As the world of e-commerce continues to grow, those with a presence online are continually needing to find innovative ways to stay ahead of the competition. To draw in customers and keep them coming back time and time again, e-commerce businesses need to constantly improve the shopping experience for their customers. For multi-channeled e-commerce businesses looking to get on top and stay there, there are a multitude of things they can do to increase their sales, brand awareness and social reach.
While many major e-commerce businesses use algorithms to track customer preferences and interests, improving an e-commerce business doesn’t just come down to complexities such as this. Many times, the biggest improvements can be accomplished through a combination of improved customer service and adding a personal touch to one’s business. One of the best ways to improve an e-commerce business is to let customers share their experiences. Giving them a voice online to review products can give them a feeling of inclusiveness, letting them be active participants. Along with this, if you or another company employee can respond to customer reviews, it adds a personal touch that customers won’t forget. Your business will build credibility by responding not only to positive reviews, but negative ones as well. Knowing how to turn a negative situation into a positive one by resolving a problem can work wonders for your business in customer’s minds.Including details that will help customers make a decision is also a good idea. Being able to anticipate customer questions and offer hints and advice such as how best to use a product will knock down potential barriers that could be keeping customers from moving forward with their purchase. Customers appreciate businesses that appear to have their best interests at heart, so being as helpful as possible will go far in building relationships with customers.
As social media continues to have a bigger presence in business, it’s critical an e-commerce business use every social media tool at their disposal. Facebook and Twitter are the two main social media outlets, so use them effectively and watch a business grow. Along with posting product updates and discussing services your business offers, use these social media tools to interact with customers. Ask them what they want from your business, or how you can make it better. Have live chat sessions with customers from time to time, letting them talk to you as if you were sitting beside them. The more customers feel their voices are heard, the more likely they are to continue doing business with you and your company.
No matter how big or small an e-commerce business is, customer service ultimately play a vital role in its success or failure. The best e-commerce businesses are ones where customer service is a top priority, so making your business easy to contact should be high on the priority list. Displaying contact information prominently, including a telephone number customers can use to speak with a living and breathing human being, is indeed a breath of fresh air to many customers. Prove to customers that you care about their concerns and want to give them a great online shopping experience, and chances are you’ll have a customer for life.
By using some or all of these e-commerce business tactics, it’s quite possible to not only compete in the world of online business, but actually thrive in it. Human beings love to feel as if their thoughts and feelings are being acknowledged, and any business that does this with their customers ultimately succeeds. Algorithms are great, but in the end a personal touch works wonders.