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June 29, 2023
- Written By
Annie Asai
Did you know that 91% of businesses understand the importance of trust-building for profitability?
Trust doesn’t only influence a one-time purchasing decision. It also keeps customers coming back for more, fostering repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.
In this article, we’ll explore 7 ways to grow ecommerce trust. Each strategy is grounded in industry insights and best practices, equipping businesses of all sizes.
Building customer loyalty depends on how effectively your marketing team shapes brand perception. Other departments like customer service and product development also play significant roles in cultivating loyalty.
But it’s the marketers who put customer-first strategies into action through:
Thanks to marketing experts, ecommerce companies can adopt the right practices to achieve long-term customer retention. Let’s explore some of these expert-driven strategies.
Customer trust requires ongoing and cumulative efforts that extend beyond sales and marketing. Follow these strategies to nurture more loyal customers in a competitive ecommerce landscape.
A professional and well-designed website creates a positive first impression and builds confidence in potential customers. Since 73% of people trust the information on a brand's website, you should make the most of it.
Display trust badges and secure payment icons (e.g., SSL certificates) to visually communicate a safe, reliable shopping environment.
In the product pages, include item specifications, pricing information, promotions, and return policies.
Your homepage’s footer also offers ample space to link to relevant pages. Candle brand Boy Smells leverages this area to provide information about anything from product care to privacy policy to top queries.
Source: Boy Smells
Last but not least, perform thorough quality checks. 85% of consumers notice misleading or missing information on a listing, while 77% encounter inconsistent details.
Customers rely on web information to guide their decisions. By prioritizing accuracy, you lay the groundwork for building strong relationships and fostering long-term loyalty.
Customer reviews entice potential buyers to trust your brand and try out your products. 46% of shoppers find third-party insights as trustworthy as recommendations from friends and family.
Encourage customers to leave reviews pre- and post-purchase with a streamlined review management system. This could include sending follow-up emails, integrating feedback prompts into your checkout process, and offering review vouchers. Here’s an example from Skincare brand Typology.
Now, this example is acceptable, but it can be improved. 47% have expressed skepticism when encountering reviews with only star ratings and minimal written content.
Ask the right questions, so you can elicit conversations concerning the features that customers enjoy or how you met/exceeded their expectations. Something as simple as “What did you like most about your order?” can make a difference.
Every feedback—both positive and negative—is a platform to show customers that their satisfaction is your top priority.
Negative reviews are also an opportunity to refine your offerings and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates. Note that your public response isn’t just for the unhappy customer. Potential customers are also observing how you handle feedback.
Acknowledge the issue promptly, and apologize for any inconvenience or dissatisfaction caused by the experience. You can even provide a refund, replacement, or other appropriate resolution. Here’s how premium fidget toy company Stimagz handles Judge.me complaints:
Source: Stimagz | Reviews on Judge.me
Shipping is a critical factor that can make or break customer loyalty. 48% of customers abandon their carts due to high shipping costs and additional fees, while 22% cite slow deliveries.
Communicate your shipping costs and policies upfront, as well as any limited-time shipping vouchers for a certain threshold. It eliminates any surprises or hidden fees during the checkout process while incentivizing customers to increase their order value.
Immediate delivery may not always be feasible, but you can allow expedited shipping options for those willing to pay for faster services. The more flexible your shipping options, the better. Consider partnering with providers like Tusk Logistics to ensure better fulfillment management in terms of:
Reliable shipping isn’t only about getting products from point A to point B. It’s all about building trust behind your logistics scene from shipment to final delivery.
Content marketing helped 72% of organizations build credibility and trust, while 59% increased existing shoppers’ loyalty.
Everyone has instant access to a wealth of information nowadays. With your competitors vying for attention, content strategies help you stand out and earn your target audience's trust.
Demonstrate your expertise and establish yourself as a reliable source of information in your industry. For instance, massage gun retailer Therabody (the seller of the famous Theragun) offers health and wellness tips for active individuals on its blog:
Source: Therabody
Pro-tip: Prioritize quality over quantity. Your content must be accurate, up-to-date, and well-researched with credible statistics and case studies (if necessary).
ecommerce businesses of any kind can benefit from sharing what they know. But the medium where they share it will differ. For instance, fashion and beauty retailers can leverage visual content, such as lookbooks, style guides, or videos showcasing different industry trends.
But instead of housing this content on their website, it’ll be more effective on social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram. This doesn’t only capture attention but also makes complex information more digestible and shareable. This brings us to the next tip.
Social media has 4.80 billion active users worldwide. In this vast, free platform, you can reach and interact with customers directly 24/7.
If you’re building your social media from scratch, repurposing existing website content is a good start. Or you can be as resourceful as a Spanish leather crafts company La Portegna. The brand shoots a short video for its Instagram channel as well as product photos for its website simultaneously.
Sources: La Portegna Website and Instagram
Share live videos and behind-the-scenes footage to help your audience connect with your brand. You can also launch giveaways or create branded hashtags to boost engagement.
Pro Tip: Leverage short-form videos and images as they have the highest ROI of any media format (25% and 12%, respectively).
Customers find you on social media at these touchpoints, so optimize your presence in the following interactions:
For quick, helpful answers to FAQs, use business accounts. Better yet, invest in social media management tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to streamline your strategies and foster long-term loyalty.
56% of shoppers stay loyal to brands that understand them. Employ email campaigns to highlight your individual-level understanding of customer preferences and purchasing habits.
To do so, segment your email list based on consumer characteristics, such as demographics, purchase history, or engagement levels.
With this data, you can send suggestions and offer exclusive discounts. It’s also handy when sharing tailored content based on their interests. See how outdoor clothing and gear brand Patagonia leverages personalized recommendations to offer its best-selling merchandise without sounding pushy:
Source: Really Good Emails
Now, you also need to thread the needle and find a way to keep your subscribers engaged while not overwhelming them with emails. Test different schedules and intervals to determine what works best for your audience.
According to Get Response’s Head of Content Marketing and Partnerships, Michal Leszczynsk, a good time to schedule is between 4 to 6 in the morning and 5 to 7 in the afternoon (5-7 PM).
Finally, there’s a little detail that needs to be considered in order to gain the trust of the customer: prioritize their privacy and control: an easy opt-out option and compliance with privacy laws. You can display these
83% of customers are more loyal to brands that respond to and resolve their complaints. You can offer the best products, the fastest shipping, and the most generous freebies. But unless you value their inputs and experiences, they won’t stick with your brand.
Solicit customer feedback to evaluate the performance of your CS teams. Equip them with ongoing training, particularly in these areas:
Happy and satisfied customers are likely to become your brand advocates. Loyalty will result in more positive word-of-mouth recommendations for your business, as well as long-term success for your company.
Trust is a valuable currency for ecommerce success. It’s a continuous and multifaceted effort that involves multi-platform online marketing, customer service management, and logistics optimization.
The more you focus on delivering exceptional experiences in these areas, the more you’ll attract and retain customers.
Do you need a hand in optimizing your shipping processes? Discover how Tusk Logistics can simplify and streamline your logistics to bolster long-term customer relationships.
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