What Is APR on a Credit Card? How It Works, Types, and More

As an online business owner, you know that your website is the key to your success. It's where customers go to learn more about your brand and make purchases. If your eCommerce site is inadequate, it can erode sales and bring your growth screeching to a halt. In the age of social media, word-of-mouth travels fast, and a single customer who is unhappy with your website can undermine your reputation. Check out the 5 ways your eCommerce site is ruining your brand’s image and learn how to avoid these pitfalls.  1. Poor Website Design and Navigation Many eCommerce businesses have poorly designed websites. These can be hard to navigate, confusing for customers, and just plain ugly. It also makes your business look unprofessional and gives the impression that you simply don’t care about your online presence, or even worse, that your business is a scam. An eCommerce website builder is one of the tools that can help you avoid this mistake. You should have your customers in mind when creating your website. Navigation should be easy, and the overall design should be visually appealing to create a positive brand image. Think about the websites that you frequent when doing your shopping. What are they doing right? Use those positive aspects as inspiration to help you enhance your site. A good rule of thumb is to make it exceptionally easy for customers to find what they're looking for on your site, learn more about your brand, and make purchases. It will also give your business a professional appearance; your customers will feel appreciated and help you stand out from the competition. Having a well-designed website is important for any brand, but it's especially crucial for eCommerce businesses. If you're not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources and professionals who can help you create a stunning website that will improve your company’s brand image. Hiring a good UX design agency is an avenue worth exploring. 2. Outdated Descriptions, Images, or Out-of-Stock Items Another common mistake eCommerce businesses make is not keeping their product descriptions, images, and stock levels up to date. This can be a big turn-off for customers, as it makes your store appear unreliable or abandoned.  Keep in mind that your customers are at your store to purchase something, and you need to help them overcome all the online shopping challenges. Since they can't simply walk into your store and physically inspect the products, you need to provide the necessary amount of information in the product description sections. You need high-quality images, and the descriptions should be as accurate and as detailed as possible. Think about everything that your customers will want to know about the product you are selling and place it in the product description. Failing to provide the necessary details can result in consumers associating you with negative branding. If your customers are unhappy with what they got, they likely won't return to your store or recommend it to others. Out of Stock Items Out-of-stock items are another reason why your customer might not return. If they like what you have but can't find it in stock or the product is constantly out of stock, this will lead to frustration. Nobody wants to keep checking back only to find that the item they're looking for is still not available. This can lead to them giving up and looking elsewhere for what they want. This is one of the most common challenges of online shopping. So, here are a few things you can do to avoid it: - First, try to keep better track of your inventory levels. This way, you'll know when items are running low and can order more before they run out entirely. - Second, if an item is constantly out of stock, consider removing it from your site until you can get more. It's better to have a smaller selection of items in stock than a larger selection with many things that are frequently out of stock. - Third, make sure to update your site regularly so customers know what is and isn't available. If an item is out of stock, say so on the product page to avoid additional brand damage. If you plan to purchase more (and you should since the product is doing well), make sure to let customers know when this will happen. This way, customers won't waste their time trying to purchase something that isn't available. 3. Poor Customer Service When speaking of frustration, poor customer service is often the main culprit. According to customer service statistics, 95% of consumers think that customer service is an important factor in their brand choice. That’s a significant number of customers who will likely never come back if they have a bad experience on your site. To preserve your company's brand image, you need to make sure that your customer service is top-notch. First up, make sure customers can contact you through multiple channels, including email, phone, and live chat. You should also have a Frequently Asked Question section that is easy to find.  Another thing you need to take into account is response times. If a customer contacts you with a question or complaint, they will likely expect a quick response. The longer you take to get back to them, the more frustrated they will become. Ideally, you should aim to answer all questions within 24 hours as this will help you improve the image of your brand. If this isn't possible, make sure to let the customer know when they can expect a response. 4. Bad Reviews Bad online reviews can travel fast and do a lot of damage to your brand. A good review is your eCommerce store’s best salesman, while a set of negative ones will send your customers to your competition. If you don't have a system to deal with both of them, it can quickly get out of hand and negatively impact your brand.  