After the rapid growth in digital commerce over the last year and a Golden Quarter like no other in 2020, the final months of 2021 ecommerce retail are set to follow in the same fashion.
In an older VE research, when specifically asked about Christmas, more than half (51%) of consumers said they plan to do their shopping online instead of at the shops this year.
So online shops are primed to grow even with physical stores opening this year. But the market is over saturated.
There is a great deal of pressure on any retailer to slash prices during the fourth quarter. Whether it’s Black Friday, Boxing Day or Super Saturday.
But consumers have more choice over where they spend their money. Retailers, both online and instore, will have to work harder, even during traditionally busy periods like the fourth quarter.
What are three easy differentiators that will encourage website stickiness without spending your entire marketing budget? Here are three top tips.
Immediacy, convenience, and speed are top consumer demands
Successful online brands are investing in an easy-to use, intuitive digital experience across channels and devices. The key has been to build a seamless omnichannel experience, no matter where you meet the customer. But how?
- Prioritise your mobile experience. Websites must be mobile responsive or use progressive web applications. What % of traffic is mobile now – good place to add a stat perhaps
- Adopt a system that gives you a unified view of your product and customer data, so you can create a consistent customer experience across channels and track performance.
- Upgrade your checkout experience, it’s a critical moment in the buyer’s mind. Consider adding capabilities to save payment details and shipping information or adding a “buy now pay later option”.
- Bring the physical shopping experience into the digital age. Some brands have built augmented realty functions to try on products. Others have invested in onsite technology to simulate an in-store experience. These will help your customers find the products they are looking for faster.
- Revisit your email remarketing sequences, giving customers a fast track back to forgotten carts.
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The four pillars of fulfilment: branded, fast, free, sustainable shipping
Fulfilment has emerged as a key differentiator, and it has a four-pronged approach.
Customers are beginning to expect instant gratification in the digital shopping world. Some retailers have begun to reimagine their delivery processes, with some offering same-day delivery by using their physical stores as storerooms or distributing factors. Getting your hands on the goods the same day has long been an advantage of in-store shopping. However, initiatives of this kind demonstrate that online shopping can not only match but be more convenient than going in-store.
Environmentally conscious customers today are likely to choose one brand over another if their packaging is sustainable. The rise of the influencer and the #unboxing trend has made it so important for your packaging to look good.
Customer acquisition falls to retention
Mounting global pressure on Google to make it harder to target ads is making acquisition or targeting lost customers a difficult habit to kick. The time has come to prioritise retention, rewarding and incentivising existing customers to spend more.
Consider what products you have that could be sold on a subscription basis.
Once you have subscribers, consider how you can streamline the billing process and personalised marketing to cross-sell and upsell.
Onsite technology can help you in this area, triggering product recommendations when relevant. Use your data to predict what they will buy next, accelerate this, and prevent churn.
It doesn’t begin and end with the business. Socially conscious customers are willing to pay a premium for brands with a purpose. Customer expectations affected by the pandemic are likely to endure. Differentiating your online experience will be key.
If you are looking for more ideas on how you can make your ecommerce strategy even smarter, speak to one of our experts today.
