3 Ways Your E-commerce Branding Can Increase Sales

E-commerce has come a long way, especially after the pandemic. By the end of 2023, international revenue was up by $6 trillion, with 2024 expected to break $6.7 trillion. In the United States alone, the penetration rate is now at 35%, after already doubling between 2020 and 2022.

With online shopping being easier and more convenient for people, we won’t be seeing a slow-down of this growth any time soon. Now more than ever, it's important for businesses to stand out and make an impact on potential customers.

There are plenty of immediate ways to begin to do this, but the best way to do it for the short and long-term? Having a solid e-commerce brand.

Take a look at big companies like STANLEY, Patagonia, and Apple as examples. When consumers see their products in stores, they already know what kind of experience they’re in for. They see them as superior to other competitors. While they are larger companies, they stood the test of time because of the brand awareness and perception they created from the start. On top of that, because of their brand perception, they’re able to be more competitive in their markets and stay on top.

At Santoro Design, we believe that you don’t have to be a big company to have a big vision for its future. So whether you’re just starting out or already have a store, here are 3 ways your e-commerce branding can set you up for success by increasing sales revenue.

It Can Connect You To Your Key Buyers

Buyers are more likely to do business with stores that are relevant to them. Additionally, they’re more likely to do business with companies they see themselves in. A strong brand identity covers all these bases because it helps businesses connect better with the people who would love their products. It can use the right words and pictures to show up when people search online (that's SEO!), send cool emails that people want to pay attention to, and make fun posts on social media that everyone likes. This is especially true since buying on social media is becoming more prominent.

We use a mix of market research and buyer/user persona builds to help ground our decisions in relevant data. Buyer personas can help identify consumer pain-points to help set your business up as their solution. Doing these exercises at the beginning will help your company brand attract and retain these customers over time.

It Can Elevate Your Standing In The Market

A company’s value proposition is directly tied to its brand. When done well, it can stand out and be noticed among all the other competitors. This can naturally result in curious buyers checking out your brand and comparing it to others, and in some cases, have them choose you instead. When messaging and visuals come together on touch-points like social presence, product packaging, email blasts or even the website, they drive customer intrigue and compel them to want to buy.

All of this starts from strong brand positioning. This can include essentials such as mission and vision statements, brand attributes, key words, and even brand manifestos. By doing this, you create a “North Star” for your brand’s behaviors and public image to follow. This allows for consistent omnichannel communication that will set your company as the new standard.

It Can Help You Raise Your Prices (And Profit Margin)

Unless affordability is a core part of your value prop, no company wants to be seen as the “cheap” brand. Successful businesses constantly monitor their sales revenue and market trends, so they can have grounds to raise prices and increase revenue. This is trickier for companies that have these goals, but look and feel cheap. The best way to fix this? Don’t look cheap!

Branching off of positioning, creative direction is crucial towards changing first impressions people have towards a brand and its products. From the design of the logo, to the colors and graphic assets used, visual language alone can make a product line feel more special. Specialty printing techniques and custom packaging die-lines can make a unique tactile experience that customers see as premium. After all, who doesn’t enjoy an unboxing video?

When Quality Increases, Value Increases

Like most things in business, branding is all about what you put into it. When it comes to e-commerce, having a comprehensive brand identity can absolutely have a positive effect on sales metrics. As long as it’s relevant to your key buyers, positioned well, and has a high quality look and feel, you’ll have everything you need to begin marketing and selling your products with ease.