Our 11 Proven Tips For Running A Successful Online Store

This is not just another list, it's what we've learned along the way and wish we'd known on day one when we started! Having built and run several online stores over the past few years, we've compiled some of the top 11 tips that we highly recommend to any ecommerce business owner:

1. Optimize your product pages: Make sure your product pages look clean and not overloaded, include high-quality images, detailed descriptions (what you don't see on the photo, you mention), pricing, and availability information. When selling wearables (clothes, earrings, etc.) show them on people (don't forget to state the height of the human model) and try to sell a mood mostly helps.
2. Simplify the checkout process: Minimize the number of steps and form fields required to complete a purchase. Offer guest checkout and multiple payment options. Pay by invoice works mostly best (for Switzerland), but consider the time spent on sending payment reminders, etc.
3. Do not neglect KYC: Talk to your clients. Ask them for their feedback (good and bad!). And try to do some solvency checks, especially for larger orders. If in doubt, ask for pre-payment. The debt collection can be quite time-consuming, pricey and tedious.
4. Offer free shipping: Research shows and we can definitely confirm from our experience that customers are more likely to complete a purchase when free shipping is offered.
5. ‍Use retargeting ads: Follow up with customers who have abandoned their shopping carts with retargeting ads or a simple e-mail to bring them back to your webshop.
6. Provide excellent customer service: Respond promptly to customer inquiries, provide detailed product information, and possibly offer hassle-free returns.
7. Leverage email marketing: Use email marketing to promote your products, offer discounts, and keep customers engaged with your brand.
8. Offer loyalty programs: Encourage repeat purchases by offering loyalty programs that reward customers for their loyalty.
9. Optimize for mobile: Ensure your site is optimized for mobile devices to provide a seamless shopping experience. Two out of three online-shopping orders are made on a mobile device!
10. Monitor your analytics: Use analytics tools to monitor your site's performance, track customer behavior, and identify areas for improvement.
11. Continue to test and experiment: Continually test and experiment with different strategies to improve your ecommerce sales and customer experience.

Following all or at least a few of these learnings will not only help you boost your sales, it will make the whole e-commerce game even more fun!

Also, try to automate as many tasks as possible so you can spend your time and focus on your product. There are plenty of tools out there to help you with all of this. Just ask us and we'll get you started.