0. What is a good conversion rate and how do you calculate it?

Before presenting the strategies, it is important to understand the conversion rate formula. The formula is simple:

• Conversion rate = ((number of conversions) / (number of visitors)) * 100

Example: 

Over a week, you made 30 sales on your transactional site and had 1500 visitors. The sales conversion rate would be: (30 / 1500) * 100 = 2%

In Canada, in the third quarter of 2023, the average conversion rate across all industries was 1.9%.

Evolution of conversion rate in Canada between Q1 2022 and Q3 2023. Statista

In the online grocery sector, the average conversion rate was 2.6% globally in the third quarter of 2023.

Conversion rate by vertical in Q3 2023 Statista

These data will allow you to establish a benchmark to compare your current conversion rate and monitor its evolution with the strategies we propose in the following sections.

1. Install analytics tools

Before you can optimize the conversion rate of your transactional site, you need to install tools that will allow you to collect data. Basic tools such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Hotjar or Livesession will provide you with metrics to optimize your conversion rate.

2. Optimize product pages  

One of the essential strategies to improve the conversion rate of your online grocery store is to optimize your product pages. To do this, it is crucial to focus on clear and informative descriptions, high-quality images and videos, as well as the benefits and features of the products.

Clear and informative descriptions

A well-written and detailed product description allows customers to easily understand the features and benefits of the product, encouraging them to make a purchase. Use simple and concise language while highlighting the strengths of each product.

High-quality images and videos

Visuals play a crucial role in online purchasing decisions. Since customers cannot touch or try the products, they rely on quality images and videos to get a precise idea of the product. Invest in professional and attractive visuals to make customers want to buy.

Product benefits and features

Besides descriptions and visuals, to optimize the online purchasing process, don’t forget to highlight the key benefits and features of your products. This helps customers quickly understand what sets your product apart from the competition and why they should buy it.

A good example of a product page is Kroger's.

3. Enable quick product search

To enable quick product searches on your transactional site, two key elements must be optimized: the search bar and product organization by relevant categories and filters.

In fact, visitors who use the search bar convert on average 1.8x more than those who don’t.

Search bar optimization

An effective and efficient search bar is crucial to help customers quickly find the products they are looking for. Make sure the search bar on your transactional site is clearly visible and easy to use. Additionally, it is recommended to use advanced features such as autocomplete, product suggestions, and spelling corrections to improve the user experience and increase the likelihood of conversion.

Product organization by relevant categories and filters

Another way to facilitate Algolia quick product searches is by organizing your product catalog into clear and logical categories. This allows customers to navigate more easily and find products that meet their needs. In addition, offer relevant filters to refine search results, such as brand, price, size, or color.

Solutions like Algolia make the implementation process easier.

4. Reduce transactional site loading time  

The loading time of a transactional site is an important element of the user experience. Long loading times can lead to visitor abandonment and negatively affect the conversion rate of your online store. It is therefore essential to work on reducing loading time to improve the conversion rate of your online business.

Several tools and techniques can be used to optimize your site’s speed. For example, you can compress images and CSS and JavaScript files, use a content delivery network (CDN), or cache pages to speed up their display. It is also important to choose a high-performance and reliable web host to ensure optimal loading speed.

5. Offer complementary products  

Related product suggestions

During the online purchasing process, by suggesting related products, you can increase cart value by encouraging customers to add complementary items to their order. For example, if a customer buys a food product, you could suggest kitchen utensils or condiments that complement the culinary experience. These suggestions can be based on customer preferences, previous purchases, or consumption trends.

Highlighting best-selling products

By highlighting best-selling products, you show customers that they are popular and appreciated by other consumers. This can encourage customers to add them to their cart by giving them confidence in the quality and satisfaction provided by these items. Moreover, it helps guide customers towards safe and proven choices, facilitating their purchasing decision.

6. Specify product availability and delivery time  

In the field of e-commerce, and especially online grocery, it is essential to inform customers about product availability and delivery times. Clear and transparent communication on these aspects contributes to customer satisfaction and can increase your conversion rate.

Inform customers about stock levels and delivery times

It is crucial to be transparent with your customers about product availability and delivery times. Customers appreciate knowing if they can expect to receive their items quickly or if they need to wait due to stock shortages. Regularly update this information to avoid disappointments and order cancellations. Indeed, stock shortages are the main cause of customer dissatisfaction when placing online grocery orders. At OneTrip, we can help you implement solutions to synchronize your inventory in real-time, avoiding this problem.

