As the holidays approach, the importance of the online shopping experience cannot be overstated. Customer experience has emerged as a key differentiator for online retailers. With new e-commerce stores continuously entering the market, it’s essential for online businesses to deliver an exceptional shopping experience. Achieving this requires having the right technology in place to meet and exceed customer expectations.
13 tips to improve the online shopping experience
Here are our top tips on improving customer experience on your e-commerce site:
- Make your website mobile-friendly
- Improve your site’s navigation
- Include a site-search box
- Provide detailed, concise product info
- Use high-quality photos of products
- Let customers save their carts
- Offer free shipping
- Offer an omnichannel shopping experience
- Offer a live chat option for customers
- Include a self-service section for easy questions
- Reduce customer service wait times
- Cut down on site load time
- Use customer data to improve the online shopping experience
1. Make your website mobile-friendly
Most consumers peruse websites via their mobile devices rather than using a laptop or desktop computer. Online businesses must ensure that their sites are quickly able to adapt to these smaller devices with the same level of clarity as is available on a more traditional screen.
A mobile-friendly website will make it a lot easier for customers to browse the site, which will reduce any friction that could prompt customers to hit the back button.
2. Improve your site’s navigation
Eliminating frustrations along all points of the customer journey is key to boosting online sales. One of the more common annoyances customers may face when visiting an online store is a confusing and cumbersome navigation system. It can be incredibly irritating for customers who find it difficult to figure out where to go on a site.
Make sure you map out your e-commerce website properly and clearly so customers know exactly what you’re selling, and where to go to complete a purchase quickly.
3. Include a site-search box
One way to make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for very quickly is to offer a site-search box. If they know what they want, they can simply type in the product in the search bar rather than trying to find it through various tabs and pages.
The search bar should be easily found on the home or landing page of your website and should be backed by innovative search technology that ensures the product will be found if it’s in stock.
4. Provide detailed, concise product info
Every product should be accompanied by detailed information to help customers make well-informed purchasing decisions. Providing thorough descriptions can also minimize the likelihood of returns due to discrepancies between the product and its description.
However, while detailed descriptions are important, they should also be concise. Aim to provide all the necessary information without overwhelming the customer with excessive details. Focus on delivering clear, relevant content that informs without feeling like an essay.
5. Use high-quality photos of products
While detailed information is crucial, high-quality images are equally essential in providing a complete understanding of your products. Ensure you include a variety of photos showcasing your products from multiple angles. This helps customers make well-informed decisions before committing to a purchase.
In addition to standard photos, consider incorporating close-up shots to highlight unique features and textures, as well as lifestyle images that show the product in use. This can help potential buyers visualize how the product fits into their lives. High-resolution images that allow for zooming in can also enhance the shopping experience by offering a closer look at the product’s details.
Investing in professional photography or using advanced photo-editing tools can make a significant difference. Remember, the better your product looks online, the more likely customers are to feel confident in their purchase.
6. Let customers to save their carts
Many times online shoppers may not have time to start and finish the entire shopping experience in one sitting. In these cases, abandoned carts can happen, which translates into a lot of lost business. In fact, the cart abandonment rate in digital shopping as of 2021 was almost 70%, according to Statista.
To reduce cart abandonment, consider adding a save cart feature to accommodate customers interested in buying from you but not entirely ready to complete the purchase. This way, they can always come back and pick up where they left off.
7. Offer free shipping
One of the biggest deterrents to online shopping is the cost of shipping. Even when customers can get a great deal on a product online, the exorbitant shipping fees can cancel out any potential deals.
If it makes financial sense, consider offering free shipping. This shows that your business cares about the customer experience. While this may cost a little more for your business, it could mean added sales by encouraging repeat customers.
8. Offer an omnichannel online shopping experience
Consumers are increasingly accessing e-commerce websites via several devices and channels. Businesses can easily lose customers at any point along the customer journey by not capitalizing on omnichannel offerings. Instead, offering an omnichannel experience will give customers more flexibility in how they advance toward the checkout page.
RingCX offers online businesses AI-first customer service. This includes omnichannel and intelligent routing tools to both improve the customer experience and provide data needed to understand their target audiences and deliver their needs proactively.
9. Offer a live chat option for customers
Customers often have questions about a product they’re considering before committing to a purchase. While traditional methods like telephone support or a contact page are available, incorporating AI-powered live chat feature will can provide immediate, accurate responses to customer inquiries.
It’s common for customers to abandon their online shopping experience if their questions are left unanswered. An AI-driven live chat feature can address this issue by offering quick and easy solutions, enhancing the overall customer experience.
AI chatbots can be particularly beneficial for online retailers. These advanced tools can handle a wide range of customer queries instantly, providing the necessary information even before connecting to a live agent. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also reduces the workload on your support team.
By leveraging AI chatbots, you can ensure that customers receive timely and relevant answers, which can significantly decrease cart abandonment rates and boost conversion. RingCentral’s digital platform is equipped to facilitate the integration of AI for this purpose, offering a seamless and effective solution for enhancing customer interaction.
Customers often have questions about a product they’re considering buying before they commit to a purchase. While there are always the traditional ways of contacting an online store via telephone or contact page, a live chat feature can give customers the information they’re looking for right away.
10. Offer self-service options for easy questions
While many customers may still prefer to speak with a live agent to have their questions answered or problems resolved, others prefer a more DIY approach. Online businesses should consider adding a self-service feature to allow customers to navigate their e-commerce experience on their own without any obstacles along the way.
Offering as much information as possible and creating a seamless path to online shopping will give customers the ability to handle their queries and issues unassisted.
11. Reduce customer service wait times
The internet moves quickly, and there are a lot of options when it comes to the online shopping experience. When a customer decides to reach out to an agent, they shouldn’t have to wait long. Instead, a quick response time will improve a customer’s satisfaction and alleviate frustrations, especially if the customer is already flustered about something.
No matter which communication channels your customer service platform offers, response times should be near-immediate to ensure happier customers.
12. Cut down on site-load time
Another frustrating e-commerce experience that online shoppers may face is waiting for a website to load. Nobody wants to wait longer than a couple of seconds for a web page to load. In fact, it should take less than a second for a page to pop up after clicking on a link.
Considering how many e-commerce stores your site is competing with, you should invest in technology that will ensure extremely fast load times.
13. Use customer data to improve the online shopping experience
Businesses place a great deal of value on customer data, including things like location, purchase history, browsing history, and reviews. Online retailers should use such details to help personalize online shopping and ensure positive customer service.
Your website should have the capacity to gather this data, assess customer behavior, and pinpoint specific patterns for every consumer. Using this information, you can establish multiple strategies for each group identified.
Improve the online shopping experience with the right digital tools
RingCentral offers a plethora of digital tools to enhance customer experience while online shopping, such as Engage Messaging for chat which adds a humanized touch to AI with added video conferencing. Customers have the option to switch from chat to video on the spot without the need to switch apps, devices, or agents.
These tools are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what RingCentral has to offer the online e-commerce site. Take your e-commerce business to soaring heights with cutting-edge digital solutions from RingCentral. Request your free demo today!
Originally published Nov 07, 2023, updated Sep 26, 2024
