As a result, BigCommerce expertise is a significant and specialized skillset. Just knowing the tools itself is something Bigcommerce Experts have as an edge against the competition, but additionally, there are a few important insights that might not occur to merchants new to the platform. Keeping the following ideas in mind while building and improving your storefront will give your company the upper hand.
1. Good Design is Worth a Thousand Words
The appearance of your storefront is the way you communicate to your customers. Whether through choices in product images or page layout, font or coloration choices, or tone of presentation, each of these factors will say something to your current and future customers. Make sure it says something good! Design can be a store’s greatest asset, or its most risky liability. Taking time to get the design of your storefront right will ensure a lasting, wholesome first impression, and a great foundation for success.
2. User Experience Goes Beyond Cleanliness
While it’s common sense that a cluttered storefront, loaded with ads or pop-ups, is going to be distasteful to incoming users, what may not be common knowledge is the importance of a healthy back-end to your website. Page load times affect customer experience subtly, but significantly. A customer who has to wait a long time just to get the storefront to load is not going to enter your store with a good first impression. Make sure your online store can handle the load that is being put on it, whether that load comes from customers or the content hosted on the site itself (like videos, images, or maps.) Additionally, when the site has to go down for maintenance, make sure to give as much warning as possible so that customer’s shopping experience is not interrupted at the checkout, for example. Maintenance should be performed at off-hours, just like how a brick-and-mortar store would renovate after hours.
3. Don’t Over-Communicate
A single well-composed and professionally designed email can be more effective than a hundred lower quality ones. While newsletters, email catalogues, and coupons are an incredibly good way to bring interested customers back to your store, there is a fine line between what is exciting to a potential customer, and what is simply too much. Never let your newsletter get confused with empty spam! Spend time on the design of your announcements; email sales flyers, and coupons. One communicative and well-received email is all it takes to secure a lasting customer. Good email design and reasonable quantity communicates respect to your customers, and that is an incredible benefit to your business and your customers alike.
4. Keep Up With Customer Service
The old saying goes, “the customer is always right.” In truth, while the customer might not always be factually correct, the large majority of customers are simply trying to express an unfulfilled expectation or an unmet need. A solid grasp of customer service is a sure characteristic of BigCommerce Experts. Make customer service a foundation of your store, and you will always have the edge over those who let their pride get the better of them. A satisfied customer is a customer who trusts you. Satisfied customers are not only more likely to return to your storefront themselves, but are also likely to bring their friends with them. Want even more expert insights? Get a quote from our experts, no obligation, by calling us at 1-888-982-8269.