Ecommerce CRO

The internet is full of advice on how to grow your eCommerce business. But is it always helpful?

Most sources claim their advice can help increase your eCommerce conversion rate and attract loyal customers. But many of these strategies could be more effective! Or too many follow the same plans and hope to get the best results!

It is high time your business took a unique, competitive approach to survive the competition and scale sales. A well-thought eCommerce conversion rate optimisation (CRO) plan can assist you in hitting your goals.

One sure-shot way to success is to leverage direct mail! 

It is data-driven, personalised, and result-bearing! Also, using traditional mail to advertise your online business is the most curated and customer-centric method.

But what is a reasonable conversion rate for your company? 

How can you get started with direct mail marketing to promote your products? 

Keep reading to learn how to boost your eCommerce conversion rates and plan successful marketing campaigns!

What is an E-Commerce Conversion Rate?

It is the percentage of people who buy something from your website. However, eCommerce conversions are a broad subject, including

• Online sales
• Adding products to the shopping cart
• Signing up for a subscription
• Social media shares, and
• Adding items to the wishlist

How you define the eCommerce conversion rate depends on your industry and the products you sell. Your key performance indicators (KPIs) must vary significantly from others, though online sales remain the primary metric.

Businesses take many steps to make their website stand out on the search engine results page (SERP). Also, they apply many methods to hook website visitors to their products and convince them to add them to their carts and check out.

This process is known as eCommerce conversion rate optimisation, helping companies improve their leads and sales.

Everything from improving your website’s UX to advertising your brand comes under CRO.

The average conversion rate for eCommerce is 2.14%. Many online stores hit 3% quickly without putting in an effort.

Hence, your primary goal should be to reach a conversion rate that is higher than 3% before moving on to advanced marketing tactics.

Many marketing channels allow online businesses to promote their products to a targeted audience and boost sales. One of the best mediums is direct mail! It enables you to connect 1:1 with decision-makers and establish personal bonds.

Direct mail is an excellent tool in your eCommerce conversion rate optimisation mix. You may combine it with email and social media marketing!

Many marketers think only digital marketing is adequate for their business because they run an online store. But maintaining an emotional and long-term relationship is crucial to getting steady sales. And direct mail makes it possible, helping you increase your eCommerce conversion rate over time.

Aside from sales, other metrics let you decide how well your store performs. Focusing on them allows you to improve your overall conversion ratios.

Bounce Rate

The bounce rate indicates how many people leave your online store after visiting one page. Try to reduce this ratio because a high bounce rate shows customers cannot find what they need on your website. Hence, they quit immediately to shop elsewhere.

When discussing eCommerce conversion rate optimisation, this ratio plays a significant role. It is vital prospects get immediate answers, or your page can guide them ahead, encouraging them to stay on your website for longer.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Online stores should focus on their eCommerce conversion rate and overall customer engagement. The store’s click-through rate denotes the number of people who click on your website’s link through an ad or email. You may optimise your Adwords or improve your email marketing campaigns to get a high CTR.

Aim at motivating more users to engage with your web pages and complete the call to action (CTA).

Please note that spreading brand awareness is essential to improving your CTR. You can reach your desired eCommerce conversion rates and CTRs only when people know you!

Luckily, direct mail marketing helps you get there! It enables your prospects and customers to remember your brand. So the next time they see an email or sponsored ad from you, they will likely click on the link.

Exit Rate

The exit rate displays the number of users who quit the website after viewing a webpage. Unlike bounce rates, businesses use this ratio to learn the last page your prospects visit before leaving.

You can improve your eCommerce conversion rate by working on pages with high exit ratios.

Average Session Duration

It informs you of how long users stay on your website. A high bounce rate denotes a low average session duration. It means people don’t stay on your web pages long enough to convert.

Your eCommerce conversion rate optimisation techniques must focus on increasing visit length and engaging more users!

Pages Per Session

Did you ever learn how many pages a user visits on average? You can calculate the pages per session to get this answer!

