For you to be able to build a highly profitable and sustainable business, you need to consider customer experience. This includes their buyer journey.
Customer experience is the interaction between you and your customers. It is how your customers will feel about those interactions. But why does it matter so much?
Well, if you want to create positive interactions and improve your sales, you intentionally have to work so that you can improve the customer experience of your business.
Here are some great ways to do this:
Personalization
Personalization is more than placing your prospect’s name on the emails that you send out. Your product offer, content, ads, and other resources should be relevant enough to the user. Else they will get frustrated.
You can also utilize real-time information such as their product browsing history to send them offers. You can create recommendations based on the products they bought, or the feedback you get from them in surveys.
In fact, according to a report, customers with highly personalized experiences are more willing to pay for your products and services.
Personalization is what drives these impulse buys, leading to lower product returns, and cultivates strong customer loyalty.
Improve your website navigation
Users know exactly what they want. Once you strategically place your products, they will easily find what they are looking for.
Some users need assistance in filtering their products. These kinds of people usually have particular criteria for their product search. Therefore, you might need to place product features in the sorting options. That way, the filtering of products becomes a lot more convenient.
You might also want to integrate autocomplete to help shoppers who cannot exactly remember the product name. That will enhance your customer experience.
Keep in mind that shoppers are also browsing your e-commerce site; let them personalize their search experience.
Offer secure payment methods
The payment options for your e-commerce store should be safe, secure, and convenient.
Whenever they are shopping online, customers also want to know if their personal and financial information is kept secure.
Place as many payment options as you can. Credit card payment, cash on delivery, bank transfer, e-Wallet, and Paypal are some of the popular options. Also, ensure that your portal lets customers pay with these payment options.
Simplify your checkout process
The e-commerce industry loses a lot of money every year because of abandoned carts and canceled payments during checkout.
Shoppers should be able to see their shopping carts on every single page. That way, they would know how to complete an order. When checking out, they must see the value of their cart, and if possible, the shipping charges as well. Other information should also be included, such as discounts and offers if applicable.
A lot of businesses make the mistake of not really thinking how challenging it would be for users to complete the checkout process. So, think of ways on how you can simplify the overall checkout process so that you can enhance your e-commerce customer experience.
Keep it simple. All the business transactions in your store should be simplified.
Generally, a lot of people will appreciate it if a store offers them a simplified online transaction. It also helps that you tap to order fulfillment services that contribute to your bottom line.
Deliver excellent customer support
Just like traditional businesses, e-commerce sites should also have excellent customer service.
Interact with your customers as much as you can. Make sure that all your contact information is available, like your email and telephone number, and should show up on every page of your website.
That way, it is easier for customers to keep in touch with you whenever they have issues or inquiries about a product they bought. Also, do not overload them with too much information in the FAQ section. Only place the information if it is necessary.
Whenever customers call your support lines or submit a ticket, be prepared to manage and solve them promptly. Delaying will eventually result in negative feedback, and you will be risking losing your customers in the process.
Enable Custom Order Tracking
Another best e-commerce practice is proactively offering tracking options. It is a great way to give your customers a better online experience. Not to mention the benefits you can reap from it.
Engage with your consumers on social channels
Regardless of what your target market is, a lot of promotions and communications are done via social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
It is high time that you take advantage of these channels by developing strategies that will engage your prospects. This is crucial for the overall success of your business and one of the most cost-effective marketing solutions.
Aside from that, social media has a quick communication channel. It lets you deal with whatever issues or inquiries that may arise, whether it is contacting customer support or submission of a ticket.
When properly implemented, you can gain a better e-commerce experience that will ultimately boost your customer loyalty and sales.
So, it is time to go beyond and start generating trust from prospects the very minute they become exposed to your brand. Social media channels are not something that is meant to be ignored.
Display customer reviews
Featuring customer reviews are an excellent way to show your prospects what your business is made off. This includes your best selling products and customer service.
Chances are, your prospective customers are reading these reviews as a lot, helping them with the entire buying process, and making it easier for them to come into a decision.
Users will always appreciate the feedback from past customers, especially the ones that purchased and used the same product.
Ensure that these reviews are prominently placed on the particular product page they are viewing. This can greatly affect their decision to purchase an item and even divert their attention in a related item.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. Keep in mind that poor customer experiences can negatively affect your e-commerce business. Great experiences, on the other hand, help improve brand awareness, boost your traffic, social mentions, and ultimately ? your sales.