As the world continues to embrace the internet, physical shops are going out of business. All over the news, we see retailers closing the doors to their businesses due to the high costs of operations against ever-dropping profit margins. Many experts saw this to be a direct cause of eCommerce growth in the world. As shoppers continue to do most of their shopping online, they have also gotten more aware of the fraudulent activities on the internet. Therefore, earning a client’s trust has become one of the most important aspects of doing business online.
Without trust, customers tend to be wary of the store and consequently, your sales and reputation as a business goes down the toilet. However, the shrewd entrepreneur knows that trust is not a choice. It is an underlying mental state that can be shaped however you need. Therefore, getting customers to put their confidence in your store will require that you do a few things to prove your authenticity.
Table of Contents
Security Certificates and Trust Seals
A trust seal can be summed up as a 3rd party badge that shows the legitimacy of a website. These companies are usually well known, and therefore a badge of trust from them is equal to their endorsement of the site. This support nonetheless, doesn’t mean that the website is technically secure. In a study conducted by Actual Insights, we learn that trust seals have an enormous impact on the buying decisions of many users. According to this study, a whopping 61% of respondents say that they often cancel a purchase because there weren’t any trust logos on the website.
Security certificates are another huge part of gaining potential customers’ trust. These security certificates show that the communication between the browser you are on and the server is encrypted and therefore cannot fall prey to eavesdroppers or man-in-the-middle attacks. Unlike the trust seals, these certificates do indicate the technical security of the website. Many of online shop owners think that customers don’t notice if a website has a security certificate or not, but they do. A study done by TNS indicated that only one in five people didn’t know about the importance of security certificates and trust seals.
Therefore, getting an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate for your website is of paramount importance. Some businesses think that this certificate is just crucial for the checkout page, but in reality, the whole website needs to be covered. A company can buy a cheap SSL from one of the many trusted vendors like SSL2BUY, or they can go a step further and purchase an Extended Validation SSL Certificate which gives your visitors more confidence that they are dealing with a legitimate business.
Professional web design
Have you ever decided to trust someone or allow them an opportunity because of the way they look and how they carry themselves? The same thing applies to websites. Since your website is your shop, how it looks directly reflects on the company. First impressions are always important – more so with online stores. Even if you have some of the best content, but your site looks like it was put together a decade ago, you will, unfortunately, suffer high bounce rates.
However, if your website looks sharp and professional, many users stick around and explore the store which means that even if they don’t buy something there and then, they will come back if they find something interesting. Since not all of us are gifted in web design, you can engage the services of a professional to put together a website for you.
The best thing about hiring a professional is that you get to consult more and get a unique final product that is appealing to your target audience. Your objective here should be to answer the question “if you are the customer, would you trust the website enough with your personal information and credit card”.
Brand humanization
People want to do business with other people. This is why the most successful brands online have perfected the art of brand humanization and reaping benefits from it. Once a prospective client has gotten some interest in what you are selling, they will want to know more about the company before making the decision to buy or not to buy. Creating a good “About Us” and “FAQ” page goes a long way in answering any questions the person might have.
A proper “About Us” page will have a summarized history of the business, your philosophy as a business and the kind of products and services you are offering. On this page, make sure that you highlight your significant achievements; some awards won, and also incorporate a few pictures and biographies of the people behind the scenes. The FAQ page is also a regularly visited page by both existing customers and those who are still making up their minds about you. Address the issues head-on but also use a little humor time and again to humanize yourself.
Testimonials
Customer reviews are as relevant today as they were back in the day. By incorporating customer reviews – both the good and the bad – goes a long way in establishing trust with clients. A survey done by BrightLocal revealed that 84% of people checked online reviews before purchasing a product because it was the next best thing to a personal recommendation. Furthermore, the study showed that 74% of clients trusted a business more after reading its positive testimonials.
Sometimes all that is needed to give a potential client that final nudge is that customer review. When a prospective customer sees that you already have a list of satisfied customers, it can take away the fear and skepticism. It’s also important that you have a way to ensure that only legitimate reviews make it to your website. Fake reviews are a huge stain on the integrity of any business.
Conclusion
Trust is a precious commodity in eCommerce. Once you lose it, it becomes problematic to gain it back and even if you do, there is usually some very bad damage already done. Businesses earn clients’ trust over and over again every day the shop is open. Therefore, by putting these practices to use, you can not only make your clients trust you more, but also build the brand of your business while at it.
