Nibletz Staff
Fast business
As online consumers are becoming increasingly savvy, skeptical and demanding in an increasingly complex digital marketplace, it has never been more important for online retailers to find creative and intelligent ways to connect with their consumers and build strong levels of trust.
It is common for most eCommerce business strategies to revolve around more short-term persuasion techniques, developed to grab consumers attention and to gain quick rewards. Whist these do have a place, what should be the main focus is aiming towards building long-term trust as this is what really builds customer loyalty.
If you are looking for better ways to build long-term trust with your consumers read on for our top tips on how to do just that.
Be Transparent
Transparency has been found to be one of the most important ways to build trust with consumers and particularly online consumers. Websites that give off an air of anonymity or seem to come across as even a little secretive have been found to be the worst performing websites and the ones that suffer from the least amount of sales. Therefore it is really important that all eCommerce sites are providing information on company identity and are seen to be open and transparent.
Consumers can be skeptical about online retailers and so it is natural that they will want to run for the hills when it comes to websites that appear to be withholding certain information. Therefore making your site as personable, open and friendly as possible is essential. You will want to build up a personality that makes your brand approachable and warm, yet professional, so that your consumers feel that they can trust you with their hard-earned cash.
Reduce Complexity
Having an overly complicated website may look impressive but is it user friendly? You want to strive to offer the best-in-class e-commerce solutions when it comes to both the usability and functionality of your site. The more obstacles in your consumer’s way the more likely they are going to get frustrated with the process required of your site and go looking elsewhere. We all know that in the world of eCommerce a lost opportunity to grab that potential new consumer means they are never going to come back so there are no second chances to build that trust.
Therefore all eCommerce site owners should all be focusing on killing off any uncertainties on your site. So you should be working towards simplifying both the shopping experience on your site whilst also simplifying the information provided on your website that allows consumers to better understand you and your products.
Publicize Failures
This sounds rather daunting we know, but we promise it can go a huge way in building long-term trust with clients. Sites that hold their hands up to errors and problems and inescapable facts is an essential part of building up a transparent business. There have been many cases in business where cover ups, have been discovered and have caused great damage to companies and to the way that consumers have perceived those companies.
Therefore the damage done to businesses is far greater once discrepancies have been discovered as being slyly hidden away, than if companies can boldly own up to their mistakes. All companies make mistakes but what makes you trustworthy is how you deal with them and how sincere you come across.
Be Likeable
This can sound all too obvious to even be considered, but you would be surprised at how easy this is to forget with so much else to focus on. However there is a basic psychology when it comes to buying products online and aligning yourself to the better nature of your consumers is one of the most important things that you can do. This is because consumers build trust with brands and businesses that project values that they feel are similar to their own. Therefore you should be spending time on going through the values of your brand and focusing on how to promote those values in order to connect with your target market.
Humanize
Trust, has been defined before as ‘anticipated cooperation’. This is an extremely relevant definition when it comes to explaining the commercial context and requirements of building trust. Online shopping requires trust, on the part of the consumer, as they pay money in the anticipation of receiving goods that match up to the value of money paid.
That anticipated cooperation is the cornerstone of any solid seller, buyer relationship and that has never been more true that when it comes to online shopping, as consumers have to put their trust in the retailer. Therefore finding ways to humanize your business so that consumers feel confident to put their trust in you should be the main focus for all eCommerce businesses in order to retain customers and ensure healthy and long-term growth.