To avoid being ranked among companies with bad publicity, keep an eye on all platforms where customers can leave reviews. This way, you can catch any negative reviews as soon as they are posted and address them quickly.  Another thing you need to do is respond to all negative reviews, regardless of where they are posted. This shows that you care about your customers and their experience with your brand. It also gives you a chance to defend your brand if the criticism is unwarranted. There are reputation management services you can hire to improve your brand image if you have been ignoring these for too long. But this is a short-term solution; you need to be consistent and actively communicate with unhappy customers. Ultimately, a bad review is a blessing in disguise. It allows you to talk to your unhappy customers and remedy the situation. Depending on your business processes, you can offer free products, waive shipping fees, or offer other options to turn a bad experience into a positive one. If your customers leave the conversation happy, you did your brand a big favor. Finally, make sure to take any constructive criticism from the reviews to heart. Use this feedback to make changes to your site or business processes so that future customers will have a better experience and consequently improve the brand’s public image. 5. Not Enough Promotions If you want customers to keep coming back to your site, you need to give them a reason. One way to do this is by running promotions and discounts on a regular basis. Furthermore, this could be a great way to gain new customers, as 62% of consumers tell their friends about online deals. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when offering these promotions. First, make sure that the promotion is relevant to your target audience. There's no point in offering a sale on items that your target market wouldn't be interested in. Second, make sure the promotion is for a significant enough discount. While calculating your margin and pricing properly is one of the biggest challenges of eCommerce for store owners, you should still work to find room for large discounts. A small percentage off isn't going to entice customers to come back to your site.  Finally, make sure the promotion is easy to find on your site. If customers have to search for it, they likely won't bother. Also, make sure to include it in any advertising you do. Failing to do this properly can negatively affect your website. Promoting the wrong things at the wrong time with the wrong price can ruin your image. All in All These are the 5 ways your eCommerce site is ruining your brand’s image and tips on how to solve them. By improving your customer service, addressing bad reviews, and running promotions effectively, you can maintain a positive image for your brand. Take the time to assess your website and find things you can improve while keeping your customers' interests in mind. A little effort goes a long way in maintaining a good image for your brand. And a good brand image can improve sales and help you grow your revenue.

You’ve worked hard to bring visitors to your website or product, and now it’s time to show your appreciation with a well-crafted Thank You page. A Thank You page is more than just a static page with the words “thank you” plastered across the top. It’s an opportunity to continue the conversation, nurture the relationship with your consumers, and turn a one-time visitor into a lifelong customer. These pages are a great way to show your guests that their business is valued.  We’ve compiled a list of Thank You page examples across the industry. Use them as inspiration for your own pages, and watch your conversion rate soar. What Is a Thank You Page? A Thank You page is a web section that is displayed after a visitor submits a form on your landing page or completes an action, such as making a purchase. It’s designed to show appreciation for engagement with your brand to your prospects and customers. A well-made Thank You page can show your visitors that you are grateful for their business and encourage them to continue interacting with your brand. Plus, it can provide you with valuable data about your customers’ interests and help improve your marketing strategies. But there’s more to it; a good Thank You page for a website can often lead to further actions,  such as signing up for your newsletter, increased social media engagement, or repeated purchases from a soft CTA. In short, this page is an essential element of marketing strategy that can help boost conversions, customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty. How To Create an Effective Thank You Page When designing your Thank You page, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best approach is to tailor the page’s design and content to match your brand's tone and the theme of your landing page. That being said, there are a few essential elements that all Thank You page message examples we’ve come across include: A personalized message: A Thank You page is not just a place to display a confirmation message. It’s an opportunity to connect with your visitors on a personal level and build a relationship with them. So make sure to include a personalized message that shows your appreciation for their engagement with your brand. A call-to-action (CTA): A Thank You page is the perfect opportunity to encourage your visitors to take further action, such as subscribing to your newsletter. You can offer a coupon or a CTA that is relevant to your goals and aligns with the tone of your brand. Social media icons: Most examples of good Thank You pages we’ve seen include social media icons so that the visitors can easily follow you on their favorite platforms. Your contact information: Don’t forget to put your contact information on the page so visitors can easily get in touch if they have any questions or concerns.  