How to get the most out of your website’s online shop

Make the most of the integrated eCommerce shop on your Scouting website by following our tips to maximise its full potential.

12th September 2019

A feature that’s popular with websites small and large, having an eCommerce shop integrated into your website can be extremely useful for your Group, District or County.

An eCommerce shop allows you to sell items such as pre-owned uniform, merchandise, educational materials, and much more. The feature allows you to receive payments from your users through methods such as Paypal, Stripe, and WorldPay.

To use your eCommerce shop to it’s full potential, take a look at our tips here:

Sell in bulk

Using your shop similarly to a pop-up shop where it’s open for a set amount of time, and then closed again while you restock, can prove to have it’s benefits.

Avoid disappointed customers when the single item you’ve listed sells out straight away. If you’re selling items such as gifts, merchandise, and accessories, sell the products in bulk so that there’s always plenty to go around. Or, if you’re selling pre-owned uniform, wait until you have a decent amount of items that can be uploaded at once.

This will boost your chances of selling items, as you can inform your members that products will be live on your website from a certain date and time, creating some sense of “limited edition” items. They may also be inclined to buy multiple products in preparation for the term ahead such as a new uniform.

Here’s an example of what your website could look like with an integrated eCommerce shop.

Be detailed

When you list a product on your shop, plenty of space is provided for you to list any necessary details that your customers might need.

Some details that you might want to list include:

Colour options
Size options, with possibly a size guide and/or measurements
Materials
Features or functionality of the item eg. zip, adjustable hood, padding etc.

This information can help your customers decide on an item without having to ask you in person first and allows them to get a better idea of the item.

Think about your images

Make sure that the images you use to sell a product are accurate, well-lit and show off the item well. If it’s clothing or accessories, it might be a good idea to display the item on somebody to show the fit and how the item is worn.

A great image can be a deciding factor for someone wanting to purchase an item, and can avoid any unnecessary returns.

Find out more about Scout Group websites here