The COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, and, with more and more activity moving online, now is the time to have an e-commerce shop. According to the Malta Communications Authority, 47% of Maltese made online purchases in the last 12 months.

These figures have recently shot up. But, and while it is essential to have a website, it is also important not to make any rash decisions, and decide on the details too quickly. A website needs time and it is an investment which should not be taken lightly. With this in mind, here are our six strategies to ensure you build an effective e-commerce website.

Planning

Planning Ecommerce

It is vital to plan and map out what you need from your website. You need to implement a solution which makes sense for your business and your customers, and this cannot be a rushed process. If, at the planning stage, you fail to identify particular requirements, your website’s performance could be impacted in the future and more time will be spent fixing shortcuts, resulting in more expenses.

Easy-to-use platform

User Experience

According to Google, less than three seconds is the recommended page load time for websites on both mobile and desktop devices. In fact, studies show that websites which load within the first 5 seconds have the highest conversion rates. It is also important to have a website which functions well across multiple devices such as mobiles, tablets and desktops. With almost 60% of browsers coming from mobile devices, it is vital that items can be purchased with ease across multiple devices.

A variety of payment options

Payment options

Customers need simple payment methods and, as a business, it is important to find payment options which do not take large transaction fees.

PayPal Local Bank Revolut
Pros Quick set-up Lower transaction fees than Paypal Widely used
Cons Higher withdrawal and transaction fees Longer set-up Payment processing not available on website*

Note: This option was not available for business accounts at the time of writing

Create a good marketing strategy

E-commerce Marketing Strategy

There is no use in having a great website if no one is visiting it. You need to ensure you have a strategy and budget to implement marketing communications so that customers can find your business online. Recently, more and more people are heading to social media for human interaction. In fact, Facebook is proving to be a great advertising platform since adverts are inexpensive to run and a large audience can be reached at minimal expense.

Security

E-commerce security

Good security practices and use of a reliable hosting platform that takes the necessary precautions is a requirement to avoid any loss or breach of data. Every website that transmits any form of customer data over the Internet must install an SSL certificate (visible through the green padlock in your Internet browser).

In fact, if your website does not contain such certification, your browser will flag the website as “Not secure”, potentially losing customers due to a lack of trust. Make sure that your website’s source code and plugins are constantly updated. Security vulnerability fixes are continuously being rolled out with new updates. These updates should not only be done to protect yourself and your clients, but to avoid search engines from potentially penalising your website’s page ranking.

Customer Care

E-commerce Customer Care

Having a superb website and a great marketing plan mean nothing if you don’t offer impeccable customer care. Set up methods of communication which will allow the customer to get in touch with you in a simple and effective manner. This can be done by offering a live chat from your website itself, a support email, a phone number or even Facebook messenger will do the job effectively. Keep your response times no longer than a few hours to provide an optimal service.

If you require any assistance to improve your website’s performance, get in touch with us. At Root Codex we can help you implement the techniques required to increase online sales. We offer a dedicated service to help you reach your business goals and we will be with you every step of the way. Get in touch at [email protected] or by calling on (+356) 27 368 513.