How to Improve eCommerce Customer Experience?

When you visit your favorite retail outlet, the friendly salesperson greets you, ready to help you pick up the best product based on your requirements. They will keep the budget in mind and solve all the queries that may pop into your mind during the process. Finally, you buy and leave with a smile – a happy offline retail experience, right?

This kind of experience is a bit hard to implement in online stores. But don’t you worry, we are here to help.

In this blog, we’re going to talk about what eCommerce customer experience is, why it matters, and the top ways eCommerce development experts ensure customers have an enjoyable online shopping experience. 

What is eCommerce Customer Experience?

eCommerce customer experience refers to every interaction and emotion a customer experiences in regard to your brand, right from the time they become aware of it to the final transaction. This broad definition of all the touchpoints and engagements captures the experience from the customer’s viewpoint.

The customer experience in eCommerce encompasses everything from customers hearing about your brand for the first time to engaging in business. (In the big picture, CX is not only about making a sale but also creating lasting impressions that may win customers back.)

There’s no “one size fits all” in creating a great customer experience. You will have to understand the unique needs and expectations of your digital audience to convert them. 

Importance of Customer Experience in eCommerce

When you create a positive experience around your brand, customers are likely to choose you again, and it can help you save on customer acquisition costs. This also develops brand loyalty among customers in the long run.

Let’s discuss the five major benchmarks one can achieve by developing an engaging user experience:

Brand Reputation

Your eCommerce customer experience is a direct reflection of your brand. In the online world, where face-to-face interactions are missing, every touch point with your customers is critical in building their perception of your brand. From the moment a prospective customer visits your eCommerce website to the after-sales support that they receive, everything combines to build the reputation of your brand.

A good customer experience allows customers to trust and believe in your brand, which is recognized as reliable and customer-oriented. The bad experience, however, spreads like wildfire, ultimately harming your brand image with negative word of mouth. With social media and online review sites nowadays, a good customer experience becomes very crucial in building a brand reputation.

Higher Sales

Customer experience directly impacts sales. The more frictionless and pleasurable, the more your shopping experience will drive customers to the completion of their sales, ensuring less cart abandonment. When consumers aren’t frustrated over how to use your site, locate products that meet their needs, or make it through the checkout process, more of them actually finish their purchases.

Besides, good experience generally drives high-order values. If customers feel valued and have a good time while shopping, they will engage with more products, take up offers, and make impulsive purchases. According to Bain & Company, companies that focus on customer experience drive 4-8% higher revenue than their competitors.

Positive Word-of-Mouth

Word-of-mouth in the digital world has evolved to become much more than what the customer expected. It turns customers into brand advocates and such customers freely share their positive experiences on various channels such as websites, social media platforms, etc. This organic promotion is priceless. People tend to trust recommendations from friends, family, or even online customer reviews way more than they would ever trust an advertisement.

If customers have a great experience with your eCommerce business, there is a very good chance that they will share that experience over social media, in good reviews, and by word-of-mouth. According to a study, 88% of consumers trust recommendations from someone they know. This user-created content is just the kind of social proof that can attract new customers and further solidify existing ones.

Competitive Advantage

In an increasingly cluttered eCommerce environment, customer experience can be your key differentiator. Although competitors may match on price or even the product itself, a superior customer experience sets you apart. This includes intuitive website design and personalized recommendations, efficient customer service, and hassle-free returns.

A consistently better customer experience is one of the values you create that product differentiation cannot be based on, as stated above. In industries in which product differentiation isn’t so easy to grasp, this can turn out to be very powerful. A lot of times, customers will select and continue to buy from brands with the best user experience, even at a slight price premium.

Customer Retention

While winning new prospects is important, retaining the customers is also essential and, most times, less expensive. An excellent eCommerce customer experience is key to customer retention. The more frequent good experiences a customer has with a brand, the more likely he or she will come back to buy again in the future. 

Repeat customers are super-valuable. They spend more, are more likely to try new products, and are less costly to service than new customers. Research shows that just a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by up to 75%. The focus on customer experience is not making a sale; it’s building a relationship. This leads to a long-term approach where the customers’ lifetime value will be higher, and the existing customer base will be stable and loyal enough to hold the business through market fluctuations.

How to Improve Customer Experience in eCommerce?

Okay, so improving eCommerce customer experience is absolutely important for your business’s success and growth.

There are plenty of tactics you can use to enhance the user experience for your audience. But before jumping into those specific strategies, it’s important to take a step back and figure out the best approach for your customers. This way, you can ensure that your efforts are tailored to customer expectations, leading to better engagement and customer satisfaction.

Once you’ve got that sorted, you can start implementing the tactics to elevate the overall customer experience.

Improve Your Product Photography

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or just starting out your eCommerce store, high-quality product photos are crucial for helping customers visualize their purchases clearly.

Here are some tips to ensure your product photos are high-quality:

• Use a tripod for stability
• Opt for natural or artificial light
• Avoid using flash
• Use a digital camera or a smartphone with excellent camera capabilities
• Use portrait mode to highlight your product
• Ensure lenses are clean before shooting
• Keep your hands steady while taking photos
• Avoid digital zoom
• Draw inspiration from brands you admire

(Tip: Hiring professional photographers can yield even better results)

Implement Virtual Try-Ons

One major drawback of online shopping has been the inability to try things on before buying. In recent years, many businesses have started using virtual reality (VR) in eCommerce.

