It is hard to imagine an era where we cannot yet purchase our favourite brands and products online. Yet the (e-commerce) market is still changing and as a brand it is crucial to continuously adapt to the needs of consumers. But what exactly are these needs and how do you make sure your webshop stands out in the digital crowd? Read it here. 

How do I make my shop an eye-catcher for online shoppers?

1. Invest in brand awareness

Constantly increasing the recognition of your brand is essential for continued growth. On the one hand, to gain customers’ trust and strengthen your competitive position; on the other hand, to encourage repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth. For this, it is important to have a 360-degree marketing strategy and performance marketing (paid ads) is thus also sufficiently complemented by your own organic channels (instagram, facebook, tiktok, mail, etc). 

2. Prioritise SEO

Recent research confirms that the majority of Belgian consumers still rely on search engines to discover products. Not sure how to increase your findability as a brand? Read more about SEO in our previous articles: “SEO – What, why and how?” & “SEO 2023: Level up your game with our latest tips“.

3. Invest in customer reviews

Almost half of consumers do extensive research before buying a product. Provide eye-catching product reviews on social media and your website to win over potential customers. No idea which tool to use for this? We will be happy to help.

How do I turn website visitors into shoppers?

1. Ensure competitive prices

The majority of consumers look for the most competitive prices. So make sure your prices are competitive, or invest enough in brand building and clearly explain why customers should pay that little bit more for your product. 

2. Optimise your payment options

Every customer has a favourite payment method, so as a brand, try to respond to this by offering different payment options. Good to know: in Belgium, Bancontact, Paypal and payments with debit and credit cards are used most often, in the Netherlands iDEAL and Paypal. 

3. Ensure a trouble-free checkout

A flawless payment process is crucial. Keep the checkout short and aim for a one-page checkout. Be transparent about costs, avoid surprises and display security badges to gain consumers’ trust. Want more tips on this? Discover our article “Checkout optimisations”. 

How do I build loyalty and encourage repeat purchases?

1. Don’t let them slip away

Send personalised e-mails, display offers and bring abandoned shopping baskets back to life. Strengthen the relationship with your customers by giving their favourite products extra attention to persuade them to buy again.

2. Make your website customer-proof

Although payments and costs are top of mind, shoppers also return to retailers with a high-quality website and easy navigation and checkout.

3. Invest in excellent customer service and adapt

Almost 75% of shoppers value excellent customer service and consider it crucial for repeat purchases. And do you really want an edge? Offer your content and customer service in your customers’ mother tongue. 

Would you like more information about this? Do not hesitate to contact us.

Source: The 2023 European e-commerce report, where 5,000 consumers from 5 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK) were surveyed about their consumer behaviour.