How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Store Platform

Is Amazon stealing business from your eCommerce site? With Amazon dominating the market, it may seem like an impossible task to win customers over the e-commerce giant. Even though Amazon is capturing around 40% of online retail sales in the US, it’s possible to have your online shoppers prefer your site over Amazon’s. 

In this article, we will explore 5 proven strategies that will help you differentiate your brand, connect with customers on a deeper level, ultimately win their loyalty, and learn how to compete with Amazon. From leveraging social media and influencer marketing to providing exceptional customer service and offering personalized shopping experiences, these strategies will empower you to carve out your own space in the online marketplace, and prevent Amazon from cannibalizing all of your site’s sales. 

Develop your unique value prop to differentiate your brand from the giants

What makes your products or services special? What unique benefits do you offer that your competitors don’t and that the big retailers can’t communicate? It’s crazy how often brands do this poorly, but clearly defining and communicating your brand's unique selling points will help you stand out in a sea of competitors. 

Amazon isn’t capable of connecting with customers on as deep a level as an individual eCommerce business. They speak to the masses by offering: 1) Everything, 2) Ease-of-use, and 3) Fast and cheap shipping. An individual company can’t offer all of these things, but they can speak in more detail to a customer’s specific needs and emotions with their value prop. E-commerce companies can use this as an advantage to create stronger bonds with their audience.

It's crucial to craft a compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience. Your brand story should communicate your values, mission, and the problem you solve for your customers. By creating an emotional connection through storytelling, you can build trust and loyalty, making the emotional cost of switching higher for customers to just go find your products on Amazon.

Remember, differentiation is not just about product features; it's also about creating a memorable brand experience. From your website design and packaging to your customer service and follow-up, every touchpoint should reflect your unique brand identity. By consistently delivering a remarkable experience, you can build a strong brand reputation that sets you apart from Amazon's standardized approach.

Enhancing customer experience by providing exceptional service and convenience with a personal touch

There is no way in Hades you’re going to be able to offer more products than Amazon, or ship consistently faster. However, you can beat them where there are opportunities to personally interact with your audience. Again, focus on doing what Amazon doesn’t, can’t, or won’t.

Start by investing in excellent customer service with a personal touch. Train your customer support team to be knowledgeable, friendly, and responsive. Encourage them to go above and beyond to solve customer issues and exceed expectations. 

Surprising a customer with how exceptional your customer experience is can create brand advocates for your company. By providing personalized assistance and prompt resolutions, you can build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

If staffing a large customer service team doesn’t make sense financially for your business, then the number of automated AI solutions are increasing and getting better by the day. Check out FlixCX, HiOperator, or Zowie if this sounds like this may be a better fit for you.

Consider offering unique services that Amazon may not provide. For example, you could offer FREE gift wrapping (Amazon charges for it, and I wouldn’t consider it anything special), personalized product recommendations based on their input, or a concierge service for high-value customers. 

Companies that are killing this will start by gathering a small amount of information from their visitors, then turn those answers into curated recommendations. Go the extra mile and create a memorable experience that keeps customers coming back to you instead of seeking out your product on Amazon.

Lastly, consider offering convenient and flexible shipping options. While Amazon may have fast shipping, you can maintain the status quo and at least not give up too much ground by offering free same-day or next-day delivery for local customers. Alternatively, you could offer free shipping with no minimum order value, making it easier for customers to shop with you.

In the world of eCommerce, driving traffic to your website is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in converting those visitors into paying customers. That's where conversion optimization comes in, or the skills of an expert eCommerce conversion rate optimization agency.

But what exactly is conversion optimization, and how can you use it to boost your sales? The answer lies in the science behind consumer behavior. By understanding how people think and make purchasing decisions, you can tailor your website and marketing strategies to meet their needs and preferences. 

In this article, we'll explore some tips and tricks used by Media Contour, an eCommerce conversion rate optimization agency, for optimizing your ecommerce site for conversions, from tweaking your copy and design to implementing social proof and urgency tactics. Whether you're a seasoned eCommerce pro or just starting out, these ecommerce conversion rate optimization strategies will help you increase your conversion rates and drive more revenue for your business. So let's dive into the science of eCommerce conversion optimization and take your online store to the next level!