This technology allows buyers to see how products look on them or in their homes. This can be applied to various niches, including furniture, glasses, footwear, jewelry, watches, beauty products, and more.

Virtual fitting rooms not only improve the customer experience and boost sales, but they also reduce the product return rate. Thus, it ultimately saves costs.

Create a Memorable Unboxing Experience

As online shopping becomes more prevalent, the unboxing experience has become increasingly important for brands.

A great unboxing experience makes customers feel valued and excited, and they are more likely to share it on social media, spreading your brand to potential new customers.

Here are some ideas for creating an unforgettable unboxing experience:

• Add your logo to the packaging box
• Use special packaging materials
• Include a handwritten thank-you note

Apple and LEGO are some of the most popular brands, renowned for their exceptional packaging.

Enhance Customer Loyalty with Freebies

Showing customers you value them can be done effectively by surprising them with gifts.

When a customer makes a purchase, include a small gift with their order. The gift doesn’t need to be expensive; the gesture itself is what matters.

Small surprises like this create a memorable experience for the online shopper and encourage repeat business.

For instance, a cosmetics business could include a beauty blender with a make-up purchase. A sunglasses retailer might include a cleaning cloth for easy maintenance.

Offer Payment Flexibility

To enhance the shopping experience, it’s essential to offer flexible payment options.

Imagine a customer finds the product they want, only to realize their preferred payment method isn’t available. This can lead to disappointment and lost sales.

To avoid this, provide various payment options, especially those commonly used by online shoppers.

Consider offering:

• PayPal (a leading payment method)
• Debit Cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express)
• eWallets (Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
• Prepaid Cards (Snap and Paysafecard)
• Gift Cards (Google and Apple)

Develop an Omnichannel Strategy

Interacting with customers through multiple channels is now standard for businesses.

Customers who engage with your company through multiple touchpoints are more likely to convert and become loyal. An omnichannel eCommerce experience allows customers to interact with your business seamlessly through various channels.

Here’s an example:

A potential customer sees your ad for “Wireless Earbuds” on Instagram and clicks the link, which takes them to your store’s Instagram page for more information and reviews.

They then visit the website to make a purchase but find the color they want out of stock. They use the live chat feature to ask when the color will be available again.

The agent informs them that the color is available at the nearest store and reserves it for them. The next day, the customer picks up the earbuds from your physical store.

This online shopper had five touchpoints with the company:

• The original ad
• The Facebook page
• The eCommerce website
• Live assistance
• The in-store team

Both the customer and the business achieved their goals. To deliver an outstanding omnichannel customer experience, follow these steps:

• Identify what your customers want, when they want it, and how they want it
• Map out the journey customers take to purchase a product
• Ensure your content fits different screen sizes
• Offer omnichannel customer support as customers interact with your brand across various channels
• Include physical stores in your omnichannel strategy

Make Checkout Easy

The checkout process is super important for getting sales in your eCommerce store. You’ve already spent a lot of time and money picking out products, designing your store, and bringing in visitors. But if people can’t easily complete their purchase, all that effort goes to waste.

Here’s how to keep it simple and smooth:

• Clear “Add To Cart” Button: Make sure this button is easy to find and click.
• Visible “Pay Now” Button: Keep this button in front of customers throughout the checkout process so they know where to go next.
• Guest Checkout: Let people buy without creating an account. This can really reduce abandoned carts. You can even consider a one-click checkout to ease the process.
• Payment Options: Offer different ways to pay to suit everyone’s preferences.
• Focused Checkout Page: Hide the top navigation bar so customers stay focused on finishing their purchase.
• Remove Distractions: Get rid of anything that might pull their attention away from checking out.

Define a Clear Return Policy

One of the biggest challenges with online shopping is that customers can’t try products before they buy them. To give them peace of mind, you need a good return policy. Even though returns can be tricky for eCommerce stores, a simple and clear policy can make a huge difference.

Over 92% of customers are likely to buy again if returns are easy. Offering free return shipping and an easy-to-print return label can be the cherry on top. This not only makes customers feel secure but also encourages them to shop with you again.

How can BrainSpate Help Enhance Your eCommerce Customer Experience?

At BrainSpate, we’re all about making your customers happy and your online store successful. Great customer experience is necessary in today’s crowded eCommerce space, and this is exactly what we focus on. We put effort into every part of the customer journey, from intuitive website designs to personalized shopping experiences.

We use the latest tech to make your store not just look good but smart in response to what your customers need. Our team goes deep into analytics for insights into customer behavior. That is how we create targeted marketing strategies and give recommendations that keep bringing back your customers.

Partner with BrainSpate to achieve an improved eCommerce customer experience.

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FAQs on eCommerce Customer Experience

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Final Thoughts

A positive customer experience is the center of repeat business and word-of-mouth marketing. So, it’s crucial for the future of digital commerce.

Any business that excels at customer experience has the most powerful eCommerce marketing tool. This can have a huge impact on consumers compared to any advertising campaign. Attention to customer experience increases customer retention and is directly connected with brand value and organic growth—thereby becoming a long-term success factor.

If you need further assistance with eCommerce customer experience, consult our experts today!