What Small Retail Websites Can Learn From Big Retail Websites

Most large retailers have a website - and have figured out how to run it well. Many top retailers are in the news for spending millions of dollars trying to make their websites a good customer experience. As such, we have come up with three lessons from the big retailers about making their website a success. Small retailers can apply these same ideas to their websites to increase their own online sales.

1. Online Buyers are Often Afraid  

Many online buyers are wary that they will not receive the product that they ordered, and they are particularly afraid that thieves will steal their credit card information. Large online retailers combat this by prominently displaying the company's satisfaction guarantee.  They also highlight the company's privacy policy and display a security badge.  Small retail company websites can easily do the same.

2. Online Buyers Do Not Like to Pay for Shipping
In fact, 35% of shoppers abandon their online shopping cart because of high shipping charges.   Top retailers have learned that fewer shipping charges and particularly free shipping translate into more sales.   Small retailers cannot always absorb the costs of free shipping, but absorbing a part of the shipping costs so that shoppers do not have "shipping charges shock" at checkout can help boost sales.

3. Online Shoppers Want Payment Options  
Top retailers often offer a variety of credit cards (Discover and American Express in addition to Visa and MasterCard) as well as PayPal, Google Wallet, Bill Me Later and others. Wal-Mart even offers cash payments online. A small retailer might not accept online cash payments or as many bank credit cards, but accepting PayPal as a payment option is easy and costs about the same as accepting credit cards.  

Big retailers are constantly tweaking their websites, finding the best ways to improve customer experience and increase revenue.  Small retailers can do the same. Contact us for all of your retail packaging needs, now and as your sales continue to increase.