Optimise Your Online Shopping Experience
E-commerce · Module 9
← Fundamentals of Digital Marketing - Google
Index
1. Using E-commerce to Sell
Why E-commerce?
E-commerce opens up growth possibilities for many businesses—whether a local store expanding online or a large retailer reaching new customers.
What is E-commerce?
Selling things online through websites, online marketplaces, mobile apps, and social media. Done well, it narrows the gap between retail and online shopping.
E-commerce Aims
| Aim | Description |
|---|---|
| Payments | Let customers pay through the web or an app. |
| Inventory | Let people view and search your inventory on a website or app. |
| Accounts & subscriptions | Let customers create accounts and set up recurring orders and subscriptions. |
Getting Started with E-commerce
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Payment services | Add payment options to your site. Support credit cards, direct debit, digital wallets (Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay). Customers can pay securely without an account. |
| Off-the-shelf solutions | All-in-one e-commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce) with templates. Features: product search, inventory management, checkout, customer accounts, order management. |
| Online catalogue | Show products online as you would in-store. Photos, detailed descriptions, reviews, videos. High-quality imagery and content are your online display. |
| Marketplace selling | List on established platforms (Amazon, Etsy, eBay) to access their existing traffic and trust. Lower setup cost; higher per-sale fees. |
2. Taking Payments and Managing Orders
Payment Options
| Option | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party payment processing | Quick setup | Customer goes to a hosted checkout (Stripe, PayPal, Square); transaction handled for you. Focus on the business; provider manages security and PCI compliance. |
| Integrated payments | Direct checkout | Embed payment directly in your site; customers pay without leaving. Stripe Elements, Shopify Payments, and similar tools handle this. |
| Full e-commerce solution | Growing businesses | Larger inventories, customisation, broader reach. Backend system with order management. |
| Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) | Reducing cart abandonment | Services like Klarna, Afterpay, and Clearpay let customers split payments. Can increase average order value. |
Full E-commerce Backend Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Customer management | Accounts; personal info, billing, shipping addresses; reviews. AI-powered segmentation for personalised offers. |
| Payments | Advanced control; PCI-compliant security; fraud detection (Stripe Radar, Shopify Protect); high transaction volumes. |
| Inventory | Upload products; organise categories and product pages; real-time stock syncing across channels. |
| Order fulfilment | Order management; shipping tracking; integration with accounting and logistics systems. |
3. Creating a Smooth E-commerce Experience
Be Your Own Customer
Imagine you’re a first-time visitor. Rate how easy the experience feels. Ask a friend to review for fresh insights.
Impact of a difficult experience: Customers may spend less, not buy, have a negative perception, or not recommend your business.
Improving E-commerce with Analytics
Use GA4 (Google Analytics 4) e-commerce tracking to measure the full purchase funnel.
| Area | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Device optimisation | Many visits from mobile but few purchases? Implement responsive design. Test checkout on mobile specifically—thumb-friendly buttons, auto-fill, minimal form fields. |
| Navigation & search | Easy categories and subcategories (e.g. rooms → furniture types). Add a search function with filters. AI-powered search (Algolia, Searchspring) improves product discovery. |
| Product pages | Visits but no adds to cart? Add video, 360° views, galleries, quality photos, detailed descriptions, measurements. AR try-on tools (for fashion, furniture) reduce returns. |
| Customer accounts | Cart abandonment? Allow storing shipping, billing, payment preferences. Use past purchases, searches, and views to recommend products. Reward loyal customers with tailored offers. |
| Checkout optimisation | Guest checkout option, progress indicators, multiple payment methods, auto-address lookup, trust badges. One-click checkout (Shop Pay, Amazon Pay) reduces friction. |
4. Product Promotion and Merchandising
Getting Products Noticed
Create a clear hierarchy of categories and subcategories. Easier navigation makes it more likely customers will purchase.
Product Merchandising
| Approach | Description |
|---|---|
| Offline example | Featured products (e.g. desks, bookcases for back-to-school). |
| Online | Feature key items on the homepage—clear out older stock or highlight best-sellers. Use urgency cues (“Only 3 left”, “Selling fast”). |
Data-Driven Promotions
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| AI-powered recommendations | Machine learning analyses browsing and purchase patterns to suggest products. Most platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce) include this or offer plugins. |
| Recommended products | Show related items after viewing (e.g. chairs when viewing tables). AI personalisation engines (Dynamic Yield, Nosto) tailor recommendations per visitor. |
| Related products | Cross-sell by showing items customers might not search for (e.g. desk + matching bookcases, chairs). |
| Personalised offers | Use first-party data to send targeted discounts based on browsing history, cart contents, and purchase frequency. |
Retargeting: For retargeting strategies (remarketing ads, cart abandonment campaigns, frequency capping, and privacy considerations), see 4. Retargeting.
5. Social Commerce and Live Shopping
Selling Directly on Social Platforms
Social commerce lets customers browse and buy without leaving the platform. Most major platforms now support in-app checkout.
| Platform | Commerce Features |
|---|---|
| Instagram Shopping | Product tags in posts/Reels/Stories, in-app checkout, shoppable collections |
| TikTok Shop | In-video product links, live shopping, affiliate marketplace |
| Facebook Shops | Customisable storefront, catalogue sync, Messenger-based support |
| Pinterest Shopping | Product pins, visual search to buy, catalogue integration |
| YouTube Shopping | Product shelves, tagged products in videos, live shopping events |
Live Shopping
Real-time video streams where hosts demonstrate products and viewers purchase instantly. Combines entertainment with shopping—high engagement and conversion rates.
| Element | Best Practice |
|---|---|
| Format | Product demos, Q&A, exclusive launches, behind-the-scenes |
| Engagement | Respond to comments live; create urgency with limited-time offers |
| Platform | TikTok Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, dedicated platforms (Bambuser, CommentSold) |
6. Checklists
E-commerce Goals Checklist
- Revisit strategy, goals, and persona from 02 - Build Your Digital Marketing Strategy and 03 - Know Your Digital Customers
- Identify an e-commerce aim that supports your strategy
- Set 2–3 SMART goals that support your e-commerce aim
Payments and Orders Checklist
- Revisit e-commerce aim and goals from the Using E-commerce lesson
- Decide: third-party processing, integrated payments, or full e-commerce system
- Evaluate BNPL options (Klarna, Afterpay) for your audience
- Compare three options and their key selling points
Promotion and Merchandising Checklist
- Visit 3 competitor websites
- Note items featured on their homepage
- Check if they use AI-powered product recommendations
- Reflect on what seems effective and why
Social Commerce Checklist
- Identify which platforms your customers already shop on
- Set up product catalogues on 1–2 priority platforms
- Test a live shopping session and measure engagement vs. standard posts
← 08 - Improve Your Business with Websites and Apps | Fundamentals of Digital Marketing - Google | 10 - Reach International Customers →