In such a challenging economic climate, competition for customers' dollars has increased across all retail sectors.cleverbridgeprovides advanced ecommerce solutions, helping companies sell products and services both domestically and internationally. Craig Vodnik, Vice President of cleverbridge, North America, offers EcommerceBytes Insider tips to turn browsers into buyers.
The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that overall ecommerce sales rose by only 4.6 percent in the third quarter of 2008, compared with the third quarter of 2007. The final growth statistics for the fourth quarter of 2008 are likely to reveal that 2008 could be the first year of single-digit growth in the ecommerce space of the decade. Now more than ever, online retailers must keep customer and business purchasers from abandoning their online shopping carts in order to maximize revenue from online sales.
Companies selling products online are challenged to create an easy, secure shopping experience for customers with the objective to decreasing shopping cart abandonment. As companies offer products within a range of price points, even a slight increase in the conversion rate could equal a significant bump in revenue. If applied consistently, the following tips have proven to decrease shopping cart abandonment.
Be forthcoming with contact details: Customers will feel far more comfortable about submitting an order if they know that they can call or email the company if a problem should arise. Hiding contact details behind long "Frequently Asked Questions" lists or only provide self-supporting options, tends to frustrate customers.
Add security logos: Including security logos to an online site, such as those from VeriSign or McAfee, or a custom-build icon to show SSL certificate security, can increase transaction rates. Logos from these companies have been used on ecommerce sites for several years, and online shoppers are accustomed to seeing them. The customer then knows that a site has been secured by a reputable third party or technology, which builds trust for the site. This is especially important for first-time buyers or, due to the nature of the product or service, one-time buyers.
Use proper domain names: Since many companies redirect customers to separate Web sites to complete a transaction, these companies should use clear domain names, and, when possible, incorporate the company name. Convoluted domain names could trigger customer's phishing filters or warnings. Outsourced ecommerce companies should be able to offer store.company.com where its URL points to the company's online store.
Widespread globalization and digital delivery of certain products and services has presented many retailers with the opportunity to sell internationally. However, customers can be hesitant to make a purchase from a site outside of their country or region. If international sales are a priority, ecommerce merchants should invest in a shopping cart service or checkout tool that offers global customization.
Address the customer in his or her native language: While product names or product information may remain consistent despite the customer's native language, order processing information should be translated. Although people in nations around the world do speak English, there are as nearly as many who do not, or do not feel comfortable making purchases in English as opposed to their native language.
Adapt to the customer's location: Providing contact information prior to ordering is often the most time-consuming step in placing an online order. Shopping sites should request contact information, such as an address, in the format that corresponds with the customer's location. For example, in the United States, customers must provide an address, city, state and zip code, but throughout Europe, the state field would be eliminated. Customizing this component prevents erroneous address submissions and removes unnecessary obstacles.
Provide relevant information only: Simple changes, such as only displaying payment options that apply to the customer's location, can make a significant difference and can be done as easily as hiding page elements. For example, European customers may be confused by notes on sales tax, whereas U.S. customers do not need information on Value Added Tax, the European equivalent of sales tax.
While these tips can help increase transactions, retailers must remember that the customer experience does not end there. Many charge-backs or returns are initiated by the customer because of poor customer service or product satisfaction issues. Providing fast and reliable customer support will validate the order, helping the retailer to build trust among their customers, which can decrease charge-backs.
About the author:
Craig Vodnik is Vice President, North America, for cleverbridge and manages the company's U.S. headquarters in Chicago. Throughout his career, Vodnik has worked in the media and ecommerce industries as well as with several Internet start-ups. While working at Europe's
leading ecommerce provider, Vodnik held the position of Project Manager, North America. Vodnik's professional experience began in 1995 as the Webmaster of the Chicago Tribune, where he was instrumental in launching the newspaper onto the Internet. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and is a founding member of cleverbridge.
In such a challenging economic climate, competition for customers' dollars has increased across all retail sectors. 
