The competition in ecommerce has never been more fierce. Online reports estimate that there are 12 to 24 million ecommerce stores worldwide. It has never been more important to improve ecommerce customer loyalty.
The rise of online shopping doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. According to NASDAQ, 95% of shopping will take place online by 2040.
Not surprising, building a list of repeat customers helps increase your brand loyalty. With so many stores competing for your customer’s attention, retention is tricky at best.
It’s important to have a proven strategy to improve your customer loyalty in ecommerce. Read on to discover five creative strategies to increase ecommerce customer loyalty.
1. Authentic Messaging
There’s no getting around it. People love a business with an authentic message. All the top brands have it, and all the wannabes want it.
Today’s consumers love brands that have a story. What’s yours? Be sure to include it in your messaging.
In fact, 91% of consumers are more apt to buy from a brand that they trust.
All the slick marketing tactics in the world won’t make up for faulty or inauthentic messaging. Here’s how you can get it right:
- Use high-quality images and videos for your products. Buying online may be familiar, but it still has its disadvantages to brick-and-mortar stores. One problem is not knowing exactly what you’re buying. That makes high-quality images and videos crucial for building brand trust and loyalty.
- Feature a variety of customer testimonials. 89% of customers read online reviews before buying a product. Having authentic customer testimonials can improve ecommerce customer loyalty.
- Use Influencers that provide authenticity to your brand’s message. 44% of customers rely on influencers for buying decisions. An influencer that connects with your brand’s message can provide authenticity. It can also improve customer loyalty in ecommerce brands.
Achieve authentic messaging with high-quality images, testimonials, and influencer marketing strategies. Dedicated landing pages can be a popular option for some ecommerce brands. Here’s an example from LoveSac.
You can see how it gives the customer a peek inside what makes LoveSac so special.
2. Start a Conversation
Brand loyalty is about creating an experience, and that means creating a conversation. The best way to improve customer retention is by sending personalized customer communication.
Why use personalized communication? Personalized emails outperform generic emails by a wide margin. In fact, personalized emails provide 18 times more revenue than generic emails.
A good rule is to send out a personalized welcome email within the first 48 hours of a sale. To build repeat business, consider offering coupon codes or exclusive content. Keep up with customers by sending follow-up emails after each time they buy.
her way to start a conversation is through social media channels. You can leverage social media for giveaways or referral programs.
3. Request Product Feedback
Waiting for customer feedback is like watching a pot of water boil. Instead, start a conversation by requesting product feedback. Customer feedback helps you understand your audience, create products, or improve existing ones.
While the best way to get customer feedback is face-to-face, there are other ways to get solid feedback. An efficient way to receive customer feedback is through an online survey. It’s a great option for ecommerce brands because it can go out with personalized messaging.
Here’s an example from Airbnb.
4. Provide Superior Customer Support
This may seem like a given, but only 19% of companies say they have a dedicated support team for customer service. Without a solid customer service plan, how can you increase ecommerce customer loyalty?
You can’t!
Worse yet, 73% of consumers will give up on a brand after only three negative experiences. Considering recommendations get shared between friends, that could mean less business.
Here are some ways to create valuable customer support experiences online:
- Respond fast to negative reviews. 40% of consumers expect a reply within the first hour, and 79% of consumers expect a reply within 24 hours.
- Use Chatbots to automate the process. 40% of consumers don’t care if they speak to a chatbot or a person, so long as they get support.
- Integrate a help desk into your app or website. The more ways you have to connect with your customers, the better.
To improve ecommerce customer loyalty, customer support is vital. Especially when 86% of people are willing to pay more money for better customer service.
5. Customer Loyalty Reward Programs
Major brands have figured out that the key to customer retention. It’s through offering customer loyalty reward incentives. Reward programs can play a major role in increasing your ecommerce customer loyalty.
One prime example of this is Starbucks.
Their value-based loyalty program offers stars when people shop. Customers can shop using a card or using their app. As customers earn stars, they can trade them in for select items in-store. It has been a major success!
The brand boasts over 19 million users. That number is increasing year-over-year. It has increased the brand’s reputation of building solid user engagement. It stands as a valuable model for customer loyalty programs.
Starbucks’ gamified program shows solid results and looks to do the same in the future. Looking for a way to provide loyalty programs for your ecommerce customers?
Here are five solid options to help you boost loyalty:
- Jumper.Ai
- Dealyze
- Open Loyalty
- Smile.Io
- Loyalty Lion
Engaging your audience is key for customer retention, brand awareness, and customer loyalty.
Need Even More Tips?
Need even more tips? Read our related guide: Getting the Most from Your Loyal Customers.