1. Launch

One of the biggest mistakes people make is launching their online store too quickly. First make sure that the webshop works properly and test it several times. Keep testing. Also ask colleagues and friends.

The online shop must radiate confidence and look good. So no mess of products with bad photos, but an orderly structured website with beautiful images. Provide a clear phone number + email address. Also put a photo of the manager online. People like to know their seller(s).

2. Patience

Is your professional webshop still unsuccessful after 6 months? Do not panic. Do a first evaluation after 2 years and don’t give up after 6 months. Real success comes after long and hard work.

TIP: Have your webshop screened by wekreate to make sure everything is in order!

3. Price

Online shoppers attach particular importance to prices and shipping costs. So try to keep the shipping costs free and keep the margins low. After all, 75% of all e-shoppers think they can get a better deal online than in a physical store. The potential of an online shop cannot be underestimated. So make sure you get the most out of it. We recommend myParcel for the shipping service. This saves you time and costs.

4. Win the trust of the visitor

For the Belgian consumer, trust is crucial when buying something from a certain webshop. To give the online buyer even more confidence during his/her purchase at an online store, quality labels such as SafeShops and BeCommerce were created. By displaying these logos in your shop, you show that you comply with the latest legislation. Your e-commerce shop radiates more confidence to your visitors.

A chat function also provides more confidence. For this we recommend Live Chat or Drift . However, large companies with multiple support employees should opt for Intercom.

Testimonials are one way to gain even more confidence. Post customer reviews from your customers online. Customer testimonials add value to your online shop and are often an extra push to make a purchase.

Finally, I recommend the webshop trustmark from Trusted Shops. This gives the customer the certainty that your webshop has been thoroughly viewed by another company and that the other company has confidence in your webshop. It shows that you stand for quality and that you do your best to keep your quality high. The Trusted Shops webshop seal of approval is one of the best known in Europe.

5. Advertising and Marketing

It is important that you promote the webshop on various social media channels in Belgium. Just think of Instagram, Facebook, Google Adwords, SEO, newsletters, …

Describe clearly what the benefits are for the customer. The customer must feel that the online webshop is there for him/her in the first place:

open 24/7
prices and product information available online at all times
the ability to compare hundreds of products online
a page where the customer can see an overview of his orders and invoices

6. Secure online payment

Many people get to the payment page… and then quit. Regrettable! Optimize this page and be sure to do your research in Google Analytics. Common reasons for leaving a webshop are ambiguities about the return policy and unexpected (high) shipping costs. A smooth checkout and free shipping costs are therefore highly recommended.

Choose safe, reliable players such as Mollie, Multisafepay or Stripe. These offer Bancontact, VISA, Mastercard, Paypal, iDeal,…. Do you expect more than 300 transactions per month? Then switch to Ingenico: no rate/percentage per transaction, but a fixed subscription. Be sure to use an SSL certificate so that all online transactions are encrypted.

7. Photos

Get good photos with a zoom in function. After all, people love details. A clear, professional photo can make all the difference. Visitors who live too far from the physical store need to be convinced to buy online. Make sure that each photo is drawn in exactly the same way, each time with a white background. Use this handy tool to take beautiful pictures!

8. Research

Go through Google Analytics at least twice a year and research which products are viewed or not. Which pages leave the most visitors? What words do they type in the search bar? You can derive a lot of useful information from Google Analytics!

9. Promotions and discounts

Develop campaigns where the customer gets a discount on all products on certain days. People love discounts and are very sensitive to them. Give them even more discount when they share the promotion on Facebook. That’s how the ball gets rolling.

10. Make the difference

Nowadays people find a certain product on different web shops. With the best service , free shipping, a fast delivery time, an easy return policy or a temporary promotion, you convince the customer that you are better than the competition. Create a nice blog, post videos on social media, give people a discount if they share the product, etc.

Provide prompt assistance and immediate follow-up in case of problems. Create a wow experience : Every order problem is an opportunity to win customers for you for good. The customers are so satisfied that they recommend your online store everywhere. Someone who recommends your webshop provides free advertising.

Bad customer service does just the opposite: a bad experience with an online store usually results in a lost customer. These customers also make unwanted, bad advertising. Try to avoid this at all costs!

11. Passion!

The main reason to start a webshop should be passion. Passion for your product. If your heart is with your product, then everything will be fine.

12. Define your USP

The competition is fierce. Therefore determine what makes your webshop unique, ie what is your Unique Selling Point? What do you offer that no one else does? Not easy, but very important.

13. Terms and Conditions

A visit to a lawyer is not an unnecessary luxury. After all, they can provide a document with general terms and conditions for your online store. These conditions contain important information about the payment of products, the delivery conditions and the warranty for the delivered products. Also take a look at the general terms and conditions of other webshops and read what they state in their document.

14. Give your webshop a face

Do you want to gain the trust of potential customers? Then make your webshop more human . Visitors should feel that they are dealing with a real person and not a company. Add a photo of yourself or your employees. Give people a look behind the scenes via Facebook. Post a nice photo of your employees in action or of a great team building activity. Feel free to add an “About us” page where you tell the story behind the webshop.

15. Price Psychology

It has been proven several times that a price without a currency sign generates 10% more turnover.
We read from left to right, so the first digit of a number sticks the most. For example, we see 19.99 euros as a better deal than 20 euros.
The men consider red prices to be more advantageous.
The shorter the price, the more visitors see it as a low price. 2.345.00 euros -> 2.345 euros -> 2345 euros -> 2345,-

16. Packing Material

Enrich your customers with fun packaging. There are many players on the market. Even custom cardboard boxes are possible. Here are a few examples:

17. Last but not least: cookie notification!

Do you want your webshop to comply with European requirements and legislation regarding Privacy and Cookies? Then place a cookie message on your website (protection of personal data). This has been mandatory for every webshop since 2018.