4 Biggest Problems of Online Shoppers and How to Fix Them

The main goals of all online shops always revolve around the question: “How to increase sales and achieve greater profit?” What many of the entrepreneurs who focus their efforts into making a profitable digital shop fail to do is bring the customers into the equation.

What is important to understand, once you get into the ecommerce industry, is that the digital shop is not any different than physical one. It has to provide everything a brick and mortar store does, or at least approximate the experience as best as it can.

The recipe to success is to focus on middle man, the online store website and customers. And you will see how these two are intertwined. In the end most of the online shoppers’ problems either directly correspond with website design or they can be addressed through it.

Let’s cut to the chase, here is a compiled list of the biggest problems online shoppers face, accompanied by few tips on how to fix them.

Visitors Leave due to Complexity

The main pain point of potential online customers is the structure of the web store. This is really important issue that has to be quickly solved by redesigning the website respecting the latest trends in the industry.

The potentials of ecommerce are still not used to the fullest and there is still room for improvement, but by following the latest advice from experts, you will make sure that your online store is optimized for indulging the average shopper’s mind. Make sure to check Google’s material design in order to get the better perspective of this issue.

There is nothing more frustrating for an online customer then a ridiculously complex navigation on a website, accompanied by irrelevant information and dozens of options. The thing is, if a potential customer doesn’t find what they are looking for on your shop, the chances are that they won’t ever return.

So your first objective would be to have a sit down with the web design team and get rid of all the cluttered features and elements. Also, make sure to keep in mind what it is that online shoppers look for once they land on the website. The main goals is to have an intuitive navigation that will make visitors feel comfortable while surfing your store’s pages.

Shoppers find Some Online Stores Too Boring

If you want to attract more customers your online store has to be able to engage the visitor and keep him/her interested in the content, you have to offer. In the past this wasn’t the problem, but now the attention span of an average internet surfer is limited to 3-4 seconds. So if you don’t grab their attention in these few seconds, the visitor will close the tab and continue his/her shopping adventure somewhere else.

Luckily, there are several solutions for this problem. They all revolve around making the online shopping experience a more interesting and fun activity. For instance, the gamification method can help you make a game out of this non-game context. Another one is guided selling, a technique that can easily be integrated with gamification. Its main purpose it to increase engagement in order to indirectly influence someone’s purchasing decision.

But if you decide to implement some of these methods, you have to do niche research in order to get to know who your customers are. The best way to find out this and make the best use of the data is to try using CRM software. This powerful software tool can also be used to enhance the customer experience and improve their satisfaction rates.

Before making a choice, check out the comparison of customer relationship management software, because some of them might have the features you won’t be using.

Poor Product Pages

This is something you really want to fix as soon as possible. Imagine this scenario. You got the prospect to come to the website. He/she found the product interesting and there is no additional information. One picture, one sentence product description and no reviews nor ratings. “Why is this important?”, you might ask. Well, in the physical shop, the customer has a chance to see and touch the product, but when shopping online your website is the one responsible for painting the product’s mental picture in the visitor’s head.

The good news is that this is easily fixable. Decide on the structure, get some pro product photos from various angles, list the specs like they are listed on your competitors’ online stores for easier comparison and you are set to go. And remember, consistency is the key here. Every product page has to have the same outline and elements.

Also, you might consider adding some extra information in the product description. Write about how it feels in the hands, and describe some features and theirs benefits and uses in real life situations.

Bad Support

Here we come to one of the most sensitive aspects that can influence purchasing decision on so many levels – customer support. If a prospect has to wait for an answer while they considering whether to buy something from an online store, the chances are that they will go to another one. Good customer support is the characteristic that sets apart successful online stores from the bad ones.

The solution can be found in online chat software. An easy to implement and use web application that can be used to greet the customers from the very moment they land on the website, answer any question in real time and guide visitors through the entire purchase decision process. Make sure to check all the benefits of live chat software if you need more information.

By addressing these points, company your ecommerce business will attract more customers and also increase customer satisfaction and retention rates. As you can see, web design and a few integrated web applications form a very powerful synergy that can be salvaged and used for various purposes. In case you want to do more research on this topic and expand your knowledge feel free to browse blogs that cover hot ecommerce industry issues.  

Modern Solutions All Small Business Should Implement

Small business organizations have changed a lot in the past two decades. The traditional business structure has changed a lot and the whole organization within businesses is now quite different. For most people, small business organizations are the same as startups and there is really a thin line between these two.

Another important aspect of modern businesses is that they have simple, yet effective tech solutions they use on a daily basis to improve their results and overall growth. Today, all small businesses and startups have computer technology at their disposal and they rely on these tech solutions to be able to stay competitive and properly organized.

