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Following up on the last blog about the Abobe/ BRS Group study “Customer Experience: Lessons for Loyalty,” I wanted to share the findings on abandoned cart rates. Every retailer can improve abandonment rates, and many are frustrated because they can’t seem to pinpoint where carts are abandoned and why so many are left behind.
As it turns out, 79 % of online shoppers report that they abandon carts, with the top three reasons being shipping and handling charges higher than expected, a desire to continue comparison-shopping, and simply a change of mind. Other reasons included poor customer service, learning that items are back-ordered or out of stock only after dropping them into the cart, and errors in the payment process. These are all big problems, but the good thing is that there are solutions. Few ecommerce providers, however, can truly provide the features and functionality to fix them all. Let’s take a look:
Problem: Shipping and Handling Charges Higher Than Expected (72 %)
Solution: Find an ecommerce provider with the technology to run estimates on shipping and handling from the product page, or once the item goes into the cart. Do not wait until the end of checkout to give a customer the shipping and handling estimates.
Problem: Decided to Do More Online Comparison Shopping (62 %)
Solution: Make sure to mark “low price guarantee” on items when possible. Shoppers will be more inclined to take your word for it and less likely to continue comparison-shopping.
Problem: Just Changed My Mind (60 %)
Solution:This one is tough, because it’s hard to convince a noncommittal shopper to buy. This is where your smart marketing comes into play. First, it’s important to provide all the information a shopper needs to make an informed decision (attributes and specs like color, weight, dimensions as well as visuals including multi-angle shots or zoom functionality help). Product reviews, ratings, rich content—also important. If everything you’ve got still doesn’t seal the deal, send an email to the person who abandoned offering him a discount for coming back to purchase what was left in his cart. You will need an ecommerce solution or email marketing provider with the capability to capture abandoned carts and the SKUs within them.
Problem: Poor Customer Service, Namely, No One Online to Answer My Questions
Solution: Live Chat! Live Chat! Live Chat! Not only can you answer questions that will help a customer buy, but you have the opportunity to up-sell more products. Just make sure you have a sales representative available during business hours, because a Live Chat window with a “no one home” message can be just as frustrating to a shopper as having no option to chat at all.
Problem: Finding Out Items are Backordered or Out of Stock Only After They Place Them in the Cart
Solution: You need an ecommerce provider that can automatically update inventory in real-time, so items that are not in-stock or backordered will automatically appear on the product page in a timely manner. Trying to buy what you want and then finding out you can’t get it is extremely disappointing for shoppers. (And exactly the reason I hate shoe shopping – I fall in love with a pair on display, wait around for someone to help me, and then I’m told it’s not available in my size! At least online you can find out before you get your hopes up! Similar idea here.)
Problem: Error in Payment Process
Solution: Your checkout process must be quick and convenient without any sign of error. It’s also important not to ask for too much personal information from the shopper—most already hesitate to give out their credit card numbers to retailers. Go through your own checkout process as if you were a customer to make sure that no security messages or error messages appear anywhere. It’s also a good idea to consider alternate payment methods as options for consumers such as Google Checkout, Checkout by Amazon, in addition to PayPal. These payment methods allow shoppers to buy items from independent retailers with their Amazon or Google credentials. It’s quick, easy, and shoppers feel safe when their transaction goes through a company that they already trust.
ShopVisible has been focusing on the issue of abandonment rates for a while, and we've come up with some innovative ideas on how to further prevent them with proper cross-sell marketing tools. In addition, included in our analytics package are specific reports surrounding abandonment.
Stayed tuned for more on the customer experience…
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One of the best articles I have read about online retailing is called Customer Experience: Lessons for Loyalty. Commissioned by Adobe 7 and conducted by a market research firm called the BRS Group, the study surveyed over 600 US online shoppers earlier this year. The self-proclaimed “savvy” subjects gave their feedback about what they find important, pleasing, and frustrating about the online shopping experience. They talked about what helps them buy, what makes them abandon their carts, and revealed other information about the consumer experience that should make online retailers pay close attention.
Today, I want to cover the first section of the study that brings to light the truth about brick and mortar retailers who head online. While it may seem advantageous, having a well known, established brick and mortar store does not translate to a better chance at quick success with an ecommerce website.
When the survey group was asked to name three online websites they frequent online, only 4 brick and mortar stores received more than 6 percent of the responses (Target with 16 percent, Wal-Mart with 12 percent, Best Buy with 11 percent and Macy’s with 6 percent). On the other hand, the two retailers that scored more than 20 percent were the famous online only sites Amazon.com (72 percent) and eBay (45 percent). Basically, besides a select few major companies, all retailers--brick and mortar or online only-- face the same challenges when it comes to building brand awareness online.
Tomorrow I will write more about these challenges and how retailers can model their site to provide the best online shopping experience for consumers. Stay tuned...
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Social media marketing has become increasingly critical for online merchants in recent months. In fact, sharing links and prompting user generated content has become ubiquitous to the point of annoyance in some sites where the host does not even care whether or not a user is meaningfully suggesting a page or product. With the eruption of networks like FaceBook and Twitter, many Ecommerce merchants have jumped on the social media bandwagon without even knowing why...
This leads us to an interesting read by Sam Cece of the E-Commerce Times, entitled "The 4 Biggest Motivators for Social Media Marketing." In the piece Cece notes that "marketers are scrambling to find ways to leverage the various online communities to push their brands and make some money...[marketers] need to take a step back and take a broader look at what motivates their consumers and the various ways that social media can be leveraged to meet their marketing objectives."
