According to eMarketer, worldwide retail e-commerce sales are predicted to reach $3.578 trillion by 2019. Despite this impressive number, e-commerce sales will still only account for 12.8 percent of total retail purchases. The question of whether or not big corporations and small business should sell online isn’t a question. You should. However, your website’s performance can directly affect your sales and growth.
You might be surprised to learn how even the smallest website issues can drive customers away. EConsultancy polled consumers on why they would quickly abandon a site. The primary reasons included slow loading pages, poor design, expensive prices and concerns about online security and privacy. While those reasons look grim, it’s also an indicator of how to attract and convert life-long customers. Here’s how some of the biggest retailers boost sales with their digital performance.
Amway
Founded in 1959, Amway grew into a $10.8 billion household and personal products company. Amway beat out Avon to become the leading direct seller globally. Amway has been working to rebrand itself over the last decade to become a premium brand leader with products like its Artistry skincare line. With new technology and packaging, Amway worked on revitalizing its brands and recruiting famous faces for its website and marketing materials. The corporation was an early adopter to integrating digital media into its overall plan from its website to social media.
Apple
Apple took a counter-intuitive approach to its sales strategy by offering limited options to its Macbooks, iPhones and iPads. Those high-end and limited options turned Apple into a simple, streamlined multi-billion dollar corporation. Apple‘s responsive website takes a similarly minimalist approach with clean typography, white background and simple copy.
In 2015, Apple got rid of its store tab and launched an integrated buying experience with multi-page purchasing options. The overall effect is a seamless browsing, learning and buying process as customers glide between pages to learn more about their favorite products’ benefits and features.
Costco
The warehouse membership club Costco has soared with in-store revenues. The retailer hasn’t been expanding online as rapidly as its competition, at least in a traditional sense. Costco focuses on value and finding great prices and bulk items. In 2014, it started making statements about looking at more online expansion opportunities. Today, Costco offers online-only coupons, an easy-to-navigate website and plenty of deals. And Costco has figured out how to stay competitive online without needing to rely on its own infrastructure. Costco allows other companies like Instacart, Boxed and Google to resell its products with the same low prices customers are accustomed to in the Costco store.
Amazon
The online juggernaut Amazon understands the crucial importance of a single second of load time. Fast Company reports on how just one second could cost Amazon $1.6 billion in sales each year. Amazon knows customers have choices and will move on to other sites if the load time doesn’t meet their demand. Originally an online book retailer, Amazon grew to sell just about everything from jewelry to household goods, groceries and media.
Amazon has rapidly expanded to include original programming and streaming like the Golden Globe winner “Mozart in the Jungle.” To onboard even more customers, the company dropped its Amazon Prime subscription price in honor of its award-winning series for a limited time. Amazon’s hope is to entice viewers to stay and shop and utilize its Prime membership for fast, free delivery and purchasing suggestions.
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