Understanding the customer journey

The customer journey refers to the steps that customers go through before making a purchase, from awareness of your brand to post-purchase evaluation. By mapping out the customer journey, you can identify areas where customers may be dropping off or experiencing friction, and tailor your optimization strategies accordingly. This will help you take a targeted approach to where customer pain points are occurring, and avoid making site wide changes with hopes that the journey will improve as a secondary result.

The customer journey typically follows a few key stages: awareness, consideration, decision, and post-purchase evaluation. During the awareness stage, customers become aware of your brand and products through channels like search engines, social media, and advertising. During the consideration stage, they evaluate your products and compare them to competitors. The decision stage is when they make a purchase, and the post-purchase evaluation stage is when they evaluate their experience and decide whether to make repeat purchases.

For ecommerce conversion rate optimization to work effectively, it's important to understand each of these stages and tailor your messaging and strategies accordingly. For example, during the awareness stage, you may want to focus on building brand awareness and establishing credibility through social proof and testimonials. 

During the consideration stage, you can emphasize the unique benefits and features of your products compared to competitors. And during the decision stage, you can use urgency and scarcity tactics to encourage customers to make a purchase. The post-purchase evaluation is your opportunity to highlight pain points in your customer service, order fulfillment, and creating lasting relationships with your customers.

Make sure you know where these touch points are occurring online and offline. Make sure your messaging is consistent across platforms, and remove unnecessary touch points that are convoluting your messaging and confusing the customer journey.

Common obstacles to conversion and how to overcome them

Even if you have a strong understanding of the customer journey, there are some common obstacles that can prevent customers from making a purchase. By identifying and addressing these obstacles, you can improve your customer experience which leads to more purchases.

One common obstacle is a lack of trust or credibility. Customers may be hesitant to make a purchase if they are unsure of the quality of your products or the security of your website. To overcome this obstacle, you can use social proof and testimonials to establish credibility and build trust with customers. 

You can also display trust badges and security certificates to reassure customers that their information is safe. Make sure to display which payment vendors you accept. Seeing that Visa, or Mastercard, etc. is willing to do business with you goes a long way in establishing trust with new customers.

Another obstacle is a confusing or frustrating user experience. If your website is difficult to navigate or if customers can't find the information they need, they may become frustrated and abandon their purchase. To overcome this obstacle, you can simplify your website design and navigation, use clear and concise product descriptions, and provide helpful customer service resources like chatbots or FAQ pages. 

A helpful navigation hack is to employ what we call user self selection in your navigation. Allow users to search by activity, pain point, price/sale, condition, etc. This allows users to search based on their criteria, and delivers on the expectation that your site has what they’re looking for.

Lastly, another obstacle is a lack of urgency or motivation to make a purchase. Customers may be interested in your products, but they may not feel an immediate need to buy. To overcome this obstacle, you can use urgency and scarcity tactics like limited-time offers, countdown timers, and low-stock notifications to create a sense of urgency and motivate customers to make a purchase.

Using data to inform your optimization strategy

To truly optimize your eCommerce site for conversions, you need to base your strategies on data and analytics as if you were an eCommerce conversion rate optimization agency. By tracking and analyzing onsite customer behavior, you can identify areas for improvement and test different strategies to see what works best.

One key metric to track is your conversion rate, which measures the percentage of visitors who make a purchase. By tracking your conversion rate over time through eCommerce Conversion Rate Optimization Services and identifying any changes or trends, you can identify areas for improvement and implement targeted optimization strategies. Be sure to A/B test (split test) any changes to track exactly which optimization strategies worked and remove any guesswork.

Another metric to track is your bounce rate, which measures the percentage of visitors who leave your site without taking any action. A high bounce rate can indicate a problem with your website design, messaging, or user experience, and can be fixed by implementing targeted optimization strategies. See which pages have the highest bounce rate, and focus your efforts there.

