If online sales are an important part of your business, your website should obviously be a top priority. Without consistent and healthy sales figures, your business will not be able to grow and, ultimately, you may have to lose employees or fold completely. While the internet is a fantastic opportunity for businesses, it has become more and more difficult for businesses to stand out from the crowd. In addition, even if you do manage to attract potential customers to your website, you then need to convince them to trust your brand enough to make a purchase. Whatever industry or sector your business falls into, here are five ways to increase your website’s online sales figures.

1 Keep sales copy simple and honest

Consumers are well-used to companies trying to oversell the benefits of their products or exaggerating features, so it is always best to keep it simple and honest. Fluffing up descriptions or benefits is only going to result in dissatisfied customers, negative reviews and damage to your reputation. Your copy should make it clear how the product will solve a customer’s problem or enhance their life, so concentrate on that. 

2 Collect and show customer reviews

Reviews are incredibly powerful and can make a big difference to your brand image and sales performance. Your website should enable customers to leave reviews of your product or service in order to provide insight and feedback into your business. This will help you to improve and make new customers more likely to trust you. Even if there are some negative reviews, if you respond to them appropriately and attempt to resolve the issue it shows potential customers that you stand by your product and take customer care seriously. 

3 Consider money-back guarantees

Buying products online can be a risky business as you do not have the opportunity to hold or test it before purchasing it. To alleviate concerns that a potential customer might have, consider offering a money-back guarantee and making this clear on your website. Of course, you will need to attach some terms and conditions to protect yourself. 

4 Run a flash sale or similar promotion

If customers believe that your products will be available all the time, they may delay their purchase with the intention of coming back later, but then never actually return. There may be value in running a promotional offer such as an enticing flash sale. For a limited time, you lower the prices of some or all of your products to encourage sales and create a sense of urgency. This may bring in new customers who would not otherwise have tried your product, or it could be a flash sale for selected existing customers to show them that they are appreciated.

5 Use high-quality imagery

Many people do not take the time to read product descriptions or lengthy explanations, so pictures are incredibly valuable. It is important to use professional photography to display multiple shots of your products, showing them from all angles. The images may alleviate concerns that a customer has about quality and/or answer their questions so they do not have to contact you or, worse, buy a competing product that they have more confidence in.