Examples of Thank You Pages There are several types of Thank You pages, each with a different purpose. We’ll walk you through most of them and untangle the snarls of how best to use each. 1. Thank You for Subscribing The first type of Thank You page we’ll discuss is displayed after a visitor submits their email address through a sign-up form. After filling out the contact form, all Thank You page examples we’ve come across encourage the subscriber to confirm their subscription. This will not only welcome the visitors to your website but also start the onboarding process on a positive note. Plus, it allows you to introduce your brand’s voice and personality. Confirmation Thank You pages usually have a button or link that the subscriber can click to confirm their subscription. Once they hit it, they’ll be taken to another page where they can input their contact information and preferences. This can be your one-time chance to get the visitor’s attention, so include a strong CTA that encourages them to confirm their subscription and start shopping, downloading, or reading your content. The best Thank You page examples we’ve examined ensure the whole process is as easy and frictionless as possible. The last thing you want is your visitors to get frustrated and give up before they even get to the confirmation page. 2. Thank You for Downloading If you offer an ebook, a white paper, or other downloadable product on your website, you might want to consider using a Thank You page. Studies have shown that providing value-added content on the page can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.  All the examples of download Thank You pages we’ve reviewed are displayed right after a visitor downloads a piece of content from the website. Even though the item is usually delivered to customers’ emails, pages often show a link to the downloaded content. This ensures they’ll be engaged on your site and open the material immediately.  Other than that, download Thank you pages also invite the visitor to take further action, such as signing up for your newsletter, purchasing another product or service, or following the brand’s social pages. 3. Thank You for Attending The page that expresses gratitude for attending an event is next on our list of Thank You web page examples. It’ll be shown after a visitor signs up for a webinar, class, or live seminar. Its purpose is not only to confirm the attendance but to encourage the attendee to add the event to their calendar. This page should include a message of appreciation and a CTA to encourage visitors to sign up for your next event, leave feedback, or get a coupon code. It’s also important to include all the relevant event information on this page, such as date, time, and location. Clear communication will ensure your attendees have all the information they need to plan for your next event. A well-set Thank You page will also include a link to the event photos and videos. Visual content will help create a sense of community and encourage the visitor to spread the word about your event. You might want to consider recording it and making it available on the Thank You page if it's a webinar. This will allow attendees to watch the replay if they missed anything or share it with someone who couldn’t attend. 4. Thank You for Participating Good examples of Thank You page content would be appreciation messages asking the participants to share the survey or contest with their friends. It’s best to include a link to the contest rules or the survey results so that participants can see how their input helped shape the outcome. That way, you’re building goodwill and fostering a sense of community among your customers. Most of the Thank You page text examples we reviewed came with a social media share button to make it easy for participants to share the survey or contest with their followers. This, in turn, will help you reach a larger audience and generate more leads. Let’s not forget that only 29% of brands nurture their existing customers beyond the initial purchase. Don’t be one of them! 5. Thank You for Purchasing A Thank You page for purchasing is displayed after a visitor completes a purchase on your website. These post-sales notes usually include a confirmation message, and an upsell offer to encourage customers to buy more. Aside from these examples of Thank You page upsells, another valuable CTA asks the customer to write a review or product testimonial. You could display these reviews on your website or social media platforms to build social proof and trust with potential customers. Customer reviews and ratings are important because they help build trust and credibility with potential customers. Some businesses even hire management companies to polish up their customer feedback. This type of Thank You page should also include a link to the product manual and warranty information so the customer can easily find it if they need to reference it. Thank You pages for websites may include a customer service contact in case of any questions or problems with the product. By providing this information, you’re showing that you’re available to help if needed and that you care about your customers’ satisfaction. 6. Thank You for a Donation Even though donors are technically not buying a product or service, they still appreciate being thanked for their donation. Receiving feedback about how you’ll use the money can’t hurt as it assures that their contribution will positively affect society. We’ve gone through lots of donation Thank You page examples and realized that most of them also include a CTA that encourages the donor to spread the word about their cause or make another donation. By including a CTA, you’re helping generate more donations and raising awareness about your cause. And finally, remember that many crowdfunding platforms include a form to collect the donor’s contact information. This is a neat way of keeping donors updated on campaign progress and thanking them for their continued support.  