It’s a feature that’s been on the ecommerce scene for a while, but not many online shop owners are using it to its full potential. When we shop online and buy a product, more often that not we’ll be encouraged to look at similar products – usually from the same seller.
Amazon is a particularly good example of this. Next time you add a book or item of stationary to your shopping basket as a for instance, scroll down the page and you will find a row of ‘related product’ boxes. This feature has a dual function: it lets you know about goods that are likely to be of interest whilst subtly persuading you into the buy-it-now domain.
No matter what trade you’re in, anyone and everyone should be using the related products feature wherever possible to maximise their online sales. Check that your ecommerce software package has this function, and enable it or edit the settings in the control panel next time you log in. It gives your customers the chance to explore other complimentary items as well as operating as an essential up-sell technique.
Let’s say you’re in the sportswear industry selling swimwear and other accessories for use in swimming sessions. You would advertise products like goggles, hats, and water bottles (related products) alongside your swimsuits in order to drive more transactions through your online shop. It makes sense to offer your customers more scope for finding items of interest, after all, the idea is to gain as much custom as you can from you customer base.
Of course, there is more likelihood of this working that not generating any extra income from it at all. The main reason being that customers are in the ‘buying domain’ when the related products feature is activated. There’s always that chance that one of your clients will opt for an item that comes as a recommended purchase – especially if you set up special offers and promotions on your products.
There are ecommerce software platforms that are starting to incorporate this element to give your online shop added features and functionality. Make sure you get the most out of your online shop by choosing a system that supports related products. Don’t forget to ask about your ecommerce software provider for help if you have any difficulty using this feature with products from your online store, they should be more than happy to help.