Being able to go shopping without taking off your pajamas, or to buy a birthday present while getting ready at the beauty salon are some of the advantages that online shopping offers. E-commerce sales in retail are increasing worldwide and are expected to amount to 5,717 bln US dollars. 

According to KPMG , the main reason people shop online is that they can shop 24/7. In addition to simplicity, time savings, and convenience, there are other factors that consumers consider when shopping online. 

Consumers research, compare prices, products and services, but what really influences consumer buying behavior? Below are eight factors that influence purchasing decisions:

Reviews and feedback from other customers

According to a study by Marketing Land , around 90% of people read online reviews before purchasing a product or service. These reviews are the strongest evidence the brand can give potential customers and whether they are positive or negative, they are the best source to get better information about a particular product. Offer the possibility to rate products in your online shop. And provide a good shopping experience to avoid negative feedback.

Free Shipping

It tops the list of preferred benefits of e-consumers. According to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey, 74% of consumers say “free shipping” is a key factor in deciding whether or not to buy online. Plan to offer this benefit to your customers from time to time. For example, take the “Free Shipping Day” hook. However, the campaign cannot harm your finances, so it must be well thought out and planned. The choice of shipping methods also plays a crucial role: the more delivery options you offer, the better. DHL, Hermes, DPD, Click and Collect are the most common shipping methods in Germany. Learn more about it in our article. 

Hassle-free exchange and return process

It's a process that plays a crucial role in building trust with your customers. Offering free and easy returns is the best vote of confidence the brand can offer its customers. It is also important that the buyers are informed about the exchange or return process in time to avoid the shopping cart abandonment at the end of the checkout process.

Quality of product information 

There is no question that the quality of products is crucial to customer decision-making, but the information made available about it today also plays a vital role. In addition to customer ratings, the product description also gives the seller great credibility: detailed descriptions of your products increase the trust of potential customers. When describing, consider the following (if applicable to the product):  

• The benefits of using the product;     
• Technical characteristics; 
• Instructions for use or application tips;   
• How to treat/store/wash;   
• Or other details relevant to the specific product.

In order to efficiently manage product information, special software will help you - PIM system (Product Information Management software), for example, our solution - KennerPIM.     

Ease of use and website layout  

The layout of an online store has a major impact on the consumer's purchasing process. It is extremely important to understand how customers use your website or online store in order to create a simple layout that matches the brand image. At the same time, good usability is a crucial aspect: the website must be intuitive to increase browsing time and higher conversion rates. The correct adaptation of the online shop to mobile devices is also very important. 

Payment Methods

At the checkout time, the payment methods presented to the prospective customer are crucial to determine the credibility and ease of the checkout process. Find out about the most used payment methods on the market and offer your customers as many options as possible. PayPal, purchase on account, direct debit, instant transfer, Paydirect are popular payment methods in Germany. You can read more about the payment methods in our article here. Online stores that offer four or more payment methods have a higher sales conversion rate than those that only offer one option.

How the selection of payment methods and shipping methods influences the purchase decision - read here. 

How do you avoid abandonment when shopping online?

In e-commerce projects, it is important to be able to assess whether the online store is user-friendly and meets consumer needs. It is unlikely that a potential customer who does not have a good shopping experience will return to the online store. But how can you avoid the abandoned shopping carts? 

In addition to good usability, clear and relevant information, simple and secure checkout and return processes, there are other factors to consider to avoid cart abandonment:

• Collect information about browsing and consumer preferences to present personalized offers 
• Run cart recovery campaigns 
• Allow shopping without registration
• Offer registration via social media accounts or email
• Develop an after-sales strategy
• Enable order tracking
• Good customer advice 

Our agency is an expert in creating and supporting online shops based on common shop systems - Shopware, Magento, OXID eSales. We take care of the qualitative implementation of your projects with the highest demands on performance, design and user-friendliness. We create an excellent user-friendly online shop for you and with you, also take care of digital marketing and are happy to advise you. Our credentials say more about us.