This metric displays the page views per session. A high number does not mean more engagement. It means users don’t get enough clarity from one page and continue browsing without converting. Try fixing this issue to boost your average eCommerce conversion rate and reduce exit ratios.

Measuring your performance using these metrics enables you to fix errors before they impact your sales.

But the truth is that getting prospects to buy from your website is a task. The eCommerce industry is already booming with many competitors. Last year, 52.7% of Australian customers bought something online! Hence, redirecting them to your brand and increasing eCommerce conversion rates might take time for your business.

Many companies use direct mail to speed up their sales and marketing processes! It helps them cut through the online clutter and send them something tangible.

PostGrid’s direct mail API allows you to create, print, and ship offline items to segmented audiences. You can do everything online and sit back as your eCommerce conversion rate rises with better brand loyalty!

Direct mail has an open rate of 66%! It is among the top-performing channels in this era, where people move emails to spam and scroll past online ads.

At PostGrid, many clients ask us how to leverage an offline platform like direct mail to increase online sales.

Our answer? Automate direct mailing and employ different use cases! If you need ideas, here are the 17 best tips to increase your eCommerce conversion rate:

#1 Send Discount Coupons

Offering relevant discounts to your prospects always works like magic. But you must use the correct channel and time to send them.

Sending postcard coupons is the best way to grab your audience’s attention and prompt them to buy something! You may plan a campaign targeting your most likely customers to get a higher eCommerce conversion rate without hassles.

Please remember to add a time-sensitive discount code. It creates urgency and pushes prospects to complete transactions within a specific period.

But how is it helpful?

• This step enables your coupon recipients to quickly buy something from you without forgetting about the offer.
• It lets you increase your eCommerce conversion rate within your campaign’s timeframe.
• It allows accurate performance monitoring and tracking.

So, instead of guessing whether you will get results for a long time, you see quick outcomes.

One of our clients in the eCommerce sector wanted to launch a similar campaign! They wished to send custom coupons to every prospect to track individual responses and measure results!

We helped them get their desired eCommerce conversion rate by enabling them to send custom postcards with unique codes. The process was simple and quick for them, encouraging them to conduct more similar campaigns.

#2 Promote Free Offers

Almost all online stores offer something “free” for their customers. But they fail to promote these offers and attract relevant prospects!

It is where direct mail comes in! This channel can assist you in spreading the word and fetching high eCommerce conversion rates and sales for your store.

Customers pay more attention to the message and learn more about your products when they see the word “free.” It is a primary sales driver for your business! Hence, putting these offers directly in front of prospects can be a game changer.

Using PostGrid’s direct mail API, you can reach beyond your average conversion rate eCommerce via printed items highlighting your offers.

Use our free design templates and make your message pop. Ensure people know you provide free shipping, a trial, or samples, and close the deal with an upfront CTA!

You may conduct a few campaigns yearly without spending exorbitant amounts using our API integrations. They help you integrate direct mail into your systems and send items whenever needed!

It is the simplest and most affordable way to get high eCommerce conversion rates for your store!

#3 Shorten Your Checkout Forms

Your store’s checkout form determines how much time people spend completing a transaction. Ensure the process is straightforward and quick to prevent annoying customers and leading them to leave the page. It can negatively affect your eCommerce conversion rate and lead to a dissatisfying user experience.

What steps should you take to shorten the checkout form?

First, only ask for the information you need! You don’t need the customers to enter their ages or professions to buy something from your website. Stick to the usuals—name, mailing address, and shipping option!

Make the address fields easy to fill out to capture the correct mailing addresses.

However, many customers still need to correct their details!

Your checkout form is a significant part of your eCommerce conversion rate optimisation efforts! Customers must find the necessary help to fill out the forms without hurdles and complete the checkout process quickly.

The best way to improve the process is by adding the address autocomplete feature!

