What is Trust?
Written by
vkistudios.com VKI Studios
Online trust is similar to a contract between a retailer and a customer. Trust is an expectation that grows as customers interact with your brand. Those
interactions span a range of touch points including
print and broadcast advertisements, catalogs, promotional mailings, employee contact, as well as your
retail and online stores. Each one is equally important, each can make or break the trust your customers and online visitors have or expect in you.company.
Trust is in fact what drives al.commercial transactions between a retailer and customer. When you make a purchase in a retail store, you take it on trust
the products are fit for their intended purpose. You trust that if it does not work, or if you change your mind about the purchase, the retailer will accept
the returned product. You trust that when your credit card is handed to a sales associate, the proper amount of money is securely transferred. These are
basic trust expectations customers have with retail establishments and with online websites as well. And if that trust is broken, the relationship is void
and very difficult to rebuild.
There are man.components which contribute to how the customer experiences your brand, and the level of trust people have in your ability to deliver on your
brand promise. To build and maintain trust online, websites, both Ecommerce and not, must include trust elements to cultivate a positive relationship
between .company and its potential and existing customers.
Online Trust Elements Accurate product information is critical to helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions. When a purchase is made based upon inaccurate information, what happens to that customers willingness to trust you in the future? When the inaccuracy
becomes apparent to the customer, what is the cost to correct it? At best, the product is returned and exchanged for one that fits the needs of a customer
that is now frustrated and distrustful of your information. At worst, the product is returned and youve lost a customer forever. Product information must
be concise, relevant, well-written and persuasive.
User-friendliness, aka Usability People expect retail sales clerks to be friendly and knowledgeable, and the purchasing process to be painless and efficient. Customers bring those
expectations of a pleasant shopping experience with them when visiting a website. If online user-friendliness standards fall below customer expectations,
your website will lose sales due to higher-than-average website abandonment. Three major issues users have with websites is poor navigation, ineffective
search functions and low quality product photographs. Fixing just these
vkistudios.com web usability issues alone will greatly
increase conversion ratios.
Its All About You Online shoppers want to know who they are dealing with. Websites must try and create a connection between the visitor an.company similar to the empathy
developed between a customer and the sales clerk during an in-store visit. Heres a list of trust elements needed in the About Us section to replicate
in-store experiences online:
¢ Photographs of the store owner or manager, staff and brick and mortar operations .company history ¢ Management biographies .community involvement ¢ Corporate Partners and Suppliers ¢ Press Releases ¢ Professional Affiliations
Its All About Them Users must understand how .company conducts business before they wil.commit to a purchase. Websites must parallel an in-person experience within the online
environment by visibility and functionally demonstrating an understanding of users expectations. Your online customers want to know:
¢ What are the return and refund policies? ¢ What guarantees, warranties and promises of satisfaction are connected to each purchase? ¢ Is the website safe others dont. Intimate knowledge of who your customers
are will allow you to build a website to satisfy the needs and expectations of those customers. Happy customers, as we all know, quickly become loyal, repeat
customers.
Find out more on
vkistudios.com web usability and
vkistudios.com Internet marketing at VKI Studios.com
Find Part 2 on our
vkistudios.com website.
