This is a contributor’s blogpost …
Browse, click and buy. This is a pretty average customer interaction in the online retail industry. Indeed, the arrival of ecommerce websites has revolutionized the purchase process. All one needs to do is simply click to buy. If only life could be that easy all the time! However, despite offering an engaging and quick purchase experience, at first sight, there’s still plenty of room for improvement in the online retail sectors. In fact, you’ll find that at least one in four ecommerce companies is guilty of the following:
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They have bad reviews
Ecommerce businesses have reduced interactions with their customers to a minimum. As a result, it’s important that every touchpoint with the customer counts and runs smoothly. Otherwise, your business will suffer from negative reviews, whether it is about your return policy, the product, or even the navigation. Negative reviews hurt your business. What customers expect from an ecommerce boutique is a quick buying process and a speedy and smooth delivery. It’s no wonder that businesses like Amazon are market leaders: Next day delivery for Prime customers, reliable courier, and easy returns can make all the difference.
They don’t keep track of their tech
In the world of online retail, the success factor of growth is primarily how efficiently technology is used in the business. A common example on users’ end is about websites that fail to display a responsive design. As Google pointed out in the past, if you don’t give your customers the technology to shop wherever they are, then they’ll buy elsewhere. Another example of poor tech use is lacking proper stock scanners in the warehouse – to keep track of where your stock is and how much is left. Small ecommerce shops tend to rely on mobile scanners and just give up when these stop working instead of investing in bespoke mobile computer repair and stock management software solutions. What does it matter? Because you can’t promise your customers products you don’t have anymore.
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They are out of touch with the market
There are some ecommerce businesses that, despite mastering a fantastic offering and great customer services, have lost touch with the reality of the market. La Redoute is a French fashion business that is selling across Europe, including the UK. Unfortunately, when their competitors offer next day delivery, La Redoute continues to offer a minimum of 7 to 10 days delivery. The problem? They’re losing customers to competitors who are following the market trends of click, buy and receive in 24 hours.
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They ignore effective marketing strategies
Gathering sufficient brand exposure is only half the battle. It’s one thing that people know your website and visit it. Getting them to buy might take some convincing. That’s why more and more businesses are turning to remarketing strategies to follow visitors who have not bought yet but know their brand. You know the kind of advertising campaigns it creates: First you visit your favorite fashion brand, then you find display ads of the products you’ve seen on other websites and in your social media feeds. Failing to use remarketing strategy can mean a loss by up to 70% of profit.
Running an ecommerce business depends on a solid digital strategy. It’s about being visible, accessible, and making the best use of the technology in-house. But digital or not, your business needs to put its customers first, from high-quality customers services to smoothing out every interaction as much as possible.
