Customer experience tactics to enhance your online retail store

The growth of any retail business depends on the customer service they offer!

It becomes difficult to cope up with negative customer feedback, which in turn, spreads a bad word for your brand across the web.

And, every bad feedback for your brand automatically diminishes the chance of future sales.

Why do you need to focus on customer experience?

Considering the increasing competition for selling online, you may try innovative ways to boost customer experience. However, not having a specific motto behind your customer experience tactics will make no much difference.

Key reasons that you should always consider:

Site engagement level

Your online store should be able to understand the need of the customer and offer service that encourages them to take actions on-the-go.

The amount of time spent by customers on your site will determine the level of customer service your brand offers.

Survive large players

As e-commerce industry continues to grow, apart from comparing product line and price range modern customers have one more factor (customer service) to enhance purchase making decisions.

An article by Survey Monkey “ if customers have a “very good” or “excellent” customer service experience, 97% of them said they are “very” or “extremely likely” to tell friends and family about it.”

Be in line with the latest technology

Modern customers are empowered by technology, unlike the 90’s where the desktop was the only place for online shopping. Today, customers are accessed to a number of touch points that allows them to shop online. They include smartphones, PC’s, tablets, etc.

The combination of modern technology and social media platforms are already helping many small sellers larger opportunities to engage customers and enhance the shopping experience for every purchase they make.

Most popular retail websites ranked by online visitors

The image shown below is a survey by Statista that reflects the average monthly number of visitors (in millions) to online stores in the United States.

No doubt, Amazon and eBay are leading the list as they are constantly seen to roll out innovative customer-centric models, which automatically increases the number of site visitors, year-after-year.

Key opportunities for online retailers to improve customer’s experience

There are a number of ways to offer your customers an experience they would like.

However, with a limited budget at the initial stage, not many sellers can adopt solutions that are offered by large players.

So, what are those cost-effective tactics that would improve customer’s journey with your online retail store?

Content in video format

The “Play” button is one of the most compelling call-to-actions over the web. Hence, by offering exclusive content in a video format across your store pages will make your customers get to know about your products in a fun way.

Whether you are launching a new product, showcasing some of best collection, or, announcing discounts- offering such content in the form of a video can improve customer’s browsing experience online.

Social media connection

Modern customers are more likely to shop and stick with brands that allow them to connect their shopping experience from their social media networking sites.

Allowing customers to know about your brands and make purchases from the favorite social media sites will automatically increase the chances of them visiting your online store, whenever they log-in. Integrating your brand with social media sites that allow a “Buy” button will surely enhance your customer’s way of making purchases.

Be generous with your payment methods

One of those negative experiences that modern customers worry is about payment method when shopping online. They will want to pay in all kind of different ways available.

Ensure you not only offer, but also, showcase PayPal payment option availability across your website. This will automatically improve customer’s trust with your brand as they can ensure safe payments transaction whenever they shop from your online store.

Self-service information

Modern customers don’t rely on those phone calls, chat support; hence, they immediately jump to online brands that allow them the ability to look-up for information on-the-go.

An FAQ or knowledge-base page in your website can ensure customers don’t walk away immediately. Allowing an easy access to information about your products and services, will surely help you reduce bounce rate and assist customers to take actions on-the-go.

Enhance delivery

Delivery options directly impact the customer’s shopping experience, including repeat purchases. So, what are those two important factors to consider keeping customers happy and coming back?

1- Speed

Ensure to tie up with the best shipping management system that will help you work with the best shipping companies and boost your customer’s purchase order delivery experience.

2-Convenience

Omni-channel shopping experience buzzword among modern customers, therefore,  encouraging them with multiple delivery options will automatically improve their experience, as you are allowing them an ability to accept product delivery that suits them the best.

Special daily deals and blog page

Brands, who regularly keep online customers updated about their products offerings and industry information, are seen to be improving their customer base rapidly.

Listing products on special discounts via a daily deal page or integrating a blog page to your website, will automatically encourage your existing customers to visit your website to shop those best deals, as well as, attract new customers to be updated with latest trends and styles.

Service after sale

Your customer’s journey does not end after a product is delivered; instead modern customers feel safe who offer protection for every order they purchase. This means, in the case of delay or inappropriate products delivered, modern customers expect an easy return process or immediate returns.

Ensure a clear returns policy for your customers and make it available on important pages of your site. Also, mention the process and shipping costs (if any), to avoid disputes that are not eligible.

Mobile access

Online retail has seen a rapid growth in the evolution of smart devices. And, mobile retail commerce estimating revenue of 130.12 billion by 2018, you should understand how important it is for you to offer a mobile-friendly shopping experience.

Question that you should ask yourself:

1-   Is your online store’s display the same across all smart devices?

2-   Will your content, images and videos fit properly?

3-    Are your call-to-action buttons visible and allow a smooth flow?

Considering a mobile strategy for your online store, will help you boost flexibility among online shoppers to shop from your store.

Last, adopt Order management system

Having a centralized system to sync your customers orders coming from multiple sources at a single place, will make it easy to understand and enhance the experience of each customer who shops from your stores.

How can an order management system improve customer experience?

Allows customer’s order details in real-time:

An integrated order management system will give you an access to all your customer’s details in real-time. This way, you can understand their requirements and offer content and products that will be hard for them to overlook.

Pattern of customer’s shopping behavior

It becomes easy to target customers if you have an access to their past shopping behavior and preferences. Order management system will help you generate powerful reports to analyze purchase history, loyal customers, amount spends on purchases, and much more.

An access to such important metrics will help you take better decisions and enhance your customer’s shopping experience every time they shop from you.

Wrapping up

An article by Walker has showcased how customer experience will be an online brand’s key differentiator by the year 2020.

Godspeed!!