On the web, transparency often equals trust. This is a world where credit cards are often used for fraud, where dollars are lost every day, and where identities are stolen. Smart shoppers are wary shoppers, and they don’t want to do business with faceless entities online. They want to know who’s behind the company they purchase from. Here are eight ways to increase your transparency online. Follow these tips, and you’ll increase the level of trust that your customers have in your business.
Be Transparent
In a medium as anonymous as the Internet, the concept of transparency means being clear about who you are and your motives and goals. Transparency is especially important on e-commerce sites. Customers want to know that the people behind the site are honest and trustworthy, not someone who’s using the site as a front for fraud. One way to do this is on your “About” page. Identify the person or people behind the business, including a brief background as it pertains to the business (education, career, etc). A picture is a great benefit, because visually-oriented customers can develop a sense of the people they are doing business and communicating with. Video is even better!
Start a Blog
Publishing a blog takes commitment, but it’s a great way to show your business personality to customers, and to show them that behind the site is a living, breathing business. Frequently-updated content also shows commitment, a kind of “TLC” to your audience. Allow comments, too, so that you can start a conversation back-and-forth with readers of the blog.
Use a Dedicated SSL Certificate
They are relatively inexpensive and typically require very little work on your part. When customers see your site go from http://www.yoursite.com to https://site12345.somelargehost.com/yoursite/whatever during checkout, it can be disconcerting. On a related note, make sure that your checkout pages don’t include content that is not loaded securely, because a warning message will appear.
Use Security Badges
Demonstrate security with standard graphics that customers have come to expected. Credit card icons show that you have taken the time to select and integrate true payment-processing into your site, instead of relying solely on Paypal or checks by mail. Many SSL certificate providers offer badges that customers can click to confirm that the site uses standard encryption. Take that a step further by signing up for McAfee or Controlscan, which also offer site testing measures. Traditional businesses often display Better Business Bureau window stickers or Chamber of Commerce plaques; there are equivalent BBB and Chamber images that accomplish the same thing on e=commerce sites.
Phone, Email, Live Chat
Make it easy for customers to contact you using a variety of methods. Publish a phone number – a toll-free one if possible – in a prominent location on all pages, and try to answer calls during business hours. If you can’t always answer it, return voice messages quickly. Use a live chat service for customers who don’t want to interrupt their surfing to look for a phone, or offer contact forms on every page that are quickly answered by email.
Display Customer Testimonials
Gather customer testimonials and publish them on your website. While it’s ok to ask customers for testimonials, don’t make them up; people can spot fakes pretty easily. Offer a single testimonial on your homepage, and link to a page of additional testimonials.
Publish Store Policies
Publish your policies and link to them from your sitewide footer and within your help section. At a minimum, you should publish:
- a privacy policy covering customers’ personal and financial information
- a return policy outlining what products can be returned and what the process is
- shipping policies that describe what carriers you use, what the lead or fulfillment time is, and whether you guarantee shipping delivery date
After the Sale
Follow up on your promises and thank your customer for their business. A customer’s first order with your store solidifies (or demolishes) any credibility created on your actual e-commerce site. Offers customers a fair price and a good shopping experience, and many will return. When you make a mistake: Explain, apologize, and offer to make amends.
Chuck Lasker says
Great article. These are so important and often overlooked.
The only one I think is “optional” is the telephone. The only reason is in affiliate marketing, affiliates wonder if they’ll get credit for telephone sales, so it could discourage signups by the affiliate pros. If you have an affiliate program, and you put up a telephone number, explain in your affiliate promos how you track affiliates off phone calls. If you don’t track affiliates off phone calls, then cancel your affiliate program!
Curtis R Curtis says
Good lists.
One thing – while many people understand the importance of trust/security badges; they often hide them on the bottom of the page.
At the very least they should always be above the fold – some even put them on the header.
Cheers,
Curtis
Curtis R Curtis says
One more mentionable. You stated that “Customers want to know that the people behind the site are honest and trustworthy, not someone who’s using the site as a front for fraud.”
I find I get very high conversions on my follow up emails to customers who are interested but concerned about this. In it, I give them my background and reputation in the industry and that I personally stand behind our software and give them my personal contact information if they have need help.
“It works!!”
Susan Petracco says
Curtis, you’re right…in fact, Crutchfield, the site I referred to with regards to the batches, has them at the bottom.
The problem is that space in the header is so limited. I usually try to get McAfee or ControlScan in the header, and put the others at the top of the content block on the cart and checkout pages. And again in the footer, and sometimes in the right column of the homepage and landing pages.
As with many things, this is one of those great things to split test with something like Google’s Website Optimizer.
mark rushworth says
all in all, most of this can be faked (even tho its good to have buttons and logos on a credible site) IMHO the best way to be crdible is to provide excellent customer service, be honest and keep your promises (timescales, contact them when you say you will, be proactive dont wait for them to call) this speaks louder than any button or logo.
Drop Shipping for Dummies says
Security badges are probably the most important one, even though I don’t personally think they really mean anything.
Talking Ava says
Awesome list! Security assurance and a great follow up to a successful purchase can be extremely pivotal in establishing your site’s credibility!
Susan Petracco says
For a related post also check out this article: http://www.zencartoptimization.com/2009/12/16/10-factors-that-help-build-trust-online/ “10 Factors That Help Build Trust Online”
DropShip says
This is a great post because I believe a lot of people really overlook this. Having some proof of credibility is huge in making conversions.
DNS Server Hosting says
These are great tips. Must make your story stand out in some way,and the best way is to make the purchase easy.