- There are a lot of you out there
searching for the best eCommerce websites.
Now, I assume you're looking for inspiration
on how to make your site better.
If that's the case, then let's talk
about the five things that the best eCommerce websites
always do well so that you can make sure
you're replicating them.
If you're new around here, my name is TJ Gamble
and I'm the founder and CEO of Jamersan,
where we've been helping accelerate
businesses' eCommerce growth for over 20 years.
Without further ado, let's get right into it.
Now, these are not in any particular order.
You really just need to do all of these.
The first item that all of the best eCommerce websites
have in common is great customer support.
The best eCommerce websites are absolutely fanatical
about providing a top tier customer support experience,
both before and after the purchase.
I've probably had more issues with the things I've ordered
from Wayfair than not, but their customer support
and willingness to just send me another one without hassle
gives me the confidence to continue ordering from them.
Here are some ways that you can ensure
a great customer support experience on your site.
Don't force your customers
into a particular mode of communication.
Take support requests on social media, forums,
live chat, email, phone.
However your customers want to communicate with you
should be acceptable.
Make sure support is readily available
at the point of purchase to answer any questions
that might keep you from getting a sale.
Ensure you have self-service support options.
Over 60% of consumers prefer self-service support.
Make it easy for them to help themselves.
FAQs, user-submitted Q&As, and chatbots
to provide automated answers to common questions
can go a long way to helping you get the sale.
Post-purchase support is vital
to ensure your customers order from you again.
You need to provide visibility
in the shipping progress and have an easy return process
and continue to deliver value
long after the sale has been made.
Surveys have shown that customers are willing to pay
almost 20% more for the exact same product
when they know the company behind the transaction
has excellent customer service.
Let's move on to number two.
The second thing that the best eCommerce websites
have in common is that they personalize communication
with their customers.
There is no excuse to treat your customers
like an anonymous John Doe.
You need to maximize your chances of getting the sale
by catering your interactions more to each customer
and working to build a relationship with them.
There are two buzz terms that you've probably heard
that are key here, segmentation and personalization.
Here are some tips to better segment
and personalize your interactions.
Intentionally build out your customer profiles
with purchase history, preferences, demographics,
and other info that could be useful
to how you interact with them.
Make sure you're personalizing offers
and product information to them that they will find valuable
based on their profile.
Segment and personalize your email communications with them
to ensure maximum relevance to their interest.
And demonstrate that you know who they are
in your communications and instill confidence
that you actually care about them and not just their money.
If they pop up in a live chat,
ask them how the product they purchased last month
is working out.
It's not rocket science.
Let's move on to number three.
The third thing that the best eCommerce websites
have in common is a user experience that guides shoppers.
Great stores do more than just rely on the search bar
to help shoppers find products.
If you have a complicated buying journey,
then use profiles at the start to narrow down options.
Are you a beginner?
Well, click here.
Are you shopping for a particular vehicle?
Well, let us know what that is.
Do you like sour candy or sweet candy?
Anything you can do
to take a seemingly limitless amount of options
and narrow it down to the buyer's preferences, the better.
You also want to use the right blend
of product filters and categories.
Too many categories are just confusing,
and too few make it difficult
to find what you're looking for.
And this is one of those things
that really comes with experience
and understanding your customer base.
Make sure you have a good search experience
that includes auto complete to speed things up a bit.
Also remember that no one can spell these days,
so make sure your search tool
and configuration can actually handle that.
Also, use merchandising tools to help customers
discover products that might interest them,
but perhaps weren't on their radar.
The fourth thing that the best eCommerce websites
have in common is that they ensure
the entire shopping experience is on brand.
Branding is important,
so the best brands ensure they reinforce that
at every customer interaction.
Be deliberate about establishing your brand's voice,
tone, and visual identity.
Make sure everything, from ads and emails
to product packaging, reflect that brand.
Everything your customer touches
should reflect your business
all the way down to your tracking status
and 404 error pages.
Great stores aren't lazy
and they don't settle for photographs
provided by the manufacturer or default templates.
Custom tailor every single touchpoint.
And the fifth thing that the best eCommerce websites
have in common is a well thought-out promotional strategy.
Who doesn't love a discount?
92% of online shoppers claim to have looked for a coupon
or discount before purchasing.
But if you discount too frequently
or rely on promotions to land sales,
you're devaluing your brand.
Great brands establish other reasons
for shoppers to buy from them.
It could be their expertise or customer service or whatever.
They then use promotions to drive a specific behavior.
For example, use promotions
to drive a larger average order value.
If you order over $90, we'll give you a free gift.
Use promotions to recover customers
who maybe haven't purchased in a while
and are at risk of not returning.
Or use promotions to drive awareness of a new product
or to get rid of stale inventory.
And that's the list.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Contact me using the link in the description
if you have any questions.
Don't forget to like and subscribe.
Here are some other videos
that YouTube thinks you would enjoy
and I'll see you next time.