Social Proofs To Help Your First Time Online Store Visitor Trust You

We all will agree that when we visit an online store for the first time we hesitate to buy. That is because we are not familiar with the quality of service the store offers. Whether it is a brand or a store in the ecommerce business we've never heard of before, probably every ecommerce store has to face this first-timer problem.

In e-commerce, winning customer's trust is very crucial. As an ecommerce retailer you can use many different techniques to win your customer trust. Of all the techniques, building social proof has to rank as one of the most effective, as we are more inclined to do something when we see that others have done it before. Like even if we know buying a torn trouser is not a great choice but we consider it as a great deal just because everyone else is getting one.

In this article, we'll discuss how we can leverage social proof strategy on your Shopify store to build the early stage trust in your customers.

1. Partner with a reliable external organization

Think of your target audience and partner with a brand that your customers already know or would love. It should be a logical partnership. Its product should complement your products without you two being in direct competition. For example, if your online store sells sunglasses then partner with a sunscreen brand. If you are into selling apparels then partner with a footwear or jewelry brand. The partnership should help promote each other's brand and be mutually beneficial. Always go for a brand partnership that has a strong and positive reputation.

It is a smart way to offer great product selection to your customers and grow your audience size by tapping into another brand's audience and increasing your sales. It is a great solution when you are just starting out. Not necessarily you need to team up with industry giants. You can even team up with a brand in your area that has been inspiring you and people in the local area.

Listing the partnership on your site with approval will have an immediate impact on sales and build your early-stage traction.

2. Build review engine

One great thing you can do for your Shopify store is getting reviews from Day 1. Product reviews from customers are the fuel of a good e-commerce website. If you haven't started doing so, we suggest you to gather a whole bunch of product reviews from your existing customers.

Either you can use Shopify reviews apps on your store or any other popular solution like Judge.me or Yotpo. You can also set up your business with various accounts on social media platforms and gather reviews. You can include the link on your website.

"82% of consumers always read online reviews of the store". (Ref: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/ )

3. Display customer testimonials on homepage

Nobody will believe us when we say we are good. People will ignore your self-patting. But when others talk boost your services, it establishes your credibility. Testimonials by satisfied customers help in eliminating new customer's skepticism and give believability.

According to a report "Displaying regular testimonials on websites generates 62% more business revenue". (Ref: https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/customer-testimonials/ )

Add customer testimonials on your online store homepage. If possible add the pictures of your previous customers (with permission) and include their details to help visitors relate to them.

4. Deploy live social proof

This is one of the easiest things you can do. Turn the real time activity on your site into a sales machine.

For example: When somebody makes a purchase at your store show this off to fellow visitors as notifications. When the name of the buyer and location is shown next to the product bought, it makes the social proof more trustworthy.

Real-time activity notifications work well because it's honest. It makes us believe that the product must be good if many people are buying. It is also a great way to build a busy store experience for your ecommerce store.

5. Social Proof Does Matter

Almost in every industry trust is one of the most crucial aspects that influences the purchase decision of a customer. Social proof aids in answering questions, and inspires trust. It is a powerful tool every store owner must make it a part of their ecommerce marketing approach.

Fortunately, Shopify is a great platform that makes it easier for us to launch and customize the apps that support these activities on your online store. It adds more power to your marketing.

If you are interested in learning about all the different ways to improve your ecommerce sales or in expert service for your Shopify store, StorePlace can certainly do so. We have been providing value to the clients consistently. You can reach us at <STOREPLACE.COM>.