PostGrid’s address autocomplete API lets you provide users with real-time address suggestions. The API can combine geocoding and other features to predict the customers’ location within a few keystrokes!

The result? 

You get higher eCommerce conversion rates and provide a better user experience.

Instead of adding many address fields and compelling users to type all the details, our API helps you incorporate single-line verification. It is faster, easier, and more efficient, driving higher sales.

#4 Benefit from Address Verification

If you are looking into more methods how to improve eCommerce conversion rate, consider address verification.

Using address verification for your website allows you to capture the correct delivery addresses at the entry point! It blocks incorrect data from entering your system and helps you access high-quality databases.

Imagine a customer entering an incorrect postcode or street name. Many users may need help remembering to add their unit or apartment numbers, slowing deliveries and causing issues.

An address verification API helps you maintain the average eCommerce conversion rate and avoid these problems! For example, PostGrid standardises and validates every delivery address against Australia Post’s authoritative database. It ensures you only send orders to the correct recipients.

What’s more? 

You can use these valid addresses to ship promotional items, event invitations, appreciation messages, and more!

Accurate customer data lets you contact your audience often and keep them hooked on your brand. It allows you to get a steady eCommerce conversion rate with plenty of repeat orders.

#5 Introduce Loyalty Programs for Current Customers.

90% of Australians are members of at least one loyalty program! They use it to get discounts and offers when shopping with their favourite brands.

How can this information help you grow your eCommerce conversion rates and get more customers?

You can also start a loyalty program to get repeat customers and referrals! It is one of the most effective ways to generate business.

And you have automated direct mail tools to start, run, and promote the program!

Once you set the program terms, launch a direct mail campaign to connect with your existing customers. You can send postcards, letters, or folded self-mailers to inform them of the conditions for becoming a member!

You can increase your average conversion rate eCommerce by widely promoting your loyalty programs. It maximises your exposure and attracts more customer signups.

Here are some loyalty program types you can use:

• 10% off for all upcoming orders: Ensure you provide these recurring loyalty offers only to long-term and repeat customers. It guarantees low rates and high-quality service, motivating them to return and buy more products. This step can drive a higher eCommerce conversion rate and improve brand loyalty.
• 5-15% cashback: Many customers appreciate cashback offers as much as discounts. Hence, this tactic can help sell more items and get repeat business. Ensure your cashback range varies for customers based on how often they buy from you over a year. Creating such tiers can boost your average eCommerce conversion rate and prompt more users to sign up for your program.
• Referral credits: Give free credits to customers who refer you to their friends, families, neighbours, and colleagues. For example, you may provide them with 10 points per referral. And help them make a $10 purchase for every 100 points. These schemes intrigue people and make them feel a part of your community!

Send automated direct mail advertising your loyalty program and track results with custom QR codes. They allow you to check which customers sign up or refer you to others! Also, they ensure a positive ROI, guaranteeing a high eCommerce conversion rate for long periods.

Pro tip: Categorising your customers according to their buying histories can help you serve them better. Ensure you appreciate the buyers who spend the most and often buy from you, turning them into brand ambassadors. 

Contact Us to become our partners and let us help you serve better!

#6 Focus on Product Descriptions

Most people read product descriptions before buying something online. They rely on the information you post with your product’s images to decide whether to buy it.

Hence, a key eCommerce conversion rate optimisation tactic is to focus on your product descriptions, features, and benefits.

Let us consider a scenario where a customer visits a product page but leaves without adding it to the cart and buying.

How to deal with these situations to increase your eCommerce conversion rate and avoid losing prospects? 

Send them a personalised direct mail item!

While it is not advisable to send generic mailers, sending relevant postcards or letters can produce excellent results.

You can print the product description and other details of the item the prospect was looking for on a postcard! You can make them look like mini product cards that can instantly grab the recipient’s attention. Include an exciting offer with a time-sensitive CTA, and wait for the results!

Identifying these opportunities and acting fast can boost your eCommerce conversion rates and qualified leads.

