If you're in the eCommerce business, one of the most important things you'll have to consider is how to encourage a customer to buy your product.

The problem is that this is easier said than done.

How do you avoid being too sales-y or pushy?
What can you do to make the buying process easier and faster for your customers?
What are the best marketing strategies to increase your eCommerce sales?

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to nudge your customers to buy from you.

In this guide, we’ll share our best practices to encourage a customer to buy your eCommerce products and improve your store to make them come back for more.

Why Your Customers May Be Resistant To Online Shopping

Although we're amidst an online shopping boom, many customers are still resistant to eCommerce.

According to the State of Consumer Behavior 2021 report, 46% of consumers still prefer to shop in a physical store, and they cite numerous reasons for this preference.

In order to reach these customers, you first need to understand why they avoid online shopping altogether. Once you know what their hang-ups are, you can take steps to alleviate them.

Here are some of the most common consumer objections to buying online:

• I prefer to view and touch the product before buying it.
• I'm not sure if it will work for me.
• I don't trust this website/seller.
• I'm afraid my credit card/personal information will be stolen.
• It takes too long to find the right product. 
• The delivery/shipping fee is too expensive. 

Overcoming these customer objections to online shopping is where many eCommerce brands fall short in their marketing strategy.

They think all they need to do is feature their products and provide some basic information — but that’s not enough to compel customers to buy from them.

How to Encourage a Customer to Buy Your eCommerce Products: 6 Tips 

One of the most challenging aspects of selling online is figuring out how to encourage a customer to buy your product.

If you're not sure where to start, consider these six actionable tips.

Create a Sense of Urgency

Customers are much more likely to buy something if they feel like they have a limited time before it goes away forever. This is why creating a sense of urgency is so important for eCommerce sellers. 

Don't worry about being too aggressive with this tactic – just let customers know that if they don't purchase soon, they could miss out on something great.

Add Customer Reviews 

A high percentage of buyers rely on reviews before making their purchase decision. According to Findstack, 90% percent of buyers read reviews before making a purchase decision.

Adding reviews alongside products can help nudge customers into making a purchase.

Improve Your Product Photography

If your product photos aren't great, it's time for an upgrade. High-quality product images are essential for attracting customers and building brand trust.

That’s because people form snap judgments about products based on the quality of their images. So, if you want to encourage sales, make sure you're showcasing your offering in the best possible light.

Put Your Return Policy Front and Center

eCommerce shoppers can be wary of buying online because they can't see or touch the product beforehand. A return policy placed right on the product page can help put them at ease. 

The more convenient and easy it is for customers to return items, the more confident they'll be about making a purchase.

By putting your return policy front and center on your website, you'll give people one less reason not to buy from you.

Offer a Money-Back Guarantee

Similar to returns policies, money-back guarantees are another way of giving customers a sense of security when they're shopping online. 

Offering a money-back guarantee on all purchases is one of the best ways to build trust with potential customers by clearly demonstrating confidence in your product or service.

Show Off Discounts and Sales

Incentives such as discounts and sales are a great way to encourage customers to buy. Many people will gravitate toward what's on sale, even if it's not something they need.

Point out any deals you might have on the product page:

• Use pop-up alerts
• Run social media
• Send email marketing campaigns.

How to Get Customers for Your eCommerce Store & Make Them Stay

Customers are the lifeblood of your eCommerce store. Without them, you have no money in your pocket and no business. Getting customers to buy from you is one thing. But making them come back for more is another! 

If you’re wondering how to get customers for your eCommerce store and turn them into loyal buyers, here are a few tips. 

Provide a Great User Experience

This is the foundation for success in eCommerce. People aren't going to buy from you if your site doesn't load quickly, if it offers limited payment methods, or if the checkout process is too complex.

You need to make it easy for people to find their way around your site and discover the products that meet their needs.

Optimize Website for Mobile Devices

Your website may look great on a computer screen, but if it doesn’t look appealing or work well on mobile devices, it may be costing you sales. Your customers may get frustrated if they can’t browse your website from their phones. 

According to Statista, almost 73% of all eCommerce purchases came from mobile phones in 2021.

Optimizing your website for mobile devices, or even creating an app for your store, can help you attract and retain customers.

Easy, Fast, and Secure Checkout Process

Your checkout page should be as easy and smooth as possible for your business. It's recommended to have as few fields as possible on your checkout page — just enough to get all the information you need from your customer to ship the product and bill them for it.

Every field you add increases the chance a customer will get frustrated and leave without completing the transaction.

Having a smooth checkout process is important because if a customer has come this far in buying from you and then abandons their cart, there's a good chance that they may not come back again.

Final Thoughts 

It's a hard truth of eCommerce: most people who visit your site will not buy.

However, implementing the tips covered in this guide can help you encourage potential customers to purchase from you and even turn them into loyal buyers.

Remember that the customer is the most important thing in your business, so make sure that you keep them in mind with every step you take.