If like most e-commerce sites you’re looking to increase sales and conversion rates during 2010, it’s important to understand the reasons behind users buying decisions. There are a number of factors which when understood could help you turn more visitors into customers.

Here are 7 factors which influence your conversion rates:

      Prices and availability -  People go online because they expect to find a great deal for less. They also expect to find the item in stock and with them within a few days. Therefore it makes sense for the business to ensure prices are always competitive and items are in stock. Plan well ahead and always keep your competitive edge intact.
      Product positioning and merchandising – Similar to any high street shop, where products are positioned within your e-commerce site can have a huge effect on conversion rates. Merchandise your site in such a way that best sellers are never more than two clicks away from the homepage or main category pages, that products are always categorised and that there’s always a clear call to action.
      Product offers and promotions – Take another example from the high street and make sure to always have a few offers online. Some visitors might find free delivery offers appealing, some find discount offers appealing and some find buy one get one free offers appealing. Plan well ahead and draw yourself a type of promotional road map to maintain your competitive edge and make your offer irresistible to both new and existing customers.
      Level and expertise of your staff – Before making a purchase some visitor groups might place a call or send an email to the business. The way in which your staff is able to response, and in particular how quickly and thoroughly will effect your online sales and bottom line revenue. The key is to train your staff and adopt business practices which put customer support ahead.
      Trust and credibility - Before handing over their money and personal details, visitors are looking for signs that the e-commerce site is credible and trustworthy. These signs can vary from displaying a physical address to listing terms and conditions in a clear and easily readable manner. Other trust factors are displaying a telephone number, displaying 3rd party accreditation and professional affiliations.
      Seasonal fluctuations and trends – Some types of products might be selling better or worse at different times of the year. For example, you’d assume that greeting cards will sell better during the major holidays compared to the time in between. Use your historical data to promote different products at different times of the year. If you haven’t gathered enough historical data, try one of the trends perdition tools such as Google Trends.
      Level and depth of your information – When visitors arrive at your e-commerce site and hopefully at the product page you should aim to answer all the questions they might have. Any uncertainty due to the level and depth of the information on the page can cause visitors to go elsewhere. When adding new products or services, ask a few people to read your descriptions to ensure there are no unknowns and later on tweak as you go along.

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Article by spectacles seller Glasses Direct. Sellers of spectacles and sunglasses online.