s a lot easier to keep a current customer than it is to find a new one, which is why having a great customer service department is essential for online revenue.

Research by American Express found that 60% of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience. Quality assurance matters and how companies deal with problems as they arise is crucial to maintaining a transparent and authentic brand.

Super Office notes that, “Companies who successfully implement a customer experience strategy achieve higher customer satisfaction rates, reduced customer churn, and increased revenues.” Similarly, a recent study by Oracle revealed that, “Ninety-seven percent of executives agree that delivering a great customer experience is critical to business advantage and results…and that the average potential revenue loss for not offering a positive, consistent, and brand-relevant customer experience is 20% of annual revenue.” In fact, many businesses plan to increase current funds for customer experience by 18% in the next two years.

The executives part of the Oracle Global Research Study also shared that successful customer experiences start with:

• Building training programs and incentives to encourage employees to offer a great experience
• Updating company core values to include customer experience
• Implementing a specific technology to improve customer service like live chat

The Winning Combination

It is vital to understand the power of a strong website presence and a solid customer experience department. Taking steps to strengthen these areas is critical for revenue growth for eCommerce brands particularly, as that is the primary, if not the exclusive way, they communicate with their clientele. Thanks to social media, one bad review can spread quickly, and having a team in place to handle issues as they arise will not only help in that situation but will also build a brand that people know, like, and trust for the future.

Connecting with your customers and taking care of them as they journey through their purchase will create a memory in their mind that you are a brand that puts their needs above your own. In return, your eCommerce sales will increase and your online presence will strengthen and grow.