Finally, you can use tools like heat maps and click tracking to analyze how customers interact with your website and identify areas where they may be experiencing friction or confusion. Heat maps are a great way to identify where user’s attention is focused on each page, and determine what they find valuable, and which elements are missing their mark.

In the world of eCommerce, copywriting is a crucial element to drive sales for your online store and turn potential customers into loyal ones. But what makes product features or an ad copy truly compelling? 

The answer lies in the power of emotional triggers. Emotional triggers are the psychological cues that evoke strong feelings and reactions in people. They can be positive, like joy and excitement, or negative, like fear and anxiety. When used effectively in good eCommerce copywriting, emotional triggers can make a product or a brand stand out from the competition and create a lasting connection with the audience. 

In this article, we'll explore the science behind emotional triggers, how they influence purchasing decisions, and how you can leverage them in your eCommerce copywriting to increase conversion rates, user experience, and customer loyalty. 

Understanding the Psychology Behind Emotional Triggers

Emotions are an integral part of human behavior. They influence the way we think, feel, and act. The science of emotions is complex, and researchers are still trying to understand how they work. However, there are some basic principles that we can use to understand emotional triggers.

Emotions are processed in the limbic system of the brain, which is responsible for memory, motivation, and behavior. When we experience an emotion, it triggers a chemical reaction in the brain that influences our thoughts and actions. For example, when we feel happy, our brain releases dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good.

Emotional triggers work by tapping into our subconscious mind. They evoke an emotional response that is not necessarily logical but rather instinctual. For example, when we see a cute puppy, we may feel an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness, even if we don't need a puppy. This is because the image of the puppy triggers a positive emotional response that is hard to resist.

Examples of Emotional Triggers in eCommerce Copywriting

Now that we understand the science behind emotional triggers let's explore some examples of emotional triggers in eCommerce copywriting.

One of the most common emotional triggers for eCommerce sites is the fear of missing out (FOMO). FOMO is the feeling that you might miss out on something valuable if you don't act now. This emotional trigger is often used in limited-time offers, flash sales, and countdown timers. 

For example, "Don't miss out on our biggest sale of the year! Only 24 hours left to save 50% off!" This kind of copy creates a sense of urgency and scarcity that motivates customers to act quickly.

Another emotional trigger in eCommerce copywriting is social proof. Social proof is the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it. This emotional trigger is often used in customer testimonials, user-generated content, and influencer marketing. 

For example, "Thousands of satisfied customers have already tried our product and loved it! Join the club and see for yourself!" This kind of copy creates a sense of trust and credibility that reassures customers that they are making the right choice.

How Emotional Triggers Impact Consumer Behavior

Emotional triggers can have a powerful impact on consumer behavior. They can influence how people perceive a product, how they feel about it, and whether they decide to buy it or not.

For example, a study by the University of Southern California found that emotional ads are twice as effective as rational ads in driving sales. Emotional ads create a stronger emotional connection with the audience, which leads to a higher likelihood of conversion.

Another study by the University of Michigan found that people are more likely to share content that evokes strong emotions, such as awe, joy, and anger. This means that emotional triggers not only impact individual behavior but also social behavior. When people feel strongly about something, they are more likely to share it with others, which can lead to viral marketing.

Tips for Incorporating Emotional Triggers in eCommerce Copywriting

Now that we understand the impact of emotional triggers on consumer behavior let's explore some tips for incorporating emotional triggers in your ecommerce copy.

First, identify your target audience and their emotional needs. What are their pain points, aspirations, and desires? What kind of emotions do they respond to? By understanding your audience's emotional triggers, you can create copy that resonates with them on a deeper level.

Second, use descriptive language and sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader's mind. For example, instead of saying "Our coffee is delicious," say "Our coffee is rich, smooth, and aromatic, with notes of chocolate and caramel that will transport you to a cozy café in Paris." This kind of copy creates a sensory experience that taps into the reader's emotions.

Third, use power words that evoke strong emotions. Power words are words that have a strong emotional impact, such as "amazing," "unforgettable," "life-changing," "exclusive," "limited," "free," and "guaranteed." By using power words strategically, you can create a sense of excitement, urgency, and exclusivity that motivates customers to act.