How to win your customers' trust in e-commerce

In the world of online sales, gaining the customer's trust is one of the top priorities. As a fundamental factor in any kind of commerce, it takes on special significance in the digital context.

One of the main reasons for this is that it is more difficult to build a relationship between businesses and customers without face-to-face contact. Another reason is that many people initially feel greater distrust of online stores.

None of this is hard to understand. After all, when we cannot see the other person's face, we cannot try the product and purchases are based on the shipping of orders and not on a physical store, it is natural to feel heightened hesitation. The statistics confirm this reasoning: about 80% of people say they have concerns when shopping on a website they do not know.

These facts are part of the territory, but there are strategies worth keeping in mind to guide us. What follows are our recommendations for winning your customers' trust online.

Customer support

Good customer support is one of the essential ways to convey a positive and legitimate image of your business. It can take different forms, but the key point is to be available to help, find solutions, and answer questions. Don't forget to respond carefully to all complaints that may arise.

In general, all your contacts with the customer are critical for conveying an image of professionalism and trustworthiness.

Personalized attention

In the virtual world, without the possibility of face-to-face contact, it is more difficult to build a personal relationship with the customer. For that very reason, you should take advantage of opportunities to do so.

For example, personalizing the content of a message or even the packaging of an order can be excellent ways to make a person feel they are being treated like a human being.

Transparency

Naturally, this is a fundamental point. You should always be clear and diligent with all the information your customers may need. This includes detailed information about the products, about the purchase, etc.

In addition to the company's contact information and a physical location, it is worth considering placing a photo of your team on the website. This conveys an impression of legitimacy and many people will feel more confident in the person on the other side after having seen a face.

A quality website

The website is the first impression your customers will have of your company. It is a central resource for conveying an image of professionalism and competence, and you should take every care in building and constantly maintaining your website. We all instinctively feel that we can trust a company more if it has a website that looks legitimate.

This also means paying attention to every detail: the appearance on both mobile and desktop devices, the speed, the quality of the photos, the product descriptions, etc.

Don't forget to obtain the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate, which refers to a protocol that ensures the security of internet connections. Without this certificate, your website will trigger a “not secure” message on the screen of whoever visits it.

Trust signals

We use this expression here to talk about all guarantees and positive feedback given by third parties, such as certificates and customer reviews. Most people will trust a store more if they see positive reviews and testimonials from other customers. This can be especially relevant for small companies that have not yet built much reputation in the market.

Social responsibility

A socially responsible company demonstrates ethical principles and a vision for the future, and is worthy of its customers' trust.

With the pollution generated at increasingly alarming levels by order delivery, environmental awareness is a crucial way for your company to demonstrate a sense of responsibility.

Give your customers the opportunity to benefit from non-home delivery. This order distribution strategy, in which InPost is a leader in Europe, offers major advantages, and not only for the environment.

A presence on social media

Show your store's social media address on the website, and maintain a regular presence on these networks through posts and responses to comments. Social media helps build your company's reputation and develop a relationship with your customers.

Return policy

Returns are an essential factor in digital commerce. Establish a clear, simple, and effective returns policy. Make sure it is visible during the purchase process. Most people look for the return policy before completing the purchase, and not finding one that is transparent and detailed is one of the most frequent reasons for abandoning the “cart”.

Payment methods

Many people have hesitations, which are easy to understand, regarding payments made over the internet and have a preferred payment method, one they trust more. Try to make sure this method is available in your store.

Consistency

Finally, always remember that trust takes time to build, but very little time to lose. It is a long-term project, largely based on the ability to be consistent with the company's values, the messages conveyed, and your commitment to the customer.