The previous tips have been pretty simple solutions to the bigger problem of shopping cart abandonment. So far it’s been about the details of the sale and sometimes those details are easy to overlook. Or they may seem so obvious that we take them for granted without really paying the attention we should. But this next tip is something you should never, ever overlook and it’s something that should always be forefront in the planning and execution of any ecommerce website.
We’re going through a cultural period of serious information-sharing so if you miss the bandwagon on this next tip, you’ll not only lose sales but could end up out of business when you also lose respect and credibility.
Tip #4: Be Sensitive To Security
It takes an incredible amount of trust to hand over your credit card number and personal information to a complete stranger. In days where identity theft makes headlines and privacy concerns drive people away from businesses every day, it falls on you as the merchant to create the secure environment your customers need to feel comfortable making a purchase.
Start with a reputable security certificate to protect and encrypt transactions and clearly announce your status as a secure merchant by displaying your certificate vendor’s verification seal. By the time a customer gets to checkout, there had better be a little “s” for “secure” at the end of the http in your URL.
While it’s imperative to secure data, it’s also important to come across as a reputable business. Make sure that your site is free from spelling and grammatical errors and that it is informational and professional. Something as simple as a poorly written paragraph can send up warning flags in a customer’s mind.
Make sure that your photography is clean and represents products accurately. Fuzzy (or absent) imagery does not speak highly of a company’s attention to their business, and that lack of attention can manifest as a lack of attention to customers and their private information.
Professionalism will go a long way towards ensuring your credibility and your customer’s comfort level.
Finally, don’t ask for more information during checkout than you need. You might ask for a customer’s birth date because you have well-intentioned plans of sending a free gift, but customers may see this as suspicious. If you do ask for additional information, explain why and always make it optional.
Have you ever refused to do business with a company because of security concerns? What made you uncomfortable?
Read More In The “Close The Ecommerce Deal” Series
- Tip #1: Make Sure Product Information Is Clear
- Tip #2: State Shipping And Delivery Information
- Tip #3: State Guarantees And Refund Policies
- Tip #4: Be Sensitive To Security
- Tip #5: Make Checkout A Snap
- Tip #6: Make Sure Your Shopping Cart Works
- Tip #7: Follow Up
