How to assess your online store

Online commerce is increasing in Norway, which increases competition between online shops. In this blog post I'll tell you how to assess your online store – so that you are ready for competition.

We in INEVO compiled a list of 10 assessment criteria for online shops:

INEVO’s ten assessment criteria for online shops

10 Assessment Criteria for online shops

1. First impression

When you first meet a person, you quickly think about how that person is. Does he look like one to trust? Does he seem messy?

The same applies to your online store. If your first impression is bad, you can count on the customer not even giving your online store a chance.

A good first impression will increase the probability that the customer will check out your online store, which will reduce your bouncrate. If you have high bouncrate, it's possible that your first impression is poor.

To determine whether the first impression is good, you can check if the customer can answer these three questions within 5 seconds:

• Have I come to the right place?
• What can I do here?
• Why do I do this?

If you cannot answer these three questions within five seconds by looking at your online store, you probably have an improvement potential.

To enable a customer to answer these three questions as you wish, it is important that the website is: appeal, that it is easy to find to products and to: information is clearly displayedSo let's say that this is the same thing as that.

Example: Mountainsport has a clear and clear front-page that gives a good initial impression. The log is clearly visible, so you don't have any doubt about where you came from. I see that here I can shop goods to use outside and shop things on offer. I see that Mountainsport has a selection of known brands, free shipping and return, quick delivery, open purchase and goods on offer. This gives me a good reason to trade goods here. The contact information is also easily available if I should wonder. It's also easy for me to understand how to navigate further.

Here you see the front page of Mountainsport.no

2. Visibility

Is the online store visible? Visibility here is defined as being easy to find. Here both Search Engine Optimizing (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are playing in.

Because if the customer can't find the store, yes. It's bad for business.

Therefore, you will be visible both on the online store’s name in search, but also typically on products/categories of the online store.

If you do not show up in an organic search for your main products, you should consider putting into service Google Ads and look at the possibility of visibility of your products in Google ShoppingSo let's say that this is the same thing as that. If you want to learn more about SEO to rank better in organic searches, you should read These about how you can improve your SEO.

Example: In the search for football shoes we see that Unisportstore is good at visibility. They are very high organic (bottom top) and have extra visibility using Adwords as well as Google Shopping. This makes it easier for people looking for football shoes to end up at Unisportstore.

Here we see Unisportstore is clearly visible in search.

If you need help with visibility in your search engines, you should seek help from someone who knows what they're doing. Get more tips on how to find the right one Seo bureau Here.

Three. Usability

Is your online store intuitively configured? Do you think everyone in your target group would be able to find out what they're looking for?

A small user-friendly online store will lose many customers early in the purchase process – simply because they do not find out or it takes too long.

Now that the online commerce explodes on mobile, it is important that the online store is adapted to these devices. Remember, even if the trade itself does not happen on the mobile phone, it is very likely that research is done on it. We are also there today that Google will punish you in search of not having a mobile-adapted website (that is, it will go beyond your visibility).

One way to check if your online store is mobile is to use Google's tool to check it out.

Example: Derut.no has a good search function that comes with both a search proposal while writing and pictures of products, so that it is easy to check for what you need.

Derut.no has a good and transparent search function.

Example 2: Zalando has a transparent and straightforward mobile-adapted page. Something that makes it easy for potential customers to see the goods they want and can buy.

Zalando.no Mobile page

4. Purchases mail

If you facilitate a simple and painless purchase process, it is likely that you are selling more. The fewer fields you have to fill in, the better.

It is also important here to enable the customer to see what payment solutions you use. Seeing the logos of VISA and Mastercard helps make you feel safer. Another way to build security is to show that others have acted with you earlier. One of Cildini's principles of influence is then used: social evidenceSo let's say that this is the same thing as that. We like to do what we've seen others do.

It is also important to get things out, such as how long they are, delivery options and different payment options. All of this makes it easier for the customer to decide whether to act here quickly or not.

