When you walk into a department store and see a clearance rack, you probably check it out. The same is true for online shopping. When that Instagram ad catches your eye or you are simply in the mood to shop online, you still want a great deal. A dedicated clearance page on your site highlights the merchandise you need to move, makes it easy for customers to find a great deal and will inspire customers to visit your site more often.
“One thing that I throw out there is to create a sale section. Get aggressive with it. It’s one thing to put something on sale, but it’s another to have a sale section. People will come back to look at a sale section to see what’s new or if anything has been added. When we first started our sale section, it had maybe a couple items in it. Now it is something that’s really beefed up and has a good inventory in there and it’s a known thing now. It’s like when you come into the store and go for the clearance section. Well, online you should be looking for the sale section as well. A sale section is huge. It’s easy. It’s just a new category, a new section. And I feel like that’s a good tip,” said West Chester University Web Store Specialist Ryan McCormick.
Listen to more of West Chester University Shops eCommerce best practices.
3 ways a clearance page helps increase web traffic
Highlight sale merchandise
A permanent clearance page on your website is like an ongoing sidewalk sale. You can continue to draw attention to items that need to be sold before the next round of merchandise comes in. Occasionally offering a clearance sale is a great way to attract new visitors with targeted advertising.
Make it easy for customers to find discounted items
Rather than customers happening upon a sale item as they are browsing your site, a clearance page gives an easy-to-find section where bargain hunters can look for great products. Online shoppers have a short attention span. If it isn’t easy to find merchandise in their price range or the specific item they are looking for, many will give up and leave the site. A dedicated sale page makes it easy for customers.
Encourage repeat visitors
When the clearance page is a permanent fixture on your website, shoppers have a reason to check back more often. The occasional email push or targeted social media ad helps, but without a great incentive, you are less likely to convert marketing efforts into web traffic or sales.
Making smart, helpful updates to your website can have a big impact on a customer’s shopping experience. What are some of the best updates your store has made to your eCommerce site?
