RapNet Blog
You’re about to open a new online diamond jewelry store or you’re already managing one. Yours is one of many competing for the attention of online shoppers everywhere. So how do you stand apart? Start with these five steps.
1. Have a clear USP.
Whether your site is already online or you’re just getting started, a clearly defined and easy-to-grasp USP (unique selling proposition) is essential to achieving success. Having a USP makes you more valuable and distinguishes you from your competition. You have to fill a specific niche to be successful in the marketplace. Perhaps it’s your slogan, or the donation you make with every purchase. Whatever it is, a USP will draw visitors to your site, and fast.
One example is to use the market’s pain point in your USP, as recommended by Interactivemarketinginc.com:
Pain point: The market hates paying huge 300% mark-ups for jewelry.
USP: "Don't pay 300% markups to a traditional jeweler for inferior diamonds! We guarantee that your loose diamond will appraise for at least 200% of the purchase price, or we'll buy it back."
It’s very important that you make sure you can deliver on your USP’s promise, so be careful when you pick yours.
Having a clear USP doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel. If you need some inspiration on finding yours, check out The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition.
2. Clean up your site.
First impressions count, and if visitors find your site difficult to navigate or understand, they’ll be gone as quickly as they arrived. Make sure every page of your online diamond jewelry store is pleasing to the eye and easy to use. It should make buying diamonds online straightforward for your customers.
Follow some basic design principles to get your online jewelry store looking good. Avoid over-cluttering your pages with text, buttons or links. Stay consistent with font styles and sizes, and image placement. Check out these 20 Examples of Bad Web Design. Just glancing at some of the screenshots offered there will quickly help you understand what works and what doesn’t.
3. Get social.
Nowadays, online shoppers expect you to have a social media presence. This gives them more ways to get to know you, gain insight into other customers’ experiences, and connect with you in order to learn about deals, get customer support and more.
Put your store on Facebook and Twitter, and add links to your accounts somewhere visible on your site, like in your site’s header or navigation bar. As we recommended in our “Basic Steps to Setting up an Online Diamond Jewelry Store” post, be sure to have a plan in place for maintaining your social media presence—and stick to it.
4. Stay up-to-date.
There’s nothing worse than getting excited over an item you’re about to purchase online, only to discover during the checkout process (or worse yet, after you’ve already completed the purchase!) that the item you selected is no longer in stock.
Make sure your online diamond jewelry store is up-to-date with your inventory and avoid misleading your online shoppers. If an item isn’t currently available, offer shoppers the opportunity to get notified by you when it’s back in stock. While they’re waiting, let them check out a selection of similar items you’ve selected for them. And if an item isn’t coming back, be sure to take it off your site.
5. Be responsive.
Potential and existing customers will enjoy their experience on your online store substantially more, and will likely become returning customers if your online customer service is quick and efficient. An easy way to start off strong with customer service is by putting up an informative FAQ page that answers all of your customers’ most commonly asked questions. In addition, make a “Contact Us” email or online form easily available, and include a phone number if you’re able to provide support over the phone.
You must address all of your online shoppers’ questions in a timely fashion, or you’ll lose them to your competition.
Check out these additional ways to improve customer service for more great tips.
Conclusion
While your online store will be competing with a plethora of others, you can take some straightforward measures like the ones discussed here to better ensure your online jewelry store’s success. Your USP will draw in consumers looking for the exact benefits you’ll provide. Your social presence will offer your existing and future customers access to getting to know you and your brand better, setting the framework for a long and fruitful relationship. And your clean, up-to-date site will ensure a smooth shopping experience that meets your customers’ every expectation.
Are there other steps you’ve taken to make your online diamond jewelry store stand apart from the rest? Let us know in the comments below!