Best Practices and Practical Tips for Increasing E-Commerce Conversions

The growth of online shopping and the evolution of e-commerce have made the world of digital marketing increasingly competitive, forcing companies to improve their processes and strategies to align with market changes and new shopping trends.

Conversion is a priority for anyone looking to sell online, making it increasingly important to implement new tools and approaches that encourage customers to purchase products and services. The e-commerce conversion rate is considered one of the most significant metrics for evaluating return on investment (ROI). According to a report by Unbounce, it typically ranges from 2% to 4%. However, in 2021, it reached 5.2% across all e-commerce sectors. The latest data from IRP show a decrease in the average e-commerce conversion rate by 0.91% compared to the previous year. This change highlights the need for companies to actively intervene in their marketing campaigns and rely on specialized partners to manage their online business more effectively.

Strategies to Improve E-Commerce Conversions

The e-commerce conversion rate shows the percentage of website visitors who complete a specific action, i.e., the ratio of transactions to sessions.

Whether it involves making a purchase, filling out a lead generation form, subscribing to a newsletter, or contacting customer support, online shopper behavior provides valuable insights into how users interact with your website. This data is crucial for setting goals that can help optimize sales volume.

There are many strategies that can be applied to improve conversion rates on your website:

Use Compelling Design. To be truly effective, a website must feature high-quality images and videos. Capturing visitors’ attention within seconds is key in online sales processes. Compelling design, including large hero images on the homepage and informative product videos, helps users form a positive impression, understand what they are buying, and complete their purchase more easily.

Enhance Customer Support. According to Meta for Business, 52% of online consumers choose brands based on the user experience. A significant number of users tend to abandon purchases from brands that provide poor customer support, opting instead for brands that offer satisfactory experiences aligned with their needs, even at a higher cost. Implementing software that enables direct communication with customers—such as live chat and chatbots—is a growing trend that can significantly improve interactions by providing timely responses and real-time support, even outside regular business hours. Enhancing e-commerce customer support is critical for improving efficiency in every process, from product delivery to after-sales service. Engaging experts specialized in this field can significantly reduce time spent resolving unexpected issues, meet customer requirements on the first contact, and intelligently manage process tracking and oversight.

Optimize Website User Experience. Improving the user experience on your website can be one of the most effective ways to boost e-commerce conversion rates. Optimizing navigation and site structure allows visitors to quickly and easily find the information and products they need. According to research by Retail Systems Research, 52% of consumers report dissatisfaction with slow-loading product pages or complicated checkout processes. Additionally, more than 90% of users abandon sites that are too slow, opting instead for competitors or well-established e-commerce platforms like Amazon. Reducing the number of fields during checkout or offering multiple payment options are two strategies that can help retain existing customers or attract new ones, ensuring competitiveness in the online market.

Mobile Optimization. The mobile experience plays a crucial role in the sales process and can lead to significant improvements. According to eMarketer, mobile commerce continues to grow and reached nearly $436.7 billion last year, accounting for about 40% of total e-commerce.

This makes mobile website optimization a fundamental goal for reaching target audiences and enhancing the overall shopping experience. Effective strategies that can positively impact mobile e-commerce conversions include increasing font sizes, optimizing site speed, and compressing images.

Expanding Payment and Delivery Options. On one hand, simplifying processes helps improve website clarity. On the other hand, optimizing the checkout steps can involve introducing additional options for new payment and delivery methods. Integrating reliable tracking services can significantly enhance user satisfaction by providing accurate and efficient updates. For example, a post-sale management platform allows tracking of all shipped orders, automates processes, and sends personalized, updated communications about order status, thereby optimizing the customer experience.

Discounts and Promotions. Offering discounts and promotions is a highly effective way to attract customers to a brand and motivate purchases. According to RetailMeNot, nearly 75% of consumers consider discounts a decisive factor influencing their choice of online store and the products they plan to buy.

Another approach to improving the shopping experience and optimizing e-commerce conversions is offering free shipping. High shipping costs are often a primary reason consumers abandon their online carts, whereas free shipping, combined with coupons and discounts, serves as a compelling incentive that encourages customers to spend more.

Follow-Up Emails. Sending follow-up emails is highly effective for building connections with customers. These messages serve multiple functions, including reminding users who abandoned their carts, encouraging them to complete purchases, or simply thanking customers after an order with personalized messages. Segmenting users based on specific criteria—such as previous purchases or interests in certain products—can further enhance the customer experience, provide targeted responses, and improve conversion rates.

Implementing effective digital solutions is key to strengthening your online presence and connecting with your target audience. Mail Boxes Etc. provides comprehensive support for companies, entrepreneurs, and small businesses in managing and optimizing their online activities, from shipping to product delivery.

MBE’s e-commerce solutions, which are digital, flexible, and personalized, help businesses streamline and accelerate all processes. This results in satisfied customers and a pleasant shopping experience, which helps optimize your online business and achieve ambitious results. Strengthen your online operations with MBE’s digital solutions.