In my work, I have the opportunity to see and even assess what both small and large businesses are doing online. I can tell you now that there’s plenty to learn from the top e-commerce sites in the world. You might not be at the same level as these giants, but that shouldn’t stop you from making use of some of their best practices. Pick which aspects of these sites work best for your business and apply them.
When I say “top e-commerce sites,” I do mean the leading sites, “the top dogs” in the game, if you will: Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. What do these sites have in common? First, they all command brand popularity. The sites have managed to establish a loyal customer base. Everything seems to have fallen into place. The key elements all work in their favor.
These sites also have avoided the pitfalls that make it difficult for businesses to succeed online. Here are three of the main things that three of the largest sites in the world have been doing brilliantly.
Amazon: Amazon is perhaps one of the largest e-commerce sites in the world. It can be difficult to pick one aspect of the site that stands out. Everything about the site seems to blend in with the company’s mission. However, if you have a keen eye you may have noticed that Amazon gives you personalized recommendations. Every visitor receives a personalized version of the website, which largely depends on his or her browsing history (and purchase history, if they have an account).
You can also personalize your business’ site. It’s rather easy to do this using simple tools such as Loopit, WooCommerce Currency convertor, and CNET Intelligent Cross-Sell.
eBay: If you have been on eBay before, you already know that it is a giant, with millions of visitors each day. The site does its business brilliantly. What clearly distinguishes eBay from other sites? It uses geo-targeting to deliver messages to its customers. The messages are sent based on the IP location of the visitor. For instance, when I click on certain products, eBay tells me whether the product can be shipped to my country. Through smart geo-targeting, eBay saves its customers a lot of potential headaches and heartaches.
To do this you can use any of the free and paid versions of GeoIP databases available, including GeoBytes and IPligence, among others. These databases are easy to integrate into your site. With geo-targeting, you’ll be helping your customers find the items they want and need more easily.
Walmart: What is so special about Walmart? Walmart is an American giant with a touch of sophistication. The site displays a new offer every day. The constantly changing deals are meant to raise your curiosity. Once hooked, bargain-conscious visitors will return to the site to see the day’s deal. To actually implement this feature, you simply have to do some coding on your site. However, this option is not for the faint hearted. To offer a new deal every day requires constant thought and attention to your site, even if creating foundation isn’t hard.
I should also say that everything that you do to your e-commerce site should also be in comparison to others in your industry. You don’t want to be the one business in the industry without a particular feature on your site. But there’s also nothing wrong with thinking outside the box and applying some of the same strategies the big boys use!