Enter your email address below to receive new posts in your email inbox.
8 Ways to Increase Your Ecommerce Site’s Credibility
April 7, 2009 by Susan Petracco
- Be Transparent - In a medium as anonymous as the Internet, the concept of transparency means being clear about who you are and your motives and goals. Transparency is especially important on ecommerce sites. Customers want to know that the people behind the site are honest and trustworthy, not someone who's using the site as a front for fraud. One way to do this is on your "About" page. Identify the person or people behind the business, including a brief background as it pertains to the business (education, career, etc). A picture is a great benefit, because visually-oriented customers can develop a sense of the people they are doing business and communicating with. Video is even better!
About Page from Melissa and Doug
- Start a Blog - Publishing a blog takes commitment, but it's a great way to show your business personality to customers, and to show them that behind the site is a living, breathing business. Frequently-updated content also shows commitment, a kind of "TLC" to your audience. Allow comments, too, so that you can start a conversation back-and-forth with readers of the blog.
- Use a dedicated SSL certificate - They are relatively inexpensive and typically require very little work on your part. When customers see your site go from http://www.yoursite.com to https://site12345.somelargehost.com/yoursite/whatever during checkout, it can be disconcerting. On a related note, make sure that your checkout pages don't include content that is not loaded securely, because a warning message will appear.
Avoid Security Warnings
- Use Security Badges - Demonstrate security with standard graphics that customers have come to expected. Credit card icons show that you have taken the time to select and integrate true payment-processing into your site, instead of relying solely on Paypal or checks by mail. Many SSL certificate providers offer badges that customers can click to confirm that the site uses standard encryption. Take that a step further by signing up for McAfee or Controlscan, which also offer site testing measures. Traditional businesses often display Better Business Bureau window stickers or Chamber of Commerce plaques; there are equivalent BBB and Chamber images that accomplish the same thing on ecommerce sites.
Credibility Badges from Newegg.com
- Phone, Email, Live Chat - Make it easy for customers to contact you using a variety of methods. Publish a phone number - a toll-free one if possible - in a prominent location on all pages, and try to answer calls during business hours. If you can't always answer it, return voice messages quickly. Use a live chat service for customers who don't want to interrupt their surfing to look for a phone, or offer contact forms on every page that are quickly answered by email.
Crutchfield offers a variety of contact methods
- Display Customer Testimonials - Gather customer testimonials and publish them on your website. While it's ok to ask customers for testimonials, don't make them up; people can spot fakes pretty easily. Offer a single testimonial on your homepage, and link to a page of additional testimonials.
IDWholesaler.com shows one testimonial on their Homepage
- Publish Store Policies - Publish your policies and link to them from your sitewide footer and within your help section. At a minimum, you should publish:
- a privacy policy covering customers' personal and financial information
- a return policy outlining what products can be returned and what the process is
- shipping policies that describe what carriers you use, what the lead or fulfillment time is, and whether you guarantee shipping delivery dates
- After The Sale - Follow up on your promises and thank your customer for their business. A customer's first order with your store solidifies (or demolishes) any credibility created on your actual ecommerce site. Offers customers a fair price and a good shopping experience, and many will return. When you make a mistake: Explain, apologize, and offer to make amends.
Chuck Lasker
April 8th, 2009
Great article. These are so important and often overlooked.
The only one I think is “optional” is the telephone. The only reason is in affiliate marketing, affiliates wonder if they’ll get credit for telephone sales, so it could discourage signups by the affiliate pros. If you have an affiliate program, and you put up a telephone number, explain in your affiliate promos how you track affiliates off phone calls. If you don’t track affiliates off phone calls, then cancel your affiliate program!
Fresh From Twitter « Ecommerce Development
April 8th, 2009
[...] @andysowards: RT @RichardLaksana 8 Ways to Increase Your Ecommerce Site’s Credibility http://ff.im/-1ZLGqeCommerce Spring Summit – Atlanta, GA – June 3-4 – http://snipr.com/fi0qyDiscovered great eCommerce [...]
Curtis R Curtis
April 8th, 2009
Good lists.
One thing – while many people understand the importance of trust/security badges; they often hide them on the bottom of the page.
At the very least they should always be above the fold – some even put them on the header.
Cheers,
Curtis
Curtis R Curtis
April 8th, 2009
One more mentionable. You stated that “Customers want to know that the people behind the site are honest and trustworthy, not someone who’s using the site as a front for fraud.”
I find I get very high conversions on my follow up emails to customers who are interested but concerned about this. In it, I give them my background and reputation in the industry and that I personally stand behind our software and give them my personal contact information if they have need help.
“It works!!”
Susan Petracco
April 10th, 2009
Curtis, you’re right…in fact, Crutchfield, the site I referred to with regards to the batches, has them at the bottom.
The problem is that space in the header is so limited. I usually try to get McAfee or ControlScan in the header, and put the others at the top of the content block on the cart and checkout pages. And again in the footer, and sometimes in the right column of the homepage and landing pages.
As with many things, this is one of those great things to split test with something like Google’s Website Optimizer.
The Mother of All Lists - 603 Lists On Anything You Can Think Of | MyMarketer
April 10th, 2009
[...] 8 Ways to Increase Your Ecommerce Site’s Credibility [...]
Paul
April 24th, 2009
Great list. That covers the basics for sure.
Aidan @ Internet Marketing Strategies
August 21st, 2009
Great advice. I always find that doing the basics and doing them well help my websites and build credibility naturally. Thanks for the pointers.
Shaun @ Commission Blueprint 2.0 Bonus
August 25th, 2009
As long as you are providing consistent and ongoing support I find credibility increases over time. If you are an active contributor in your industry via forums, Yahoo answers etc, it usually doesnt take long to get your name out there – especially if you use something like Twitter.
mario@holiday greeting card
December 16th, 2009
To this list, I would add that choosing the right niches, niches with demand and not too much competition makes the whole thing easier.
mark rushworth
January 7th, 2010
all in all, most of this can be faked (even tho its good to have buttons and logos on a credible site) IMHO the best way to be crdible is to provide excellent customer service, be honest and keep your promises (timescales, contact them when you say you will, be proactive dont wait for them to call) this speaks louder than any button or logo.
10 Beautiful Examples of Miva Merchant Sites, DoublePlus E-Commerce Blog
January 15th, 2010
[...] small caveat just for the sake of transparency: Mad Cat Toys is out of our clients at NetBlazon. But the design is completely the work of the [...]
Allan @ Drop Shipping 4 Idiots
January 20th, 2010
This is an excellent post. I knew some of these but there are some other great ideas on here as well. Bookmarked!