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This is where most businesses fail. Customers do not buy into the idea that it’s too difficult to make purchases online. They see all websites selling expensive products with easy ordering buttons and think what? A bunch of kids running around in diapers got tired of buying baby clothes and bought them potty training supplies?!!
Of course not! And for those who have been able to successfully purchase something through a mobile device, you know this to be true.
More often than not, people trying to make a purchase simply leave the site because they find it harder to use than yours. If they can’t figure out how to click a button, there is no way they will succeed in making a purchase.
Not having this easily digestable information has a cost. It costs consumers money and it takes away from company productivity. Why? Because everyone is looking at the same thing which is why sales are decreasing every year – the amount of transactions per session are staying about the same but the number of sessions per week is increasing.
What does this mean? More and more people are coming back to their computers less and less time after working hours or during lunch break to buy things. This is because it is so hard to navigate and understand the menus/borders of these sites.
I believe if we were to go back years ago and ask someone what they thought purchasing items off the internet was like, they would say “it's impossible”. I remember hearing that word over and over again when I first started my own business.
‘What happens after you receive an order?’
If you’ve ever asked this question, then you probably aren’t running an e-business.
People want to feel that their orders are being executed quickly, efficiently, and with quality control.
You can solve these problems by using operational technology (also known as ops tech or operations), more commonly referred to simply as ops.
An ops person is a kind of technical technician who helps businesses operate their websites and provide services to their users.
They may be located in one place, such as a call center, but also in multiple places across several countries.
Ops people work with companies from start to finish, helping them find and connect to potential clients, vendors, partners, and consumers.
This can include building online communities, creating content, editing blogs, and otherwise engaging with all relevant parties.
The goal is to give everyone involved a sense of purpose, even if it's just organizing emails. This will make things easier when they need something done.
Admins do other tasks as well. They may help build websites, train employees, test apps, set up meetings, organize events, and much more.
Customers expect to be able to buy what they want, when they want it, where they want it at a price that is good for them. If you don’t have an e-store or online shop, you still need to understand the importance of customer experience.
This includes everything from how your website works (or doesn’t work), to whether you offer phone support over chat/email, or in person help.
If people can get in touch with you easily, then they will feel comfortable doing so. In these days and ages, everyone is very connected – even if only via computer or mobile device.
You should make accessing contact information easy. Include links to websites and other forms of communication right in your web pages and documents. A quick search should yield any number of ways to do this, but here are some basic tips :
Never use text speak as opposed to natural language. When we type words, we try to simplify our grammar and syntax.
We leave out words we don’t use or know of. By using real words and phrases, customers will better understand what you say. They also may find there are more unique ways to describe things than what appears simple to you.
For example, instead of saying “check names”, you might write “make sure you spell someone’s name correctly”. The former suggests something automated, while the latter conveys the message that you care enough to detail a specific instruction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NieYpc7V6E
Even with the increased competition in e-commerce, there are still plenty of stores that rely on manual processes to sell products.
However, this may be doing your business a disservice.
Automating common tasks can help you save time that you can use for other activities without losing quality or increasing costs. Workflow automation is a good way to introduce automation into your e-commerce operation.
With workflow automation, different parts of your store’s operations are automated. For example, shipping codes can automatically be generated when a customer places an order, keeping each transaction open for as long as necessary and allowing for multiple items to be shipped at once.
These transactions are logged and recorded in one place, making them more accessible later if needed. Likewise, assigning orders to different employees can happen quickly, which helps ensure no errors are made.
Furthermore, by having all these records available, it becomes much easier to follow up with customers to make sure they have received their orders and paid for them. There will certainly be times where things do not go as planned and people need to re-enter information or call Customer Service to fix issues.
In addition to saving you time, tools like ShipChat and SaleGenius can help reduce phone calls by providing numbers that can be assigned to specific orders. This removes the need to find out who handled the last order or how everything was processed.
Email is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers and partners. It’s also very efficient.
You can create messages that are short and leave your subscribers feeling like you care about them.
There are many different plugin options for sending emails. These include some popular plug-ins that are widely used. Many of these same providers have free versions that provide similar features as their paid offerings.
Here we will discuss two of the best known and most popular free email marketing tools – SendPulse and MailChimp.
