{"id":11227,"date":"2017-05-10T10:36:42","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T09:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nettl.com\/uk\/?p=11227"},"modified":"2021-03-25T16:24:53","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T16:24:53","slug":"merchandising-online-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nettl.com\/uk\/merchandising-online-store\/","title":{"rendered":"Merchandising your online store"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting the most from selling online<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Part one:\u00a0Merchandising your online store<\/h2>\n

As more and more people get in the e-commerce\u00a0action it\u2019s important to\u00a0remember how it all started. Shops and stores\u00a0showcased their products, built their reputation, looked after their customer base and spread the word.<\/p>\n

Although as technology and\u00a0behaviour changes, and\u00a0a whopping \u00a3133bn a year is spent online,<\/a> has the philosophy behind retail success really changed at all? Or have popular e-commerce stores taken the essence of what works on the high street and simply\u00a0delivered these values\u00a0online?<\/p>\n

It may seem like a whole new ballgame but the\u00a0principles of our offline shopping experience remain\u00a0steadfast in our experiences online. Utilising these\u00a0principles in the online world will help you get the most from your website:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Merchandising your online store<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Credibility and trust<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Customer experience<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Making yourself known<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Merchandising your online store<\/h3>\n

    Seeing as your product is the star of the show, today we\u2019re going to start with #1, merchandising your online store.\u00a0Let\u2019s\u00a0begin by checking off some important tips to help you showcase your swag.<\/p>\n

    Real world example of e-commerce merchandising done\u00a0well<\/h3>\n

    \"merchandisingOnline fashion retailer asos.com<\/a> do pretty much everything right. The site is oozing with\u00a0aspirational lifestyle images, detailed glamorous product images and cat walk videos.<\/p>\n

    On\u00a0the one hand they face a significant challenge. After all, traditionally people like to browse a store and try clothes on. But on the other hand, they have the advantage of tapping into an emotive subject, fashion. Or even deeper, public perception and self image.<\/p>\n

    How important is photography to\u00a0my webshop?<\/h3>\n

    \"ecommerce<\/p>\n

    When you\u2019re in a real shop, you see the item how it is. Not a small blurry version of it.\u00a0Seeing is believing. So a lot of effort needs to go into reproducing that visual experience.<\/p>\n

    You\u2019ve been on gumtree or eBay. The items with the best and most photos stand out. The ropey photos make you think twice. So it\u2019s no surprise that e-commerce sites with great product\u00a0images outperform ones without.<\/p>\n

    Good photography improves the perceived quality of your product, can communicate lifestyle values and increase how credible and\u00a0trustworthy your site appears. We suggest you get a professional photographer to help. It\u2019ll be a smart investment long term. You can use the photos in your marketing, as well as on your product pages.<\/p>\n

    We can arrange professional\u00a0photography\u00a0for you or make a local\u00a0recommendation. However, if you do not have the budget available right now, you can always shoot the images yourself. Just be sure to consider your lighting and backdrop. Whether you\u2019re using your smartphone or a decent camera,\u00a0set up a mini studio. Use\u00a0a tripod, lamp and studio tent. Aim for good light, contrast and consistency. No blurry images, kitchens, bathrooms or\u00a0unrelated objects in sight!<\/p>\n

    What product descriptions work well?<\/h3>\n

    Paint a picture.\u00a0Quality product descriptions help get the sale over the line. They are also very useful for search engines. So your goal is to have words\u00a0that not only describe the product, but go beyond that.<\/p>\n

    Sure, list the features, but what are the benefits?
    \nWhat problem does the item solve? How does it make you feel?<\/p>\n

    The \u2018feature\u2019 of a toy\u00a0product might be \u2018batteries included\u2019. The benefit is that the child can start playing with the toy straight away. Avoids the tears from\u00a0disappointed littl\u2019uns. Avoids frowning parents making an\u00a0impromptu dash to the shops.<\/p>\n

    Tell stories about the product\u00a0and use words that describe how it sounds, smells, feels, looks. These things will all help elicit an emotional response from the reader.<\/p>\n

    Scattered throughout this explanation should be a few choice keywords, for search reasons. But it\u2019s important this\u00a0sounds natural, like a real\u00a0person would actually say it. No broken English or robotic sounding phrases – this will just put your buyer off.<\/p>\n

    When you walk around a shop, you don\u2019t read every bit of information, it\u2019s impossible. You scan for bitesize info that you can quickly act upon. This applies online too. So\u00a0Use headlines, subheadings and\u00a0bullet points within your description to make your text easier to pick out and\u00a0absorb.<\/p>\n

    Does my e-commerce site need product reviews?<\/h3>\n

    \"-\"<\/p>\n

    It helps, yes. Social proof. Just like in the real world, people are way more likely to believe what someone else has said about a product\u00a0over what you\u2019ve said yourself.<\/p>\n

    Especially if that someone has already bought and received the item. Did you know, 61% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase decision?<\/p>\n

    And if people are on the fence between a couple of options, they\u2019re likely to go for the one with the most positive reviews. In fact, 50 or more reviews per product can lead to a 4.6 increase in sales.<\/p>\n

    What other information\u00a0will help people buy?<\/h3>\n

    It\u2019s summer, you want to get fit and spend more time with the family. So find yourself meandering round a bicycle shop scouting for bikes for the family. It\u2019s understandable that\u00a0you might want some advice to help you decide what bikes suit you best.<\/p>\n

    Online, in the absence of a smiling\u00a0sales assistant, your web shop needs to compensate by offering useful guides matched\u00a0to expected customer queries.<\/p>\n

    In this instance,\u00a0you\u2019ll want to\u00a0have content that\u00a0explains what type of bike suits your usage, and especially a size guide. Content might\u00a0be articles, illustrations or videos and\u00a0could cover things like:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. FAQs,<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Size guides,<\/strong><\/li>\n
    3. Comparisons,<\/strong><\/li>\n
    4. Performance charts,<\/strong><\/li>\n
    5. Instructions,<\/strong><\/li>\n
    6. Assembly guides (if it\u2019s simple!)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      What type of video drives e-commerce sales?<\/h3>\n

      \"video<\/p>\n

      Have you heard of the term \u2018showrooming\u2019? That\u2019s where potential buyers peruse the high street shop to browse before hitting the internet to find the best deal online.<\/p>\n

      But reverse showrooming, or \u2018webrooming\u2019, occurs when customers browse online but head to a bricks and mortar shop to complete their purchase. There is an increased risk of this\u00a0when your website\u00a0either\u00a0fails\u00a0to provide enough information about the product. Or the consumers desire to see the product in action isn\u2019t met.<\/p>\n

      There\u2019s no better substitute for actually being there than video. Until AR\/VR takes over then it\u2019s the best thing\u00a0we\u2019ve got to demonstrate what the product\u00a0looks like and how it\u2019s used. Videos that showcase product dimensions, as well as product functionality tend to be really helpful.<\/p>\n

      Ultimately, it\u2019s good to have video because\u00a0tests show product\u00a0videos help sell more.
      \nWhat\u2019s more,<\/p>\n