Online retailers who master the goal of consistent sales volume, growth and customer retention are the type of individuals who have positive habits in their lives. If you follow these nine habits of successful online retailers, you’ll be far ahead of any competitors in your niche not practicing these productive techniques.

1. Time optimization

Individuals doing it right utilize dozens (if not more) online efficiency tools and applications that can streamline their daily routines, allowing them to free up more time for promotion and activities that will grow the business, not just keep it running. 

2. Double-down on ecommerce photo quality

Even if this requires hiring a professional quarterly to take superb quality photographs, don’t forget that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” or a good chunk of your income. Customers buy out of emotion as well as necessity, make sure you’re tapping into the right ones. 

3. Simplicity is good

When it comes to stuff on the screen, ecommerce shoppers tend to err on the side of “less is more.” The more selling you can do in the photographs and concise descriptions, the less cluttered your site needs to be with paragraphs of text.

4. Online payment processing

Whether you decide to go with a big-name content host that includes the payment aspect, or if you need to research which system works best with your specific platform, the payment step is very crucial. The customer needs to feel safe and secure while not taking so long to check out that they reverse their initial decision.

5. Care about customers

If you genuinely are coming from a place of consideration for the needs and wants of your customers, that truth will reflect on aspects of your store. This enhanced focus should, in the end, translate to better overall sales numbers.

6. Think like your customer

Generally, in sales, we want to avoid thinking for our customer. However, thinking like your customer is an entirely different practice where you look at your site from the eyes of a potential buyer, not the owner. What makes you feel uncomfortable? What would prevent you from doing business?

7. Superb follow-through

Launching the site is only the first big step along the way to ecommerce success. Most of the additional work comes after the site is already online, through promotion. Don’t shy away from promoting your brand. 

8. Tell a story

Why is your product relevant and why is it more desirable than your competition? Whether this be through the products themselves, or customer testimonials, humanizing your company has a big impact. The pros don’t get caught up with story telling though, as the product always comes first, but adding a little life to what you’re offering resonates with buyers. 

9. Organization skills

This is another area where utilizing online tools and software goes a long way. Staying organized is a never ending battle, but one that must be fought. Help yourself create good organizational habits by setting up systems that automate the simple things and aid in keeping things on track.