The amazing thing about these tools is that they are all quite cheap or free and that it would be a huge mistake not to utilize them. For some of these things you might think “this is not a revolutionary tech solution” but just because everyone has them doesn’t mean that they are not useful, on the contrary, if they weren’t useful there wouldn’t be so many people and organizations using them. 

Project management tools 

Project management tools are software solutions which can be installed on site or are cloud-based. These platforms are used for showcasing whole business projects on a single board, where they can be tracked, commented on, edited, adjusted, and collaborated on. Simply put, with them a business organization can streamline its projects and the manager or business owner can assign tasks while having a clear overview of what has been done so far, and what yet needs to be done.

Usually, businesses go for top project management software solutions which are cloud-based, because they don’t have to install anything on-site or maintain the software. With cloud-based tools, you only need to pay your monthly subscription fee and all of your employees will be able to access the platform from anywhere where they have internet access. This allows remote collaboration and the option for managers or business owners to keep track of everything while they are gone from the office.

These tools are usually quite easy to use and employees get used to them very quickly and soon enough, they will feel like they wouldn’t know how to do their jobs without them.

Business website

This is what I meant when I said some things might not seem like “tech solutions”. No matter how much a website seems simple to you, there is a lot of work needed to create one and use it properly to improve your business. In the past, websites were additional assets for companies, but for modern startups they are one of the core assets and some businesses rely solely on them to bring in revenue.

Just think about it, today there are businesses which only have an online presence and they have no offices or shops in the real world. This goes to show just how much websites have improved over the years, as they can now be transformed into complete online stores where people can browse items, ask questions, get information or order something.

Today websites can represent a whole business organization in a respective and professional way, and an average consumer won’t even have the need for anything else if he or she can finish the whole shopping routine online.

Analytic tools

One of the most important things about running a business is to understand how well you are actually performing. Luckily, today there are simple tech solutions that allow you to do this without wasting a lot of time or money. In the past, owners had to go through a lot of trouble in order to understand their whole business and come up with important numbers that could tell them things.

Not only did it take a lot of time to analyse all the relevant data, but to do this you had to have a lot of knowledge, which most small business owners didn’t. This usually led to hiring people who can do this for them and businesses spent a lot of money they needed for other things.

But today the only thing you need to do is to get the proper analytics tool for your type of business and simply run it to see your numbers and get important insights out of them. There are even tools that can give you suggestions on what you can improve and where your business is in critical condition.

Live chat software 

Customer service is very important in business. For businesses that rely on their online presence this has proven to be quite a challenge. This is because there is no direct personal interaction between customers and people that represent a company. A consumer doesn’t have that feeling of coming into the store and asking the shopkeeper about their products and any other relevant information.

This is where live chat software comes in to make up for what is missing. Live chat is a tool similar to a messenger and it pops out in the corner of consumer’s screen, telling them that if they have any questions they can address someone from customer service. There is always someone behind the tool waiting to answer any questions your customers have and help them get the best experience possible.

Additionally, people can feel distanced when they are browsing an online store, especially if it’s something they don’t know understand and having someone they can talk to directly can help them feel assured that there are real people behind this and allows customers to get a better feeling of how the company does business.

To summarize I would like to say again that being a tech-powered business organization is very important today. It’s important to keep up with the standards and improve the efficiency of your business processes as much as possible. In the end, most serious small businesses have these tech solutions implemented and if you want to be able to compete, you will have to get them for your organization as well. 

Tips and Tricks on How to Make Your Home Environmentally Friendly

Designing and building your own green home is a great way to reduce energy consumption and the overall impact you have on the environment, but some of us do not really have the chance to start from the beginning. A new and energy optimized home is a big project, so we have outlined several deep-impact changes you can make in your home and, that way, reduce your carbon footprint and be one step closer in making your home environmentally friendly.

Everyone who is a little bit environmentally minded and has already taken some steps in making their home energy efficient, knows that there are more important changes that are crucial for making your home 100% environmentally friendly. These include recycling, energy-saving appliances, energy-efficient bulbs and lowering your electricity and water consumption. So, to make a change that will positively impact your family, your home and your environment for many years to come, these are the changes you can consider making.

Insulating Your Roof and Walls

Lowering the thermostat is a good way to reduce your heating bills, but your home will also stay warmer and it will consume less power if you consider investing in sustainable and good insulation. Homes that are a little bit older don’t have proper insulation, and this is one of the biggest causes of lost heat. So, if you invest in proper insulation, this will be a financially wise way to make your home greener and to save money on energy bills. Don’t worry, your home will make up for the cost of the insulation in only two or three years. A home that is well insulated stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter, so you will forget about blasting the air conditioning and you’ll cause less gas emissions. You can choose from two main types of insulation, reflective and bulk.

