The e-commerce sector has been operating automatically in recent years, governed by a set of “best practices” that are intended to assist companies to grow their brand recognition and generate sales. However, it is these behaviors that are preventing organizations from achieving these objectives. While these procedures might result in a frictionless shopping experience on an e-commerce website, they also give customers a dull and uninspired path to making a purchase. Consumer expectations have changed, so it’s time for eCommerce companies to catch up.
How can companies differentiate themselves from the competition and attract customers? Businesses could start by breaking away from two standard best practices in order to improve the customer experience and set themselves apart from the competition.
Frictionless Customer Shopping Experience
The creation of seamless customer purchasing experiences is a long-standing trend in the eCommerce sector. Customers are swiftly led from the landing page to the checkout screen via fast search, website navigation, and checkout features. A frictionless experience, however, only favors infrequent or one-time customers. Although frictionless commerce could attract new clients. Building this core group of loyal consumers should be a top priority for organizations because they can generate up to 23% of annual sales.
Reaching Shoppers Through Website
Another long-standing belief in the sector is that using a website is the greatest way to attract customers and increase revenue. But more and more customers are making purchases on their mobile devices. Around 44% of US retail sales are anticipated to take place on mobile devices by 2025. A desktop-only website won’t be sufficient to compete with other companies because many eCommerce websites are not mobile-optimized. As a result, online retailers need to be ready to create new ways to connect with customers.
Three Ideas For Challenging Industry Norms
When departing from the best practices in the field, there are three crucial suggestions to bear in mind. These suggestions can aid an online retailer in reassessing its present plans and getting ready for 2023.
- Establish a strong visual brand identity: Companies may do this by offering highly visual experiences, implementing a multi-media approach to brand assets, and giving their companies a distinctive look and uniqueness that makes them stand out from the competition.
- Change the road that customers take to purchase: Businesses should be prepared to alter the path that customers take to purchase. Consider doing macro-tests that investigate novel layouts in addition to micro-enhancement tests on element placement, button colors, and product picture quality. For instance, experimenting with various hierarchical structures and layouts can make an e-commerce website feel fresh and new.
- Create a VIP experience: By creating a VIP experience, consumers will feel as though they are receiving a personalized, private encounter. Because customers know they won’t be able to find the experience elsewhere, offering VIP experiences has the extra benefit of increasing brand loyalty. Members-only exclusive material, exclusive offers, and rewards are a few strategies for creating this VIP experience. Additionally, companies can conduct referral and loyalty programs and add some originality to their marketing and outreach initiatives. A mobile app is another approach to creating a VIP experience.
It’s time for businesses to abandon the best practices used by the eCommerce sector. Businesses open to changing their methods will raise revenue and brand recognition. Although adhering to industry best practices may be simpler, doing so results in a predictable experience that could cause your brand to be lost in the crowd.
