9 Criteria for an Online Store that turn Visitors into Buyers

E-commerce is growing at rapid pace. Some online stores emerge, other leave the market without realizing what they have done wrong. On the Internet, you can find training courses and seminars that promise to teach you how to succeed in online sales. Of course, there's no single right answer how to make your online business successful.

Everyone is most interested in what makes a visitor click Order button.

I've singled out 9 principal criteria that determine the users' choice of an online store.

1. Up-to-date information on the availability of an item and prices. It's a quite awkward situation when the online store representative contacts you to say that the price on the website is incorrect, or that the item is out of stock, and at best you have to wait some time. If the customer does agree to these conditions, next time he or she will be likely to opt for another store.

2. Convenient navigation and search. No one wants to spend much time on searching for an item and going through dozens of categories and subcategories. The more the visitors of the site have to go from one category to another, the less likely they will become your customers. Make your catalog ultimately simple and understandable. If possible, include such sections as Bestsellers, Newest, Previously viewed items.

3. Item description. The users mostly want to see quality images of an item as well as its description and specifics. Advertising and SEO won't have the desired effect if you haven't filled the online store with information about the items on sale. However, it should be a brief summary, because no one is going to read several pages of description.

4. Customer reviews. The Internet users are curious about what other customers think of the item. Very often these are reviews that may influence the customer's final choice. Besides, the users search for reviews of the online store itself to make sure they can order the item there. The reviews often guarantee the reliability of the online store.

5. Communication with customer support staff. However much you want to make use of automatic machines, nothing can replace advice from a living being. That's why a lot of customers expect to get an opportunity to contact a consultant via phone, Skype or online consultancy service. Office address serves as a criterion for the reliability of the company.

6. Alternatives for payment and shipping. Customers want to pick the convenient way of payment and shipping. Researches show that the number of orders significantly increases if a store offers free shipping. It works even if the prices in the online store are higher than in the competitors.

7. Deals and special offers. Reduced prices and special offers greatly encourage visitors to make an order. Another practical thing is offering complementary items at lower prices.

8. Beautiful design. The design of many online stores discourages visitors from making an order. But, it's worth remembering that the design shouldn't distract the visitor from the purchase. At the same time, the design must be light, pleasant and stylish.

9. Convenient and quick order. Customers want to make an order quickly without filling out dozens of fields and forms; they want to be able to resume the order and modify it. After having made the order, the customers want to get a quick confirmation to their e-mails or cell phone numbers that the order has been processed and will be completed.

Remember that online business is the development. Regardless what results you have already obtained, you have to develop steadily and upgrade your online store.