Automated direct mail solutions like PostGrid can let you link your offline printed items with your online web pages. It is ideal for redirecting people to return to your website, boosting the eCommerce conversion rate for your business.

You may also print postcards with product comparisons to help customers choose the best item. Give them options and add links to your best-selling products, expanding your prospect’s choices. Hence, they can still purchase something even if they don’t like the first item they viewed on your website.

Put your store in their hands and compel them to open your website and browse. It is creative and thoughtful and shows your customers you care about their preferences! Also, it is an efficient way to increase eCommerce conversion rates by sparking interest among prospects.

#7 Use Customer Ratings and Reviews.

Developing trust and authenticity enables your brand to get more valuable leads and customers. People want to know the company they are buying from is legitimate and safe! The best way to fulfil this goal is to add ratings and testimonials from your existing customers to your direct mailers.

You may drive high eCommerce conversion rates by including relatable customer stories in your offline campaigns!

Also, don’t restrict yourself to written texts. You can link your mailers to online customer videos where they speak about their buying experiences. Since videos get high engagement, combining your channels is an excellent idea.

Improve your average eCommerce conversion rate by inviting prospects to join your online community. Let them read and watch reviews and recommendations, helping them make informed decisions.

Another creative idea is connecting with customers who recently bought from your store and requesting reviews!

Express your appreciation and tell them you would love to hear their feedback. It lets you gather positive reviews and increase your eCommerce conversion rates by reminding customers of your brand again.

Editor’s note: PostGrid’s direct mail API lets you set your campaigns in advance. You can select any date to launch your mailing program, helping you send relevant messages to audiences at the correct time!

Talk to our sales team for a one-on-one discussion on driving a high eCommerce conversion rate for your online store with PostGrid!

#8 Re-Engage Past Customers

You may have a list of old customers who would buy from you earlier but stopped now. They might have switched to your competitors for lower prices, better services, or other reasons.

Your primary challenge is to increase your eCommerce conversion rate by winning them back!

Re-engaging customers whenever they are inactive shows you care for them! It also helps your company not lose valuable business to your competition.

Plan the eCommerce conversion rate you want to reach by focusing on old or lost opportunities. Then, compile a mailing list of old customers to ship items with relevant win-back offers.

But wait!

Isn’t your old customer database outdated and incorrect?

Your past customers may have moved to different addresses. Spotting and replacing outdated and old records is essential.

Luckily, PostGrid’s address verification services let you validate your existing mailing lists. You can check 200k addresses using a single API request. Hence, say goodbye to mail returns and delivery delays by shipping marketing mailers to the correct destinations.

The address verification feature is one of the best tools to increase your eCommerce conversion rate in not one but many ways!

It simplifies reaching your existing and past customers and driving sales, boosting the average eCommerce conversion rate you usually get.

#9 Retarget Your Prospects

Some prospects visit your website but do not complete the CTA. Retargeting enables you to motivate them to

• Fill out the contact form
• Buy an item they surfed
• Download a file, or
• Add products to their carts and wishlists

Their failure to complete the CTA can be a lost opportunity for your company. But you can turn it into a hot lead with proper retargeting.

Retarget potential customers using custom direct mail items that address their needs and offer solutions.

We understand tracking these prospects and launching campaigns is complicated. You may have other tasks to complete and focus on your overall eCommerce conversion rates than plan mailing programs.

Hence, you can conduct triggered mailing campaigns to send custom mailers to the relevant prospects. It drives better eCommerce conversion rates than you imagine because converting these prospects is more straightforward than getting new leads. They only need a slight nudge to revisit your website and complete the CTA.

You can trigger mailings for many events, like newsletter signups, new orders, and product launches.

For example, our client launched triggered campaigns for new customer purchases. They wanted to welcome new buyers with an onboarding letter with a funny and insightful message.

The campaign succeeded, with many customers writing back to the brand. Some also took to social media to share the letter with their followers and appreciate the company’s quick wit and warm welcome. It is a primary example of increasing eCommerce conversion rates and spreading brand publicity simultaneously.

