Tips to Increase Sales in Your Electronic Commerce Platform
By Rose Salas

中小企业应该在网上做的5件事

在过去，大公司和中小企业之间的差异要大得多。

现在在互联网的帮助下，每个企业主都有几乎相同的机会来改善其业务 - 我知道，预算仍然不同，但......

我的意思是，中小企业的营销经理有可能获得与大公司相同的数字营销工具，这一切都取决于努力。

网站
有多少公司仍然拥有与5年前相同的网站？首先，公司需要建立一个顶级网站，具有现代设计，清晰的联系信息，最重要的是，移动响应。

社交媒体
在与您的业务相关的所有社交媒体平台中建立自己的存在，请确保始终向您的受众发布相关内容。如果这个内容可以引导人们访问您的网站，那么这是一个三赢的局面。

内容
专注于内容的撰写和质量，难道你不觉得为耐克的数百万粉丝创建内容要比为数千名忠实客户服务更难吗？

While E-commerce is a very booming business nowadays, many sellers are getting into a tough competition from small to big scale competitors. For the biggest and top selling sites like Taobao and Tmall, you have to prove that your brand is worthy of the buyers’ trust, so you can have repeat and loyal customers to patronize or self-promote your product. On the other hand, if you are a seller in a global marketplace like Amazon or Ebay, the same rules apply. You have to build your reputation by getting positive reviews in every purchase.
 

Social media presence is a requisite of E-commerce business. There are so many ways on how to promote your brand. Connecting to community groups, improving your post content, and being consistent in your engagement are a few steps you can begin with. If your social media presence is good and you are still having problems with sales, there are internal factors that hinder the growth.
 

Are you having some hard time increasing your sales last year? Would you like to make this year better and come up with ideas that can skyrocket your store’s potential? Let’s look into these ideas and tips!
 

1. Check your Product’s SEO or keywords.
If you want your brand to be on the search list, make sure you have the set of appropriate keywords for your listing. You must focus on the keywords and think; if you are a customer searching for a product, what words will you type to search for an item? Put the keywords that will direct the buyers to your product. Make a research for these relevant keywords and use them appropriately. You can use the Keyword Research Tool in Taobao to create the product title using a combination of top keywords and adjectives. You can look at how the other popular stores name their listings, but DO NOT copy. If this is something you cannot do very well, then hire someone who can help you, as this is one very crucial step in your product-building. Optimizing your store’s content is necessary to get more sales.
 

Take time to re-examine the keywords on your listing. Are they out-dated? Are they practical and relevant? Even if it is an old listing that is already selling, take time to check on the keywords and make some edits or additions, if needed.
 

2. Establish a high transaction rate and good feedback on your store.
With over 618 million internet shoppers in our market, there is no denying that your online store can successfully create sales as long as you build credibility and trust among your buyers. Treat each sale as a gem, and always aim for the positive feedback! Their feedbacks would be your brand’s proof. Always create satisfaction for every sale that you make, regardless if you earn from it or not, because at first, you have to “invest” on some losses to earn a badge. Whenever you ship out the orders, always think if it is worthy of a positive and 5-star feedback.

Image: Taobao Store with a Badge

Never ignore a customer’s feedback. Always communicate and find ways to reach out to them within an acceptable turnaround time, if not right away. Add a WeChat account where your customers can connect to you. Always deal with troublesome buyers, because their word-of-mouth can affect your store in this Social Media drawn age.

Image: Amazon Store – Customers’ Feedbacks

3. Create picture-perfect product images.
Most of the times, sellers use pictures from their suppliers. This is OK. However, do note that having professional, high-quality image on your store entices customers to click on your product. “Whatever is desirable and pleasing to the eye…” Take advantage of this factor, because this can set you apart from thousands of your competitors. This is also another great option to promote your store. Pay attention to the taste of your target audience. If you are going to use a model, make sure that they can represent your product well, by highlighting the perfect angles and on-point lightings. Use photo-editing apps.
 

A perfect image is a MUST if you want your brand to be sought after and be popular. Also, include the authenticity certificate along with the product images. This ensures a buyer that they are getting a premium quality of an item. When uploading the pictures, also check if they load quickly on your store’s page. Test it on your smart phone. Lastly, do not forget to put a watermark on your images for copyright purposes.

Image: Taobao Store – Great Quality Product Image

4. Ongoing Promotions, Discounts, and Extra-Mile Customer Service
Whether you are a new store or some months-old store, it is very important to come up with exciting promos and discounts to your buyers. Taobao, Tmall, and Amazon (if you sell globally) are seen as virtual jungles where only the toughest survives. For example, the 28-year old entrepreneur Mao Ronghua, founder of 51food.taobao.com said that it took them a year before earning a stable profit. Giving discounts and promotions to your buyers will keep them coming back to you, instead of trying out another store that offers the same product with a good deal or discount.

If you are selling a “New Item”, make sure that you can accommodate inquiries of your customers. For example, Luojun Xu is a very young founder of Cocokaka, where she creates well-designed accessories. For her, combining all these things - products and creative packaging + engaging and compelling storefront + excellent customer service can make you go a long way.
 

We are just starting a new year ahead and if you are struggling to have better sales for this year, it is not too late for a change. Take time to study what is lacking on your store and make action plans for it. For all of our aspiring and start-up entrepreneurs out there, here is a simple reminder you can take from Su Renfeng, an owner of photography service in Taobao - “Be in the right place, at the right time, with the right people.”