The Power of the Shopping Guarantee With Eric Thorson From BuySafe

Ecommerce brands want customers to trust them—and they don’t hesitate to explain why their brand is credible. But when does a promise become more than just words on a screen? This week, Eric Thorson joins guest host Jason Eisenberg to talk about the power of third-party shopping guarantees. Here are a few highlights from the show: 

Customer anxiety and experience

Online shopping can be risky, and consumers sometimes hesitate to purchase from a site they haven’t shopped at before. Jason and Eric discuss four major concerns: 

• Merchant reliability. Will my purchase come as described? 
• Price point. Am I getting the lowest price?
• Package security. Will my order be lost, damaged, or stolen?
• Identity. Will my personal information fall into the wrong hands?

Often, shoppers overcome their concerns and make a purchase, convinced by the promises sellers make. But if their experience falls short of expectations, your reputation might take a hit. As Eric points out, “A negative review is forever … and there's no controlling what people write.”

What is a shopping guarantee?

A shopping guarantee gives consumers a reason to trust brands. It works in two ways. First, it uses trust signaling (often in the form of a floating seal on the website) to increase conversion rates. Second, it gives customers peace of mind that their purchase will be what they expected. Eric explains that “the power of the shopping guarantee is that [it] holds merchants accountable to their terms of service.” If there’s an issue with an order, the shopping guarantee makes things right for the customer.

Brand recognition + shopping guarantee

Shopping guarantees address consumer anxieties with “visual trust signaling, [or] graphical elements that are … prominently displayed.” But of course, businesses never want to confuse users with too many elements on the page—especially if the trust signal includes a third party’s logo. Eric emphasizes the importance of making the brand front and center. “We don't want to take away from the brand, because [that’s] the top priority, right? It's about making that connection with your brand.”

Links

• Connect with Eric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-thorson-sales-management/ 
• Visit the Norton Shopping Guarantee site: https://norton.buysafe.com/businesses/