10 Methods for Reducing Purchase Anxiety

Ecommerce has a steady growing market share due to its ease-of-use, wide range of products and depth of information. Customers face many concerns that make traditional commerce less appealing. For example, digital storefronts restrict the ability to view the product and make it difficult for customers to make purchases. Additionally, the absence of face-to face interaction with store representatives makes it difficult for customers to feel reassured.

How can digital entrepreneurs ease those fears? Here are some ways that you as an ecommerce owner can overcome common purchase anxiety.

Customer Anxiety: Is it possible to trust the site to send me the product once I have paid?

Potential customers are most concerned about whether the business they're considering ordering from is legit or if it will just take their money and vanish. A smaller business may be more vulnerable than a larger company like Amazon because they offer more consumer protections and familiarity. This is especially true for products that are more expensive. There are steps you can take that will reassure your customers that your brand is reliable and will deliver a positive experience.

Tip 1: To humanize your brand, create a detailed page "About Us".

Visitors are reminded that they aren't dealing with an automated process by a detailed About Us page. It includes bios of the founders and company history. Real people have a passion that drove them to start their business. They will also be able help customers if they are not satisfied with their product. Consumers will trust brands that have a story and a face behind them.

Tip 2: Use user-generated content for customer experiences.

Word-of-mouth is more trusted by consumers than claims made by businesses. This makes testimonials and reviews, as well as user-generated content, your most powerful storytelling tool. If possible, include ratings and reviews from outside review sites and channels such as Amazon and eBay. You can include a variety of topics such as product quality and praise for fast shipping. It will ease anxiety about trustworthiness by proving that customers have had positive experiences with your brand.

Customer Anxiety: What quality can I expect from the site's products and services?

It's something we all have experienced: You order something online expecting it to be as good as you expected, but you are surprised at the quality and delivery. Every customer who orders online has experienced this disappointment at least once. It is still a big deterrent to ordering products online as you cannot physically inspect the product before purchasing. However, there are ways to counter this.

Tip 3 - Provide detailed product descriptions along with multiple images.

You can give your customers a better idea of what you are selling by giving more details. When examining the product in person, make sure to include details about its dimensions, durability, colors, sizes and any other information that might be useful. Clear product photos should be taken from several angles to give customers a complete view and give them the feeling of seeing it all. Although it may seem appealing to make your product more attractive to a wider audience, the headaches of returning customers and poor customer experience are not worth it.

Tip 4: If your product meets specific requirements, display quality seals.

Customers today look for certain distinguishing features in products, such as whether they're made from recycled materials or vegans, and whether they were manufactured in the USA. Include details about the specifications of your product on the product listing page. Customers will feel more confident in their product if they are considering purchasing it.

Customer Anxiety: What happens if the product does not work for me?

Customers also struggle to understand their options if the product doesn't meet their needs or they decide they don't need it. It is not a good idea to throw away money or just throw away unused products. Customers will feel more comfortable trying the product out if they know their options.

Tip 5 - Compare your Return Policy with competitors and make it easy to find yours.

The best place to start is your Return Policy. You should make your return policy clear, unambiguous and easily accessible on your website. Also, consider how it compares to other companies. Customers will buy more from competitors if you don't charge a return shipping cost but they offer to pay that cost if the buyer is unhappy. To make your customers feel more comfortable about your business, if you offer a 30-day return window and your competitor only offers a 90-day return window, it might be worth emphasizing the longer return window on your website.

Tip 6: Keep a page called "Contact Us" with correct contact information.

Customers should be able to reach you at any time if they have any questions or concerns. Customers will feel more satisfied if they know that they can contact you with any questions or concerns. So that customers don't get disconnected or disused phone lines, make sure your contact information is up-to-date.

Customer Anxiety: Will my payment information remain secure?

Customers are concerned about giving their payment information online to businesses they have not dealt with before due to the increasing risk of digital fraud. While trusting other aspects of your business is important, even the best-intentioned businesses can make mistakes when it comes security. It is crucial to assure customers that payment information will not be compromised.

Tip 7 - Use secure payment providers that keep your payment information secret.

First, you should not create any type of payment system that stores debit or credit card information. It should be possible to say confidently that no one at your company has access or has ever had access to credit card information of customers. This is true even if they have saved it to their account with you for future use. This is possible with most major payment processors. As long as your provider is well-respected and reliable, it should not be a problem. Another great way to make sure payment information is encrypted is with an SSL.

Tip 8 - Secure seals from your payment processor.

You can also use security seals or other visual means to remind customers that all information regarding payment is secure and confidential. These can be added to places customers are likely to think about payment security, such as your Privacy Policy page or checkout page. This will give your business an extra level of confidence.

Customer Anxiety: Will my contact details be safe?

Potential customers want to be sure that their personal information, such as email addresses, telephone numbers and shipping addresses, is secure. It's easy to see why consumers aren't comfortable giving this information to anyone, given the amount of illegally obtained and sold online. This objection is easy to overcome.

Tip 9 - Have a clear, easily-located Privacy Policy.

The Privacy Policy should be on its own landing page, accessible via the footer or header of your website. You should explain to customers how you will interact with the data they give you so that they are clear about what they are signing up for and don't have to worry. Volusion's Privacy Policy Generator will help you get started.

Tip 10 - Make clear statements such as "We won't share your personal data."

Your Privacy Policy should address the concerns of potential customers. Including conclusive statements like "We will not sell, trade, or provide your personally-identifiable information to outside parties" and "Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential" so consumers know that you have pure intentions.

In conclusion

Customers will still choose to shop at a smaller or more familiar retailer despite all your efforts. However, the more you can ease purchase anxiety, the greater your chances of capturing new customers who will become repeat customers.