Tips to increase the sales of your online shoe store

Online sales and ecommerce have stepped forward in the online shopping habits of consumers. Statista shows us that in 2020, the number of “digital buyers” at the global level was more than 2 billion people, and the trend in the last few years is increasing. In the retail sector, ecommerce sales already make up 14.1% of the total, and it’s predicted that by 2023, it will reach 22%. These numbers are undeniable. 

Online fashion and shoe shopping has noted the paradigm change and is one of the best to adapt to online store strategies. Although COVID-19 had a negative effect on sales, in the US, ecommerce was the channel of choice for 30% of purchases within the fashion industry in 2020. That’s a third of the total, and it promises to keep increasing in the coming years. 
 

How digital channels favor online shoe shopping and the retail sector in general 

Internet fashion isn’t just entering, searching, buying, and leaving. It’s much more than that. It’s a highly specialized sector and a large community of fashion enthusiasts has been created around it. They generate content through blogs, podcasts, and social media, especially Instagram. On Instagram, we can find big influencers like Amina Muaddi, a shoe designer with more than 800,000 followers, or Katy Perry herself, a pop star that has her own online shoe store. There are even some as specialized as Sole Collector, dedicated exclusively to talking about shoes.

Source: Amina Muaddi

The result of this movement is that consumers have a much larger knowledge about the sector when it comes to buying shoes online. They follow the latest news and trends and can even pay attention to the creative process, inspiration, and references of the brand. There’s a bigger connection between the brand and the user, of which we should take both care and advantage. 

In addition, a phenomenon with millenials is occurring and it’s the rebound of luxury brand consumption: Gucci or Louis Vuitton have become extremely popular in the 18-34 age range. This is possible thanks to the changes big brands have made in their communication. Fashion leaders are cautious about digital communication channels, thinking that they lose exclusivity. That’s why they haven’t taken advantage of the potential of social networks in their shoe store marketing strategies. But they have realized they can’t fight the future, and that integrating these communication channels allows them to connect to a younger audience, share their philosophy and values, and create engagement with followers while spreading word about their products. They’ve turned towards Marketing 360º with good results. 

With that said, the reality for online shoe stores signals that they must optimize their digital sales process to survive. Phygital is key: you don’t have to put physical contact and client interaction aside, but instead combine it with an attractive web platform and simple and effective ecommerce, with which your audience can shop from anywhere and any device.

Why is an ecommerce strategy fundamental in this sector?

The goal of an online store is sales. We have to visualize it from day one and make sure the characteristics that the project must follow are always present: be a usable pagin, oriented to conversion and optimized for search engines. These are three necessary elements of any ecommerce project.

Optimizing page content and design will help our site be more attractive, convincing, and easy to visit. Following a strategy will help you get better results with a small investment: services that allow for an easier shopping experience for clients, especially not charging for shipping, making returns easier in the case the customer is not satisfied, and an online tool to measure feet and ensuring the size is accurate can be some of these. We also can’t forget cross-selling, which will help to increase the shopping possibilities. 

However, it’s better to bet large and put the following tips into practice that will help you optimize your ecommerce. Let’s go! 
 

Tips to increase shoe sales with your digital strategy 

1. Visual identity: the design of a fashion website is extremely important. Fashion is seen through the eyes: invest in finding your own visual stamp, a potent logo, a coherent palette of colors and apply all this to a simple and intuitive interface. To connect with your public, you must also pay attention to the moment’s visual trends, which have a lot of weight on social media: from TikTok challenges to the fashion that inspires influencers and is passed through their followers. An example is Quanticlo showing their products with a garage photoshoot.

2. Brand values: today more than ever, brands are differentiated by their philosophy. Online shoe stores are as well. Define your principles well and make sure they are aligned with your target audience. Sustainability, equality, or purchasing local are themes that are valued especially with young people. Frequently, the best way to communicate your value statement is through a video, and many brands use them to promote their new creations or Fashion Films to connect even more with the user. 

3. Language: the way you address your audience is important. Make it right for each occasion and each format: newsletters, social media, product description, etc. And for product description, there are no rules. Brands are using increasingly original names, which evoke cities, moods, references to pop culture, and more. The makeup sector is the best example. Jefree Star Cosmetics named an eyeshadow palette “Orgy” and each shade has an even more daring name. 

4. Testimonials, recommendations, and opinions: they are a trampoline so more people can get to know you. If shoppers record a positive experience in their shoe purchase, exchange or return, delivery time, or good customer service, visitors will have a better chance of becoming buyers. 

5. Specialized press: every shoe store must create a database with the media that is most interesting, according to the product. In the fashion and shoe sector, there is a wide variety of specialized magazines and sections within generalized media. Use this database for periodic emails, new updates, building relationships with journalists, and getting a higher notoriety for your brand. 

6. Usability: if the user doesn’t have a good experience, they won’t recommend your site when it comes to suggesting stores. Negative word of mouth can become your worst enemy. Make sure your website is easy to navigate, without obstacles, slow loading times, and or any other problem. And of course, make sure your platform is responsive and can be accessed from a phone. 

7. Images: In fashion, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And if you don’t listen to that, your users could dislike your products, leave your page, and go somewhere else. Use optimized images and make sure they don’t slow the loading time of the page. Don’t forget to name the images using the right keywords and add a small description. 

Source: Quanticlo

8. Landing Pages (LP): landing pages are key in the buying process because they redirect the buyer to their concrete objective. A clear landing page with a lovely design will make your customers feel that they are in the right place to shop. In addition, LPs are also useful for specific campaigns, offers, and promotions with which you can grab the customer. 

9. SEO: keywords are very important. Use them in texts, pages, images, product descriptions, posts, and news in different sizes, in bold, etc. With Google Trends and Google Analytics, you have very useful tools to find these words. 

10. Links: quality is more important than quantity. Link the right well-known pages and different sections of your own page and you will create a network that will connect your site with others, so that Google ranks you first. 

11. Social media: find out where your target audience is and become present on these networks. This way, you’ll reach them quickly and cheaply and ensure that you ‘talk’ to the people interested in your product. Use networks organically and also as a publicity channel, with well-targeted ads that reach new followers and allow you to do Social Selling. 

Source: Adidas

12. Analysis: With Google Analytics you can get to know your audience’s behavior perfectly. Observe where you are lacking and find a solution. Behavior analysis can deliver a success or failure in both your website and social media. 

13. Customer service: facilitating the payment method, easy returns, or meeting delivery dates is the best way to win the confidence of your clients. You will be successful if you maintain correct and efficient customer service from any setting (web, email, chatbots, social media, telephone assistance). 

14. Influencers: fashion bloggers and influencers can provide a key push for your business. If you have kept the previous aspects in mind, you can take a jump and contact them so they see your product: those who see it will review it and share it on their platforms. If the opinions are positive, you will see the number of followers and subscribers increase. Influencer activity is very professionalized today, and there is a huge variety of instagrammers and bloggers from which to choose. Many are specialized, so it’s easy to find a profile that fits your brand philosophy. From vintage influencers to second-hand influencers, others in the makeup world, stylists, or accessory lovers, you can find the right fit. 

As you can see, a web strategy for an online shoe store requires a lot of work and a holistic vision of the process with high attention to detail. But we know that if you follow this advice and mix it with your passion for fashion, your business will flourish and reach the digital success we so want. Get to work!