Installing Double-Glazed Windows and Fixing the Leaks

Installing double-glazed windows can have a great effect on the amount of energy you are using to heat your home, similar to proper roof insulation. These types of windows can now be found in many attractive styles, to fit in with the design of your home. Not only will your home be environmentally friendly, but it will also look architecturally attractive. Think about the last time you checked whether you have any leaks in your windows and doors, because if you do have them, you are practically throwing away a crazy amount of both energy and money. So, make sure to thoroughly check for any air leaks and seal them with weather stripping.

When we are talking about leaks, something that is as simple as a leaky faucet or a worn out toilet flapper can waste 10.000 gallons of water in one year. When you compare this cost to the fact that millions of people do not have clean water, you will realize that you need to be serious about maintaining your home’s plumbing.

Investing Solar Panels

This may be a little expensive to install, but solar panels can really reduce your energy expenses and carbon footprint. One of the benefits of solar panels is that you can also benefit from government feed-in tariffs and get paid for all the electricity you will generate. Solar panels are also great in adding value to your home. And, the best part is that the installation costs are becoming more and more affordable.

Electronics are everywhere around us. Laptops and cellphones are items that need to be recharged, so you can consider investing in a solar powered battery charger. This way, you will eliminate carbon emissions that get produced from recharging electronics.

Recycling

Many cities now have recycling programs, and this is one of the simplest ways to reduce the waste you are creating. Recycling things instead of just letting them rot in a landfill will make our environment a much better place. For example, paper based items are one of the largest contributors of waste, and this can be avoided by recycling. So, take those old newspapers, junk mail, magazines and other paper-based items that are just lying around your home and have them put to better use.

Besides recycling, you can even consider purchasing items that have been recycled. Items like paper, glass, cardboard and plastic products are all things that can be recycled so, next time you head out shopping, you can look for the recycled versions of some of the items you usually use.

Composting

Your home and your garden can produce a really big amount of waste, and all of this can be broken down to compost that is valuable for your lawn and garden. The fact is that huge amounts of food are wasted every year in many homes; leftovers, scraps and various peelings are dumped and take up a lot of space in landfills. Most of that food can be broken down into compost and used around your home.

Some of the popular food composters include tumblers, worm composter and many other composting bins. Even your garden has the power for composting things that will otherwise be thrown away. For example, grass cuttings often get left in piles to dry or get dumped in the trash. Instead, they can be used as a compost.

Lighting

Many people, including you, do not really give a second thought on how it affects energy, when they flip the switch for the light after a hard and long day. Those bulbs that illuminate your space are a big contributor to unnecessary energy consumption. Lighting, as a matter of fact, takes up 14% of the total energy consumption in your home. So, go through your home and change all incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs which have become extremely popular in the last few years, and for a good reason. LED bulbs use up to 75% less energy and last even 25 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs.

We know that electricity makes it easier to function, but many people are overusing it. Are you one of those people who keeps the lights on, even if the weather outside is bright and sunny? If you are, you need to start being more eco-friendly. Start opening those blinds so that you can use natural light. Many companies that use some of the best environmental software offer automated lighting systems, which means that you can control everything from your phone, computer or tablet and, at the same time, monitor them from any location.

Reusing and Upcycling Everything Possible

Like we mentioned, recycling is a great place to start in your intentions towards making your home environmentally friendly, but you can also do something that can be even better. You can reuse and upcycle everything you can find around the house. For example, if you are using pasta sauce that comes in glass jars, instead of recycling them, you can put them to good use in many different ways. You can store food leftovers, turn them into a piggy bank, keep your spices in there, or even use them to grow small kitchen herbs and spices. There are many other creative ways to reuse them; you can even play with your kids and come up with other ways to put them to a good use.

Fixing Instead Of Throwing

Believe it or not, a crazy amount of textile is wasted in the U.S. because people are throwing away clothes instead of mending them or donating them to secondhand stores. We know that, over time, some clothes will not be salvageable with sewing or a patch, but you should not discard it until it comes to that point. But, if you tend to change sizes and you have clothing that is still good and wearable, make sure to donate it and thus reduce waste.

As you may see, there are some things that need some extra effort and some that don’t, but overall, it is not necessary to make some drastic changes in your life to make your home environmentally friendly. After we have given you some suggestions, you can even come up with some other creative things that you can do on a daily basis. Focus on making the environment a better place – your home is a great place to start.