Highlight your reliable delivery partners

Choosing reliable and reputable delivery partners is crucial for the success of your online commerce project. By working with trusted partners, you strengthen customer confidence in your online store. Don’t hesitate to mention these partners on your site and provide links to their websites so that customers can learn more about the delivery services offered.

7. Don’t overlook delivery costs 

Customers are increasingly attentive to delivery costs when making online purchases. To make your transactional site more attractive and competitive, here are some tips to consider:

Offer competitive and flexible delivery options

Provide delivery options that meet your customers' needs and expectations. This could include express delivery services, in-store pickup points, or even specific delivery time slots. By offering diverse delivery options, you increase the chances of satisfying your customers' preferences and improving their shopping experience.

Offer free delivery

During the online purchasing process, promotional offers on delivery fees can encourage customers to finalize their order. For example, you can offer free delivery for a minimum purchase amount or for a limited time. Customers are often more inclined to buy if delivery costs are reduced or waived, which contributes to improving the conversion rate of your transactional site.

8.Accept multiple payment methods 

By offering various payment options such as credit cards, bank transfers, electronic wallets, Interac transfers, or cash on delivery, you give your customers the choice of selecting the payment method that suits them best. It is also important to ensure that the payment gateways you integrate are known for their security and reliability to reassure customers about the protection of their banking data.

9. Humanize your transactional site  

It is essential to add a human touch to your transactional site to create an emotional connection with your customers and provide them with a pleasant and personalized online shopping experience. Here are two actionable strategies to humanize your online store:

Create an "About" page with your business's story and mission

The "About" page allows you to share your business’s story and mission, which helps build a trustful relationship with your customers. Present your business’s values, goals, and the team working behind the scenes to offer the best products and services. Don’t hesitate to add photos and anecdotes to make this page more authentic and engaging.

Offer responsive and personalized customer support:

Responsive and personalized customer service is essential to improving the conversion rate of your online grocery store. Make sure to be easily accessible and ready to respond to your customers' questions and concerns. You can use various communication channels, such as chatbots, social media, or phone calls, to quickly and effectively meet your customers' needs.

10. Highlight special product offers  

These offers attract customers with promotions and discounts, encouraging them to make a purchase on your site.

Attract customers with promotions and discounts

Promotions and discounts are effective tools for attracting customers' attention and encouraging them to explore your range of products. By offering temporary discounts or exclusive benefits, you encourage visitors to take advantage of these special offers and place an order. This can also help retain your existing customers and prompt them to return for future purchases.

Communicate about special offers across the site and marketing channels

It is not enough to offer special deals; you also need to effectively communicate them to potential customers. Make sure to highlight these promotions on your transactional site, especially on the homepage and relevant product pages. Additionally, don't hesitate to inform your customers about ongoing offers through appropriate marketing channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and online ads.

11. Send cart abandonment emails  

It is essential to send automatic email reminders to customers who have abandoned their online carts. These reminders can include information about the products they left in their cart, a link to quickly return to the checkout, and promotions to create a sense of urgency. By informing them of the items they have not yet purchased, you give them a reason to return to your site and pick up where they left off.

12. Visible progress of the online Purchase process

By highlighting the different stages of the purchase process, you offer essential transparency, dissipating any potential uncertainty. Customers can have a clear view of their progress, which helps build their confidence and reduce perceived risk. When implementing this strategy, be sure to prominently display visual indicators, such as progress bars or numbered steps, throughout the checkout process. Ensure that each step is accompanied by clear instructions and, if possible, include information about the benefits or guarantees associated with each step. By guiding customers through a transparent process, you increase the chances that they will confidently complete their purchase.

13. Insert trust indicators

To improve your transactional site’s conversion rate, it is essential to build trust with your visitors. Here are two key elements to consider to strengthen trust:

Display certification and partner logos

Customers are more likely to make an online purchase on a transactional site that features recognized certification and partner logos. These logos attest to the quality of your products and services and show that your online store is endorsed by trusted organizations. Make sure to prominently integrate these logos on your online store, particularly on the homepage, product pages, and checkout pages.

