According to figures recently released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), pureplay online retailers are now surpassing bricks-and-mortar competitors in online sales growth.
As such, Aussie retailers have a significant opportunity to reach new customers, as well as turn mere browsers into life-long brand loyal customers. Retailers need to do much more than just rest on the convenience factor of digital shopping, in order to thrive and stay ahead of competition.
To generate optimum return from online traffic, retailers need to optimise the shopping experience with personalised, real-time and intelligent customer engagement.
There are five key ways for online fashion retailers to engage more customers this year and provide them with a high-quality experience.
1. Personalise the first-time brand experience
Captivate first time digital customers with personal and highly relevant content, offers and engagement. For example, tie specific keyword search terms to targeted product landing pages and reinforce relevance with a personalised offer or promotion to bring new visitors closer to purchase.A seamless, personal experience will make a lasting first impression with first time buyers and ensure they come back for a second time.
2. Show returning customers their value
Improve brand loyalty by treating returning customers like VIPs. Today’s consumers are demanding a more efficient browsing experience, even if this means that a business leverages a customers’ past purchasing data to optimize their shopping experience.
Examples of online tactics used by retailers to provide a more personalised, VIP experience may include using contextual offers and content that are based on returning shoppers’ past purchases, or easy access to live assistance and consultation. Some brands are even considering high touch channels such as video-chat to offer a one-on-one consultation with a product expert, helping loyal customers choose the right product, and feel more valued.
3. Make an easy web experience
Every second matters during peak sales periods such as Christmas or end-of-year sales, and even mid-season clearances. During these periods, speed and efficiency is critical for time-poor consumers, so it is essential that brands maintain front-end optimisation for faster load times and better overall site performance.
For added differentiation, consider introducing real-time support channels for customers who simply refuse to wait for assistance before abandoning your site for a competitor.
4. Be there anywhere, anytime
With global smartphone shipments topping one billion units for first time in 2013, it becomes increasingly important for retailers to ensure their sites are optimised for the mobile shopper. As more and more consumers will be making purchases entirely from their phones, Australian retailers need to consider how their site is optimised for the shopper on-the-go.
A retailer’s mobile site or app should be simple and easy to navigate. It must also showcase a brand’s most popular merchandise front and centre for quicker access.
In addition, customers demand that in-store, social and mobile engagements merge for a seamless experience. It’s the role of retailers to close the gap, and deliver a consistent experience at every touch point to meet the demands of today’s omni-channel customer.
UK designer clothing and accessories retailer, Ted Baker is a great example of a company that is creating an online experience that is consistent with it’s in-store offering. The company offers live chat services through it’s website, with chat agents acting as shopping advisors to ensure customers are receiving the most personalised experience possible.
Showing the value that a personalised service can have on customers, the retailer has seen that visitors are four times more likely to make a purchase than if they simply self-served, since deploying live chat three years ago.
5. Analyse past performance data
Those retailers that are ahead of the game are those that are taking advantage of data and analytics to constantly optimise the shopping experience, and gain a more intelligent and meaningful way to engage with customers.
By utilising both past and real-time data, companies for example can pinpoint when shoppers will expect assistance at key stages in the buying cycle and offer immediate, contextual and personalised engagement to help the customer along their journey.
As an example, a retailer can take inventory of it’s website performance and engagement on popular shopping days in 2013 to help prepare for heavy traffic and also provide targeted offers in the coming year.
By identifying where customers got “stuck” during their shopping journey or what products were of the most interest, retailers can further optimise the website, equip staff with answers to anticipated questions and proactively assist customers who are at these key stages.
The retailers that are most successful are those that are able to identify what digital engagement methods worked and what did not, and can continually use actionable data to evolve its shopping strategy.
By integrating this insight with the latest digital engagement management technologies, a retailer will be able to continuously improve its website for a seamless shopping experience, while engaging it’s most potentially valuable customers with the best, live resources.
Dustin Dean is vice president and general manager of Japan and Asia Pacific at LivePerson.