Tips to overcome Covid-19 e-commerce Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic, has changes the way we work, shop and party. It has affected the e-commerce business owners as well as retailers badly. The retail shopping is now limited to essential buying and mostly through online channels to minimize the exposure to the people due to fear of catching the virus. E-commerce website owners have realized that they need to rethink their online marketing strategy as more and more sellers are taking their products and services online.

In this article I am sharing some tips for e-commerce business owners to deal with the challenges during Covid-19 situations:

Improve Customer Experience

Customer experience is directly linked to the revenue growth. It not helps to acquire new customers but also in retaining existing customers. In current situations customers are looking for product clarity. E-commerce owners need to categorize their products smartly and provide services for easy navigation. Clearly state the stock details and delivery timelines so that everything is clear to the customers prior to calling the representative. Work on improving your website UX/UI and the speed so that customers have better experience with your brand. Save the contact and address details of the customer so that the autocomplete fills in these fields when they shop next time and customer can place order without any hustle and delays.

Expanding business to multi-channels

Customers are mostly used to of a platform they find easy to use and order. Selling on different channels will not only let your user to order from the channel they find convenient in using but also it will increase your customer reach. Multi-channels help to expand your business on global level. Mobile Apps take customer convenience a step further. Try to quickly plan for investing in android or OS App. This will give your customer a personalized experience. Also try Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter. Have a look at Analytics to see which channel may work just as well for you. Though, it takes more effort and time, but the amount of new sales that could arise as a result will be worth it.

Make Data-Driven Decisions

Data is flowing into your system from all directions, from customer interactions and from the platforms you use. In this global pandemic the buying patterns of consumers has drastically changed. E-commerce companies need to have work on both historical sales data and consumer buying behavior trends to make data driven decisions for the product range and quantity. Analyzing data according to your business objectives will allow you to keep the costs of inventory storage down and ensuring that you’re gaining the most useful insights. The ability to forecast which product is going to be more in demand and when to restock it will determine how successful your sales can be.

Digitize payment channels

In the wake of COVID-19 Virus transmission, contactless transactions are highly desired. So “Cash on Delivery options” is being dropped by many of the customers. Instead they are more likely to pay through Credit Cards and built-in Wallets. Allowing buyers to make contactless payments with their credit cards or digital wallet or other mobile payment apps offers a great convenience. E-commerce retailer need to strengthen the security regarding digital payment methods. Offering customers digital payment options can lead to getting paid faster, improving cash flow, and allowing companies to expand at a quicker rate.

To Conclude

The need for e-commerce retailers to step up their game isn’t limited to the current situation when brick and mortar shops are closed. Even after the lockdown eases, the new buying habits will continue for a while and people are likely to want to pursue online shopping. The ideas shared in this article are something all e-commerce sellers should keep in mind and take advantage of.