Administrative Checklist: 8 Tips to Fortify Your E-Commerce Website

It is crucial for retail jewelers to ensure their e-commerce sites are in top shape at all times. With a well-prepared website, you can enhance your customer experience, avoid technical hiccups, and maximize sales. Here’s a quick checklist to help you get your website ready, from payment setups to product data and marketing strategy.

This article was adapted into an episode of In the Loupe. You can listen to it below!

1. Payment and Security

Start with the basics by ensuring your payment methods are in order (no pun intended). Set up essential payment options like authorize.net, and consider adding popular payment integrations like PayPal and Amazon Pay to give customers flexibility at checkout. Adding fraud detection through Punchmark partners like Eye4Fraud or ClearSale also provides peace of mind when fulfilling orders.

2. Financing & Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

Offering some form of financing on your website, be it traditional financing through a credit card company like Wells Fargo or a BNPL type company such as Sezzle or Affirm, allows shoppers to check out with products that might be above their target price range. Each Buy Now Pay Later option has their own strengths, but we have noticed that websites that offer at least one financing option at check out are more likely to succeed in ecommerce as compared to those that don't.

3. Shipping Options

Clear, customer-friendly shipping and return policies are essential. Define your shipping options in your SiteManager platform, and consider offering free shipping over a certain threshold, such as $250, to encourage higher spending or adding peripheral items to cart. Additionally, be clear about the cutoff for orders to arrive by specific dates around the holidays. You’ll improve customer satisfaction by being upfront about arrival dates.

4. Optimizing Customer Support

Many shoppers need a little extra guidance, so ensure your customer support is ready to assist. Set up a live chat feature, such as Podium or Clientbook, for real-time assistance. Just remember to clearly determine which member of your team will be tasked with any chat messages that come through.

5. Product Presentation and Availability

Holidays are the perfect time to highlight your top product categories. Ensure your homepage features banners showcasing best-selling categories and any relevant special offers or discounts. Organize your products into curated categories that appeal to casual and intentional shoppers alike, such as Gifts Under $500 or Best Sellers.

6. Traffic and Conversion Boosters

To drive more traffic, consider setting up Dynamic Product Ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach new audiences and re-engage past visitors. Make sure your Google Shopping integration is live to capture more search-driven traffic. Set up coupon codes for special promotions and verify they’re applied correctly across the site, with clear sub-total and maximum threshold rules. These steps ensure that you’re capturing as many potential sales as possible during the busy season.

Did you know Punchmark has an in-house Digital Marketing Team that specializes in working with retail jewelers? Check out our Digital Marketing Plans for Jewelers starting at just $199.

7. Email Marketing Strategy

An effective email marketing campaign is essential for guiding shoppers to your website with a purpose. Segment your email list to target different customer groups and direct them to specific landing pages. Targeting your VIPs with coupon codes for online or in-store purchases can be a low-cost and easily automated strategy for driving traffic.

8. Testing and Quality Assurance

Finally, thoroughly test your site from start to finish. Click every link, view every category, shop it on mobile. Do it all so that you can catch any issues early to have them resolved quickly. And for extra quality checks, have someone who isn’t as familiar with your website do these tests as well to catch anything that might be obvious to you but not to a customer.

With these 8 preparations in place, your retail website will be ready for e-commerce success and deliver the best possible shopping experience to your customers.

Feeling overwhelmed but still want your site to look its best? Inquire about our Tune-Up program for retail jewelers today! Contact your Customer Success representative or email info@punchmark.com.