More and more people in the Philippines are utilizing online marketplaces for shopping. Statista projects that 43.9% of Filipinos will purchase something from an online store in 2023, so businesses large and small are competing for a slice of this massive and still-growing audience.
With the amount of competition existing today, increasing your eCommerce sales can be a challenge. Thankfully, key experts and entrepreneurship giants have given their take on how to boost online sales. This infographic compiles their advice and offers actionable steps to help grow your business.
5 eCommerce Sales Tips from Experts
When the Inquirer interviewed some of the people behind the most successful companies in the country, these influential individuals had the following to say:
1. Optimize your shopping systems
When asked which metrics retailers must focus on, Lorenzo Formoso, Ace Hardware Inc. Board Advisor and Philippine Retailer Association (PRA) Vice Chair, said that the people’s priority now is and will continue to be “personalized, efficient, and quick shopping systems.”
He said shops must take advantage of technological advancements and the new channels and trends they bring to capitalize on this shift.
The significant shock in buyer demand for convenient, available at-home shopping caused by the pandemic has proven his prediction correct.
2. Technology is a valuable tool, but it shouldn’t be your focus
After listing the many benefits technology brings to physical and online retailing, SM Retail Inc. and SM Prime Director Jorge Mendiola reminded sellers that customers are the ones who bring success.
It’s easy to lose sight of the goal; providing the best experience to your customers can steer you into getting lost in the weeds of implementing new tech. Instead, use these developments to help improve your services.
3. Successful businesses build relationships, not transactions
Echoing Jorge Mendiola’s sentiments, Donnie Tantoco of Rustan Commercial Corp. gave Tesco an example of what a commitment to building relationships brings.
By showing that your company values and respects its customers as people, you get to reap the rewards of a long and fruitful partnership. You become a part of their lives, not an organization simply trying to make money off them.
4. Meet your customers where you can find them
Ben Chan, Suyen Corp. Founder and BENCH/ Executive Creative Director, claims that his company’s success comes from its consistent quality, regardless of the many platforms its customers use. This quote highlights two takeaways: grow your sales by being available on multiple platforms and provide a consistently high level of service to thrive.
Multiple platforms can be difficult to manage, so ensure that you maintain the quality of your products and services should you expand.
5. Apply insights from the data that technology brings
Picture City Int’l Inc. President and PRA Chair Paul Santos lays out three crucial steps for retailers wishing to compete for customer loyalty.
- You must constantly gather data-driven insights and compare them to customer behaviors.
- You need to craft an appropriate plan based on those insights.
- You must communicate that plan to your customers.
Following his step-by-step guide can help you build the ideal experience for your customer base and outshine your competitors.
How to Increase eCommerce Sales
Considering each piece of the experts’ advice, here are some actionable steps to boost your sales.
Website Solutions
These suggestions focus on your website and aim to boost its reach while minimizing any potential friction in your operations.
- Optimize your website for conversions
Your website is the primary platform for company-customer interaction, so ensuring it’s smooth and easy to operate is vital. Having a clear and straightforward throughline from the first visit to product viewing and finally to checkout will maximize your conversions.
- Use social proof
Encourage customers to leave reviews and ensure you display them prominently on your website to highlight your confidence and transparency. Using positive testimonials, you prove the quality and value your business provides for its customers.
- Offer discounts and promotions
Promotions are a great way to excite your customers about your business and make them more likely to buy.
To add to sales, engagement systems like referral bonuses, fun challenges related to your products or services, and customer loyalty programs encourage customers to spread the word about your business.
With RUSH-powered stores, you can use the eStore's promo code feature for advertising your online store's promotions. Experiment with different discounts and promotions until you find something that draws the most customers for the least revenue lost.
- Optimize your product listings
Use keywords and detailed descriptions to improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find you. Also, having high-quality images and videos give customers a better sense of your products and help push them to purchase from you.
Customer Service Solutions
As the experts have said, customer service quality makes or breaks a business, so here are some suggestions on which factors to focus on.
- Improve your customer service
While it sounds obvious, there are many customer relationship strategies you can apply. The simplest one is focusing on prompt and respectful responses to queries. Another avenue for improvement is providing multiple channels customers can use, like email, phone, and live chat.
- Incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) technology
Businesses face many questions, complaints, and requests, so you should take advantage of chatbots and other AI tools. They automatically respond to more straightforward issues and alert the proper employees should anything more complex or pressing arise. With this, customers get faster service without needing to hire more staff.
- Ask for and implement feedback
Using customer feedback helps your store in two ways. It enables you to improve your sales process, products, and services, showing customers that you value their opinions and wish to grow. Ask for feedback in a post-purchase follow-up message. This way, you build relationships and show your appreciation all at once.
- Train to cross-sell and upsell
Cross-selling and upselling are ways to boost sales figures without attracting new customers. Offering related or premium versions of products and services brings your business more revenue per transaction. However, a good cross-promotion must be non-insistent, or you risk souring the customer’s original purchase.
Marketing Solutions
Even if you have the best product or service, you put them to waste if potential customers don’t hear of them, so marketing is crucial for reaching your potential.
- Implement email marketing
Emails are a fantastic way to stay in your customers’ perception. Segment your customers and email lists properly to target messages specific to groups of customers. This strategy helps personalize emails and improve the effectiveness of your email promotions. You can even automate most of this process to gain more benefits with less effort.
- Utilize retargeting and remarketing
Website cookies are a great way to get more information about what customers are doing on your website. You can use this data to show targeted ads that remind them of the products they’ve viewed but didn’t buy. You can also use it to bring them back to your website.
RUSH eStore gives merchants tools to re-engage their customers, such as SMS and email broadcasting backed by a rich built-in customer segmentation tool. These will help you get customers back into the buying cycle and increase sales.
- Engage on social media
Social media platforms are powerful tools because so many people are already on them. Your business can reach a much wider pool of potential customers by engaging with them where they are. To seamlessly immerse yourself in a social media platform’s culture and vibe, you must be genuine and consistent with your interactions.
- Invest in paid advertising
Paid advertising has the potential to reach the most people who are likely to be interested in your products and services. However, you must calculate the return on investment for your spending to see if paid ads are suitable for your store.
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
The intense competition between eCommerce businesses will continue to rage as more people adopt online as their preferred shopping platform. Use these industry giants’ hard-earned experience and expertise to plan your path forward.
If you want to boost your sales figures even more, partner with Rush! We’re the perfect partner for your eCommerce business. Check out our online website store and contact our Sales Champs today!