Plugging in either option requires basic knowledge of how to use your mail client, including code tags and track changes. Once you understand the basics, it’s easy to expand your ability to manage and monitor your messaging campaign.
Each comes with a host of useful templates you can start from immediately. They both offer powerful analytics tracking software which helps you better understand what works and what doesn’t when trying to attract new followers and fans.
Email automation allows you to do things such as automatically send welcome blasts based on the actions you or your customer take. This may include adding your product to a shopping cart, signing up for a newsletter, buying a specific amount of products, etc.
It gives people something valuable they don’t know about themselves by creating a sense of continuity between your brand and its audience. Your current customers will find it more engaging than doing so via social media.
It’s hard to keep someone’s attention once they find out that there's a sale going on at their favorite store. But through social media, you can continually engage with your loyal customers and develop relationships based on trust.
Operations is what makes an e-business successful. Whether your business has one employee or several thousand, without effective operations, you will not be able to produce enough revenue to survive and thrive.
An essential part of running a good ops process is having systems in place that keep your other teams moving by providing services such as administrative support, finance functions, marketing programs, sales processes, research and development processes, and more.
These teams can work individually, they can function independently, or together depending on the type of company. Whatever works for them, it’s very important to have these collaborative relationships within your organization.
At its core, operational excellence revolves around keeping the wheels of production turning and becoming more efficient at it. A few ways to achieve this are by reducing overhead, minimizing chaos, using metrics when possible, and empowering employees.
Employees want to do their best work every day and feel valued; helping others helps them feel more valuable. Of course, there are some efforts that won’t pay off; those are simple measures to make people more productive like eliminating clutter, enforcing standard processes, and encouraging creativity with how tasks are completed.
Consistency is key; everyone needs to understand how to play the game. Consistent enforcement of policies along with consistent teaching of skills and methods will yield results. People need to believe in what you are doing and then try their hardest to accomplish whatever goal you might have set.
There are several ways you can calculate this value. You can look at your own sales data, or use software that analyzes customer behavior.
Here’s an example using SalesPerUser accounting software. This program collects information about each transaction in your store. Then it averages how long it took customers to buy what they wanted.
You can see how fast you sell items by looking through your transactions last week or last year. To find out how fast you sold items the current month, just compare today's total with yesterday's.
This analysis helps you figure out how much inventory you need to keep up your high-performing habits. For example, if you usually have enough product for two weeks' worth of sales, try going ahead and buying three weeks' worth this week.
Next week, when you notice a drop in sales, you can reduce your supply. By keeping up our your per-sale expenses, you'll know exactly how much money you make per sale.
From there, you can work on making more sales. It is easier said than done, but having more sales equals more traffic, which means better exposure for your brand and increased revenue.
Buyers can be divided into categories according to their age, sex, occupation or purchase inclination. For example, you could have a category for kids’ items, another for home appliances and yet another for clothing products.
It is also important to understand that not everyone shopping online is looking for a good deal.
Some people will only buy from you if you offer an exceptional product at a discounted price. You should make it easy for customers to find your business website and purchase your products.
You can help them every stage of the buying process, including telling them what to look for, helping them compare prices, and delivering the goods to their doorsteps.
Your site should also make it easy for visitors to leave feedback, share comments, like posts and posts, and stay informed about new developments in the industry.
Even if you have very little traffic, you can still offer your customers this option. You should make it clear that there is a charge for shipping and handling.
You also need to state how much it costs. There are several ways to do this; call them out individually.
For instance, say “our standard shipping fee is $10” or “we offer a priority mail service with express pickup.”
Next, explain when people will receive their order (express deliveries may involve waiting times). Then tell them when they get it (most deliveries take 1-3 days), what number of business days it will take before they receive it – unless it’s already at the destination station.
And lastly, highlight any special services that you provide, such as tracking or scheduled delivery.
These additions give readers an idea of what they would have to go through to acquire these perks.
If you're not sure whether your potential clients know about these extras, you can ask them directly. Or you could mention it in a promotion like a sale or giveaway.
Or you could assuage their fears and provide them with explicit details about why these things matter, how they impact their cost as consumers, and how to prepare for them.
