Trust is one of those things that is everywhere and nowhere, integral yet overlooked, visible but invisible. When it comes to online businesses, it’s imperative that there be faith between the operator and the customers. With so many high-profile fraud and data breach issues, internet users are understandably skeptical when it comes to handing over their financial and sensitive information to a company that they can’t see with their own eyes. So what makes a customer raise eyebrows at an online site? We take a look at a few examples below.
Lack of Contact Info
Your customers can’t talk an online business face to face, but they should be only to talk to them directly and quickly. If there’s no contact information on the web page, then suspicions will naturally be raised. If you run an online business, then take steps to ensure there are multiple ways for your customers to reach you. This means listing an email address, social media accounts (which are regularly updated), your company address, and a phone number (you can work with a company that offers a phone answering service if you don’t think you can manage calls directly).
Unreliable Digital Presence
There are certain standards that should be met in order to build trust. Internet users have a feel for a website that’s trustworthy, and one that might not be all that it should be. If your website is slow or, worse, down, then customers will conclude that there’s not the most professional team working behind the scenes. To combat this issue, make sure that you’re working with a company that offers IT support — they’ll help to ensure your site is always up and running. Keep an eye on other giveaways that your digital presence isn’t watertight, such as an infrequently updated blog, too. A well-managed website would have an active blog, not one that’s lay dormant for a year or more.
Low-Quality Text and Images
First impressions count for a lot in all walks of life, including online. While most companies know that they need to invest in modern web design, many undo the good work they’ve done in this area by then inserting low-quality photographs and text. The photographs are a pretty clear giveaway: they undermine the entire look of the site. The text is less instantly noticeable, but becomes hard to avoid once it’s spotted. Invest in platforms that provide high-quality images, and pay someone to write your web content.
Returns Policy
One of the reasons many people still prefer buying in-store is because they know that if there’s a problem, they can go back and return the product. The same can’t be said of online stores. If the order isn’t right, then they’ll need to hope they get their money back. Studies have shown that having a generous and clearly outlined returns policy plays a key role in people’s decision-making process when it comes to buying from a website. So get it right: don’t lose their business because of this simple thing!