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Winning customer trust is essential for e-commerce success
There are a number of companies that have fostered the creation of a brand that has the right look, the right message and inspires loyalty from customers. However, without a basis of customer trust, this goal is unachievable for many businesses.
Especially for e-commerce organizations, trust is an essential piece of the puzzle that can mean the difference between falling sales numbers and a growing customer base. Because many of these groups operate solely within online platforms, they must connect with consumers without the benefit of real-life, face-to-face interactions. While this can be a difficult practice to master, e-commerce firms can implement a few strategies to help build trust with customers.
The starting point: SSL certificates
One of the biggest concerns amongst online shoppers is that the personal information and payment details they share with the e-commerce site will be snooped and stolen by cybercriminals. As this is a rational fear that does happen in today's environment, these companies must work to address anxieties related to the protection of sensitive content and customer privacy.
One of the best strategies to leverage here is the use of an SSL certificate, which WHIR contributor David Hamilton noted is the first step to winning a buyer's trust.
"Web browsers often indicate when they're on a site with a valid SSL certificate by showing a green lock and 'https://' in the Web address, which assures the site visitor that they're on a trusted site," Hamilton wrote.
With this encryption technology in place, shoppers can trust that their name, address, payment card details and other information is safe from the prying eyes of hackers. As this content is made illegible to anyone without the decryption key, consumers can feel more confident when entering their information into the shopping cart page.
Leverage testimonials, reviews or outside measurements
Another way to boost clients' trust in an online e-commerce platform is to present information from outside sources, including other customers' testimonials of their experience with the company or findings from an outside source, suggested Bloomberg Businessweek. For instance, website administrators can include a separate section or page devoted to sharing previous consumers' comments about their purchase. Decision makers can also go the extra step of hiring an outside organization to measure and review results.
"When I see statistics with a footnote that the results have been approved by a certified … agency, I trust the facts more," Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Michelle Nichols wrote.
Devote efforts to transparency
One of the quickest ways to kill customer trust and brand loyalty is to make the organization appear as if it is hiding information from consumers. For instance, in the case of a product recall, data breach or other potentially reputation-harming event, administrators should do all they can to share as much information with the public as possible. This will help foster the brand's transparency, which even in the case of a mistake on the company's part, can maintain customer trust.
"Any sense of secrecy, concealment, or dishonesty will undermine the public's trust," Roderick Kramer, Stanford University organizational behavior professor told Entrepreneur.
Protect data in transit with an SSL certificate today.
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