This is where most businesses fail. Customers do not buy into the idea that it’s too difficult to make purchases online. They see all websites selling expensive products with easy ordering buttons and think what? A bunch of kids running around in diapers got tired of buying baby clothes and bought them potty training supplies?!! Of course not! And for those who have been able to successfully purchase something through a mobile device, you know this to be true. More often than not, people trying to make a purchase simply leave the site because they find it harder to use than yours. If they can’t figure out how to click a button, there is no way they will succeed in making a purchase. Not having this easily digestable information has a cost. It costs consumers money and it takes away from company productivity. Why? Because everyone is looking at the same thing which is why sales are decreasing every year – the amount of transactions per session are staying about the same but the number of sessions per week is increasing. What does this mean? More and more people are coming back to their computers less and less time after working hours or during lunch break to buy things. This is because it is so hard to navigate and understand the menus/borders of these sites. I believe if we were to go back years ago and ask someone what they thought purchasing items off the internet was like, they would say “it's impossible”. I remember hearing that word over and over again when I first started my own business. ‘What happens after you receive an order?’ If you’ve ever asked this question, then you probably aren’t running an e-business. People want to feel that their orders are being executed quickly, efficiently, and with quality control. You can solve these problems by using operational technology (also known as ops tech or operations), more commonly referred to simply as ops. An ops person is a kind of technical technician who helps businesses operate their websites and provide services to their users. They may be located in one place, such as a call center, but also in multiple places across several countries. Ops people work with companies from start to finish, helping them find and connect to potential clients, vendors, partners, and consumers. This can include building online communities, creating content, editing blogs, and otherwise engaging with all relevant parties. The goal is to give everyone involved a sense of purpose, even if it's just organizing emails. This will make things easier when they need something done. Admins do other tasks as well. They may help build websites, train employees, test apps, set up meetings, organize events, and much more. Customers expect to be able to buy what they want, when they want it, where they want it at a price that is good for them. If you don’t have an e-store or online shop, you still need to understand the importance of customer experience. This includes everything from how your website works (or doesn’t work), to whether you offer phone support over chat/email, or in person help. If people can get in touch with you easily, then they will feel comfortable doing so. In these days and ages, everyone is very connected – even if only via computer or mobile device. You should make accessing contact information easy. Include links to websites and other forms of communication right in your web pages and documents. A quick search should yield any number of ways to do this, but here are some basic tips : Never use text speak as opposed to natural language. When we type words, we try to simplify our grammar and syntax. We leave out words we don’t use or know of. By using real words and phrases, customers will better understand what you say. They also may find there are more unique ways to describe things than what appears simple to you. For example, instead of saying “check names”, you might write “make sure you spell someone’s name correctly”. The former suggests something automated, while the latter conveys the message that you care enough to detail a specific instruction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NieYpc7V6E Even with the increased competition in e-commerce, there are still plenty of stores that rely on manual processes to sell products. However, this may be doing your business a disservice. Automating common tasks can help you save time that you can use for other activities without losing quality or increasing costs. Workflow automation is a good way to introduce automation into your e-commerce operation. With workflow automation, different parts of your store’s operations are automated. For example, shipping codes can automatically be generated when a customer places an order, keeping each transaction open for as long as necessary and allowing for multiple items to be shipped at once. These transactions are logged and recorded in one place, making them more accessible later if needed. Likewise, assigning orders to different employees can happen quickly, which helps ensure no errors are made. Furthermore, by having all these records available, it becomes much easier to follow up with customers to make sure they have received their orders and paid for them. There will certainly be times where things do not go as planned and people need to re-enter information or call Customer Service to fix issues. In addition to saving you time, tools like ShipChat and SaleGenius can help reduce phone calls by providing numbers that can be assigned to specific orders. This removes the need to find out who handled the last order or how everything was processed. Email is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers and partners. It’s also very efficient. You can create messages that are short and leave your subscribers feeling like you care about them. There are many different plugin options for sending emails. These include some popular plug-ins that are widely used. Many of these same providers have free versions that provide similar features as their paid offerings. Here we will discuss two of the best known and most popular free email marketing tools – SendPulse and MailChimp. Plugging in either option requires basic knowledge of how to use your mail client, including code tags and track changes. Once you understand the basics, it’s easy to expand your ability to manage and monitor your messaging campaign. Each