Transparency on prices and shipping costs

Customers appreciate transparency and clarity regarding prices and shipping costs. Therefore, it is important to clearly indicate the costs associated with each product and the different shipping options from the beginning of the purchase process. By being transparent, you avoid unpleasant surprises for customers and reduce cart abandonment.

14. Insert customer testimonials on the online grocery store

Customer testimonials are a crucial element for building the trust of visitors to your transactional site. By sharing positive experiences and success stories from your customers, you demonstrate the effectiveness of your products and services, which can encourage prospects to place an order.

It is important to integrate these testimonials naturally and relevantly on your site. You can present them in the form of quotes, videos, or even in-depth case studies. Be sure to select testimonials that are representative of your target clientele and highlight the most convincing aspects of your grocery products.

15. Make calls to action visible and attractive

Calls to action (CTAs) are key elements for encouraging visitors to take a specific action on your transactional site (e.g., signing up for a newsletter). To maximize their impact, it is essential to make them visible and attractive.

Use clear and eye-catching buttons and links to grab visitors' attention. Choose bright and contrasting colors that stand out from the rest of your site. Also, ensure that your CTAs are easily understandable, with simple and direct text that clearly indicates the action you want users to take.

In addition to being visually appealing, calls to action should be strategically placed on your site. Position them to be easily noticeable, such as at the top of the page, next to key products, or in the sidebar. Don’t hesitate to include multiple calls to action in different places on the transactional site, ensuring they don’t become too intrusive.

As part of these actionable strategies to improve the conversion rate of an online grocery store, it is essential to continuously test and adjust calls to action to optimize their effectiveness. Use analytics tools to measure their performance and conduct A/B tests to compare different versions and find the winning combination.

16. Work on the ergonomics of the transactional website

Good ergonomics make it easier to navigate and access important information for visitors, encouraging them to make a purchase. Here are some key points to consider for optimizing the ergonomics of your site:

Responsive design

It is essential to design your site to adapt perfectly to the screens of mobile devices and computers (responsive). This ensures an optimal user experience, regardless of the type of device customers use to access your transactional site. An adapted design also helps improve your site’s search engine rankings, which increases its visibility and conversion rate.

Ease of Navigation and Access to Important Information

Ensure that your online grocery store is easy to navigate and that essential information, such as product details, prices, payment methods, and delivery options, is easily accessible to visitors. Smooth and intuitive navigation allows customers to quickly find what they are looking for and easily progress through the online purchase process, which will increase your conversion rate.

17. Simplified online registration and purchase process

A simplified and intuitive registration process can significantly improve the user experience. By making account creation easier, transactional sites can offer quick login options via social networks or allow users to complete their purchase as guests. Avoid complex registration forms by requesting only essential information, which helps reduce friction during the purchase process. Simplicity in account creation is not only a time saver for customers but also an effective strategy to encourage the completion of the purchase process without frustration or unnecessary obstacles.

18. Analyze exit points

You can identify the pages where customers abandon the purchase process and optimize these pages using tools like Hotjar or Livesession.

19. Simplify forms

By requesting only essential information, you avoid discouraging your customers with forms that are too long and complex. Reduce the number of fields to fill in and ensure that each field is clearly labeled. Additionally, it is important to provide explanations or examples when it is necessary to fill in less common or more specific fields.

20. Offer a buying guide

To help customers make informed purchasing decisions and increase your conversion rate, it is important to provide a buying guide on your transactional site. This guide can include tips, product comparisons, and information on market trends. By facilitating navigation and product discovery, you increase the chances that visitors will find what they are looking for and make a purchase on your transactional site.

A well-designed buying guide can also help establish your business as an authority in your field, thereby strengthening customers’ trust in your brand. Don’t hesitate to include links to authoritative sources to support your advice and recommendations.

Sources:
https://www.plezi.co/fr/taux-de-conversion/
https://www.irpcommerce.com/en/gb/ecommercemarketdata.aspx
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/canadas-grocery-sector-well-functioning-market-fccfoodbeverage/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1106713/global-conversion-rate-by-industry-and-device/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383106/e-commerce-conversion-rate-in-canada/
https://www.bigcommerce.com/articles/ecommerce/conversion-rate-optimization/
https://fr.lightspeedhq.com/blog/taux-de-conversion-ecommerce-transformer-visiteurs-en-clients/