In order to be truly effective, an ecommerce website should provide a holistic and pleasant overall customer experience. Customers that become engaged in an ecommerce website will be far more likely to make a purchase. There are some clear and actionable steps you can take to improve the overall customer experience of your ecommerce website and increase your revenue.
The gap between customer experience and ecommerce
Understanding why there is a disconnect between the overall customer experience and the ecommerce marketplace is intrinsic in bridging the gap. Many ecommerce websites segregate the content of their platform from their product catalog. Customers need to choose between either learning more about the company and its products or actually purchasing products. To avoid this, content needs to be integrated directly within the ecommerce marketplace structure.
How customers experience ecommerce
Those that want to be successful in the realm of ecommerce need to focus on providing a valuable experience to their customers. The overall customer experience encompasses many things: site navigation, loading times, relevant content, catalog browsing, speedy checkout services and comprehensive help desk support. Don't underestimate the impact your ecommerce Web host has on your customer experience. If an ecommerce marketplace fails on any of these levels, the customer may have a negative experience and decide not to make a purchase. When creating your ecommerce website, you need to consider the flow of the consumer. If they are viewing your catalog, they should still be able to connect directly to your content, your product information, your social media and more. Product information and the actual product content need to be intrinsically linked.
Removing the disconnect between product and information
A holistic approach to ecommerce is necessary to provide a blended and natural customer experience. To facilitate this, you need to think about your website as a single entity and a single brand rather than multiple divisions. Consumers need to be able to move freely throughout the website and experience the website as a singular entity rather than in partitions. As a side effect, creating a single user experience also makes it much easier for you to manage your content and your brand.
Expanding beyond the boundaries of an ecommerce site
The customer service experience doesn't just end at the website. Websites also need to break down the barriers between the social media experience and the ecommerce experience. Social media is rapidly becoming one of the most important venues for an ecommerce website's marketing, but there is still a gap between most ecommerce marketing platforms and social media accounts. Integrate social media directly into your site rather than simply tacking it on.
At its core, bridging the gap between ecommerce marketplaces and the customer experience is a question of customer support. Customers are more likely to find the information and products they need if they are blended together in an intuitive, predictable fashion. Creating a single sleek machine that encompasses all aspects of the ecommerce experience creates a marketplace that is easier for the consumer to relate to and use. By making the consumer feel more comfortable, you encourage them to make purchases.
