Creating an online store is now easy and accessible to everyone.

However, before you start, know that to be successful, it is not enough to settle for a commercial site. Above all, you will need to know the consumption habits of your target audience, their preferred communication channels, their motivations and their brakes.

To start your e-commerce successfully, here are 5 things to know before starting your business.

1. Differences in purchase between men and women

Men and women, same shopping habits? Not really ! And it will take into account in your e-commerce.

According to an ecommerce-platforms infographic , women expect a real shopping experience, with beautiful visuals, advice, emailing …

They are also very sensitive to discounts and other vouchers: 74% of women tend to buy a product promotion, against 54% of men.

The female surfer is easily interested in a product that she does not necessarily need in the immediate future, but that might be useful to her someday (you never know!).

Men, on the other hand, are looking for a simple shopping experience and are not really interested in discounts. They are attracted by the precise descriptions of the articles and the opinion of the consumers. They will not buy an item they do not need.

2. The multi-device search

Consumers are increasingly using their phones and tablets for their online product searches. This does not mean the end of desktops or laptops, on the contrary. These terminals remain useful to finalize the purchase.

Indeed, more than 65% of consumers start their research on a smartphone and validate their purchases on a laptop.

Your site must be mobile friendly, but remember that it must also provide a pleasant browsing experience for computer users.

3. Pre-purchase research habits

85% of consumers do research before their purchases.

They are interested in the opinions and notes of Internet users, as well as testimonials and sites that compare products and prices.

The opinion of others about a company or product helps them to determine the credibility of a brand.

4. Millenials appreciate promotions

The discounts are always fly with millenials (people born between 1980 and the year 2000).

Instead of offering low-cost, time-limited special offers, offer customers savings opportunities through bargain prices, sales, or coupon codes.

5. The success of gift cards

Gift cards are becoming more and more popular. Internet users consider them safer than payments by bank card, especially in a context where identity theft and other cyber fraud are commonplace.

This is precisely why you will also have to offer gift cards among your other methods of payment.

Also note that these cards make great gift ideas and can boost your sales!

Of course, not all online shoppers are the same. Constantly monitor their consumption habits and always be ready to adapt.

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Beyond the products or services offered on your site, optimizing the shopping experience on your online store allows you to improve customer satisfaction and make it a great loyalty tool.

The easier they are, the better your customers will be able to come back to shop on your site.

Facilitate access to the site

One element that seems obvious but is often relegated to the background in many cases is the ease of access to the site: is your site easily accessible from the different devices used by your customers? A responsive site with a flawless display on desktop and mobile is a very strong business argument as 36% of online transactions in 2017 were made on mobile.

Also, make sure that the loading time does not exceed 500 ms. Indeed, beyond this loading time, a drop in traffic is to deplore. In addition, any page that takes more than 4 seconds to load causes the departure of the majority of users. In addition, a study shows that the conversion rate drops by 7% for each additional second of loading, the number of page views drops by 11% and customer satisfaction by 16%.

To measure the loading speed of the pages of your site, many tools exist and advise you of optimization tracks such as Google PageSpeed Insights. On average, an e-commerce site must be able to display in 1.5 seconds.

Facilitate access to the product

When a consumer goes to your site to order a product, it is obviously in order to have it in his possession. However, logistical factors such as out of stock can get in the way of this goal.

When this situation arises, it is imperative that your customer knows that you are doing everything possible to provide him with the desired product: information is key. Post a mention “product soon sold out” when products are soon out of stock, this may encourage them to buy the product before it runs out.

If the product is out of stock, suggest that your customers receive a notification when the product is available again and, if possible, a date estimate.
If your business is omnichannel, suggest that your customers check the availability of the product in your store and reserve it online.

Offer an efficient and personalized service

Interest in the consumer is extremely important: your customer must feel that you understand their expectations and buying preferences. Thus, it is necessary that each interrogation can be lifted quickly and each need analyzed and treated.

An interesting way to offer personalized customer service is to set up a chatbot on your shop. The chatbot can respond to users’ specific questions in real time without requiring them to contact a customer service or to carry out additional research on a product you sell. The chatbot helps keep your customers on your site.

Personalization of the service also involves memorizing the behavior of users: make sure that your customers can, if they wish, register their preferences in terms of payment and delivery methods. The easier the payment step is, the less likely you are to lose customers who have reached the end of the purchase journey.
Personalization is a very important lever for loyalty: the more your customers feel that you understand and respond to their expectations, the more they will come back.