Typically, buying habits can take years to evolve; whether that’s the steady decline of the high street, or the things we view as most important when shopping online, it’s clear that the recent pandemic has accelerated consumer trends – perhaps more rapidly than ever before.
We took a look at Magento’s recent commerce report to pull out the key points which you need to consider when it comes to your ecommerce strategy moving forwards. From how customers choose to buy online to what they consider to be a real dealbreaker with individual retailers, looking ahead to how you can weather the uncertain waters over the next year or so has never been so important.
What did the report find?
Over 50% of those asked said that the pandemic has changed their expectations of shopping online – whether that’s in relation to the look and feel of a website, the customer service or the price points.
Consumers are now more likely to look for discounts elsewhere online and with 60% saying their online spending has increased since the Covid-19 breakout, this could have a huge knock-on effect for ecommerce.
We’ve broken the report down into these easy sub-headings so you can quickly see how your ecommerce site is impacting the bottom line:
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What are the three most important things when shopping online?
- Easy to find pricing (66%)
- Clearly displayed discounts (63%)
- Accurate product descriptions (62%)
Half of all consumers say an experience without adverts or interruptions would ‘stand out’, while 35% would say the same about only seeing products and offers relevant to them.
44% say they tend to make at least one unplanned purchase with every online transaction – and 49% will buy more if products are suggested to them based on their history.
Are you suggesting related products for your customers and most importantly, are they relevant?
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What makes consumers spend more once on a site?
When asked, shoppers listed the following factors as the most important to increase their shopping basket totals, once already on a website:
- A strong loyalty programme
- A visually appealing website
- Personalisation
Again, customer service is key here to upping basket value – how can you ramp up the personalisation on your site? Do you have a loyalty scheme and is it easy for consumers to understand?
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What encourages repeat custom?
Consumers are more likely to become a repeat customer if they’re offered:
- Free delivery (62%)
- Lower comparable prices (53%)
- An easy returns process (62%)
With the majority of large online retailers offering free returns in their original packaging, it’s vital that this process is as streamlined and clear as possible. Make sure you have a dedicated delivery and returns page on your site so customers can find this all important information quickly.
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What else matters?
So if you’ve mastered a great pricing model, created a slick and visually appealing website, and made your customer service policies clear to your customers, what else could help you bag that all important sale?
- 69% say it is important or very important that retailers have good environmental credentials
- 49% will even pay more if a brand is environmentally friendly
- 38% rank fewer steps in the check-out process as a priority
If you need help with your ecommerce strategy or your website is in desperate need of an overhaul, we can help. With 70% of those shopping online saying that they’re more likely to shop elsewhere if they can’t find products quickly, it’s vital that your ecommerce offering works.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can transform your store and revolutionise your business.
