If you operate an online retail or e-commerce business, then you know the often overused phrase definitely applies in your case—the struggle is real.
Not only do you need to compete with local brick-and-mortar stores and the big box Goliaths, but you must also edge out all the other vendors selling products and services that are similar to yours. And that task becomes more grueling as more retailers enter the online arena.
It doesn’t matter what your niche product is—you will battle fierce competitors. Online retail is a crowded space. Whether you sell widgets or online courses, the path to victory in the industry is by providing prospective customers with what they want.
In short, you need to increase your website user experience (UX). Make your e-commerce site easier to use than those of other e-commerce businesses, and customers will prefer to purchase their items from you.
But, let’s not stop there. What if you could ramp up your business productivity at the same time?
Sound too good to be true?
By setting up well-crafted online forms with EmailMeForm, you’ll be on the way to achieving both of those goals.
Let’s take a look at five essential forms for the online retail and e-commerce business.
1 - User Registration Form
The user registration form is a hands-down essential. This form allows users to sign up for your website so they can purchase items and opt-in to receive your newsletters and email marketing content.
A user registration form can increase UX and create opportunities for engagement on your e-commerce site almost singlehandedly.
User registration forms should be simple for the user to understand and complete. However, you can dive deeper into the inner workings of your user’s minds by asking questions that enable you to custom-tailor their preferences.
Here is a sample registration form that you can pattern from.
Once you’ve ascertained how much interaction the user wants with you, you can use this information to add the users to segmented email marketing lists.
By choosing EmailMeForm for your form provider, you can connect your responses to your MailChimp or Constant Contact and keep in touch with those eager users in a way that amplifies your business productivity.
2 - Order Form
Without making sales, you don’t make money. Since generating revenue is the entire point of an online retail shop, let’s talk about creating an order form that enhances the user experience.
Here’s a thought—
Your order form is an essential communication tool between you and your customer.
Using a well-constructed order form, a customer relates to you in no uncertain terms:
- What they want to order
- Which size, color, variation they expect
- The quantity needed of each item ordered
- A delivery address
- Special instructions (if any)
- How they intend to pay you
That’s a lot of information for one online form. That’s the beauty of the Order Form. It knows how to do its job well and does it with only a little set-up time from you. Once implemented, your website can ring cha-ching 24/7/365, even while you are away thanks to your order form.
3 - Payment Form
After the customer places an order, the payment form takes over and helps you close the deal. And, this is where it’s imperative that you proceed cautiously.
According to Business Insider, 46.1% of site users who abandon their shopping carts bail out of the transaction at the payment form stage.
Let’s liken this to a real-life scenario.
Imagine you’ve visited your favorite coffee purveyor, filled an eco-friendly BPA-free basket with several pounds of your favorite organic beans, and approached the queue.
It’s your turn to move up in the line. You make eye contact with the store associate, drop your basket on the ground, and flee the building.
People standing around witnessing this scene must wonder what on earth would cause a person to behave this way. You must analyze the same question if you are experiencing challenges in converting shoppers into purchasers.
In cyberspace, the most common cause of shopping cart abandonment is users feeling a lack of trust in the checkout process. And, in this time of cyber scams and online fraud, you really can’t blame them from shying away.
However, when you use the EmailMeForm form builder for your payment form, you can offer your customers the reassurance that you have chosen a PCI-certified form provider and that you secure their credit card data in our Vault.
Vault is a secure storage location that stores their sensitive information and must be retrieved via multi-factor authentication. You’ll have confidence when you assure your customers that you have taken these—and all other—credit card safety measures.
4 - Payment Confirmation
After the customer inputs a credit card number and sends the payment, a payment confirmation will display.
The standard default message is a lackluster, bland message.
“Thank you! Your Submission has been saved!”
While that does let the customer know that their order is complete, you can use this as an ideal opportunity to strengthen the relationship by achieving critical marketing tasks such as:
- Sending a special discount code as a bounce-back offer
- Suggesting accessories or related products
- Thanking the customer
The payment confirmation is just one more easy way to set your brand apart from all the competition flooding the e-commerce and online retail space and boost sales. By reflecting your personality and gratitude for their order, users will grow to like your business even more.
Technically, this is not a separate form. It’s a setting that you can customize within your Payment Form. But, it’s so frequently overlooked that we felt it needed a mention here.
Here’s an illustration of how you can customize your Payment Confirmation message.
5 - Customer Satisfaction Survey
After the sale, sending a Customer Satisfaction Survey can help you detect any customer service shortcomings and fix them. Additionally, this online form provides vital feedback on where your business excels.
By identifying strengths and opportunities, you can build a stronger business.
Why is this so important?
Users trust online reviews. Statista reported in November of 2018 that 53% of online shoppers find online reviews of e-commerce retailers an important factor.
Identifying shortcomings before they leave an almost indelible mark on your online reputation is critical to succeeding in the fierce online retail environment.
So, use a customer satisfaction survey to get honest feedback, to continue to excel at the things you do best, and to identify opportunities for improvement.
The Bottom Line
Online forms can help your e-commerce site reach its full potential and compete in the ever-growing online retail industry. Ramp up both your business productivity and user experience by implementing these forms.
Remember that EmailMeForm is PCI-certified, and data protection is a top priority. Your customers—and their data—are safe with us.
Deborah Tayloe
Deborah is a blogger and freelancer who often writes for EmailMeForm. When she’s not blogging, you’ll probably find Deborah working on DIY projects around her home in North Carolina.
