Top 3 Reasons You Are Not Getting More Sales

Hello again, I thought I would share the top 3 reasons you are not getting more sales on your online store. Well at least the three most likely reasons.

Before I mention the top 3 reasons you are not getting more sales… Remember that it is essential your website (or online store) is getting high volumes of targeted traffic regularly, before you start making changes to your shopping cart.

Once you have the punters to your “front door step” beware, as there are a few common mistakes that will drive your potential customers away in the blink of an eye. Here are the three most common reasons online stores get fewer sales than anticipated.

If any of the following applies to your online store, fix these issues first and you can expect to see improved conversion rates.

1. Slow Website or Page Loads

Try this on your mobile phone; clear your browser cache and visit your online store’s home page. Did it take longer than roughly 5 seconds for the page to load above the fold (first half of the page, before you start scrolling down)? If so; your website is considered slow on mobile devices.

According to Google/SOASTA Research 2017, the probability of bounce (when a person leaves without browsing another page) on mobile devices increases to 53% if a web page takes between 1 and 3 seconds to load. In other words; 53% of visitors (on mobile devices) leave if a page takes longer than three seconds to load. If it takes between 1 and 5 seconds, the probability of bounce increases to 90%. And between 1 and 10 seconds, it increases to a whopping 123%. The bottom line is visitors do not like slow loading web pages.

Waiting long periods for a web page to load is unpleasant, especially when there is no reward for waiting. IE your price can never be beaten by any competitor, or this is the only place you will get this fabulous product.

Optimise your online store for faster page loads and you should see improved conversion rates. Use web debugging tools to identify which sections and/or files are taking the longest to load on a web page, tackle those first. Tip: it is generally massive images that need to be sized appropriately and optimised for web and device type.

2. Hidden Costs or Taxes

There is nothing more frustrating than spending time browsing a website, adding awesome products to your shopping cart. Then proceeding through checkout, only to be greeted by an unexpected and hefty shipping cost or local state tax. Always make it clear on your product pages (or page banners) whether you charge shipping or not. Do your best to be as upfront as possible about charges so that the price they see, is the price they expect to pay at checkout.

3. Bad Product Images and Product Descriptions

It is essential that shopping cart owners understand one crucial thing; your customers can not reach out, feel, touch and taste your lovely products through their computer screen. As obvious as that may sound, it is a point that online retailers miss time and time again.

Good product images give the potential customer a good sense of the quality, size, and features of the product. The appearance of the product’s quality and size should also directly relate to the price you are selling it for.

Never only show one poor quality product image! Besides capturing your product’s awesomeness from all angles, showcase its amazing features and in use (lifestyle photography). Also be consistent in image sizing and make sure there is a larger hi-res version of the image should the shopper wish to zoom in and take a closer look.

When piecing together your product descriptions. talk the talk to the type of person who is likely to buy it, sell tools to mechanics, outdoor gear to outdoorsy-types. Mention a few killer features and why your product is better than the competitors’. Remember to avoid making intangible comments that make your customers think yeah-yeah (EG: this product is amazing and excellent). It makes for a boring read and your customers lose interest. A good product description should also include the product dimensions, as well as links to safety and care instructions where applicable.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself when you word your product descriptions:

• Who is the “average” person I’m selling this to? How do I describe this product to that person?
• What are the key benefits of this product?
• What is going to give the shopper a sense of holding, touching or tasting this product right now?
• Which quick fire items should I list for those only scanning the product description?
• Is there a short story I can tell about this product’s origins, how it was made, the obstacles overcome to create it, or how it was tested?
• Can I tempt the customer with social proof (honest reviews, as seen in, news headlines etc..) ?

There you have it, the top three reasons you are not getting more sales in your online store. As usual, if you need more information or a hand working through improving your online store’s conversion rate, reach out, Go Cart would love to help.

Adios amigos!