e-commerce - Five tips for competing with big online stores

How can a small business compete with a large, successful business?

e-commerce - Five tips for competing with big online stores

1. Free delivery and shipping
2. Abandoned shopping cart offers
3. Loyalty points and rewards
4. Don't wait and don't waste time
5. Search Engine Optimization SEO

Some of the biggest online stores in the world include Amazon, JD.com, Taobao, Coupang, Shein, Carvana, Wayfair, and Wildberries.

Free delivery and shipping

One of the biggest reasons for cart abandonment is shipping and handling costs. If you have a lot of attractive offers, you have lured the customer to the door of your store, but what if the customer starts shopping and adding products to his cart in the end.

he is surprised by the shipping costs that increase the total value of his orders, here he is who will leave your store and head to the Amazon platform (for example) under the pretense of offering free shipping. Here are some ways small businesses can compete with big online stores:

• Focus on niche products and services that big retailers don’t offer.
• Offer subscription-based services.
• Provide better and/or cheaper shipping options.
• Excel when it comes to customer service.
• Optimize your online store in every way you can.
• Use social media to promote your store and its products.
• Work on your email marketing strategy.
• Consider streamlining your product catalog.

I understand that free shipping costs for store owners (especially small ones), but this offer can be made if the total purchases reach a certain limit and thus the store can bear this cost, in addition to the need to obtain competitive discounted rates from shipping companies and here lies the role and strength of the negotiation method with These companies get the lowest prices and fees to get the lowest delivery costs.

Abandoned shopping cart offers

Even though free shipping is offered, you still face cart abandonment rates if something goes wrong! What if the customer leaves the cart without completing the purchase? We need a simple system to track these abandoned gigs. All customers and buyers intend to buy (eventually), but we might just need a little reminder to keep them coming back and checking. Here are some tips for small businesses to compete with big online stores:

• Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus on a few channels that work best for your business.
• Focus on the “right” customer. Identify your target audience and tailor your marketing efforts to them.
• Don’t be afraid to make it personal. Personalize your customer experience by offering personalized recommendations and promotions.
• Use your size to your advantage. Offer unique products or services that big retailers don’t offer.
• Zero in on the specifics. Focus on a specific niche or product category and become an expert in it

For example, an e-mail reminding them that this basket with its products is waiting for them, and do not forget to attach a picture of these products, with a reminder of the expiration date of some offers for this basket, or the end of the free shipping offer, and if it fails to retain the customer, it is possible here to consider making an offer Additional (eg: some of these products are added to the cart at 5% off or 15% off the purchase of two items, or an additional coupon for future purchases, these are some examples).

Loyalty points and rewards

The possibility of obtaining and accumulating points for each purchase, to be used later in the purchase or to obtain additional discounts or prizes, works like magic (marketing magic) to encourage the customer to complete the purchase.

Loyalty points programs help bring the customer back to your online store to buy other products to increase your points balance, so this program helped not only to complete the purchase but also to entice the customer to buy again, thus expanding the customer range. life in the store.

But there is another secret to note, which we can sum up in a simple sentence, namely (the ease of registration). It is normal for the customer to enter the payment method information (in the early stages of the purchase), that's all you need to add the customer to the bonus program without worrying about it, and not require the customer to re-enter all this data. And you will notice the high rates of enrollment in the program.

Don't wait and don't waste time

Whether the discount is in proportion or in the amount, the result is the same, which is the realization of the purchase. It is possible to wait for the customer to start the purchase process and for us to offer him the discount values ​​and discounts (percentages or fixed amounts).

but it is better not to waste time on that, because every second of delay gives priority to the one who appeared first, that is, these discounts and discounts must be displayed even before the customer starts Shopping (even for a long time, i.e. in the planning and product research phase)

Search Engine Optimization SEO

Review and improve search engine optimization tools, improve the content of the general store, and increase the ability of the store as a friend of the search engine, which is one of the important tools for displaying the store and its products.

in the general search results on the Internet, and thus the customer reaches directly to the desired product that you have in store and of course without forgetting the link and interaction in Various social networking platforms.

Before you get excited about offering specials

Before offering discounts or specials, you should consider your business goals and objectives. Are you trying to entice new customers, reward loyal ones, increase sales, increase brand awareness, or something else? you should pay attention to the following points:

• Not to offer any offers or discounts before making the correct calculation, so as not to fall into the trap of losing without knowing it in an attempt to attract the customer.
• Is the customer benefiting from these offers, one of your old customers, or is he a new customer? Each customer has a different quality of the offers (supposedly).
• Does the customer constantly expect offers and discounts from you? Therefore, discounts and offers must be one of the last options, and they must be specified at a specific time, occasion, or value, and they must be clear in the details of these offers.
• Finally, it is possible to keep up with and compete with major stores without spending large sums on marketing and promotion.