It’s no secret that the manufacturing industry is extremely competitive. According to data collected by The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), there are currently nearly 250,000 manufacturers operating in the United States alone. Add your global competitors to that number and it becomes even more difficult for your company to stand out.
One way you can do it is by integrating ecommerce features into your manufacturing website. Keeping your website fresh and relevant in this way will help you to retain the customers you have while attracting new ones. Incorporating these five ecommerce features is an excellent way to get started:
1. Personalized Ordering
Successfully ecommerce companies like Amazon are already using personalized ordering to great success. It allows a business to create tailor-made virtual shopping experiences for each of their customers.
Manufacturing companies can incorporate personalized ordering into their websites to keep their customers’ attention in the noisy online shopping space. For the best results, consider introducing real-time product recommendations based on a customer’s buying preferences.
2. Search
Search is a standard ecommerce feature that’s as necessary now as it was when first introduced. An integrated search tool will enable your company’s customers to find the products they want faster. It also saves your company from losing sales due to a customer’s frustration out of not being able to find what they need.
3. Ecommerce Analytics
Ecommerce analytics offers a huge opportunity for your manufacturing company to add value to its website. With them, you’ll be able to better understand your customers’ shopping behavior. For example, analytics can show you when in the sales process a customer typically leaves your website. This provides you with actionable information that you can use to correct sales issues and move towards a better conversion rate. Web-based companies have been using analytics to their advantage for a while now.
For example, Envelopes.com is an online retailer of custom-printed envelopes. Through analytics, they found that a significant number of their web visitors would visit their website multiple times before making a purchase. With this information, they proceeded to retarget those customers through abandoned cart emails and improve their sales. Your manufacturing company could accomplish something similar by integrating Ecommerce analytics into its platform.
4. Mobile Optimization
Mobile optimization is another feature that customers have come to expect from the platforms they deal with online. Your manufacturing website can integrate it into your customers’ pre- and post-order experiences. You can optimize your web store for mobile users and ensure that your customers are able to review their order status from the convenience of their phones. Features like these will make purchasing from your site a much easier thing to do, ensuring customers want to return.
5. Personalized Pricing
This feature allows you to offer client-specific pricing. It’s especially important for manufacturing websites since they often strike deals with their customers that alter their prices. With personalized pricing, your customers will be able to browse your website and easily find the actual cost they would pay for each item they want.
When you build personalized pricing into your website, you also make it easier for your company to promote specials that provide your customers with added value. Onsharp has lots of experience in doing this.
For example, we built a website for All Seasons Mechanical, a retailer of heating and cooling equipment based in the Fargo-Moorhead area. We helped them create an integrated specials page so that customers were able to quickly find the best deals. Through this, All Seasons Mechanical was able to raise its sales numbers.
Ecommerce Features For Your Manufacturing Website: Built by Onsharp
Ecommerce features like the ones discussed above are a must-have for your manufacturing website. They provide an opportunity to stand out from the competition and many chances to increase your company’s sales. When you’re ready to integrate ecommerce features into your website, Onsharp has the expertise to make it happen. Reach out to us and we’ll tell you more about how we can help.
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