comes with a host of useful templates you can start from immediately. They both offer powerful analytics tracking software which helps you better understand what works and what doesn’t when trying to attract new followers and fans. Email automation allows you to do things such as automatically send welcome blasts based on the actions you or your customer take. This may include adding your product to a shopping cart, signing up for a newsletter, buying a specific amount of products, etc. It gives people something valuable they don’t know about themselves by creating a sense of continuity between your brand and its audience. Your current customers will find it more engaging than doing so via social media. It’s hard to keep someone’s attention once they find out that there's a sale going on at their favorite store. But through social media, you can continually engage with your loyal customers and develop relationships based on trust. Operations is what makes an e-business successful. Whether your business has one employee or several thousand, without effective operations, you will not be able to produce enough revenue to survive and thrive. An essential part of running a good ops process is having systems in place that keep your other teams moving by providing services such as administrative support, finance functions, marketing programs, sales processes, research and development processes, and more. These teams can work individually, they can function independently, or together depending on the type of company. Whatever works for them, it’s very important to have these collaborative relationships within your organization. At its core, operational excellence revolves around keeping the wheels of production turning and becoming more efficient at it. A few ways to achieve this are by reducing overhead, minimizing chaos, using metrics when possible, and empowering employees. Employees want to do their best work every day and feel valued; helping others helps them feel more valuable. Of course, there are some efforts that won’t pay off; those are simple measures to make people more productive like eliminating clutter, enforcing standard processes, and encouraging creativity with how tasks are completed. Consistency is key; everyone needs to understand how to play the game. Consistent enforcement of policies along with consistent teaching of skills and methods will yield results. People need to believe in what you are doing and then try their hardest to accomplish whatever goal you might have set. There are several ways you can calculate this value. You can look at your own sales data, or use software that analyzes customer behavior. Here’s an example using SalesPerUser accounting software. This program collects information about each transaction in your store. Then it averages how long it took customers to buy what they wanted. You can see how fast you sell items by looking through your transactions last week or last year. To find out how fast you sold items the current month, just compare today's total with yesterday's. This analysis helps you figure out how much inventory you need to keep up your high-performing habits. For example, if you usually have enough product for two weeks' worth of sales, try going ahead and buying three weeks' worth this week. Next week, when you notice a drop in sales, you can reduce your supply. By keeping up our your per-sale expenses, you'll know exactly how much money you make per sale. From there, you can work on making more sales. It is easier said than done, but having more sales equals more traffic, which means better exposure for your brand and increased revenue. Buyers can be divided into categories according to their age, sex, occupation or purchase inclination. For example, you could have a category for kids’ items, another for home appliances and yet another for clothing products. It is also important to understand that not everyone shopping online is looking for a good deal. Some people will only buy from you if you offer an exceptional product at a discounted price. You should make it easy for customers to find your business website and purchase your products. You can help them every stage of the buying process, including telling them what to look for, helping them compare prices, and delivering the goods to their doorsteps. Your site should also make it easy for visitors to leave feedback, share comments, like posts and posts, and stay informed about new developments in the industry. Even if you have very little traffic, you can still offer your customers this option. You should make it clear that there is a charge for shipping and handling. You also need to state how much it costs. There are several ways to do this; call them out individually. For instance, say “our standard shipping fee is $10” or “we offer a priority mail service with express pickup.” Next, explain when people will receive their order (express deliveries may involve waiting times). Then tell them when they get it (most deliveries take 1-3 days), what number of business days it will take before they receive it – unless it’s already at the destination station. And lastly, highlight any special services that you provide, such as tracking or scheduled delivery. These additions give readers an idea of what they would have to go through to acquire these perks. If you're not sure whether your potential clients know about these extras, you can ask them directly. Or you could mention it in a promotion like a sale or giveaway. Or you could assuage their fears and provide them with explicit details about why these things matter, how they impact their cost as consumers, and how to prepare for them. Online shops or e-stores are just like traditional shops with one major difference: customers place an order, pay before they get to your website
Once orders have been placed, keeping customers happy is essential for ongoing business
It’s all about customer experience - and providing amazing products
Automation and workflow are important components of running a successful online store
You can build an email list using tool plugins
Always focus on improving operations
Calculate the average amount of time it takes to create a new customer
Create different buyer types (such as luxury buyers, corporate buyers, first-time buyers)
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