E-commerce used to be the place to go to get ahead of the competition. Now, you find yourself competing more because who isn’t selling online? One thing that never changes is the importance of the customer experience and strategic customer engagement strategies. Whether you ask Russell Conwell or Zig Ziglar, Mark Cuban or Dale Carnegie, there is one constant principal. The importance of how you make your customer’s feel after they conduct business with you reigns supreme.
To help give your E-commerce site a competitive advantage, we’ve compiled seven tips and examples of ways you can create a better customer engagement and experience digitally.
Tip 1: Express / Guest Checkout
Online shoppers are a lot like fast food customers. They want what they want easy, fast and convenient. The nice sit-down atmosphere where everyone knows your name is still important but it’s not always necessary. So, help your shoppers get the experience they want in as few clicks as possible by offering an express or guest checkout option.
We know a visitor’s details are important for capturing information that provides a personable experience but sometimes that lengthy registration process can cost you a sale.
Great Example:
Tip 2: Where in the World is that Search Bar?
Your customers shouldn’t have to locate it. That’s annoying. Especially if you offer multiple categories of products. Keep it dominant and visible in your E-commerce web design.
Great Example:
Tip 3: Bread Crumbs, How the Heck did I get to this Page?
Bread crumbs is a great feature to include in the design of your E-commerce site. The feature allows the user to quickly understand your site’s navigational structure. This means they can find what they are shopping for by understanding your site’s categories and subcategories. It allows them to see the path they took to land on a specific page. This is very useful for a return visitor wanting to make a quick purchase that they have previously identified.
Great Example:
Tip 4: Deals, Deals, Deals
Just kidding! We all love savings and so do your customers. You don’t need to keep an endless sale going. However, don’t make customers search for the great offers you do have. Put them all in one area. This isn’t just the sales section but any current promotions like coupon codes and other savings.
Great Example:
Tip 5: Browsing History and Recommendations or Related Products
This is something really simple but can have a major impact on sales. Show the visitor’s their browsing history. Rarely do customers shop for just one thing. Just ask Target. Whether it’s a skirt to go with that shirt or a workbook to compliment that SAT prep book, prominently showing browsing history lets the shopper know what other things they’ve looked at that will complement their purchase. This also can be a no-pressure way of cross-selling or upselling by showing recommended products or frequently purchased together products..
Tip 6 Make it Social
People love telling their friends about their latest purchase! Make it easy for them. Include product reviews that people can read before they purchase as well as testimonials that can easily be tweeted or posted to Facebook. “Hey, I just purchased the new spring lip color from “insert your company name here.”” This as your customer’s Facebook status can increase your sales dramatically and build a solid network of brand loyalist.
Great Example:
TIP 7: Product Video, Product Demonstration Video and Configurators
Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks to online shopping, especially for clothing, is you can’t try it on. Recreate that experience for your customer. Rather than have a static photo of a model, shoot a video of the model wearing and showcasing the clothes. Seeing every angle of that chair will not let people know how it will fit in their Living Room. So, allow them to configure a floor plan that has their carpet and wall color. Allow them to a digital model of the chair in theirconfigured living room.
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