Provide Excellent Customer Service Before the Purchase

The single most common reason why people bounce from an online retailer's website is due to the lack of connection and customer service the retailer provides the customer before he or she makes a purchase.

It's easy to promise the world in terms of customer service after the purchase (24 hour support, free shipping, professional assistance, returns), but customers demand customer service before they make a purchase; in fact, it's what often leads to the purchase more than anything else.

Brick and mortar businesses understand this, and strive to provide the best customer service possible. From the moment the customer enters the store to the moment he or she leaves, the business associates are ready to help them with any questions or needs. This is how businesses win over customers, gain loyalty, and receive positive reviews about their brand; they work hard to earn the sale.

You Have to Earn the Sale

As an online retailer, you're running your business in one of the most saturated areas in the world; the internet. It's like operating a business in a busy mall, however, you don't have the benefit of collective traffic.

Just as a brick and mortar business strives to provide that customer service that leads to the purchase, you need to focus on earning the sale with your own customer service. To provide a great customer experience for prospective buyers, think about the information you're providing them on the product pages, it should be original, it should teach them about the product, and it should sell them on the product. The last thing you want to do is paste the manufacturer content onto the page and call it a day, manufacturer product descriptions are harmful to your business.

Remember, people demand exceptional customer service before they buy something from a business, it's your job to go out of your way to deliver that customer service and earn the sale. The mom and pop shops of yesteryear paved the way in terms of excellent customer service, always remembering their customers' names, their orders, how they like their coffee, what the like on their sandwich, what type of bread they enjoy, you need to provide customer service both before and after the sale if you hope to succeed as an online retailer.