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High-impact customer experiences are the heart and soul of successful multichannel retailing. The development of multiple channels is clearly a priority, but many retailers overlook the value of site redesign strategies and simple modifications that can dramatically improve customer experiences and conversion rates.
For many retailers, site redesigns and digital strategies will deliver the highest return when timed to exploit seasonal shopping trends. But any initiatives that target improvements to the customer experience will inevitably drive traffic and revenue gains throughout the 12-month retail cycle.
1. Personalization. Online retailers are going to great lengths to personalize the customer experience. Larger retailers like Amazon were early adopters of personalized site features, but now many smaller online retailers are getting in on the personalization game through site redesign projects. Awareness and the correct use of relevant customer information through features that foster personalization, segmentation and targeting are high return on investment site design objectives.
2. Low click counts. Site redesign projects should target the number of clicks it takes for visitors to complete a transaction. High click counts create unnecessary obstacles that discourage consumers and, in some cases, discourage mobile channel conversions. As a rule, an exceptional customer experience means that users have the ability to convert in four clicks or less.
3. Multichannel alignment from brand e-commerce to m-commerce. Alignment is a core competency for multichannel retailers. You can increase your ability to deliver a seamless customer experience by carefully coordinating site content with a device-agnostic approach among other tactics. You can also promote cross-selling or upselling opportunities on your site.
4. Reviews and recommendations. On-site reviews enhance the customer experience because they give consumers a degree of transparency and comfort. Rather than relying exclusively on brand messaging, consumers can confirm product characteristics with third-party sources. Although this is especially important for apparel merchants (e.g., size and fit reviews), any online retailer can benefit from site features that facilitate customer comments about specific products.
5. Social media engagement. Social media links strengthen relationships between retailers and consumers. Although some retailers have been disappointed by the results they've seen from social media initiatives, nearly everyone agrees that it’s critical for retail sites to incorporate social media links. Doing so forges deeper brand connections and facilitates opportunities for the sharing of customer experiences with other consumers.
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