How exactly do you build customer trust online? How do you let the world know your business is trustworthy?
You’ve started an online business. You know your products are good, and you are an honest business owner. But, your customers don’t know that yet.
Building customer trust online involves good service, good communication, and of course, quality of the products.
Even if your online business is new, and you haven’t made a single sale, there are strategies that will help you win customers’ trust. In this blog, we will discuss how you can build customer trust online.
Why is customer trust important for your online business?
Reputation takes years to gain in the digital world. Earning customer trust is a gradual process. That doesn’t mean you should wait around for it to happen. Especially if your eCommerce store is brand new, you need to bridge that trust gap and make customers confident enough to buy from you.
Want important statistics to understand the state of online customer trust in India? Or maybe actionable strategies that helps build long time trust and transparent relationships?
Download our FREE whitepaper: The eCommerce trust report 2022
Consider this blog a TLDR version of the whitepaper. Let’s start with why is trust important –
The best way to beat the competition. Nowadays, consumers have lots of options, especially in the digital market. There may be a lot of big players in your niche. Therefore, stop focusing on competition and start focusing on customers; you’ll see the magic happen.
Brings in more customers. The best marketing is word of mouth. Your customers will be your biggest advocates if you earn their trust.
Builds your brand – Nowadays customers are hyper-aware of who they buy from. Interacting with them sets the tone for your business.
Know your customers well
- What are your customers’ biggest needs, and how does your product solve it?
- What do they expect from an eCommerce store?
- Where do your customers spend more time online?
The more you know your customers, the better you can target them and provide a good experience.
The top eCommerce Fears
The first step to build trust is to know what makes online shoppers feel concerned when shopping on a website. Here’s what they fear the most:
- Fear of credit card information being stolen
- Not being able to track orders
- Fear of personal info being sold
- Not being able to return products
8 Solid Ways to Build Customer Trust Online
Here are 8 proven methods that’s helping online businesses build trust with their customers:
1. Humanise your Brand
Studies show that we rate brands through personal feelings, not information. Look beyond products or services. Tell your business story. What is your purpose and your vision? Why did you select this particular niche? Let your customers know the person behind the business. This strategy makes you more authentic.
When customers see humans in the spotlight instead of just the products, they slowly begin to trust your business. The best way you can highlight this is by creating a good about section in your online store.
Here’s an example from Terracotta by Sachii
2. Be open to customer inquiries and feedback
You SHOULD care about what people think about your business. Customers may reach out to you through social media or email to know more about your product or brand. They might need more details on shipping, return policy, size charts, etc. The key is to not keep them waiting for too long. Send a respectful and thoughtful reply. In short, provide top-notch customer service
Bill Gates once said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”. Always be open to customers’ concerns. Act on feedback and improve your business based on customer insights.
The Syrow app on Instamojo app store is a great example of customer support service. With this feature on your online store, you will be able to provide the best customer experience. You will gain powerful insights about your company that will help in more conversions.
3. Make product descriptions clear
The more shoppers know what they are about to buy, the more likely they will buy. Be as specific as possible (example: instead of ‘glass water bottle’ use ‘borosilicate glass water bottle’). A good product description will be both compelling and honest.
Never exaggerate features. Provide detailed information about your product—exact weight, colour, measurements, ingredients, and warranty details. When highlighting features, mention how it helps them. For example, this dress is made of 100% cotton, so it’s perfect summer wear.
Take this example from GreenTrees Store.
If you want customers to trust your online store, learn the art of writing great product descriptions.
4. Provide customers with a secure shopping experience
Concern about eCommerce fraud is a top reason why people hesitate to shop from online stores. Make their payment secure and hassle-free. Always choose a trusted payment solution for your online store.
Payment gateways like Instamojo ensure safe checkout to protect you and your customer. Instamojo also ensures a safe return in case of payment failure.
Another way to make your customers feel more comfortable is to provide them with multiple payment options. Most people have a preferred method of payment. For example, recent surveys show that online shoppers prefer using Google Pay and Paytm over other options. Offer payment modes that customers trust, they’ll trust your business too.
At the front of their homepage, LeafyAffair highlights a variety of checkout options such as Paytm, Google Pay, Bhim UPI and so on.
5. Create content relevant to your audience
In this world of information overload, the only way to stand out from the noise is by creating good content. It makes you an authority in your niche.
So, targeting your customers with the right kind of content will bring engagement. This will make them remember your business, thus building trust.
SwitchFix is an eco-friendly skin and hair care brand. Their blog features articles on skin care tips, self-care, and planet-care articles. Hence, it is clear that their brand is dedicated to finding clean and conscious beauty products. This is the best way to build customer trust online.
6. Share positive testimonials and reviews
It’s a universal fact that people browse through reviews before they buy anything online. No matter what your product description claims, a quick scroll through the review section is what influences your buying decisions. Promote and project positive testimonials.
Always collect reviews from customers. If you have fewer reviews, reach out to customers for one through email. Send out a google form to customers, politely requesting them for a testimonial.
Bring innovative ways to present reviews like using video testimonials and customer quotes, showing customers using the product, combining text with visuals — all these add as social proof. However, just remember to keep it authentic.
Check out how Lucknowi Andaaz presents their testimonials with a picture of their customers.
7. Build a social presence
A great way to build customer trust online is to be social.
Trust is built on good communication, and there is no easier way to communicate than through social media.
You can find a huge community of like-minded people. Further, a large part of them uses it for brand research.
According to the latest report, 81% of the audience on Instagram are using the platform to research products or services (source: Hootsuite). You can connect with your potential customers and have mutual discussions.
Check out how mrittika, a custom jewellery business creates content on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Here’s something that will help you learn more about how to sell on Instagram:
Also read: How to Sell on Instagram Without Website
8. Clear details on return/warranty
A major concern of online shoppers is “if I don’t like it, I’ll be stuck with it”. Giving a 100% satisfaction guarantee makes them more comfortable to buy. If your product is returnable, make sure you highlight the return policy clearly. You are one step closer to building trust.
Related Read: How to convince customers to buy your product or service
To Conclude
Take a step back and honestly review your online store. Is the user experience good? Are the descriptions clear enough? How comfortable will someone be making a purchase from your store?
Revolve your business around your customers, they will revolve around you.
As a small business owner, customer trust is important in building a good reputation. Above all, it is a huge factor in your growth. With the right communication, your online business can gradually earn customer trust.
Don’t forget that a professional eCommerce website is one of the key ways to build customer trust. Download our whitepaper to know more about finding the perfect eCommerce platform that helps rope more customers in!
