If you are running, or looking at starting an online shop one of the main issues you’ll face is new customers asking questions like:
- “Can I trust this shop with my card details?”
- “Will they send me the product on time?”
- “If my order is damaged/lost in the post will they help me?”
- “What’s their return policy and do they actually honour it?”
And so on.. No matter the question, the overall picture is whether the buyer can trust you. The first they visit you, they’ll have doubts. The good news is, there are ways to get across that your site is safe, secure and that they can trust you.
Here’s five ways you can increase the trust of your website.
1. Make sure you have the padlock
That little padlock icon next to your web address means something. If you have one, it means your site has an SSL certificate, which keeps a customer’s details private as they check out.
If you don’t, your site will have a warning next to it, like in the image below. Saying that it is not secure. The HTTPS part wil be crossed out.
They’ll also be given a warning by their browser. Explaining to them that the connection is not private. That attackers may be trying to steal their information. The example below is from Google Chrome, but most, if not all browsers will display a similar warning.
If a customer sees either of those warnings, they’ll quickly leave your website. It’s basically a “keep out” sign. There’s ways of avoiding this such as:
- Ensuring your SSL certificate is installed correctly
- That you’re using an SSL certificate that is backed by a company like PositiveSSL and not a self-signed one
- That your SSL certificate hasn’t been revoked by the company that signed it
- That it hasn’t expired
If you’re not sure
2. Make it easy for customers to contact you
Customers are more likely to trust an online store when they know they can easily get in touch if they have a question or issue. Scammers hide their details. They want it to be difficult to contact them, in the hope people give up. Whereas a real business, cares about their customers and are happy to be found.
By having a clear, easy to find contact page you can reassure the people visiting your website that you are real, you’re not going to scam them, and you’re happy to help answer their questions.
We recommend displaying multiple options, as this helps you be more accessible especailly to those who have difficulty with some communication methods. Give people options such as:
- An email address that you check regularly. The email address should use your own website address, not a free one like @gmail.com or @btinternet.com. A @websitename.com email, looks professional and builds more trust. You’ll also be accessible to those who struggle to use a phone such as Deaf people.
- A contact form that actually works. This helps people who would prefer to contact you in a couple of clicks without having to open their email. Just make sure it goes to an email account you will check, and that you do respond. A dead contact form loses trust.
- A phone number, if you use one. Having a phone number available can help build trust. You don’t always need one (we don’t), but having the option there can help customers connect with you quickly. We recommend using a professional business number rather than your personal number. You can always download a virtual phone app, if you cannot afford a dedicated line.
- A physical address helps build trust by reassuring people you’re real, located in the same country or town as them. You’re also legally required to display it by law in the UK and EU. If you don’t want to show your personal address, you can sign up for a virtual address service. Most accountants also allow you to use their address.
- Make your contact details stand out. Don’t hide them on one contact page. Advertise them in the footer, or as a call to action in your main menu. This can help increase custom, especially if people are likely to have questions or if they’re looking to have something in their house repaired (e.g. electrican or plumber).
3. Let your reviews do the talking
Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals. Most people check reviews before they buy. Especially if it’s a site they haven’t seen before. Checking what other customers thought, and whether they were happy with your service helps build trust.
We recommend showing genuine reviews and star ratings on your product or service pages. You can also feature them on your home page if applicable. We’d also recommend linking through to where the reviews came from, so customers can check the source. Such as using a Trustpilot Badge, or a Google Reviews badge.
Click here to preview your posts with PRO themes ››
A few honest words from a customer, can go far and can actually do more for building trust than anything else you can do.
4. Make your delivery times and returns policy clear
Vague delivery times, hidden costs, return polices that are hard to find all make people lose trust in a business. We recommend having a page that covers your delivery policy, and your returns policy. But you can also feature it on your home page, making it clear, easy to understand, with a link to the full policy.
Here’s an example of a Delivery & Returns setup on a website we created for a handmade baby clothing store. This is featured on the homepage, and at the bottom of each product page. That way, customers can easily find out what the deal is when it comes to how long their order will take to arrive, and how they can return the baby clothes if they’re unsuitable.
Your delivery page should contain at least:
- Clear delivery costs
- How long do you take to dispatch the item?
- What delivery methods are there? Do you offer upgrades for quicker delivery?
- Is there a weight limit? Are certain products restricted to certain delivery methods?
- Do you have restrictions on shipping to places like the Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands, Northern Ireland etc?
- Do you ship internationally? If so, what does it cost and by what methods?
When it comes to your returns policy, you need to make sure you’re following the laws. In the UK if you’re selling to consumers this is the Consumer Right Act 2015. Under this act, you have to allow buyers the chance to change their mind and return most products. There are some exceptions, and we do recommend getting legal advice to ensure your policy is correct. You should always accept returns if the item is damaged or not as described. But you should at least answer these questions:
- How long do the buyers have to return the item?
- How can they request a return?
- Who pays for the return postage? You or the buyer? If you include a free return label, mention this
- How long do you take to process refunds?
- What reasons can a buyer return an item for? Legally they can for any change of mind, but are there any other allowances?
- How does a buyer report their product was damaged or another issue with their order?
5. A professional, reliable website
First impressions count. Creating a DIY store on Shopify or Wix might seem like a good idea, but is it going to win you trust? You may also choose to use an AI website generator, or a low cost company offering websites for £100. But Is it going to be accessible to your disabled customers? Will it load quickly? Work well on mobile? Is there an SSL certificate? Is your hosting reliable or does your website keep going down?
What happens if the website breaks? Do you know how to fix it? Or have someone you can trust that can? A website that breaks creates a bad impression, and can also have a negative impact on your search engine ranking,s and how often AI recommends you.
You also have to consider the maintenance side of things. Are you able to update addons? Refresh the content throughout the year for different seasons and trends? Make changes to your policies if the laws change? And so on.
There’s a lot to consider when making a website besides making it look nice. Clear photos with alt text, tidy product descriptions, no broken links, readable text, all tell a customer that you take your business seriously.
A shop that looks like it’s cared for, feels more trustworthy and professional than one that is neglected, poorly designed and unusable by some.
