This will be last of the 3-part series. For the first part, we’ve discussed Amazon’s color choices, their ability to create a huge demand for their products, and being able to group related products together. For the second part, there’s Amazon’s rating system and their free shipping deal for orders over $25. Now, here’s the last 3 tips you can learn from Amazon.

• Tip #1: Build an exclusive club.

  • The rating system is effective in creating trust. Customers from all over the world converge and give out their honest opinions on the different products. These established relationships lead to more engagements.
  • These people won’t mind spending a few extra bucks for a special subscription like the Amazon Prime program. With $12.99 a month, customers have an exclusive FREE Two-Day shipping and FREE Same-Day Delivery. Plus, they have unlimited access to songs, books, and photo storage.
  • The customers are in it for the exclusive promos and discounts. It is Amazon’s way of strengthening customer ties and proving to the world they can do more.
  • So, how can you do this? You have to listen to customers and what they want. Offer solutions to their problems. Find out how you can help them. Your answer does not always have to be a product. It can also be through publishing high quality content.

A group of frequent shoppers.

• Tip #2: Consistency is key.

  • If I were to describe the world’s top brands in one word, it would be: consistent. These brands don’t just focus on the months ahead. They aim for the future.
  • A brand is more than its logo. You are your brand. You are the best representation of it. You have to  consistent in showcasing what you want. If you are fickle, you won’t be able to establish trust among your customers. From time to time, you change your message. It confuses everyone and derails you achieving something concrete.
  • In order to convince people and eventually boosts sales, you first need to be sure on what you want, your aspirations, and your goals. Look at Amazon… they have been consistently offering free 5-day shipping if your total is more than $25. Amazon Prime members can take advantage on the unlimited free 2-day shipping.
  • Another famous example is Coca-Cola. The carbonated drink has displayed its supremacy in the soft drinks market. In 2015, Coca-Cola was hailed as one of the best global brands, next to the tech giants Apple and Google.
  • The company logo has been consistently red. It didn’t dare to reinvent itself because red works perfectly fine. The color red exudes boldness and excitement. The bottom line is that there’s no certain rule to follow here, but there are some guidelines that may help you.

• Tip #3:  “Add to Cart” Buttons.

  • A conversion optimization agency named Proimpact7 studied the usability of different sites and the results indicated that having a call-to-action (CTA) button that had a “buy now” or “purchase now” are NOT quite effective.
  • The conversion rates of these buttons went down by 14.50%. So, if you are setting up your online store, stay away from the “buy now” or “purchase now” buttons.
  • Follow Amazon’s way of just sticking to the “add to cart” button. Not a single “buy now” button is visible in the entire website. The “add to cart” button is a more safer choice for you because customers are sure that they are NOT paying for the items yet.
  • So, they just click and click because they know that sales are not final yet and that shipping cost will still be added later on. The “add to cart” button is a great addition to your website because it is a subtle yet effective CTA button.

Previously, I’ve discussed Amazon’s ability to upsell, cross-sell, and pre-sell. Now, we will go into details on how they use these strategies. Amazon wouldn’t be the eCommerce giant it is now without these tips and tricks. Below, I will be giving concrete examples and helpful links that will help your online store gain more clicks. So, without further adieu…

Here are 3 web design tips you can learn from Amazon:

• Tip #1: Colors are important.
  • If you look at Amazon’s product page, you will notice that texts are usually black. Hyperlinks, or the clickable links, are distinguishable because of its light blue color while the prices are noticeable in red.
  • Why is this? Behavioral psychologists suggest that customers tend to click blue links more. The color blue relaxes the mind. Thus, it increases trust and confidence in buying different items online.
  • On the other hand, the color red is connected to bravery and courage. Amazon puts their prices in red for a reason and they would want their customers to take courage. Subtly, it is suggesting to add that item in their shopping cart. It’s no surprise that other websites also use red to promote their annual Christmas sales or their limited-time offers.
  • Choosing the wrong color can make customers leave. So, it’s crucial to think about the different colors when designing a website. I’ve listed the basics of color psychology here. If you need help with choosing colors, these color scheme tools will definitely help you.

Learning the uses of colors is important.

• Tip #2: Create an urgent need for a product.
  • When customers find out that there’s only a limited number left, they will started hoarding no matter what the product.
  • Clearly, Amazon have mastered this and they will indicate how many are left. That’s a powerful strategy right there especially if the customer has been eyeing the product for some time now. It’s going to be hard to resist if he sees there’s only 5 left.
  • Does it work? Yes, because scarcity increases the demand. CXL, an online institute that offers marketing degrees, reported an increase of their sales by 332% when they mentioned that there were only 5,000 slots left. Naturally, people went crazy and they started signing up immediately.
    • How can you create a huge demand for a product?
    • First, you need to identify the need. Ask your email subscribers what to do they too see more on your website. In order to do this, you can create a simple survey for time to answer.  Create forms for marketing and research using these free tools like Tellform, UserReports, and Google Form.
    • Indicate in your survey the specific quantity you are going to release once you received a favorable response from your audience. You need to include also the details of the products or services, such as one-on-one training that gives them exclusive access to hundred of online resources, 50 pieces of personalized journal with tons of freebies, a digital marketing webinar that caters to only 30 participants, and so on. You have to be very specific to get your audience’s attention.

Person holding a Poké Ball.

• Tip #3: Group related items together.
  • Amazon does an amazing job in presenting related products together. Their electronics buying guide will encourage you to buy without much of a hard sell. There’s a Nintendo Switch console for sale, and Amazon will suggest other items like the console’s best-selling game: Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!
  • Both products are sold by Nintendo, which means customers will likely buy them both to save on shipping costs. The take away here is to find out what makes your audience click that “Buy Now” button. For Pokémon fans, seeing the Poké Ball Plus will surely make them click. An additional $40 is nothing to them as long as they get to hold an actual Poké Ball while playing the game.
  • Though you already have a controller for the Nintendo Switch console, the Poké Ball Plus will bring diehard fans back to their childhood. It brings back the old memories. It’s very nostalgic for them so when planning a website, you should know what can make your customers buy an item.