Build customers’ trust with these e-commerce tips

Establishing an online store is a feat in itself, but keeping that online store running and growing it into a successful business is a whole other challenge – and it’s one that relies heavily on the customers.

To ensure exponential growth and prosperity with your online store, you need to build trust with your customers in order to have them stick around and recommend you to others. Here are some e-commerce tips to help you do just that.

Have a clear terms and conditions section

It’s important you remain transparent on the terms and conditions of your business. Customers need to know what to expect from you, and you also need to comply with the relevant laws and regulations that’ll keep you and your business out of trouble.

Terms and conditions will not only offer you protection should something go awry with one of your products in the future, but it also shows customers that you’re serious about your business and you know what you’re doing. Once customers are aware that they’re in safe hands, they become a lot more likely to buy.

Make promises you can keep

If you’re ensuring that your customers will receive certain treatment from your business – same-day shipping, discounts and a level of quality from your products, for example – then you need to follow through with it. Customers will expect you to live up to what you offer them, and by ensuring certain things within your business, you’ll need to follow through in order to ensure that necessary trust.

Be sure to make your promises and guarantees realistic. If you have the means to always deliver them, then make it clear – otherwise, don’t promise things you cannot realistically achieve.

Offer deals and schemes for loyal customers

Should you have some customers who have stuck around from the beginning and continue to buy from your store, be sure to offer a loyalty scheme that’ll get them special deals, early access, money off and other perks.

When customers decide to stick to a store, a loyalty scheme is a key to prolonging their relationship with you. Be sure to try and communicate with them on a personal level, too – know their needs and cater to them as such.

Have a clear method of communication

If a customer cannot contact the business they’re buying from, it’s not good news. Whether it be a simple query or a complaint about a product you’re selling, it’s crucial that customers can get in touch and discuss with you.

Phone calls have been said to be the most effective method of communication for building trust, but emails are also an effective way to get in touch. Be sure to be efficient with your responses – the longer you let your customers wait for a response, the more likely they are to go elsewhere.

Take feedback and adapt as a result

Don’t ignore criticism. If a customer has some less-than-positive feedback to deliver, take it on board and see where you can improve instead of brushing it off. When you respond to customers and they see change, they’ll be more likely to look at you as a business willing to adapt.

Again, be sure to have an effective line of communication with customers so that they can always be heard.

Do you have any more tips for building customers’ trust in e-commerce? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.