What kinds of content will help improve your visitors’ engagement and increase your bottom line? Here are some content ideas for ecommerce websites we’ve seen work for our clients.... View Article
If you’re still undecided about adding a live chat option to your e-commerce site, it’s probably time you get off the fence. Why? Because consumers are a chatty bunch. When it comes to communicating with companies, today’s consumers want a variety of options across multiple channels, according to a recent study from customer service firm Gladly. They also expect zero repeats and one answer. That may seem like a tall order, but today, the quality of your company’s customer service is what sets you apart from the pack. In fact, Gladly found that 54% of consumers make decisions based on…... View Article
Information security is an ever-evolving issue for ecommerce sites. Even though technology has done a lot to stop them, fraud tactics are always changing in response to those countermeasures. In some cases, there’s just not much technology can do. Take social engineering – when a fraudster posing as their target manipulates customer service representatives into granting access to the target’s account or private information – for instance. Also known as voice-phishing, or “vishing,” the practice is less common than email-based phishing but every bit as dangerous to ecommerce. According to the education and awareness website, social-engineer.org, the average cost of…... View Article
According to research from the National Retail Federation, 73% of consumers ranked “sales and price discounts” as top factors for deciding where to shop. In the heyday of brick-and-mortar retail, it was common for stores to attract these prudent shoppers with highly-publicized mega-sales (typically held on a “Sunday, SUNDAY, SUNDAYYY!”). With the instantaneous nature of internet shopping, today’s ecommerce equivalent would probably be “flash sales.” Like their predecessors, flash sales are great for attracting consumers’ attention, driving brand awareness, and boosting sales. However, the surges in traffic to your site and order volume can strain your internal resources and hamper…... View Article
Growing your ecommerce business requires putting resources into both customer acquisition and customer retention. However, it’s all too common to see companies that put too many of their eggs in the “acquisition” basket. According to consultants at Invesp, 44% of companies have a greater focus on customer acquisition vs. 18% that focus on retention. Unfortunately, that spread belies the great benefits that retention efforts can provide. Consider the following: Repeat customers who visit your site place orders at a rate of 4.5%, whereas the rate for new visitors is 2.4% After the 3-year mark, retained customers represent more than 60%…... View Article
Your call center is a critical part of the overall customer experience you provide. If you opt to outsource your call center management, you need to consider the provider’s capabilities before partnering with them – and average call duration is one of the most important metrics to consider. Generally, shorter is better. Reducing the amount of time your customers stay on the phone for customer service inquiries is a win-win. Your call center will be able to handle higher volumes, while customers save time and have a better experience. For optimal call duration, your call center or call center provider…... View Article
Customer feedback is vital in any business or industry – after all, the customer is always right. Acting on the feedback you collect through reviews, emails, social media, and surveys not only helps you adapt to shoppers’ preferences; it also shows that you value their input. Below are some of the major areas where you can use customer feedback to make improvements. Products Customer feedback can help shape your decision-making around merchandise strategy. While the exact approach will depend on your inventory and audience, it’s best to start broad. Start by examining overall customer sentiment according to product category to…... View Article
Customer service call centers provide ecommerce businesses with a number of benefits. You need a call center – no question. However, you may not need to manage call center services internally. While an internal call center comes with some nice advantages in terms of flexibility and control, a partnership with a qualified provider also has perks that might be a better fit. In this post, we’ll discuss a few of the benefits you can get through call center outsourcing. Cost savings For many small to midsize companies, staffing and managing an internal call center can be challenging and costly. Unless…... View Article
Whatever product or service your company offers, keeping customers engaged and coming back to your site is critical for ecommerce success. Customers remain loyal to brands that treat them well, but even more so to companies that implement memorable tactics to keep them happy. Below are some easy ideas that can go a long way toward leaving a good impression on your customers. Educate You don’t need to be pushing a sale every time you communicate with your customers. Sharing content related to your products or industry can provide your customers with helpful information for purchasing decisions. By establishing…... View Article
There are LOTS of moving parts under the hood of a well-oiled ecommerce operation. Try as you might, unpredictable situations are bound to occur. To help customers with common questions, have your shipping and returns policies outlined on your website. In most cases, an FAQ-style page allows you to clearly state your policies in a format that customers will understand. When developing this content, your customer service staff should be able to provide frequently asked questions that are specific to your business. At minimum, you’ll want to address the following general areas: Shipment lead time Most online customers assume…... View Article
