Ecommerce has seen an incredible expansion in 2020 – and it’s likely to continue its upward trajectory in 2021 as well. However, as more and more brands turn to ecommerce, competition becomes fiercer, too. Keeping customers satisfied becomes a more and more challenging task.
Let’s look at four strategies for improving the efficiency of your ecommerce store, which will consequently also help boost customer satisfaction.
Make Checkout Easier
Without a doubt, checking out is the most important and the most fiddly part of any ecommerce experience. Making it as seamless and straightforward as possible is paramount. Here’s what you can do:
- Offer plenty of payment options.
- Ensure the absolute safety of your customers’ data.
- Make the process easy to navigate by providing clear directions and asking for minimal information.
- Offer to remember customer data via a registration that will cut down repeat purchase times.
Work on Customer Service
Customer service can ruin someone’s day and shopping experience, or it can ensure a shopper comes back and makes another purchase. Offering your customers plenty of channels to contact you should be your first step.
If you only take calls during certain hours, employ a chatbot to work when you are not. Also, make sure email is a way to get in touch with you, especially if you work with international customers.
Manage Your Stock
A key ecommerce challenge is staying on top of your stock and never making the mistake of selling a product you aren’t actually able to ship. If you keep your customers waiting for a long time, chances are they will take their business somewhere else.
By tracking your products by lot and serial number, you’ll ensure everything is up to date and that you are aware of the number of items you have available at all times. It also makes for a much more organized experience.
Reconsider Your Packaging
How you send your items out is incredibly important, and there are several key things you want to keep in mind:
- Consider the environment – as shoppers are becoming more eco-conscious, they appreciate brands that offer reusable or recyclable packaging.
- Try to make the packaging minimal, yet enough to protect the product you send out.
- Protecting the item is vital, so take the time to explore different solutions and ensure nothing is damaged on the way.
- Try to vary your packaging options based on the combination of items you are shipping out.
Don’t forget to also brand your packaging – you don’t just want any old brown box. The least you want is a brand box that has clearly been delivered from your company. You can invest in more elaborate branded packaging, but even a simple ribbon, card, or tape that marks your packages will be a good place to start.
Minimize Shipping Times
Automate your shipping processes as much as you can by working with a fulfillment company that can get your parcels out quickly and efficiently. The longer someone has to wait for your package to arrive, the less likely they are to come back.
When shipping internationally, make sure you clearly state on the website how each individual country’s internal delivery services might impact delivery times. Point out why this is not something you can be expected to influence.
Final Thoughts
Implementing some or all of the tips we’ve outlined should improve the efficiency of your ecommerce business in the year to come. Of course, you may have already worked hard on all of these facets of your company – and if you notice you are still lagging behind your competition, perhaps it’s time to explore your marketing and advertising strategies.
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