#Legit: Simple Hacks to Build Online Credibility

Online shops are becoming a trend. Virtually anything and everything – from secondhand books to real estate – can be bought and sold online. This is why, for people like you who are just getting started with business, online shops are the best way for rookie entrepreneurs.

But your online shop faces a big challenge: maintaining credibility. Many swindlers use similar strategies online to scam unsuspecting customers. Most of the time, it’s hard to tell the difference between a legitimate online seller and a scam. That’s why it’s important for you to maintain your credibility as an online seller.

Be transparent with transactions

One way to do this is to be clear and transparent with how you transact your sales with your customers. Develop a system for ordering, receiving payments, and shipping orders. Make it a two-way system so that you are constantly communicating with your customers regarding their purchases. This shouldn’t be hard to do, since most online stores are based on social media sites. You can easily communicate with your customers through private messaging.

It also pays to get feedback from your clients. Ask them to inform you if they’ve received your product already. If you’re running an online clothing store, ask them to send you pictures of them wearing the clothes they got from you and feature them on your store’s page with their permission. Not only do you ensure that your clients get their products, but you’re also giving your customers the impression that they can communicate openly with you.

Get Your Pricing Right 

For retailers in general, there is a pricing policy that needs to be followed. It is called Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP), and it simply means the minimum price at which a product can be marketed. For your online store to keep running, the price of your products must not fall below the MAP. There are legitimate ways for you to discount your prices while keeping in line with MAP policy, says PriceManager. One thing’s for sure – you need to be aware of your products’ MAP so that you can maintain the price of your products legitimately.

Keep track

This goes for both transactions and for pricing: You need to know that everything is being processed and done properly. For products that need to be shipped, there is a way for you to track where your package is. This is usually through the courier’s website. Follow the instructions of your chosen courier so that you can track your products. In addition, ask your clients to update you once they’ve received your product, as stated earlier. This is for you to confirm that your package arrived on time and in good condition.

As for the prices, again, you need to keep track of them. The most important thing you need to ensure is that you are updated with your products’ MAP. Fortunately, there is software available for retailers, which allows them to track the MAP of their products and compare it to the pricing of their own products. You can make use of this software once you subscribe to one of its service providers. They can run you through the steps on how to use the software for your business.

If you follow these simple steps, you can be sure to keep your business legitimate and credible. Rest assured, your customers can tell, and they certainly won’t hesitate to buy your products.