Trust is a fickle concept. It’s hard to gain and easy to lose. This is especially true when it comes to trust in ecommerce.
Consider a business transaction at a brick and mortar location. You’ve seen the store before and you recognize the brand. Inside, a person greets and assists you with your purchase. After paying, you leave the store with a physical product, and a receipt in your hand as recourse if you change your mind.
An ecommerce purchase is vastly different, particularly when it comes to newer or smaller brands. You may not know the business reputation, location, or the shipping and return policies. You don’t know how reliable the store is, or whether or not the product will actually reach you.
As a retailer, you must take steps to reassure cautious shoppers that they can trust your business. Trust impacts buyer decisions at every step of the journey, from initial site visit and conversion, to repeat purchases and advocacy. Despite its subjective nature, we’ve rounded up some of the best practices for inspiring trust and encouraging shoppers to make that decision to buy.
Site design and experience affect trust in ecommerce
People are more likely to trust a website that is visually appealing. In one study, nearly half of all consumers (46%) assessed the credibility of a site based on the appeal of the overall visual design, including layout, typography, font size, and color schemes. A professional site design conveys legitimacy and investment in a brand, while an outdated, poorly designed ecommerce store is an instant red flag.
As well as visual appeal, your site should function and respond in the way the user expects. Issues like irrelevant search results, missing images, confusing navigation or general website glitches suggest the absence of a dedicated team or resources behind the scenes. When it comes to your page load time, a delay of just 100 milliseconds can reduce conversion rates by 7%.
Don’t forget, when it comes to user experience, you’re not just being compared to your closest competitors. Your shoppers will be accustomed to seamless, intuitive experiences on the most well-established ecommerce sites across multiple industries. That’s the standard you’re being held to, and consumers are distrustful of anything less.
