Curatti

It’s True: You Can Offer Online Customers a Personalized eCommerce Experience

  • Jennifer Hanford

    • As we get closer to the holiday season, many of us have perhaps started thinking more about shopping for our friends and families.

    And, if you are like a growing majority of internet users, you will probably make at least one online purchase this holiday season.

    According to recent statistics about global eCommerce via Statista, global e-retail sales amounted to $839.8 billion (U.S. dollars) in 2013.

    Statista also states that North America is currently the largest regional market for online shopping, with sales worth approximately $126 billion (U.S. dollars) reported in 2013. This is more than double the amount recorded in 2008.

    It seems safe to say that online shoppers will find no shortage of places online where they can purchase nearly anything they want.

    Do you manage an online storefront, or are you thinking about starting one? If so, then you can feel confident in knowing there has never been a better time to do so.

    However, as an online merchant, you must keep up with the growing expectations of online shoppers. It is important that you and your business continue evolving in order to attract new shoppers, as well as retain your current customers.

    It’s no longer enough to simply have an online storefront for your online business. You must be prepared to offer your social customers a personalized eCommerce experience. This way, you can join other innovative online merchants and brands who are standing apart in today’s online shopping world.

    Ideas for providing a personalized eCommerce experience

    Eric Tobias with Salesforce/ExactTarget discusses the importance of a highly personalized customer experience in a recent article which appears on the Salesforce site.

    He explains that current and future eCommerce success lies in providing customers with a voice. As with all sales and marketing techniques, you must have conversations and listen carefully to your customers.  This allows you, as an online merchant, to truly understand what your customer needs.

    Through your online engagement with social customers, you can more easily find out whether you can provide them what they are looking for.

    As Tobias states in his article,

    Based on observation and conversation with customers, brands can…guide content, offers, interactions, and recommendations across every department of the brand, giving each individual customer a unique journey.

    Each profile becomes richer from every interaction the customer has with the brand, adding as it learns each customer’s wants, needs, and preferences. Optimizing the customer journey will ensure that customers think of your brand for all their needs.

    Tobias shares the following ideas to start providing a personalized experience for your customers:

    Spaces: An all-in-one solution for a personalized eCommerce experience

    If you are setting up your first online storefront, you may feel overwhelmed by the numerous choices available.

    There is one affordable and effective eCommerce solution, called Spaces. This online storefront builder holds a lot of potential for success, especially among new entrepreneurs.

    Spaces makes it easy for new entrepreneurs to set up their landing pages and start selling right away.

    Plus, with a simple pricing structure, you pay nothing to get started. The first USD $50 you earn each month is always free of charge. If you earn more, then $9 per month + 3% transaction fee.

    How does Spaces help online store owners create a personalized eCommerce experience for their customers?

    Spaces simplifies the entire process for you, as an entrepreneur, and creates a seamless, personalized eCommerce experience for your customers. Spaces maximizes the concept of drawing your customers to a well-designed and attractive landing page, where they can easily review and buy your service and/or product.

    Whether you wish to add subscriptions or single item products, Spaces has you covered:

     

    Spaces is especially appealing for niche online storefronts. These are some of the specific online storefronts you can choose from:

     

    A specialized online storefront also goes a long way towards developing a personalized eCommerce experience for your social customers.

    Over to You

    Do you think most online retailers are providing their online shoppers with the best possible experiences with their sites? Are you ready to provide your online customers with a bold, personalized shopping experience?

    I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

     

    Image attribution: Copyright: ‘http://www.123rf.com/profile_olegdudko‘ / 123RF Stock Photo

    http://xeptos.com/e-commerce-website

    The following two tabs change content below.

    Jennifer Hanford

    Freelance Blogger and Social Media Manager at j+ Media Solutions
    Jennifer is a freelance blogger and social media community manager. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, baking, and pinning on Pinterest.