Dillon's Top Tips for Online Retailers

05-Dec-2011

Dena Dillon and PiperDM were recently quoted in Start Up Smart's article "Christmas Spending Set to Dip"

Extract:

Despite the gloomy forecast, digital marketing agency Piper Digital Marketing insists you don’t need to discount in order to spark sales, providing your eCommerce strategy is up to scratch.

PiperDM has worked with Melbourne-based designer shoe retailer Habbot Studios, along with knitwear label Cable Melbourne, to boost their online sales.

The agency claims to have helped Habbot Studios achieve a 642% increase in traffic to its website, and a 385% increase in sales.

It did this by targeting influential fashion bloggers, running Facebook competitions, and offering incentives like free shipping.

“It’s not as simple as if you build it, they will come, but if you know a few tricks you can still achieve the dream,” PiperDM managing director Dena Dillon says.

Dillon’s top tips for online retailers:

Make sure you eliminate the FUDDs – the fears, uncertainties, doubts and deal-breakers.

You have to find ways to reassure the customer the item will fit, that it will be comfortable and that they can return it if it’s not right.

Piggyback on bigger brands. You might want to sell your own designs but online shoppers will be searching for brands they know.

By cross-selling and on-selling, more traffic will be drawn to your website where you can sell big brands and promote your own products.

Remember you’re a merchandiser. This is still a shop window so fit it out accordingly. Promote sale items and special offers.
Don’t lose them at the last minute. A large percentage of browsers abandon items in the shopping cart. Offer incentives to follow through, such as free shipping or a small gift.