E-commerce companies are constantly looking to enhance customer experience (CX). The fact that CX can mean something different for everyone doesn’t make the task easier. On the one hand, technology keeps evolving. On the other hand, users are demanding even more. There’s no other way besides keeping up with trends and expectations.
So, what does a great customer experience in e-commerce entail? It involves every interaction with businesses at all stages of a buyer journey. It hides in the details. Selection of items, quick delivery, easy returns, pleasant communication, and good design add to CX. Thus, it has something to do with all channels and touchpoints.
DigitalSuits specializes in e-commerce development. Hence, we know how critical CX is in this competitive domain. In today’s article, we’ll share some recommendations and insights on customer experience management. Hopefully, you’ll find new ideas to improve the online experience for your customers and drive better business results.
Understanding the importance of customer experience
Why does customer experience matter so much? Let’s take a look at some numbers.
According to McKinsey, positive reviews shared online can result in up to 3x returns to shareholders. The right CX programs help companies deliver up to a 20% boost in sales conversion rates. It can also cut service costs by 20-50%.
eMarketer also confirms that word of mouth is an excellent promotion for businesses. And it only works if a consumer has a positive experience with a brand. 94% of people are ready to purchase again after a positive experience. 82% have recommended such companies to others. 80% are ready to forgive mistakes after a positive experience.
Shopify states that experience with a brand has a major influence on the purchasing decisions of 73% of consumers. Two-thirds of marketers admit that CX is their main niche for the competition.
You can probably find even more supporting evidence. But one thing is clear: CX matters a lot. So, finding ways to improve e-commerce customer experience will help you become more competitive.
Strategies to improve customer experience
So, how to improve e-commerce customer experience? There’s no one correct answer or a strategy that works for all. You’ll need to analyze your business processes and customer feedback, find gaps, and choose ways to address them. Here are a few ideas on how to build the best e-commerce experiences in 2024.
Make shopping convenient
What does “convenient” mean in this context? It’s about customer-centricity lying at the core of positive user experience. Aim to balance your business goals with customer preferences and expectations. Thus, you’ll shift towards building an excellent e-commerce shopping experience.
In simpler words, get to know your audience. What do they value in online shopping? Why do they choose you? Is there anything they would like to change or improve? When you start looking for these answers, you’ll see that convenience is at the core of each interaction. The easier and more pleasant online shopping is for users, the more likely they will return.
As for the more specific points, convenience may include the following:
- user-friendly website themes (design, navigation, and search)
- tools and add-ons for selecting size and fitting
- detailed product pages with all specifications and important comments
- high-quality images that illustrate the item’s color and other details precisely
- simple and quick checkout flow that doesn’t request unnecessary data
- various payment and shipping options available
- clear return policy with an easy return process
- an easy way to contact live support
- good choice of packaging to balance the design and sustainability.
These are just a few ideas. As you can see, they concern very different aspects of a user’s interaction with the brand. Most are easy to implement technically. Knowing your customer will help you understand where to start the optimization.
Use emerging technologies
AI, ML, VR, IoT, 5G, and similar abbreviations may seem just buzzwords when used out of context. But better customer experience in e-commerce is the proper context to illustrate how they can benefit businesses.
For example, AI tools can cover a diversity of functions in e-commerce platforms:
- Intelligent chatbots can provide quick answers to frequent queries. They can off-load human assistants and become smarter with time, utilizing the power of ML.
- Using forecasting tools facilitates inventory management. You can see what items are in demand and control them remaining in stock.
- Dynamic pricing tools allow adjusting pricing based on the current market conditions, competitor research, and other factors without manual calculations.
Another promising technology is AR. Here are a few e-commerce experience examples of using it by famous brands:
- Sephora allows trying on makeup virtually before buying a product.
- Warby Parker lets users try on all glasses virtually.
- Amazon allows viewing furniture in your room. It also has virtual try-ons for shoes, clothes, and jewelry.
Emerging tech can improve both the business and client-related aspects. The only rule is to use them wisely. Don’t aim to pack the functionality with innovations. Learn if they’re going to facilitate shopping for users and fit in the product. Otherwise, the implementations will be a waste of time and resources. Rely on the rationale, not trends.
Continue with personalization
Personalization isn’t new for e-commerce. Still, there’s room to get it to the next level. In particular, it’s significant to align the marketer’s perception of personalization and consumers’ actual experiences.
A common use of personalization is showing the relevant featured products. Yet, the way of selecting them can differ. The items displayed are often just a logical pairing, a marketing move, or previous searches. However, AI can provide actual personalization. ASOS App’s recommendation functionality is an excellent e-commerce experience example.
Personalization isn’t only about the AI technology. It’s also about giving your customer a choice. Offering various delivery options, self-servicing, etc., also adds to the personalized experience.
Prioritize mobile experience
Mobile device usage is expected to reach 7.52 billion in 2026. Besides increasing adoption, smartphones have become functional enough to replace laptops for shopping. The situation is not likely to shift backward. Thus, it makes sense to focus on mobile experience.
Mobile-friendly platforms make it possible to shop anytime and anywhere. It works for all product categories: groceries, clothes, presents, luxury goods, and more. So, it’s in a company’s interest to make the shopping experience free of constraints. Network connection, screen size, and hardware shouldn’t interfere with shopping.
Mobile optimization should consider, among other things:
- user-friendly shopping flow
- fonts and buttons are accessible on smaller screens
- lightweight, fast-loading pages
- simple checkout processes
- Apple Pay and Google Pay integrations.
Large businesses like Amazon and Walmart have well-thought-out apps and websites. Small companies are even more dependent on digital technology. It becomes a tool that allows them to stand out in the fierce competition. The focus on mobile can be a huge advantage and will undoubtedly influence CX positively.
Plan for omnichannel experiences
Maintaining an omnichannel system may seem complicated. Instead of a single touchpoint, the team needs to set up and support multiple ones. However, it simplifies shopping for a user, boosting e-commerce customer experience and revenue. Omnichannel experience makes users more likely to complete a purchase. Consider these two scenarios:
- A user browses products on a retailer’s website using a smartphone. They complete a purchase after taking a closer look at the item on a laptop. A customer pays online but chooses a store pickup. That’s where the purchase completes.
- Meanwhile, another user sees a product on social media. They contact a brand in direct messages to ask about some details. A person completes a purchase online and waits for the delivery.
Today, a user journey may be interrupted and later renewed using another channel. As a brand, you can provide a seamless experience. Integrating different resources into a single functional system enables flexibility and convenience that users always enjoy. You can also experiment with social and live commerce.
Provide reliable customer service
Customer service directly impacts customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. In McKinsey’s 2022 survey, respondents mentioned digital care among their top three priorities. What does effective customer service entail? In e-commerce, it encompasses the following:
- responsive and polite communication
- timely and effective issue resolution
- knowledgeable and empathetic staff
- personalized support and assistance.
There are many ways to improve customer care to deliver a better e-commerce experience. The most essential thing to do is set up multiple communication channels, making your team easy to reach. It’s also vital to have well-thought-out issue-handling procedures. It can include refunds, replacements, coupons, gifts, etc.
When you finish this, you can consider more uncommon ways to organize the customer care unit. For example, you can hire online assistants to consult clients about your items. It can be a stylist for a clothing shop, a cosmet