If you have a shopping cart on your website, you’ve no doubt read articles about what makes a cart good and what helps conversions. Every single one of those articles will say you should have a security seal. Why a security seal could improve conversions is fairly obvious: more than any other kind of site, a site with ecommerce needs to make consumers feel safe. It’s always a risk when you’re giving away your credit card details.
However, any business willing to shell out the money can buy a security seal, so how reassuring will your customers really find it? Sites that are accepted for the seal can still have security holes, and other types of hacks that are not picked up by the security software. Savvy consumers are looking for more than just a paid-for endorsement, they’re evaluating your credibility at every step of their shopping experience.
You don’t have to pay for credibility
A security seal is not a bad idea, and it’s frequently worth the money. But here are a few other ways to make your site feel safe so your customers can purchase with confidence.
1. Include a CVV field – It’s an added step to the purchasing process that helps avoid fraud by ensuring that the card is present. It’s a small detail that may or may not increase conversions, but if a site doesn’t ask me for it I feel a bit squeamish.
2. Have your return policy, money-back guarantees, and any other customer assurances easily visible and accessible on the site. When writing these policies, avoid legalese which confuses people. Keep your language plain, simple, and friendly.
3. Create your own security badge and let people know that your cart is SSL encrypted for their safety. You can include this badge on all the cart pages with a link to your other policies.
4. Include a phone number (not just an email link), and your physical address. It’s always reassuring when you know you can pick up the phone, or walk to the office if you have any problems.
Making your shopping cart more professional and credible will increase conversions by decreasing buyer hesitation. If you need a shopping cart that helps drive conversions contact us – it’s what we do!
About the author: Jeune Ortiz is VP of Marketing and Creative Director at future-ink. With more than 20 years of experience in graphic design and marketing, Jeune brings extensive knowledge and creativity to each website and internet marketing solution to grow your business.
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