So you have your store up online and you looking to get more prospects visit your store? here’s a question some online store owners fail to ask themselves, why would anybody trust you enough to part with their money? Researchers, experts and experience have shown lack of trust is one of the main reasons people wont buy from a seller online. Fact remains, when it comes to buying online, the buyers take the higher risks- not the seller. They don’t know who’s at the other end of their computer. It is your responsibility to give them reasons to trust you enough to want to do business with you.
Human beings of today cant afford to spend too much time on just one things, so sitting down to analyze your store is even more stress and these prospects could use a help. Yes, trust is earned and should take time in relationships, it is also more of an emotional decision than logical to trust someone, likewise it is for prospects to make buying decision. This means they make impulse buying judgements. what triggers our impulse to buying can be so many things, providing information that can help trigger trust is a big plus on your online store. These prospects have questions they need answers… what if you could anticipate those questions and answer them the very first moment they find your online store? how do you project your store as one to be trusted the very first contact it has with a prospect? That’s what we’re about to find out on this post.
researchers and experts over the years have often showed that lack of trust is one of the main reasons people wont buy from a seller online.So how do you create an atmosphere of trust between you and prospects? knowing fully well that while a customer is one who already started exchanging their money for your products or services, prospects are those yet to part with their money for your business. Some of them have only stumbled upon your business only once, so are easy to be swayed away by other sellers or options- and trust me there are loads of them.
According to researchers Three factors are proposed for building consumer trust in a seller:
Structural assurance (that is, consumer perceptions of the safety of the web environment), Perceived web seller reputation, and Perceived web site quality.
We will be looking at these points on how you can apply them on your business online:
#1. Structural assurance
On our post on the 4 hacks on how you can be a top seller on cokodeal marketplace, one of the vital points stressed was that sellers to see their online store as an extension of their physical business. You need all the proper branding of your store to portray one who can be trusted. A prospect would be more relaxed to deal with a business with an established structure and organization. They want security for their money and that wont like to deal with just anybody out of the blue especially through online where trust is a big issue. For example in Nigeria, prospects would feel much relaxed to know your business is registered under corporate affairs for a start, or have some license to sell some certain products. in your about us page, it is not a bad idea if you provide link to your company’s personal website (if you have one) where you give details about your structure like number of employees and capacity of your company or you put those information on your store’s ‘about us’ page.These are just a few of many ways to portray a business with stability and structure such that it would help prospects know first hand they have you to fall back on when things go wrong.Be creative about this and help your prospects know you are legitimate.
#2. Perceived seller reputation
A seller’s reputation is like their CV, a prospect would want to know if you can give them what they need, and in what manner.Given that they have no prior experience with your business, they can base their purchase decision off of what reputation you’ve built over a certain period with other people.
Getting your business social proof for prospects to see that dealing with your business is safe is a smart thing to do. At first glance, your reputation would speak for you, even without saying anything, let people do the selling for you. On cokodeal online store, it is good practice to encourage your customers to leave a comment or rate your store. This is displayed as soon as prospects view your store which goes a long way to project professionalism and trust to want to do business with you almost immediately.
#3. Perceived web site quality
Web quality for prospects has to be from their encounter with your online store.There are several benchmarks prospects can base their perception of your store quality off, and basically prospects through the following:
Prospect can attribute site quality to how fast your site loads; People are always in hurry probably because they have lots of things bombarding them, pestering them for their attention, and so anything to save time for them would be much appreciated,and that’s why your site must be able to load fast, if a prospect can finds it difficult to load a site ontime, he is put off even before having to see your business.
Prospects can also attribute quality to your store through:
1. Feeling safe to do business with you.
2. They can attribute quality on how fast it is to get what they want from your site.
3. They can attribute quality to how good your customer service is. The bottom line- aside from those loud advertising and spending just to get prospects, if you do not put in proper measures to help people trust your business it may render your publicity efforts ineffective or you may loose out on important prospects – and believe me, where they would go is just next store away from yours, because you are not the only online store in search of more prospects.
Owning an online store is one things, running it properly for effective results is another. You need to dedicate enough time and energy on little details and analysis to make heads way. Your take-home should be run your online business as a proper business.And that’s it! Perhaps you have any questions, Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or maybe you own an online store, what measures have you taken to help prospects trust your business at first contact?
Would be well appreciated for you to leave a comment below.
Cheers!