The brand continues to trigger campaigns for email signups, customer inquiries, and more! Its ROI ranges between 11-35% based on the mailer type and offers.

#10 Send Cart Abandonment Mailers

Connecting with people who add things to their carts and leave without completing the transaction can help boost eCommerce conversion rates and get better sales.

These customers might still need to complete the transaction. Or they weren’t convinced and decided not to buy from you.

You can turn this negative experience or situation into a positive conversion using direct mail!

Act promptly and initiate a campaign to reach out to these prospects with a time-sensitive offer! Create FOMO (the fear of missing out) by informing them that you only have a few items in stock.

It can motivate them to return to their shopping carts, use their code, and complete the checkout!

This step can increase your eCommerce conversion rate and expand your customer base!

Pro tip: Consider whether you want to prioritise reach or frequency. Reach indicates the number of people you connect with through your campaigns. Frequency is the number of times you send mail to the same group of prospects. 

Many stores believe they can maximise their eCommerce conversion rates by shipping items to more people. But in reality, you may need to contact potential shoppers many times before closing deals, primarily for high-ticket sales. 

Contact us to discuss more and get started with your first direct mail campaign for your eCommerce business! 

#11 Consider Location-Based Marketing

Location-based marketing lets you target prospects based on where they live or work. It is ideal when your store ships to specific localities or cities.

Email or social media marketing may connect you with people who may never buy from you. For instance, imagine you have a list of prospects for your upcoming email marketing campaign. But most records are global, even though you only ship domestically.

Hence, driving the average conversion rate of eCommerce can be a long shot.

But direct mail offers better precision and personalisation! 

PostGrid lets you compile targeted mailing lists based on your customers’ income, age, gender, location, preferences, and more! You can launch laser-focused campaigns to get the best eCommerce conversion rates and optimise your budget and time.

#12 Market Your After-Sales Services

Some companies forget to emphasise their after-sales services! It can be anything, from free product returns to 24 x 7 customer support post-sales.

Your brand can convert customers by speaking about these extra services more often. Let people learn more about your company’s policies, helping them differentiate you from others.

It allows you to get a better eCommerce conversion rate than your competitors, who fail to mention after-sales services during brand promotions.

Send small, medium, or oversized postcards, depending on the length of your message. Small postcards create nostalgia among recipients. But the oversized ones get the most attention! Choose a format and size that best fit your needs and budget!

Boost eCommerce conversion rates by focusing on your messages and highlighting your extra services. You can provide links to your product guides or webinars, helping people get more details about your items.

#13 Mention Your Unique Selling Points and Benefits

Discussing your product’s features can help you turn some heads. But highlighting your USP can fetch you maximum engagement.

You can get favourable eCommerce conversion rates by telling prospects how you are different from your competition. Answer why they should choose your products over other items on the market!

These points allow you to stand out and boost brand recognition.

But how can you convey your USP to prospects and customers in a memorable way?

Yes! Send highly-personalised direct mailers that they can hold onto and refer to for your brand’s details.

The longer your item stays in a household or office, the higher your eCommerce conversion rates and engagement!

A practical tip is to add a short list to your mail. It can be a checklist, fun facts, or anything else! For example, many companies send recipe postcards to prospects during the holidays. It encourages people to stick the item to their refrigerators or pin it to their boards.

Promoting your company and being helpful to prospects is possible! It lets you quickly increase your average eCommerce conversion rate using mailing campaigns.

#14 Thank Your Buyers

Thanking your shoppers after they buy something from your website keeps them coming back for more! It is a subtle eCommerce conversion rate optimisation tactic to retain customers and maintain brand loyalty.

Send small-sized appreciation postcards or personalised letters to your customers. Mention how much you value them and create personal connections!

You can also mail your existing customers on anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions. It lets them know you think of them as more than a number in your sales funnel. Also, it expresses that real people run your brand and want to build emotional relationships with them.