7. Thank You for Being a Patron Many podcasters, YouTubers, and influencers earn by creating Patreon pages and communities to gather support for their work. While researching Patreon Thank You page examples, we’ve often seen short videos from the creator expressing their gratitude. Followed by statistics on how patron support has helped them grow and a CTA asking patrons to share the page with their followers, it helps increase the page’s visibility and could potentially result in more sign-ups. You can utilize your Thank You page to express how grateful you are and how patron support has helped you grow. Most Patreon communities are tight-knit, so it’s important to show that the support of each patron is valuable and appreciated. Some of the Thank You page examples we’ve reviewed list patrons, with the option for them to remain anonymous. It’s a great way to show transparency and build trust with your audience. Finally, some pages offer a voucher or discount for the patron’s next purchase. Clever Ways of Using the Thank You Page Now that we’ve seen the different types of Thank You pages, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can utilize this powerful tool: Increasing Social Media Engagement A “thank you for visiting our website” message is the perfect tool to increase social media engagement. You can include buttons with links to your social media profiles. Don’t forget to use this opportunity to encourage customers to leave a review for your product or service on their favorite platform.  If you find it overwhelming dealing with social media, you can use content management tools to help you schedule and publish content and track your performance. Collecting Customer Feedback A Thank You page is an excellent opportunity to collect customer feedback by adding a survey or questionnaire to the page. It’s a valuable way to collect data you can use to improve your business. Cross-Selling Products or Services Another great way to use a thank you landing page, according to available examples, is to cross-sell products or services. The easiest way is to attach links to items related to the one the customer had purchased to your page. You can also include special offers or discounts on this page to encourage customers to make another purchase. Upselling Products or Services Try upselling products or services by including links to higher-priced items to further boost your sales. Adding special offers or discounts to this page will likely encourage customers to upgrade their purchases. Getting Referrals Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow your business, and a Thank You page is the perfect place to ask for referrals. You can usually find Thank You page samples with a pre-set CTA asking customers to refer your business to their friends and family. If you offer an incentive for customers who make a referral, you’ll get an even better response and grow your customer network.  Offering Content Recommendations Finally, a Thank You page is a great place to provide your customers with content recommendations if you have a blog or website. Simply add some links to related articles or blog posts that would be of interest to your visitors, or offer a subscription to your newsletter or RSS feed. Common Mistakes On the Thank You Page (With Examples) Now that we’ve gone over ways to use your Thank You page let’s look at some common mistakes the website owners make. Avoiding them will help you make the most of this section of your website. 1. Not Customizing the Thank You Page Not customizing the Thank You page for each customer can be a big turn-off for some. This page is your chance to establish a personal connection with the customer and show them that you value their business. Add the human touch by including the customer’s name or a personalized message to add credibility to your website. 2. Not Including a CTA For the best Thank You pages, make sure to include a CTA. Asking customers to refer your business or subscribe to your newsletter are good actions to be taken. Without a strong CTA, you’re missing out on an opportunity to engage with your customers. Design your Thank You page with conversions in mind and make it easy for visitors to take action. You will likely see a high bounce rate if your page isn’t optimized for conversions. 3. Failing With the Design Your Thank You page should be consistent with the rest of your website, especially with the landing page. It will create a cohesive customer experience and make visitors more willing to take action on the page. Failing to grab your customers’ attention with a catchy Thank You page design can result in them leaving the site without taking any action. 4. Flooding the Page With Content Another common mistake is flooding the page with too much content. Too much information can overwhelm customers and cause them to leave the site. Adding more than four or five lines to the page can be too much for customers to digest. Also, it can result in visitors not noticing your CTA. So, keep the content on your Thank You page concise and to the point. 5. Not Tracking Performance We’ve seen many “thank you for your purchase” page examples without the necessary metrics to track performance. Without tracking, you won’t be able to determine what’s working and what isn’t. As a result, you may continue using ineffective strategies or miss out on opportunities to improve your page. Make sure to include metrics such as conversion rate and bounce rate to track the performance of your Thank You page. Bottom Line Thank You pages are a valuable tool that improves customer engagement and encourages them to take further action. By avoiding common mistakes and including a strong CTA, you can make the most of this important section on any eCommerce website. As a result,  you’ll see an increase in conversions and a decrease in shopping cart abandonment.

