Tag Archive for: free shipping

Scottsdale Web Design – Web Design Tips from Amazon (Part 3)

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We’re down to the last post! If you missed the first 2 articles about Amazon strategies, part 1 is right here, and part 2 is posted here. For the first part, I’ve discussed how Amazon’s categorizes its items and how it uses the power of colors. Meanwhile, the second part is about how Amazon uses the “add to cart” button. Now, there are 3 more tips below:

  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
    • Amazon is marketplace for different sellers. Not everything is sold by Amazon, but every product carries the Amazon brand. Even if a product is not sold and shipped by the company, a lot people trust because it’s on Amazon.
    • One unique feature about Amazon is that it uses superior quality photos that you can zoom in. Products, like books, are actually viewable. You can take a sneak peek through its “look inside!” option.
    • It gives the customers confidence on the product they are buying since a preview is provided by Amazon. Same is true for your website. If you provide sharp photos, people can preview it down to the littlest details.
    • Naturally, you would not buy a product you have not seen. So, it’s important for your website to provide high resolution photos. Choose a photo that can make customers take action. An image should be able to connect with your web visitors and should subtly tell them “hey, check me out.”
      One of Amazon strategies is providing a convenient rating system.

      One of Amazon strategies is providing a convenient rating system.

  • Make reviews easier to make.

    • Customers trust other customers. That’s why Amazon is making sure that their customers can easily rate their products. A rating system is provided by Amazon so customers can just review a product using stars.
    • Seeing a 5-star rating will surely make you purchase a product. As a seller, you don’t need to say much because the 5-star review already says everything. It is an effective way to persuade people to give this product a try.
    • As a customer, you are very meticulous, and every detail is important. You run to people you trust. You seek their advice on what works better. So, Amazon focused on sustaining relationship and not marketing its product. It wanted to gain the trust of its audience.
    • As a seller, learn from Amazon’s strategy. Don’t tell your customers to buy your products. Let 5-star rating do the talking. If your products need exposure, reach out to digital influencers. They might be able to help you spread the word. Their positive review will give your products a much needed boost.

  • Everyone loves anything with the word FREE!

    • I love FREE stuffs. Who doesn’t? Amazon is aware of that! If your order is more $25, you get FREE Shipping. Thus, you are inclined to put more items in your cart just to avail the FREE shipping option.
    • Doing the same will definitely help you gain more customers. They will stick around and browse the daily deals just to reach the minimum amount of the “Free shipping” offer. (I talked about the importance of adding a FREE shipping feature here.)
    • Whatever it is you are selling on your website, try offering something for FREE to convince more people to transact with you. It may be a FREE sample, FREE 15-day trial, or FREE ebook. Business Insider conclusively declared that out of all the freebies, free shipping remains supreme.

Scottsdale Web Design – Why Your Website Needs a FREE SHIPPING Feature

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FREE SHIPPING boosts your website more than you think. In fact, Gian Fulgoni mentioned during his Comscore’s webinar that 75% of the online shoppers surveyed revealed that they would switch to another website if shipping was NOT free during shipping and payment process.

Additionally, Forrester Research did a survey in 2008 and the conclusion of the study was that online retailers expanded their web department by 18%. However, 40% of the customers mentioned that they very surprised at the high cost of shipping their items. Thus, they decided to abandon their carts. Unfortunately for these online retailers, many customers did not continue with their orders.

Brown shopping bagsHow Free Shipping Saves the Day?

In order to avoid the problems presented on the Forrester Research survey, many websites now offer FREE SHIPPING. This strategy could make customers shift and try shopping in different websites. Rather than choosing  Amazon, where shipping rates are calculated per item, a lot of customers opt for websites such as Wordery and Book Depository. These online businesses offer “free worldwide shipping.” With this, people will seriously consider to transfer. The free shipping strategy is pretty hard to resist.

These are the different ways to offer FREE SHIPPING to your customers:

  • FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER X AMOUNT.
  • Amazon may not offer free worldwide shipping, but the website uses another shipping strategy. Amazon will unlock the free shipping option if and only if you reached their minimum requirement. If your current order is over $25, you can now click the free shipping option during the checkout process. The free shipping feature only applies to the 50 states of the U.S.
  • FLAT-RATE SHIPPING FEE.
  • There’s also another strategy that is NOT weight-based. Flat-rate shipping will only require a uniform shipping fee without considering the quantity and weight of the order. The USPS’ flat-rate shipping option starts at $6.70. The shipping fee is fixed as long as the package does NOT exceed 70 lbs. The Priority Mail Flat Rate packaging includes USPS Tracking when you send it to any U.S. destination.
  • FREE SHIPPING ON SELECTED PRODUCTS.
  • Offering free shipping when you are selling a bundle is ideal. It encourages customers to try out the product bundle. Instead of just buying a piece, you are enticing them to get a bundle + FREE SHIPPING. For example, you can offer a jewelry set that includes a necklace, a pair of earrings, and a bracelet. Group products that complement each other and offer them as a bundle to take advantage of the FREE SHIPPING offer.
  • LIMITED-TIME OFFERS DURING SPECIAL OCCASIONS.
  • Limited-time offers are a way to cross-sell other items. It’s a subtle way of saying to your customers to browse these items that will sell out soon. So, the customers will start hoarding these items and will be adding more items to their shopping carts.
  • Aside from that, it’s an efficient way to get rid of overstocks. It’s an ingenious strategy to encourage people to purchase multiple copies. A common example is to offer a buy 2, get 2 free.

These are only some of the popular FREE SHIPPING options. Some websites even utilizes all three strategies. In designing a website, it’s crucial to study your customers. You need to know what products sell the most, the sales that were able to attract many customers, the CTA buttons that get clicked the most.  The results are important and it can help you improve your online store.