We’ve covered a lot in the past few weeks about setting up your Ecommerce site and bringing customers into your store. Now it’s up to you. You MUST be able to deliver. 

The coolest website, the best marketing campaign, the hottest new product .... NONE of this can override a bad reputation. Unlike Joan Jett in her song “Bad Reputation”, you do need to give a damn!

As hard as it is to be found on the internet, you’re guaranteed to be found if you are doing a poor job of delivering. Getting good reviews is a critical part of keeping your business in business. 

So how do you get good reviews? 

First and foremost, you need to make the Ecommerce experience a good one. Or better yet, a great one! Below are a few examples of things you can do to help ensure your clients are happy and want to come back.

• Do what you say you are going to do

• Make it right if you make a mistake

• Deliver when you say you will

• Thank you cards in the package

• Packaging appropriate for your clients 

  • Is a pretty box an appropriate special touch?

  • Can you add a small “bonus” with the item?

  • Maybe the box could look like a toolbox? 

  • Be creative!

• Updates on shipping status

• Follow up emails

  • Thank them for shopping with you

  • Ask them about their experience 

  • Ask how you can make it better

• Little touches that let them know you appreciate their business

When you’ve done all of that, you need to make sure you get reviews. 

• Make it easy for people to give you a review 

  • A place on your website

  • A link to Yelp

• Ask for a review!

It never ceases to amaze me how few businesses ask for good reviews. When you’ve delivered on the promise, it only takes a couple of seconds to ask for a review. Have you ever been to a car repair shop? After they fix your car, they’ll ask you to leave a review, and they always ask for 5-star reviews!!! 

Why is that? In the world of online business, anything less than 5-stars is seen as negative. First impressions are everything. Not only is that 4-star review the first thing a potential client will see, sometimes it’s the only thing. If you get a 4-star review and your competition gets 5-stars, who do you think is going to win the business? That’s right, the competition will. Every. Single. Time. 

Always listen to your customers. No matter what the issue, whether it’s “your fault” or not, find a way to make it right. I don’t mean to give away the shop, but if there’s a genuine issue, it’s always in your best interest to make it right for the customer. 

Think about Nordstrom. Forbes published an interesting article: What any business can learn from Nordstrom Customer Service.  

Be Nordstrom. Be successful. Deliver.