Actionable ways you can improve your ecommerce customer experience

Ecommerce is one of the biggest industries in the world right now, with a huge increase in the amount of people shopping online in recent years, it’s even more important than ever to get it right. Despite many ecommerce owners spending a huge amount of time focusing on the design and functionality of their website, the topic of improving customer experience is often still ignored, with many struggling to find the connection between customer experience and an increase in sales.  

What is customer experience?

Customer experience is the term for the overall quality of the interactions your customer has with your business, it’s products and it’s service. In order to provide a great customer experience you need to offer fantastic interactions in all aspects of your business from browsing the website, purchasing an item to any customer service interactions that might be made.

There are a number of great ways in which you can creatively and efficiently improve your ecommerce customer experience in a way which will not only increase customer loyalty but ultimately your sales.

Understand your customers

If you want to offer a great customer experience then you need to know and understand your customers. Finding out who your target audience are, what they want and what they expect from your business is the first step in creating a customer experience they will love.

Personalised emails

Personalised email marketing campaigns not only improve your leads but also add more value to you brand. Personalised emails work because they are tailored for your customers and their individual needs. Offering customers specific offers and deals which are relevant to their previously purchased items or offering abandoned cart follow up emails are great ways in which you can encourage a customer to come back to your store to make a purchase.

Simple checkout process 

If you’re looking to keep your customers content and encourage sales then you need to keep your checkout process simple. If your customers can’t get through the checkout process quickly and simply, they’re not going to be happy with their overall experience and may even be inclined to leave your checkout before they even complete their order. 

Reviews

Often we look to others to help us decide whether an item is worth buying or not through online reviews. Offering product reviews on your website means that potential customers can read up on product and service reviews before they decide to buy, offering real life opinions and social proof which potential customers will find useful.

Live chat

Live chat is a quick and easy way for your customers to contact your company with an enquiry. These days customers want an immediate response to any issues they might have, rather than phone or wait around for an email, a live chat feature means that customers can get answers quickly ensuring they don’t head to your competitors website whilst they’re waiting for your response.

Enhance website navigation

Generally if your customers can’t find their way around your website they aren’t going to stay. If finding your products is too difficult then it means that your customers will head elsewhere to find what they want, this is why you need to ensure that your website is clear and easy to navigate, meaning your customers can find what they want, when they want. 

The world of ecommerce is rapidly changing, customers are expecting more from businesses and it’s important that as new platforms appear and technology advances, that your business can provide the experiences your customers need.