Increase your eCommerce conversion rates by leveraging these events. You may set up triggered mailings for customers’ birthdays and anniversaries, reducing your workload and saving time.

#15 Test Your Campaigns and Learn from the Analytics

One of the best eCommerce conversion rate optimisation tricks is to learn from your previous campaigns.

You have all the data you need to conduct successful campaigns! Use it to improve future mailings and get higher results.

PostGrid lets you view your campaign reports and analytics through your dashboards. Use these insights to develop better plans, send more relevant mail items, and drive responses.

#16 Ship Your Orders on Time

Are you a company that takes many days to get its orders out the door?

If yes, try to shorten these times and ship every order on time.

You may take time to double-check your customers’ mailing addresses. Some brands instruct their staff to call buyers to verify the location before shipping. It wastes hours and days of their time and effort. And it can negatively affect your eCommerce conversion rates and cause delays.

PostGrid’s address verification capabilities enable you to ship quickly and accurately. You need not verify addresses manually or run the risk of sending mail to incorrect recipients.

Stay one step ahead of your competition by incorporating address verification into your eCommerce website or CRM.

It helps boost your eCommerce conversion rate because people appreciate fast deliveries and might buy from you again.

#17 Combine Online and Offline Marketing Campaigns

You don’t need to select between online and offline advertising. Top-performing and globally reputed brands integrate their marketing campaigns to get the best of both worlds.

It is easier for them to boost the average conversion rate eCommerce because they connect with prospects wherever they are!

For instance, you can combine direct mail with your online marketing campaign! Get your prospects to create an account on your website by sending them an email. It sparks interest and helps you collect the customers’ contact details with their consent!

Once they create their accounts, they look forward to getting mail from you. Hence, you can stay in their minds for a few days, increasing brand recall rates! It enables you to get better eCommerce conversion rates for your campaigns and get people to remember your company.

PostGrid offers many API integrations for clients to combine their offline and online marketing efforts. Some popular options include HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier, Marketo, and more!

Another client in the eCommerce field uses our direct mail and address verification API for their website. It enables them to

• Send triggered mailings based on the prospects’ web behaviours.
• Increase eCommerce conversion rates by sending personalised mailers to hot leads.
• To improve the buying experience and speed deliveries, you can verify customers’ addresses at the point-of-sale.
• Store high-quality, error-free data essential to the launch of omnichannel marketing campaigns.

Getting a reasonable eCommerce conversion rate can be challenging because of growing competition. But it is possible to get the desired results using effective marketing channels, like direct mail!

It is practical, memorable, and long-lasting! Thus, you can get positive outcomes without burning a hole in your pocket. PostGrid’s all-in-one pricing makes the process more affordable and convenient!

You can use PostGrid to connect with your targeted audiences with relevant solutions and close deals. It assists you in getting high eCommerce conversion rates through timely and custom mailings.

Also, you can keep your customers happy by providing address autocomplete and verification during checkout to save them time. It helps you make an excellent impression and get repeat orders!

Sign up here to learn more about how PostGrid helps you get a high eCommerce conversion rate via direct mail!

• Why do eCommerce businesses need a high conversion rate?

The conversion rate denotes how much revenue your company makes. It also highlights the number of customers who buy from your website. These are crucial metrics to improve to keep the brand running, making it essential to prioritise conversions.

• Is eCommerce conversion rate optimisation free?

You may need to spend on your website’s UX and other features to improve sales. Also, you can conduct mailing campaigns to drive more traffic to your website and expand outreach.

Luckily, PostGrid offers the most affordable rates countrywide to help you send custom mailers at reasonable prices!

• Can PostGrid integrate into my current workflows and CRMs?

Yes. Our detailed API docs let you integrate PostGrid’s direct mailing and address verification features into your existing systems.

Get a demo for more details on increasing eCommerce conversion rates through automated mailing campaigns!