The new year dawns with unlimited promise, traditionally followed by the making of resolutions. As e-commerce sweeps through the supply chain, one might wonder what kinds of resolutions e-commerce companies should consider in order to build their core strengths (rather than their core strength).
We’re in somewhat new territory here, and while the customer is still central, just as in the old-fashioned brick-and-mortar days, that customer’s journey—from interest to purchase—is now completely different. What resolutions should you be making about what to do? And, just as importantly, what resolutions should you be making about what not to do?
Here’s a quick summary to make choosing the right resolutions even easier:
The Dos
Do provide a good selection of goods in an aesthetically pleasing, easy-to navigate experience and prominently offer free shipping.
Do provide a product page with ample information, including reviews and customer testimonials, as well as detailed information about shipping times and costs.
Do offer a shopping cart that makes a range of shipping options obvious from the beginning of the cart-filling process.
Do provide a shipping experience that is fast, at a fair cost, with attractive packaging.
Do make the return process simple, easy-to-follow, and free (or inexpensive).
The Don’ts
Don’t provide your customers with the digital equivalent of a messy, poorly-stocked store, with no quick way to find out how fast you can get your purchases and how much it will cost.
Don’t provide a product page that doesn’t give your customers all of the information they need to decide to purchase, including how they will get their goods.
Don’t have a shopping cart that springs too high shipping costs on the customer many clicks into the purchasing process.
Don’t provide a shipping experience that is slow, expensive and poorly-packaged.
Don’t make the return process expensive inconvenient, and confusing.
Throughout the new customer journey created by the advent of e-commerce, there are ample opportunities to do right by your customer; you don’t want to fail to take advantage of them. With the right resolutions, business processes and supporting technology, it’s even easier to please your customers than it is to make sure you keep going to the gym.