Selling products online is now easier than ever. Get a business permit, build a website, set up an e-commerce page, work out the payment methods, and you’re good to go. All of these, except for the permit, can be done through a website builder like Shopify or Wix. Alternatively, you could also sell on marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. However, the challenge comes down to marketing your store. Even if you do have a niche, someone already beat you to it.
The apparel category alone already has big brands dominating it, especially in fashion. Tommy Hilfiger made up 44.4% of clothing product listings in Amazon in 2018, with Gildan (38.8%) and Hanes (27.4%) trailing behind it. So, how can you size up to these companies? Here are marketing strategies you can run to attract and retain more customers.
Make it Social
If you need a social media site to advertise and sell your products, look no further than Instagram. The platform has over 500 million active users every day. Apart from its large userbase, Instagram also allows you to create listings for your products directly on your posts. Over 40% of people use social media to research products they want to buy. Instagram’s shopping capabilities cuts the time between this research process and purchase. If they decide that they like your product based on your posts or stories, they can buy it in just a few taps.
Instagram shopping has a guide on how to list your products. You just basically need to create a catalog of your offerings and tag each of them on relevant posts. Don’t just upload generic product photos, model your items as if you’re using them in action. This makes your posts more engaging to customers. And if you want more people to see your posts, tap one of them, and select “promote.” Just fill in the location and audience based on your target market, together with your daily budget, and you’ll have a boosted post that people are going to flock to.
Win Your Abandonees Over
Over 69.67% of online shopping carts get abandoned, according to the latest data from the Baymard Institute. Over 50% of users do this because extra costs like shipping and taxes are too expensive. About 28% of them attributed it to not wanting to create an account. And 21% said that the checkout process was too long or complicated. Sometimes, the customer just outright forgets that they added an item to their cart in the first place. Reel them in with a well-written abandoned cart email.
Remind your customer about the products they left behind and the ratings and praise they have, if any. After all, they often turn to reviews when researching about the items they’ll buy. And since they often worry about shipping costs, throw in a discount coupon on delivery. If you have a good relationship with your logistics and shipping box suppliers, discounts won’t hurt your margins as much. Upsell with complementary products as well to increase your chances of getting another sale. For the subject line, keep it short and simple like “Did you forget this item?” or “Complete your order today.” They’ll surely be intrigued about what they forgot to check out.
Recognize and Reward Loyalty
Return customers make up almost a quarter of an online business’ sales. Take care of these loyal patrons by launching a loyalty program. Reward each of their purchases with points that lead to discounts or even free shipping vouchers.
What’s great is that you don’t have to break your back coding and planning your loyalty program. There are services and apps for that! Belly, FiveStars, Front Flip, and more all offer rewards program creation and automation for a wide variety of industries. Request demos of each service to see which works best for your business operations.
Ecommerce is booming, as brands big and small continue to grow their businesses online. If you want to succeed, you’ll need to employ solid marketing strategies like the ones mentioned here. With impeccable “shoppable” posts, engaging abandoned cart emails, and an efficient loyalty program, the only problem you’ll have is accommodating too many orders.