You have traffic on your site, people are coming, looking… and leaving. Sound familiar? If you feel like you’re running a museum instead of a store, you’re not alone. Most Croatian websites suffer from the same problem – they attract people, but they don’t convert them into customers.
Here's the brutal truth: The average conversion rate in the e-commerce sector is only 2-3%. This means that out of 100 visitors, only 2-3 actually buy something. Working with Croatian businesses has taught us one thing: the problems are often the same, regardless of the industry. Whether you sell sneakers, business services, or apartments, there are universal principles that determine whether a visitor becomes a customer.
What's going on in your visitor's head
When someone comes to your site, a real event happens in their brain. psychological decision-making processWithin the first three seconds, the user makes a basic decision: stay or leave. Within the next 10 seconds, they decide whether they can trust you.
The problem is that most websites skip the first two steps and immediately push the sale. Your site should guide the visitor through a natural process. First, it should answer the question “am I in the right place?”, then “can I trust these people?” and only then “what do I need to do to buy?”.
A concrete example from our practice: we worked with an online sporting goods store that had great traffic but terrible conversions. The problem? The main page displayed 50+ products at once, with no clear navigation. After we reorganized the page structure and added clear categories, conversion increased by 180%.
Why trust comes first
In Croatia, people are still afraid of online shopping. Statistics show that via 40% Croats have never shopped online, and the main reason is lack of trust.
Trust is built through storytelling. Who are you? Where are you from? How long have you been in business? Version2 of digital business cards They became popular for exactly that reason – they allow people to “get to know” you before they decide to buy.
Here's what really works: instead of a generic “About Us” page, create a page that tells your story. Why did you start this business? Add photos of teams, offices, work processes. This will mean more to you than any security certificate.
Stop hiding contact information. If your phone is buried somewhere in the footer, it sends the message that you don't want to hear from customers. Put contact information in a visible place and answer calls and emails.
How psychology influences purchasing decisions
People do not buy rationally. They buy emotionally and then rationalize the decision. The biggest mistake of Croatian websites is that they focus only on rational arguments. – specifications, prices, features – and ignore emotional drivers.
Social proof is the strongest motivator. When we see that others have bought and are satisfied, the likelihood that we will buy too increases dramatically. Use real testimonials with names and photos.Better yet, add video testimonials.
Authority is especially important in the Croatian context. Diplomas, certificates, membership in chambers – all of that carries weight. If you are recognized in the industry, mention it.
Technical aspects that kill conversion
In Croatia, 801% of online shopping happens on mobile devices, and most pages are still not customized. Loading speed It's critical. Every second of delay reduces conversion by 7%.
The ordering process must be simple. The average Croatian web store requires registration, filling out 15 fields, and accepting 3 terms before purchasing. That's crazy. The best web stores allow for a 3-click purchase: add to cart, enter basic information, pay.
Mobile optimization It doesn't just mean that the page "looks okay" on a mobile phone. It means that every element is designed for fingertip touch, that buttons are large enough, that text can be easily read without zooming.
Call-to-action buttons that really work
“Buy Now” is the worst CTA button you can have. Because it is aggressive and does not tell the user what they will get. Instead, use buttons that describe the value: “Start for free”, “Reserve your seat”, “Get instant access”.
The color of the button also has meaning, but there is no “best” color – it is important that the button stands out from the rest of the page. The position of the CTA buttons is crucial. Don't just put them at the bottom of the page – put CTAs at the top, in the middle of the content, and at the end. Testing different positions it will show you what works best.
Personalization that increases sales
Every visitor is different, so why show them the same thing? Personalization can increase conversions by 19%. The simplest form is to show different content depending on where the user is coming from. If they come from a Google ad for “cheap winter tires,” show them the best tires, not the most expensive.
Email marketing It also allows for personalization. Instead of sending the same newsletter to everyone, segment your audience. Send different offers to different groups of users depending on their behavior on the site.
Common mistakes that kill conversions
Too many options paralyze decision-making. The paradox of choice is real – when people have too many options, they often choose nothing. Hidden costs are a trust killer. If the user only realizes at the end that they also have to pay 50 kuna for shipping, they will give up. Be transparent with prices from the start.
Lack of information about delivery and return creates uncertainty. Clearly state how much delivery costs, how long it takes, and what happens if the customer is not satisfied.
Why some succeed and some don't
The difference between sites that sell and those that just “exist” is not in design or technical features. The difference is that successful sites understand their customers. They know what motivates them, what they fear, how they make decisions.
Version2 approaches all projects with that understanding. We don't build sites that look pretty – we build sites that work. We view a website as a sales tool, not a digital brochure.
If your site isn't selling as much as it should, the problem probably isn't that you don't have enough traffic. The problem is that you don't know how to turn that traffic into results. Only results matter.
