Most are very inexpensive ideas, especially compared to the cost of driving additional traffic to your site or paying for advertising. Keep in mind, too, that increasing your conversion rate will result in a greater return on investment (ROI) for your website promotion expenses you use to increase your traffic.

Conversion Tip 1: Use Your Return Policies to Convert Visitors into Customers

What are your current policies in regard to returning items you sell online? Can you improve them?

There are a number of retail businesses with return policies that say claims for refunds must be made within 3 days of purchase, and then only after receiving a return authorization code which is only available through email. In that policy statement, there was no email link to get the authorization code and the site didnt have a telephone number. Additionally, all returns are subject to a 25% restocking fee. While restocking fees may be appropriate and customary for big ticket electronics, this one site sells fashion accessories.

If ever I was a new shopper on that site and I decide to check these terms out before I make a purchase (most online shoppers do with unfamiliar sites), Id never make a purchase with such restrictive terms for refunds in place. While it all depends on what youre offering, make sure your returns policy is fair, that its stated clearly, and that its in line with your competitors and appropriate for your products. You dont want to give the store away, but you also dont want to scare your customers away before they even make a purchase.

If your return policies are currently too strict, consider making some compromises you can live with. Your website visitors are likely to respond by making purchases.
Conversion Tip 2: Offer Multiple Payment Options to Attract More Buyers

There are many third-party payment options available, the most popular of which may be PayPal. Make the most of these third-party services and offer multiple payment options if you can.

In the case of one of my clients, once an item is added to the shopping cart and its time for checkout, the buyer needs to complete all of the mailing and shipping address information and then is offered a single option for payment through a radio button with a single selection (already pre-selected) PayPal. Its not clear to the shopper what happens after all of the personal information is provided and the Submit button is pushed will you go directly to PayPal? What if your buyers have never used PayPal before?

While PayPal is a great way of handling online payments and its security measures are top notch, some buyers might not even know what it is. If you are offering PayPal as a payment option, youll want to take advantage of PayPals merchant services and display the credit card logos as well as integrate PayPal into your shopping cart to the full extent possible. You might even want to offer a link to information that tells your customers how PayPal works for those who arent familiar with it especially how it works specially for your site.

Another merchant option is Google Checkout, which is growing in popularity and is free for merchants, at least until 2008 sometime, at which time Google may decide to start charging for the service.

Some people don't use credit cards. What payment options can you offer them? Of course, you don't need a credit card with a PayPal account, but not everyone knows that.

Remember, online sales are very competitive, and you need to offer as many payment options as possible, especially those that are being offered by your competitors. Make checkout and payment an easy and relatively painless process. Know what your competitors are doing.

The author recommends Sqwishland Retail for wholesale bulk toys supplies like squishies toy