For online retail consumers, shopping is more than a transaction.
Shoppers expect engagement, entertainment, and a seamless browsing and buying process. They want visually appealing branding and communication channels that make them feel supported before and after purchasing a product.
These elements come together to create the eCommerce customer experience (ECX). And to thrive as a retailer in this digital space, you have to shift perspectives and start seeing things from the customer’s point of view.
The eCommerce customer experience explained
The ECX includes every customer interaction with your eCommerce store, from their initial website visit to post-purchase support.
Every eCommerce store delivers an ECX. But a visitor’s online shopping experience can be positive, negative, or somewhere in between. That person’s takeaway depends on how seamless and enjoyable their visit proved to be. And the better the ECX, the more likely shoppers are to return.
Let’s look at some good and bad examples of the ECX.
Positive interactions
- A first-time visitor lands on the homepage and encounters a well-organized menu that guides them to the product they want.
- After purchasing a pair of shoes, the customer receives a follow-up email recommending accessories to complement the purchase.
- A shopper with questions about sizing uses the live chat feature and receives a prompt, friendly, helpful response.
Negative interactions
- A potential customer struggles to navigate a website, causing them to give up and leave.
- A customer finds the right product but notices the descriptions and prices vary between the website and mobile app.
- A customer emails the support team about an item that arrived damaged but doesn’t receive a response for several days.
The importance of a customer experience management strategy
No eCommerce website is perfect. But if you wait for customers to raise complaints instead of proactively spotting problems, you risk dissatisfaction and lost sales. Most potential customers who fail to buy something because of a problem with your eCommerce website will simply leave without offering feedback to help you improve. So, it’s important to look at the bounce rate on certain web pages in order to pinpoint areas for improvement.
A well-defined customer experience management (CXM) strategy helps you understand and preemptively meet customers’ evolving expectations. By identifying pain points and implementing solutions to enhance online shopping, you create a more seamless and enjoyable user journey. This translates to happy customers.
ECX versus UX
User experience (UX) refers to the experience any user has while interacting with a website or app. It considers how easy or difficult it is for online users to find the information they’re looking for and navigate a site or platform.
A positive eCommerce user experience lets potential customers find the information they need to make a purchase. And while it’s essential to a positive ECX, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. ECX includes a broader range of interactions that go far beyond the technology shoppers use to engage with a brand.
How to improve the eCommerce customer experience
Improving ECX isn’t just about making a sale. It’s about valuing, supporting, and engaging customers at every stage of their shopping journey. From enhancing accessibility to offering diverse payment methods, each element plays a crucial role in shaping a smooth, enjoyable experience that keeps shoppers coming back for more.
Here are some proven strategies to elevate an eCommerce store and foster long-term customer loyalty.
1. Adopt a user-friendly design
A clean, intuitive design makes it easier for customers to find what they need and enjoy online shopping. Develop a responsive layout that works seamlessly on any device.
Make sure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the Web Accessibility Initiative include helpful tips to make websites more inclusive, like adding alternative text for images so screen reader users can shop more easily.
2. Create compelling product pages
Customers shouldn’t have to hunt for information. Make sure each page answers potential questions and highlights key features. Include high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews — all of which can significantly boost conversion rates. Consider adding videos and 360-degree views to give customers a better sense of the product.
3. Make the experience seamless across all channels
An omnichannel strategy is about maintaining consistent customer interactions everywhere, whether they’re shopping from a computer, on a mobile phone, or in a brick-and-mortar store.
For example, a customer might browse products on your website without buying anything. But when a personalized email offer reignites their interest, they use your mobile app to see if the product is in stock nearby before finally making a purchase in person.
To make this example possible, integrate your eCommerce store with a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, inventory management software, and marketing platforms, allowing each channel to communicate with the others to provide a cohesive experience.
4. Engage customers’ senses
A dull website doesn’t draw people in. Use storytelling, rich media, and interactive content to connect emotionally with the audience and encourage them to learn more. Engaging the senses with visually appealing images, descriptive language, and sound or video makes the shopping process more memorable and enjoyable.
5. Offer a variety of payment methods
By providing multiple payment options, including credit cards, digital wallets, and installment plans, you cater to different customers’ preferences. Offering flexibility reduces cart abandonment rates and makes the checkout process smoother for shoppers.
6. Optimize the supply chain
Fast, reliable shipping is key to customer satisfaction. And the more you streamline the supply chain, the faster you fulfill orders. Implementing an efficient inventory management system also facilitates accurate inventory counts and reorders popular products automatically so bestsellers are always in stock.
7. Email a tracking number when an order ships
Informing customers about their order statuses enhances transparency and trust. Automated shipping notifications, regular updates, and accurate estimated delivery times reduce anxiety and improve the overall ECX.
8. Customize product listings for different audiences
Tailoring product offerings to different preferences and customer needs enhances personalization, helping customers feel cared for and appreciated. Platforms like Sellware make it easy to customize listings for different marketplaces, enabling more effective omnichannel selling.
9. Connect an inventory management system to every channel
To avoid overpromising and under-delivering, make real-time inventory data available across all eCommerce channels. Look for an inventory management software solution like Fishbowl that integrates with platforms like Sellware, Shopify, and QuickBooks to make tracking stock and creating purchase orders easier than ever.
Measuring the customer experience
While taking steps to improve ECX, measure your strategies’ effectiveness with eCommerce customer experience analysis. By tracking specific metrics like the ones below, you gain valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement.
Net promoter score (NPS)
NPS gauges customer loyalty by asking shoppers a simple question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague?” Customers who respond with a 9 or 10 are considered promoters — people who will help grow your eCommerce business by speaking positively about their feelings.
Those who respond with a 7 or 8 are passives, while those responding with a 0 to 6 are detractors who may do your reputation more harm than good. It’s a good idea to ask detractors follow-up questions about what could have improved their encounters.
Customer satisfaction (CSAT)
CSAT surveys typically ask customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being very unsatisfied and 5 being very satisfied. Offer CSAT surveys at various touchpoints throughout the customer journey, like right after a purchase or after they’ve received their online order. Inquiring at different steps in the process helps you gather feedback on various aspects of the customer experience.
Customer retention rates
Tracking repeat purchases and customer lifetime value (CLV) provides insights into how many people become repeat shoppers. Higher retention rates are usually a sign of a positive experience.
There are quite a few strategies out there for improving retention. If you don’t already have a loyalty program, starting one incentivizes repeat business while providing valuable consumer behavior and preferences data.
Revolutionize your eCommerce customer experience with Fishbowl
You can’t run an eCommerce store without products, and you can’t keep track of those products without effective inventory management.
Fishbowl is one of the most eCommerce-friendly inventory management solutions, helping you control stock, shipments, and warehouse operations on a single platform.
If you’re ready to create the best ECX possible, schedule a demo of Fishbowl today.
