What are the characteristics of a great e-commerce project? Does yours belong with the good, the bad, or the mediocre? Technology is constantly reshaping the concept of a great business, and industry standards are a subject of constant change. In 2019, what are customers expecting from e-commerce retailers and what’s their definition of a “great online store”?
Top-notch user experience
In today’s competitive environment, customer experience is what ultimately makes a store stand out. Even brick-and-mortar stores, who seemingly have an advantage of offering customers instant gratifications of their shopping impulses, are striving to create unforgettable customer experiences while offering the best products. Take Sephora, for instance: the store leverages AR to allow visitors to try on different looks without having to put on any makeup.
As an e-commerce retailer, the first thing you can do is ensure that your customer journey through your website is as easy and pleasurable as you can possibly make it. Using sources like Google analytics to track customer journey and identify what may be standing in the way to their purchases, is a great example of using business analytic tools to your benefit. Try to offer customers all the additional info they may need to keep them from leaving your website.
As of today, many brands are introducing virtual fitting rooms to let customers see how the shoes and/or apparel may look on them without having to physically try them on. Furniture retailers offer tools that allow customers to see if the item they want to purchase will fit into their rooms, thus enhancing customer experience and avoiding returns. According to researchers, in 2018 over 70% of customers expected retail brands to launch some kind of a mobile AR app, but most of them were ready for AR solutions incorporated into retail websites.
And even though the large scale adoption of AR is still underway, there are other ways to make user experience unforgettable. Whatever it takes, never underestimate the importance of great design, convenient user interface, 24/7 customer support, and a fully-functional mobile website version. Even if customers are not buying with their smartphones, they use them to browse products, view ads and make decisions. By 2023 smartphones will drive $1.4 trillion in sales, according to the Forrester survey. Also, make sure your website supports social media interactions, and personalize your user experiences whenever you can.
One more thing that falls under this category is the ease of payments. Admittedly, having to abandon your cart just because it’s impossible to figure out how to pay for the product, can be frustrating. Make sure all payment transactions are processed smoothly and consistently and ensure your website supports a wide range of payment methods.
Seamless delivery
Introducing same day delivery can be challenging for SMB businesses, yet, retail tycoons like Amazon are now dictating new order fulfillment standards. Fortunately, meeting these standards gets easier every day, since an increasing number of startups are offering same-day delivery services to e-commerce companies. Look for such shippers in your area and set up a database of shipping companies listing their rates, territorial and product restrictions (some won’t deliver products like tobacco and alcohol, other’s won’t work with fragile items).
Offering same day delivery your most loyal customers or bulk buyers are increasingly expected from e-commerce stores. Other feature customers expect from a great retail website these days is delivery tracking. Having an option of tracking their order on its journey to them increases customer trust and brand loyalty.
Offers and discounts
Speaking of loyalty, customers expect to be rewarded for sticking with the brand and usually appreciate discounts and freebies. Also, they expect the store to address them by name, remember their previous purchases and create personalized offers tailored exclusively for their specific needs. Christmas, Valentine’s day, birthday, or simply a prolonged absenсe are great occasions to approach customers with offers delivered straight to their messenger or inbox and assembled with their tastes and preferences in mind. Discounts for first-time buyers have also become a mainstream feature, as of today.
Security
A recent report by identity theft protection company Lifelock shows that one out of four people have experienced identity theft. Before sharing their personal data with your store, customers want to rest assured their identity will stay protected. Launching your e-commerce store requires taking full responsibility for the security of your business and your customers’ data. Using a SSL certificate is one of the ways to ensure customer data is encrypted and protected from unauthorized access.
Of course, meeting these standards will involve major upgrade not only of your website design and usability but also of your back office operations. Automating routine processes to eliminate the human factor, optimizing warehouse inventory management, synchronizing your disparate databases to ensure a smooth and non-disruptive flow of all your processes will ultimately translate into top-notch quality and great user experience. Full personalization will involve processing large amounts of customer-related data and advanced data analytics.
Fortunately, the advent of AI and related technologies has enabled SMB companies to survive and remain competitive in an overcrowded marketplace. At VARTEQ we offer tailored solutions that integrate with your existing tools and applications to increase productivity, enhance customer engagement, and, ultimately, boost sales.