One way to make it as easy as possible for the customer is to ask for an e-mail early. Then you will soon be told whether this is a new customer or not, it is a returnee you should be able to automatically fill out all the fields based on what was stated last time.

Here is an example of how customs-free part of the purchase processes we meet in some online stores today would have been in reality:

(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk7cOqB9Dk)

Example: First Bekakker.no Ask me when I get to the box is about my e-mail, so they can quickly fill out my information if I have already acted there before. On the right hand side, I get an overview of important things like delivery time and return, the cards they accept, that they have a good score on Trustpilot (social proof) and are certified by secure e-commerce.

Begginger.no has a simple checkout that is user-friendly and gives me lots of information

5. Speed/Technology

1 of 4 leaves the website if it takes more than 4 seconds to load. Now more on the phone. That means how fast your online store loads will have something to say for your sales.

A study has shown that: Amazon.com will reduce their conversions by 7% per second extra it takes to load the pageSo let's say that this is the same thing as that. So you can start counting on how profitable it will be for them (and you) to have faster sides.

Google is also busy loading the web pages quickly. This is a ranking factor, which means if you want to rank high in organ search, the velocity means something.

To test the speed of your page, use: Google PageSpeed Insights tool, which is a tool that shows how fast the page loads and what improvements you can do.

6. Customer satisfaction

Do you get the idea that those who have acted with you before are satisfied or not? Showing satisfied customers can be a useful tool to get an insecure customer to shop.

This can happen with internal assessments on the website (a place where people can submit feedback) or via services that: TrustPilot and Price HuntSo let's say that this is the same thing as that. It may also appear through the online shop’s social media. If there is a lot of complaints on a Facebook wall, the online store is probably having some problems.

Example: Coverbrands.no let customers re-cite all their products. They're also in the process of answering the review that's left, both positive and negative.

Coverbrands allows users to re-add assessments and reviews of products they have purchased.

Seven. Security

As already mentioned, security is important for people who are going to shop online. Will you get what you ordered and what will you do if what you bought is not right?

Your solutions to these ‘safety points’ should be clearly identified. If you have a return order, it should be easy to find and be informed about. Having your contact information easily accessible also signals security. A chat that comes out can also feel comforting to the customer. Something you can do is become certified as a secure e-commerceSo let's say that this is the same thing as that.

Example: Completely.no gets their contact information, that they have free shipping, free return and that you can pay later. All this helps make you feel safer before purchase.

Complete.no brings out several of its security points.

Eight. Customer communication

Is there good communication between you and your customers?

Are you communicating with your customers by e-mail? How many fans are you wearing on Facebook? How relevant are you records? Are you often active or are you just being in between? Is it continuity in what you are doing or is it occasional?

Answering these questions can help to identify how customer communication to the online store works.

Customer dialogue may have a lot to say for your reputation.

Example: Chess.no is nice to answer the articles they get on their wall on Facebook. Which indicates they're good at customer communication.

Chess is good at answering enquiries on Facebook

Nine. Prices / Awards

If your online store has got any prices or marks, it would be nice to show them up.

Example: Lindajohansen.no has at the bottom of their online store an overview of the prices they have won.

Lindajohansen.no uses prices they have won in communication with customers.

Ten. Concept and strategy

What strategy do you have and how do you bring it? Your strategy should be easy to understand and be well-munerated. Your strategy should come out clearly through your concept.

Here you can read how web commerce expert Karl Philip Lund thinks you should make your strategy.

Example: Coolstuff.no has a simple and clear concept. Here you find everything strange about cool and polite things. You can either love it or hate it, but understanding what they're doing and where they're not going to be difficult.

Coolstuff.no is clear what they're doing.

What do I do after I have assessed my online store?

Now, hopefully you have got a lot of ideas and ideas about improvement potentials in your online store. Then there's only two things left.

Priority of what to do (start with what is easiest and give the highest return first).

Implementation, get what you've priorityed now.

Good luck!