How to Boost Online Retail Sales

Whether you’re new to ecommerce or have an established online store, retail entrepreneurs at all levels are on a constant mission to increase sales. It’s the only way a budding business can continue to grow and thrive. Selling online requires a great deal of strategy and research to ensure your products are finding their way to your target consumers and motivating those consumers to make a purchase. Honing this process can help you boost your business’s sales. If you’re looking for some ideas on how to do that, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in.

 

6 ways to boost online sales

 

1. Optimize Your Website (Desktop & Mobile).

When making purchases online, customers are looking for an enjoyable and streamlined shopping experience. It takes just 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion of your website, so ensure your online store is easy on the eyes, engaging to look at, and clutter-free. 38% of users will stop using a website if they find the layout unattractive, which means lost sales for your business if your online store is clunky. Make sure your brand’s message is clear on your homepage, that information is easy to digest, and that your site is a breeze to navigate. Additionally, considering more than 50% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, according to Statista, ensure your website’s user experience is just as seamless on mobile devices as it is on computers.

 

2. Assess How Customers Are Finding You.

The beauty of online marketing is that you can reach potential customers all over the world. But it’s important to assess your marketing data to streamline your advertising strategy. Learn where and how your customers are finding you. Are you getting a lot of traction from a targeted facebook ad you ran? Or is that Instagram contest you hosted pulling in new customers? Did you partner with a social media influencer who is bringing you new clientele? Or perhaps that SEO blog article you published on the business’s website is getting some attention and leading customers to click through to your product pages. By assessing what marketing tactics are the most effective for your specific business, you can pour more resources into the tools that are working and less into the ones that aren’t.

 

3. Use Affiliate Marketing.

One method to get your products in front of the eyes of new customers is through affiliate marketing. Consider partnering with social media influencers that align with what your brand and its products offer and stand for. One reason why influencers sell products well is because they essentially serve as a personable positive review of the products they promote. If you’re having difficulty establishing partnerships with your ideal influencers, consider starting smaller. Seek out social media personalities with smaller followings, or offer affiliate links to anyone who wants to help promote your brand on their website or social media profiles.

 

4. Take Advantage of Email Marketing.

Email marketing can be an inexpensive but effective way to turn potential customers into buyers. It can be used to spread the word on limited-time sales, new product arrivals, customer loyalty and rewards programs, special contests, and more. To encourage individuals to sign up for your mailing list in the first place, consider offering a special discount on their first purchase, just for signing up. As you develop your email marketing strategy, be strategic with the frequency of your emails. Too much and you’ll have people unsubscribing from your email list. Too little, and you won’t reap the benefits of this cost-effective marketing tool.

 

5. Cross-Sell & Upsell.

Two methods for turning one purchase into a bigger purchase is by cross-selling and upselling. Cross-selling involves selling additional products to a customer. One way to do this is by offering bundles of well-paired products. For example, if you’re selling beach accessories, you may offer a bundle of two beach chairs and a matching beach umbrella. Another way to cross-sell is to suggest recommended products that are similar to or pair well with the products a customer has already purchased.

Upselling involves offering more expensive options or upgrades to a customer. For example, if your online store sells potting soil, you may offer larger bag sizes or a premium potting mix that is more expensive than the standard mix. Both upselling and cross-selling have the potential to turn one purchase into a larger sale.

 

6. Showcase Product Reviews & Sales.

When starting a new retail business, one significant hurdle every entrepreneur has to overcome is gaining the trust of new customers. When shopping online, customers rely on product reviews to be their eyes and ears. Because online shoppers can’t touch or hold a product until they’ve already purchased it, product reviews offer peace of mind and assurance that they are making the right decision by purchasing a product. To gain new customers’ trust in your business and the products it offers, obtain reviews from your existing customers, and showcase those reviews on social media, in email marketing, and on your website. Not seeing the product reviews rolling in yet? Offer incentives like coupons or discounts for existing customers to leave reviews.

 

Launching and growing an online retail store can be an exciting yet intimidating journey. For a few lucky entrepreneurs, viral products will catapult their businesses into overnight success. But for most of us, business growth is a slow-and-steady process that requires hands-on research and assessment, strategic planning, and constant adjustments. But with the right tools and strategies, your online store can thrive.

 

If you’re looking to launch an online retail store or expand your existing store’s offerings, TVCMALL is a supplier that will help you find products that fit you and your unique brand like a glove.

 

 

Statistics Reference:

Bleu, Nicola. “27 Latest Website Statistics For 2023: Data-Backed Facts & Trends.” bloggingwizard, 1 January 2023, https://bloggingwizard.com/website-statistics/