Trust is everything if you are an online retailer
Running a retail operation can be pretty challenging, none more so if you miss the opportunity to make that great first impression. Recent surveys have shown that trust has become considerably more important when a consumer is deciding whether to purchase from a business’s website.
This doesn’t mean a business needs to be a recognisable brand, however it does need to reassure customers that they are who they say they are and can deliver what they promise. After all, if it was your hard earned cash would you give it to just anyone?
Here are some rather staggering facts we’ve pulled together from recent surveys of on-line retailers.
- 60% of UK online retailers reviewed did not provide a telephone number on their website,
- 43% of retailers displayed no business address on their site
- 39% had no contact email address.
- 30% of sites provided no telephone number OR email address.
For many of these businesses the decision may have been made not to provide contact details because they simply don’t have the resources to handle the enquiries or take orders over the phone. However just how much business could they be losing to their competition because potential customers cannot speak to anyone?
In a recent survey of 2,000 UK consumers published [24]7, 22% of consumers claimed the lack of customer support as the most frustrating part of shopping on line, whilst 24% couldn’t understand why etailers didn’t understand why simple contact information wasn’t easily available
Outsourcing can be looked at as a cost that’s hard to justify however with these stats it’s a must. A professional call centre will only increase your bottom line. The message is simple, you can have the nicest easiest to use website with great marketing but if someone doesn’t answer the phone (or worse, you don’t have one at all!) the likelihood of you getting that sale are slim.
What should you do?
From years of working in retail the best and most successful companies are the ones who deliver on their promises. Give someone a chance to make a promise on your behalf and then deliver.
It is a simple game after all, but for that little bit extra on your cost per sale, maybe not even, you are going to experience a greater level of customer satisfaction, repeat business and increased transactions.
If you would like to talk about how we can assist you and your business, contact us on 0800 044 3090.
You can also find out more about our e-commerce support solutions here:
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