Did you ever notice a small black lock at the beginning of a website’s URL? Do you know what that is? Even those who don’t know the lock represents a Security Sockets Layer (SSL), know it means you can trust the website with your personal information. But, what is an SSL certificate? How do you know if a website has one, and why are they essential for online security? This blog post will explain what they are, how they work, the types of SSL available, plus the benefits of using them. We'll also provide you with tips on how to get an SSL certificate for your website. Read on! Understanding SSL Certificates and How They Work An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that uses encryption to secure information as it travels between a website and a user's web browser. When a website has an SSL certificate, the connection between the two is said to be "secure." Any information exchanged- such as credit card numbers, passwords, or personal data - is encrypted and protected from hackers and other malicious actors. To have SSL certificates explained in full, let’s describe the verification process. It goes along the lines of: When typing in the address you would like to visit, your browser or server attempts to visit the web server the SSL-secured website is hosted on. The browser asks the web server to identify itself. The web server will provide a copy of its SSL certificate, which the browser or server will read. If it trusts the certificate, it will signal it to the web server. The web server will return the signed acknowledgment to start an encrypted session. The server and web server then share the encrypted data. This process is also known as the SSL handshake. How To Know If a Website Has SSL Encryption One way to tell if a website has an SSL certificate is to look at the URL. If the URL begins with "HTTPS" instead of "HTTP," the site has a valid SSL certificate. Also, as mentioned before, you can look for a green or a black padlock icon in the address bar, which is another indication that the site is secure. If you want to double-check the certificate yourself, all you have to do is click on the lock icon. Within the popup bar, you will see which person, organization, or device the certificate was issued to and by whom. You will also be able to see the issue and expiry date of the SSL digital certificate and the Certificate Authority’s digital signature. Why Are SSL Certificates Important for Online Security? SSL certificates protect your information from being intercepted and stolen by hackers. While it doesn’t protect you from major attacks, such as DDoS attacks, some of the sensitive information SSL certificates can safeguard is: Identity information, including names, addresses, or phone numbers Login credentials Credit card or bank account information Legal or sensitive documents uploaded on certain websites Medical records Other sensitive information sometimes required by institutions The SSL ensures your data is scrambled and unreadable as it travels from your computer to the website's server. SSL certificate encryption makes it much more difficult for hackers to steal and use your information for nefarious purposes. From a business standpoint, SSL certificates are required to obtain a web address starting with HTTPS, i.e., one your customers will trust. Nowadays, most browsers will signal to your customers that the “website is not secure” if your website starts with HTTP. This will have a detrimental effect on your credibility with your users. How To Get an SSL Certificate For Your Website You can purchase a website certificate directly from Certificate Authorities (CAs). These companies play a crucial role in maintaining the security of internet transactions by signing these digital certificates. Every browser has a list of CAs whose credentials it trusts, and most companies on those lists charge a fee for their services. You can apply for an SSL certificate by generating a Certificate Signing Request on your server. If you are unsure how to accomplish this, contact your hosting company and ask for assistance. Once the request is compiled, you or your hosting provider will submit it to the Certificate Authority to validate it. Once the CA validates it, you should install the certificate on the website’s origin server. If you are hosting the website yourself, you should be able to install the security certificate on your own. However, in most cases, you can rely on your web hosting services to handle the last step. How Much Does Getting an SSL Certificate Cost? The cost of getting an SSL certificate varies depending on the CA and type of certificate you choose. Of course, the stronger the certificate, the more expensive it will be. On average, you can purchase a certificate for $60 per year, but the prices range between $5 per year and $1,000 