Digital transformation has made its way to every industry, and manufacturing is no different. Customers bring with them enhanced expectations and expect to find a purchasing experience similar to one in their personal lives. This can hurt manufacturers because, for many, their digital investments are lagging behind their B2C counterparts. For example, when the majority of users visit a website, they only wait 10-20 seconds to decide if they’ll stay on it or not. Getting B2B buyers to their desired outcome quickly is important. This is especially true for eCommerce.
The manufacturing industry has seen a boom in eCommerce sales and with that a rise in competition. If an eStore doesn’t give the buyer confidence in their purchase, they won’t hesitate to go somewhere else that will. There are a few relatively simple things manufacturers can do to give buyers confidence. We’re going to explain how and why creating high-quality product information is so important for manufacturers.
High-quality Images
A picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to online sales they’re worth even more. Seeing an image of what they’re going to purchase gives B2B buyers the confidence they will get exactly what they need. And when it’s in a fast-moving environment like manufacturing, where buyers need products to do their job, providing them with a sense of security in the purchase instantly delivers value.
80% of buyers say they’re more likely to purchase from an eCommerce site if it has accurate photos and videos. We’ll touch on videos more later, but it’s easy to see the impact images can have. One reason many manufacturers don’t have product images is that they have so many SKUs that it seems overwhelming. One way to handle this is to hire a product intern who can make sure every inventoried product has at least one image for the website.
Another way to overcome the volume of SKUs is to use existing 2D and or 3D engineering assemblies and drawing files. This visual representation of the product will assist in giving customers peace of mind that they’re buying the right product for the application.
Product Information
Product descriptions, attributes, and specifications are another way to build trust with the buyers that come to your site. They also aren’t often prioritized because of the large inventory manufacturers have. This step in the eCommerce process shouldn’t be forgotten though because dealing with unhappy customers leads to more work than filling out product descriptions would have. Doing so also increases conversion rates and brand loyalty. 87% of customers said the lack of product content lowered their confidence in the company they were buying from.
Product Videos
Product videos are an increasing priority when it comes to product information available on a website, and they can be a great differentiator. Buyers are often researchers first and videos can be a great way to convey important product information or assist in product selection. 73% of visitors to a site that watch a product video will make a purchase. What a conversion rate! Videos can be time-consuming to create, but if the right resources are allocated to them they have a tremendous impact on increasing eCommerce sales.
Making Product Information a Priority
The world of eCommerce is still relatively new for manufacturers, but that also means there’s a lot of room for growth. Taking the steps to improve product information is one of the best ways to differentiate from the competition and provide buyers with the online purchasing experience they’ve come to expect. Whether it’s high-quality images, detailed product information, or videos—product content should be a priority for every manufacturer.
If you’d like to speak with a manufacturing and eCommerce consultant about your online strategy, make sure to contact us at genalpha.com.