There's nothing complicated about setting up an online store. Even with no prior experience, watching some guides is enough to help you build one. It's a whole different story when you want your online store to stand out from the rest. Strong competition isn't a bad thing โ€“ it pushes you out of your comfort zone to look for better solutions and opportunities.

The end result is that the product or service you offer is better than before. Welcome competition with open arms and put it to work for you! If you're not quite sure how, read on to find out which 5 tips are essential for success.

It all starts with price

Pricing is one of the most important factors in keeping your online store competitive. That doesn't necessarily mean having the cheapest price on the market. A buyer chasing the lowest price on the market will come, make the purchase, and the next moment go looking for a cheaper offer somewhere else again. Every online store owner needs to build a loyal customer base, in other words find repeat customers.

To build a customer base, it's extremely useful to set up a solid loyalty programme that offers real added value specifically to returning customers. There are various solutions, but here are three options to get started with: https://esto.eu/ee/article/idee-vaikeettevotte-loomiseks-koristusfirma.

1. A bonus points system, where every purchase earns a set number of points that can later be used towards financing further purchases or redeeming a reward.

2. Exclusive discounts for customers who have been part of the loyalty programme for a certain period of time.

3. A discount code offered after a purchase, which gives a discount on the next purchase.

How does a customer get to the point of purchase?

Once a product is added to the cart, the next step is choosing a delivery method. People today value convenience. If the only delivery option is going to a shop or visiting the local post office, the purchase will most likely be abandoned. That doesn't mean these traditional delivery methods should be removed from the options, but they definitely can't be the only ones.

Alongside classic delivery methods, it's essential to offer the ones preferred by people living today's fast-paced lifestyle: parcel lockers and couriers. Here too, it's useful to offer alternatives and let customers choose the provider that suits them best. All of this so the purchase process doesn't get interrupted by complicated delivery.

Simple and logical โ€“ be honest!

Nothing pushes a customer away faster than dishonesty. When it comes to choosing a delivery method, hours matter, let alone days. Your job is to make sure delivery information is accessible, understandable and, of course, accurate.

If the delivery time doesn't suit the customer's wishes, they might complete their purchase from your online store at a different time when delivery speed isn't as time-critical. But if you promise fast delivery and fail to keep that promise, you've lost the customer for good.

Versatile payment methods

After making their choices, the customer moves on to pay for the product. Here again, you have the chance to offer maximum convenience. Just like with delivery methods, you should offer every possible alternative so everyone can find a suitable option. Be sure to check out our article "Payment systems tailored for online stores". The most common payment methods are:

ESTO offers innovative buy now, pay later solutions. By integrating all of ESTO's payment methods into your online store's checkout, you can offer customers a wide range of options: paying in 3 equal instalments, paying via hire purchase over a longer period, or paying for the purchase within 30 days.

Offering good customer support is essential

Managing risk is an important step, but it can never be brought down to zero entirely. That's why you also need to think about how you'll respond when a customer runs into a problem or has questions about using your online store. Online stores are increasingly featuring product configurators that help customers make choices and customise products to fit their needs. And when that only applies to certain products or services, the other option, good customer service, becomes essential.

Friendly and accessible customer support, whether by email, phone or live chat, helps create a positive shopping experience. It's not even necessary for customer support to be available 24/7. What matters is having clear information about how to reach customer support, when they're available, and how quickly a response can be expected.

You've surely experienced yourself how professional, polite and fast customer service can even ease a bad experience. Indifferent customer service, on the other hand, makes everything far worse.

We hope that by following these 5 tips, your customer will be happy with your online store and will be back soon to make a repeat purchase.

Review the terms before signing the contract and consult a specialist if needed. The annual percentage rate of charge for an ESTO AS credit account is 49.22% under the following sample terms: credit limit 4000 EUR, non-fixed initial (maximum) interest rate 40.70%, contract fee 0 EUR, monthly administration fee 0 EUR, total amount of credit and repayments 5467.67 EUR, assuming the credit is drawn immediately in full and repaid over 60 months in equal monthly instalments.