7 Tips for Ecommerce Marketing Success: Tip 4

Don’t be like everyone else.

Now that we’ve covered the main fundamentals of online retail success, how do you get ahead of the rest?

In order to be successful and to stand out, you must be different.

There are industry leaders, and there are followers. Being a follower may be more comfortable and give you a better picture of what lies ahead, but there are no big wins in following your industry’s trends, in doing what everyone else is doing.

So how to you become a trend setter in your industry? Well, first of all, like we said, you must be different…

But don’t stop there. In order to remain ahead, you have to continually be searching for ways to push the boundaries. You have to innovate.

Flip the way you think about your industry and how you sell upside down. Approach it from different perspectives.

This is not easy. Far from it.

And it can certainly be very expensive (although it doesn’t have to be).

Warby Parker

Take a look at Warby Parker. Who would have thought customers could have such a great experience purchasing glasses without ever visiting a traditional glasses store?

Most glasses wearers have a love-hate relationship with getting new glasses. There is the excitement of getting a stylish new pair… but then there is the dread of having to make a decision on the spot and the fear of making the wrong decision.

Warby Parker changed all that. They completely broke the traditional model of buying glasses and reinvented it.

With their home-try on model, customers can order 5 pairs of glasses to try on at home and keep them for a week. Plenty of time to mull over the decision and consult all of your closest friends… along with the entire Warby Parker community and their glasses experts via social media.

And even after having all of that time to make a decision, what happens if you ultimately receive a pair of glasses you don’t like? Or change your mind? You have 30 days to return your new pair of glasses, no questions asked, for a full refund.

Now glasses buyers everywhere can rest easy.

The key thing to remember as you try to innovate is that innovation applies to all aspects of your business. It is not simply product innovation, but innovation in strategy, processes, and even marketing.

Up next: tip #5 – the key to captivating your audience.