“If there’s any doubt about whether your brand is genuine or trustworthy, customers won’t buy from you,” warns Joanne Croot of Morpeth-based Retro Kids, an online seller of “retro, kitsch and kawaii [Japanese for cute] fun stuff for little and adult kids”.
“When shopping online I, like others, have concerns that the products will be as described and in good condition on arrival. Customers need reassurance. Before buying I read customer reviews and check social media to see how sellers respond to customers. I also enjoy reading ‘about’ pages “to understand the person behind the brand,” Croot explains.
It’s important then that your website incites trust, she says. “Mine features reviews from many happy customers. Deliveries and returns are clearly explained, as it my commitment to outstanding product quality. And offering customers secure ways to pay is essential – options that they recognise and trust.”
Making a customer feel safe and secure online includes being diligent against cybercrime. Paul Ashes, payment fraud and risk manager at Barclaycard says there are lots of telltale signs, but experience helps: “The only way to get good at preventing fraud is to learn from previous fraud,” he says. “By looking at transactions and looking at fraud, you start to get a sixth sense.”
Customer experience
Above all, the online customer experience must be pleasant and minimise any pain points that may defer the potential transaction. “Complicated payment screens, hidden delivery costs and unclear returns policies are off-putting. Websites that force you to set up an account before you’re given a total price are infuriating. My customers know total costs very early on. Having a site that is simple and quick to navigate is essential.”
Croot also believes in the power of social media. “It’s a wonderful free platform to get people to know, like and trust your brand.” Many of her customers are regulars, and some send photos of their children with their Retro Kids’ products. “I’ve seen many of them grow since I started in 2014, which is wonderful,” smiles Croot.
So, how does she ensure customer loyalty? “I offer good value for money and every order is given due care and attention – all of our orders are wrapped with care, with a handwritten thank you note and retro sweets included. Little touches show appreciation.
“We also have a loyalty scheme and I keep stock fresh and appealing. To ensure trust and loyalty, you must deal with all customer enquiries quickly and professionally. And aftercare is just as important as new sale enquiries to me.”
Matter of trust
Paul Kruzycki is the managing director of Billericay-based Ales By Mail, a business he set up in 2009. It now sells a hugely diverse selection of premium craft beers online. “Customers are more accepting of online businesses now, because their money is better protected,” he says. “They can also read customer reviews on social media before buying.”
Kruzycki also places great value on the customer experience. “If you walk into a high street shop and the shelves are empty, the assistants look dodgy and you don’t feel comfortable, you’ll get out fast. It’s the same online. We pride ourselves on being there for our customers and serving their needs. If they’ve been good enough to visit our website, we want them to stay, enjoy the experience and get what they want.”
Offering secure payment is a must, he emphasises. “Otherwise people won’t buy from you – period. Customers expect secure payment. And gone now are the annoying pinch-points customers used to experience when buying and paying online. Technology has moved on.”
James McDonald, Barclaycard’s head of strategic initiatives and innovation, says it can be difficult to find the balance between securing a sale quickly and engaging with customers: “Consumers want a frictionless experience, but some retailers actually want friction,” says McDonald. “They don’t want people to drop out because it’s too much trouble, but they do want to be able to engage with their customers.”
Kruzycki believes that securing and acting on the customer feedback you receive also encourages loyalty. “We listen carefully to all feedback,” he says. “If practical and it makes things better for our customers, we’ll act on it. Also, I regularly email customers to thank them for shopping with us. Without customers you don’t have a business. We do everything to ensure our customers don’t lose trust in us.”
Satisfaction guaranteed
Tim Lobley owns musical instrument retailer Sound Affects Music, which sells online, via eBay and from its shop in Ormskirk, Lancashire. “Trust can quickly evaporate if you let customers down – consistency is key,” he cautions. “Once trust is established, you must protect it.”
Lobley’s main focus is guitars worth £1,000 or more, he says. “Some customers buy guitars worth thousands of pounds online from us without visiting our bricks and mortar shop. More usually, for valuable guitars, the customer journey starts online. Then they ask questions by phone and order, or visit us to try before buying. Trust must be built at every step of the customer journey,” he advises.
It is much cheaper and easier to sell to existing customers, while satisfied customers frequently become advocates, he says. “Ours post photographs of their new guitars on social media, commenting on our service, which attracts more website visitors. Some of our customers buy one or two guitars a month.”
Lobley believes honesty is the best policy “You must be honest when a customer asks if a new guitar is suitable for them,” he stresses. “Some simply say, ‘pick me one in a nice colour’ when buying a £3,000 guitar. Others might have £10,000 to spend and ask what guitars they should invest in.”
Credibility, professionalism and secure ways to pay are essential, says Lobley. “People won’t buy from a dodgy-looking website, and they won’t pay money if they have any reason to doubt you. We also offer finance, which helps. Problems and negative reviews on social media are rare, but we resolve them quickly.”
Lobley says long-term success in business isn’t about getting a sale no matter what. In truth, he says, it lies in creating long-lasting relationships with customers. “You must give customers reason to trust you, you can’t take it for granted,” he cautions. “To build and protect trust, you must remain committed to doing the very best you can for your customers each and every time. Set very high standards and stick to them. Even if that doesn’t bring rewards at first, over time it will pay off.”
Content on this page is paid for and produced to a brief agreed with Barclaycard, sponsor of the Smarter Working hub on the Guardian Small Business Network.
