The online customer experience is where retailers can shine in translating the beauty of their products that may be more apparent in person, into the digital world.
What’s in the November 2023 edition of Strategy Insights?
Most of the time, that’s through images. In a Digital Commerce 360 and Bizrate Insights survey of 999 online shoppers in October 2023, 52% of online shoppers say multiple product images are important to delivering a well-designed and functional online experience. That’s second only to detailed product descriptions, with 58% of shoppers citing this. The infographic “What consumers love, and don’t love, about online shopping” visualizes all of the results from this survey. It includes:
- Online shoppers’ largest frustrations with online shopping
- How they shop on mobile
- Customer service woes
- Personalization preferences
While images and descriptions are table stakes, a robust online customer experience goes well beyond this.
For example, the amount of retailers using video has grown tremendously, which the article “Lights, camera, conversion: How some retailers use videos to entice shoppers to buy” showcases. Featured in the article is The Home Depot Inc., which publishes several videos on a single product page, each catering to its different shopper personas, says Michael Newsome, the home improvement chain’s senior director of category experience.
Enhancing the customer experience
Another way retailers work to enhance the customer experience is through blog and editorial content. This area of the website works to give shoppers more information about the products they are buying or the brand they are shopping from. It can help increase conversion, and retailers say it can boost their SEO value. The article “Retail blogs can deliver sales but only with a strategic plan” details the wins and pitfalls of operating an on-site blog.
Many retailers also work to enhance the customer experience with free loyalty programs. They give shoppers perks and is a lucrative way to entice acquired shoppers to spend even more with a brand. The article “Successful loyalty programs give consumers an incentive to spend more” features three exclusive interviews with executives from major retail chains Chico’s, Michaels and Sephora. They share insights on how they drive their millions of loyalty program members to spend even more.
And lastly, all this would all be moot if the retailer’s site doesn’t load quickly. Shoppers, especially on mobile, will abandon the site and their purchase. The article “Retailers are building mobile websites to meet consumer demand for interactive features” details how merchants build robust mobile sites without dragging down the speed.
The November Strategy Insights “How Retailers Create the Best Customer Experience” contains these feature-length articles. Download the free PDF here.
April Berthene
Editor, Strategy Insights