According to statistics, there are between 12 and 24 million eCommerce websites in the world. If you have your own eCommerce store or are planning on creating one, you’re probably thinking about what you can do to find success and which eCommerce trends to follow.

There are some things all good eCommerce stores have in common, parts without which they would undoubtedly fail. And if you’re serious about making a profit and being successful, you should apply the same strategies.

If you want to improve essential eCommerce metrics, read the tips below.

The perfect domain name

A domain name is much more important than many people realize. Your domain name is like your website’s home address and it isn’t something that should be taken lightly. It can influence your success much more than you realize and it’s just as important as your company name.

The domain name you choose needs to be memorable and appropriate for your business. There are a few things that you should take into consideration when you’re choosing a domain name.

• The right domain extension.According to research, 42.48% of all domains have the “.com” extension. This is the best option and if you can’t secure the “.com” extension, use “.net” or “.org”.
• The perfect length. Good domain names should be as short as possible. The ideal length is between 6 and 14 characters, while the most common length is 12 characters.
• Easy to type and spell. If you put in too many complicated words and phrases, your domain will be confusing and forgettable. Additionally, the more complicated your name is, the easier it will be to mistype it.
• Available. Unfortunately, a lot of short, creative, and memorable names are already taken. Before you register your domain name, make sure to research and check if it isn’t already in use.

When you finally decide on a good domain name for your website, it’s time to register it. While domain registration could cost you up to thousands of dollars, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. It’s possible to find great and cheap domain name without breaking the bank.

Attractive web design

When you start an eCommerce store, you need to think about how you’re presenting your brand to the world. The look of your website is a rential ceflection of your brand, and you won’t go far if you don’t have a well-designed website.

Even if your products are high-quality, potential customers won’t be interested in them if your design is off-putting. After all, your website is there to establish credibility for your brand. A well-designed website shows that you are a serious company that deserves trust from customers.

A good website should have the following characteristics:

• Clear and simple navigation. How many times have you left a website because you couldn’t figure out how to navigate it? This is a common problem for many websites, and you should definitely avoid this. If you use straightforward and simple navigation, your visitors won’t leave it.
• An eye-catching homepage. A homepage needs to be impressive and aesthetically pleasing in order to catch your visitor’s attention. If you succeed at this, potential customers are more likely to continue browsing your website.
• Page speed. A slow-loading website is practically worthless in the eCommerce world. If it takes longer than a few seconds to load, potential customers will lose interest and go visit one of your competitor’s websites.
• Mobile-friendliness. According to mobile marketing statistics, 40% of online transactions are completed via mobile devices. If you don’t optimize your website for mobile users, your business will undoubtedly suffer.

eCommerce plugins

If you made your website with the help of a website builder such as WordPress, you will have the option of using plugins. There are various plugins that can help you run your eCommerce business and even boost sales.

There are a number of plugins that differ by cost, ease of use, support, and various other factors. It’s important to do research on all plugins to make sure you’ve chosen the one which fits your website the best.

However, there are some WordPress eCommerce plugins that any website could benefit from:

• WooCommerce. This plugin enables you to sell goods on your WordPress website. It has multiple payment options: PayPal, BAS, and cash on delivery.
• BigCommerce. This plugin comes with a large number of features and it’s perfect for small to medium-sized online stores.
• MemberPress. MemberPress allows you to sell subscription-based digital products.

High-quality product images

Every experienced eCommerce store owner knows the importance of product images. Since your customers can’t physically handle your product, they need an accurate visual representation of it.

Product images have a great influence on potential customers. They help them decide whether or not an item is worth purchasing, so it’s important to show your products in the best possible light.

Here are some tips on how you can take great product images that will surely impress your customers:

• Hire a professional photographer. If you have the budget, hire a professional that is much more experienced in taking photographs than you. If you can’t afford this, at least use a professional camera.
• Take pictures from all possible angles. One or two pictures won’t be enough to showcase the product accurately. To give customers the best representation of your products, take pictures from all angles and include the zoom option.
• Use ghost mannequins. This tip is mostly for fashion eCommerce stores. If you want to show the shape of a product to customers, apply the ‘ghost mannequin’ effect to create realistic images using a 3D mannequin.

Educate your audience

While it’s important to provide your customers with product images and detailed descriptions of the items you’re selling, that’s simply not enough. Your job is to educate your audience as much as possible.

When you take the time to educate your customers, you show that you care about them. Customers will feel more comfortable doing business with a company that is ready to answer all of their questions.

There are a few simple but effective ways to educate your audience:

• Blog. Blogs are an essential part of any eCommerce website. They contain articles that help promote your products and also give useful information about them. Well-written blog posts allow customers to become familiar with the product before they even purchase it
• ‘About us’ page. Give your customers a chance to find out who you are, what drives you, and how your company was created. This shows people that there is a person behind the business, not just a corporation that wants to empty out their wallet.
• FAQ page. It’s important to answer any and all questions customers have for you. However, if you notice certain questions are being asked often, provide the answers on an FAQ page.

Customer retention

It’s much more affordable to keep a customer than it is to obtain a new one. While it is important to focus your efforts on finding new customers, don’t ignore the loyal ones, as they’re probably the ones bringing in the most business.

Customer retention focuses on showing customers why they should stick around and keep buying from your company. There are certain customer retention strategies that most successful eCommerce businesses use.

Some of them include:

• loyalty programs
• welcome campaigns
• paid VIP memberships
• referral programs

These strategies focus on two things: showing a customer how much you appreciate them and rewarding their loyalty. When someone notices that your company is ready to show how much it appreciates them, you will have a loyal customer for life.

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