per year. However, not all websites require the same type of certificate. Let’s briefly cover your options below. Types of SSL Certificates There are many SSL security certificate types, with different certificate validation levels. If you are not sure which one your website needs, read on to find out. Single-Domain SSL Certificates Single-domain SSL certificates are very popular. They are ideal for small businesses and personal websites that only need to secure a single domain name, but they still use strong encryption to protect information exchanged between your website and visitors' web browsers. Unfortunately, this solution doesn’t protect subdomains. Wildcard SSL Certificates Wildcard SSL certificates got their name because they can be used to secure multiple subdomains simultaneously. Wildcard SSL certificates provide the same level of encryption as a traditional, single-domain secure sockets layer, but they offer the added benefit of convenience and flexibility and can be a cost-effective way to secure multiple connection points. Multi-Domain SSL Certificates (MDC) Multi-domain SSL Certificates (MDC), as the name suggests, are digital certificates that secure multiple domains with a single certificate. They're an excellent option for organizations with several websites, subdomains, or even different locations across the globe, since MDCs are issued to an organization's headquarters. This makes MDCs a more efficient and cost-effective solution for large organizations than several Wildcard certificates. SSL Certificate Validation Levels These are simply the steps of confirmatory due diligence a CA must perform before issuing an SSL certificate. Depending on the type of website you want to use the secure sockets layer on, there are three conventional levels of validation: Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), and Extended Validation (EV). Domain Validation SSL Certificates The first and most commonly used validation level, Domain Validation, only requires the CA to verify that the applicant has control over the domain listed in the certificate. For example, when you visit a DV-secured website, the browser confirms that the certificate was issued to that domain by checking for a DNS record or sending an email to an address at that domain. Organization Validation SSL Certificates Organization Validation is a slightly more stringent validation of SSL certification, requiring the CA to verify that the applicant controls the domain and that it is a legitimate organization. The CA will check whether the organization is listed in a business directory and its domain is registered to a valid physical address. Extended Validation SSL Certificates The highest level of validation, Extended Validation, requires the certificate owner to be vetted by the CA to the highest standard. This process includes a thorough review of the applicant's business by the CA, which can take up to several weeks before you can use the secure sockets layer certificate. The end result is that visitors to an EV-secured site can be assured it is operated by a legitimate organization that will keep their personal information safe. The Pros And Cons Of Using an SSL Certificate There are several benefits to using an SSL certificate on your website, so let’s discuss them first: It protects your visitors' information from being intercepted and stolen by hackers. It can improve your search engine ranking, as Google now factors in whether a site has an SSL certificate when assigning rank. An SSL certificate can give your visitors confidence in your website and build trust. Now that we’ve covered the main question - What is an SSL certificate used for? - and sold you on its benefits, it’s important to mention there are also a couple of cons to keep in mind when choosing your certificate: It can be costly as not all certificates or authorities are the same. As mentioned before, it will cost you $60 per year on average.  Ensure that you’re using a reputable certificate authority, as there is a chance that your certificate could be fake and provide no security benefits whatsoever. SSL certificates do not guarantee 100% protection from all hacking attempts - they just make it much more difficult for hackers to steal your information. In Conclusion SSL website security certificates are a vital part of online safety. They help protect website information from being intercepted and stolen by hackers, improve your search engine ranking, and build trust with your visitors. While there are some potential drawbacks to using an SSL certificate, such as the cost and possibility of fake certificates, the benefits outweigh the risks. If you're in the process of building a website for your business, or even already running an unsecured one, it's well worth your time and money to invest in an SSL certificate.