Want to boost your online store's revenue? Higher revenue is driven by more visitors and a comfortable user experience.
We're sharing practical advice on how to increase traffic to your online store by improving the user experience and creating a pleasant shopping environment.
Why invest in building your online store?
We live in a digital age where e-commerce's role in shopping is growing at a dizzying pace. Currently, the number of online purchases worldwide is projected to grow by an average of 14.6% per year between 2021 and 2026.
Advances in technology have changed consumers' shopping habits, and more and more people prefer to buy products and services conveniently without leaving home.
What's more, an online store is open 24/7, meaning your customers can make purchases whenever they want.
Check out our ESTO buy now, pay later and take care of your finances.
Concrete tips for improving your online store's user experience
If you already have a working online store, it's important to make sure it's also easy and comfortable to use. Below, we've gathered some effective tips to help boost your online store's sales.
1.Keep your web design as minimalist as possible
Minimalism isn't just about aesthetically pleasing design, it also means a better user experience โ it lets visitors focus on what matters, whether that's product information, comparing prices, or simply adding a product to the cart.
When your online store's design is simple and intuitive, it reduces the complexity of shopping and increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. Removing excess information or confusing elements from your website helps keep the visitor's attention exactly where it should be โ on your products or services.
One important factor in web design is also simple, readable fonts, so the customer feels comfortable browsing your website and doesn't have to squint to make out small text on a colourful background.
2.Clear and logical structure
Divide your products and services clearly into categories. Make sure every product is correctly categorised, and that the category structure is logical even for someone visiting your online store for the first time.
A simple and effective search function is also important. The search bar should be quick to find. Give customers the option to search for products using various filters, for example by price, popularity, brand, or features.
Make sure all the information in your online store is clear and easy to find. Use simple, understandable language and avoid industry jargon that the average user might not be familiar with. Simplicity sells, and overly complex phrasing can cause the customer to miss out on half of the important information.
3.Clear and understandable product descriptions
Shopping online doesn't let customers physically touch or try a product. That's why product photos and descriptions need to give as accurate an overview as possible of the product's appearance and features.
Use clear, high-quality images that give an accurate sense of the product's appearance. Add different angles and close-ups to give an overview of the product's details as well.
Describe product features and uses as precisely as possible. Highlight the benefits and characteristics that usually interest customers the most. Add to each product whether it's available right now and how large the current stock is.
4.A trustworthy online store and a secure purchase process
A fast and secure purchase process is essential for maintaining customer trust and ensuring satisfaction. If shopping in your online store becomes complicated, customers quickly lose either their trust or their patience, and may turn to a competitor instead.
Offer well-known and trusted payment options, including both debit and credit card payments as well as bank links. Be sure to also offer pay later options to increase the customer's purchasing power.
Integrate ESTO Checkout into your online store with a convenient, fast setup. ESTO offers a large number of different solutions that help make the customer's purchase process convenient.
ESTO Pay bank payments are a fast and simple way to offer all Baltic and Finnish bank payments in your online store.
ESTO's 3-instalment payment method is a next-generation payment method that gives the customer the option to make a purchase right away but pay for it later, in 3 equal instalments, with no extra fees.
ESTO hire purchase gives the customer the option to make a larger purchase right away and pay for it in instalments over a longer period.
To integrate ESTO payment solutions, contact ESTO partner support at [email protected].
Make the purchase process as simple and intuitive as possible. Avoid unnecessary mandatory fields and offer a way to complete the purchase with minimal effort.
A good way to boost trustworthiness is to add user feedback and reviews to your online store. Positive reviews help increase customers' trust in your online store.
5.Ensure effective customer service
Good customer service is an important part of the online store's user experience and helps increase trustworthiness. Customers may have questions or concerns, and may need help before or after making a purchase.
Offer customers different ways to get in touch, for example by email, live chat, or phone. Be available on weekdays as well as, if needed, on weekends. Customers value getting a quick and relevant, helpful response to their questions.
To make life easier for yourself, also list frequently asked questions in your online store. This gives customers the option to find answers to simpler questions on their own, without bothering you or customer support.
6.Make your online store mobile-friendly
In 2023, nearly 50% of all purchases worldwide are already made through smart devices. That's why it's very important that your online store can be used comfortably on different devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Make sure your online store's design and user interface automatically adapt to the device the visitor is using. This ensures optimal display on every device and increases user comfort.
On smaller screens, navigating the online store needs to be clear and convenient. Use menus that also work well on touchscreens. Simple, readable fonts play an important role. Make sure the text stays easy to read even when browsing your website on a smaller phone screen.
7.Make sure your online store's loading speed is good
Make sure your online store's pages open quickly on smart devices too. Fast loading time is important both for user experience and for SEO (search engine optimisation).
Large image files and unnecessary plugins can slow down page loading speed, which in turn can cause customers to leave.
8.Flexible delivery options
E-commerce has changed customers' habits when it comes to convenience. Offer customers several different delivery methods, such as courier service and various parcel lockers. This lets customers choose whichever option is most convenient for them to get their goods as quickly as possible.
In conclusion
Increasing traffic to your online store requires constant attention and effort, but by following these eight strategies, you can build an effective platform that supports your company's growth.
Investing time and money into minimalist design, a comfortable user experience, and fast customer service is essential for offering customers a pleasant shopping experience. This increases not only the number of visitors, but also their satisfaction and loyalty, which in turn grows your online store's revenue.
Read more on our blog: Five tips for keeping your online store competitive.