Four Social Media Motivating Factors for Ecommerce Marketers:
Self-Service: Sam Cece notes that self-serving motivations function more persuasively in the brick and mortar store than in that of online retail. This entails tangible motivators such as product disocunts and coupons. Likewise, one key example here is when an online shopper is rewarded by the merchant for suggesting the vendor to friends; when the newly subscribed friend makes a purchase, the inviter will then get a bonus $10 off coupon on their next order.
Self-Expression: Typically in the realm of direct marketing, "people are motivated by cash--or saving it in the form of coupons, discounts etc. Within social media, "states Cece, "the biggest motivator is often self-expression." For example, after I created a new stunning pair of self-designed Nike 1990 Air Maxes, I promoted the link and image onto my FaceBook account. Here there was no discount prompt or promo offered for sharing the link; instead, I thought I created a cool pair of sneakers and felt like showing em' off to my pals online...
Status Achievement: A major factor that inspired online retail's growth was bargain hunting and comparison shopping. Cece says "most people like to brag, and that tendency is multiplied by the Web." By being the first to know about a site or the first to buy a newly released or discounted item, people feel special, privledged and unique. The author of the E-Commerce Times article cites an Amazon promotion in which the e-tailing giant "might reward loyal shoppers with early access to a new product release, and then encourage them to share this advanced access with their friends..." Clearly, finding the best deals, quickest shipping, and highest level of support related to customer service is crucial online and when addressing marketing aims, should be a primary element of the discourse.
Altruistic Behavior: Here we are not talking about saving the world...Instead, as the cited author shows, we are addressing that some folks online like to make a positive difference. What if you noted during the checkout process that a consumer could pay an extra dollar to benefit a respected charity? Maybe an online retailer could even opt to offer a free shipping promo it the user checked out with a recycled box or waited for less expedient shipping if the customer preferred not to use a mass shipper but rather a smaller and "greener" one...These are just ideas but when marketers discuss aims and results, they do need to delve into their motivations versus that of their online market.
ShopVisible is an Atlanta, GA. based Ecommerce solution and SEO software provider.
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SearchEngineWatch article Dear CMS: Don't Hinder My Search Results goes over the importance of a good Content Management System in maximizing visibility in search. It's common knowledge in the SEO world that the more rich content on a site the better. Also, continuing to add new content on a regular basis will keep a site relevant and search rankings high. This means that when deciding on an ecommerce partner, you should look for a CMS solution that will allow you to easily manage hundreds of pages of rich content as well as conveniently create new pages for additional information.
This particular article stresses finding a solution that will make clean URLs, title tags and meta data to go along with your content. Analytics software is essential to keep track of key terms and phrases, top page views, etc. Capabilities for things like multi-lingual shopping cart are also a plus for SEO.
ShopVisible’s search-friendly platform comes with a Content Management System that includes all of the above recommendations and more. Our clients have complete control over the content on their site and can easily create new pages, manage blogs, change meta data, or have their meta data automatically populate in a search friendly manner for them. In addition, client websites come with in-site search capabilities, which also enhances SEO. Our team of search experts provides clients with more useful tips to keep their search rankings high and drive more traffic to their sites.
ShopVisible’s platform was built from the start to be search-engine friendly, and the proof is with our client success. Our clients come up on page one of Google for competitive search terms--for example, Google a term like “bar equipment” with over 37 million result to see SV client ServU on page one.
If you’re looking for a new ecommerce provider with the right CMS solution to take your business to the top of search rankings, contact ShopVisible today for a free demo. We’d be happy to show you just how easy it is to manage content on your site with our robust ecommerce platform.
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When Sam Bennett decided to work with Ecommerce solution provider, ShopVisible, the decision came easily. Sam's PianoWorks has long been a staple in the Southeastern music scene, helping to engage music students, professionals and avid piano listeners alike. Their business is founded on principles of family and enthusiastic, knowledgeable assistence.
When you enter the PianoWorks store, online or in person, rest assured you will not feel pressured by pushy sales tactics or over-motivated salespeople attemtping to just push the hgihest prices products. Instead, at PianoWorks, Sam and his fmaily have develpoed a business model aimed at providing the best in product and in service.
Cindy, Don and Sam Bennett state that one of their business goals is to to assist music customers in whatever way they can, "with the
selection of a fine new, pre-owned or
restored piano, tuning and maintenance,
accessories, sheet music and method books,
instrument rental for virtually any event, the use of our
performance hall, or the restoration of your
vintage grand piano - always feel welcome to
contact us or stop
by our showroom and center for a visit.
For all things music and in particular piano-related, consult PianoWorks for kindness, industry expertise, and a wide selection of musical tools, accessories and instruments. They specialize in lessons as well so if you need to dust off the old Grand and get playing but are unsure if you still have the ability to do so...well, contact Sam Bennett and PianoWorks for all you piano lessons and rental needs as well.
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ShopVisible's redesigned launched today! Check out the sleek new look and enhanced features. Read our client sucess stories, download our industry verticals, and sign up to receive a free ecommerce RFP. New to the ecommerce world? Check out the ecommerce terminology guide under the new Resource Center or browse FAQs. If you're an online retailer looking to grow your business, we invite you to sign up for a free demonstration of our products and services.
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Holiday Shopping Season Starts Now for Online Retailers
Leading ecommerce solution, ShopVisible, provides strategies to get ready for holiday shopping season now
ATLANTA (July 10, 2009) – Online retailers need to be asking themselves today – am I ready for the winter
holiday shopping season? ShopVisible LLC, a leading ecommerce solution provider, is helping e-tailers get
ready now so they can be prepared to maximize sales during the most critical selling season of the year.
“Maybe it is a little early to hang the mistletoe, but in all seriousness, if you are an online retailer looking to
really capitalize on the holiday season, the time to start preparing is now, " says CEO of ShopVisible Sean Cook.
“Whether it is time to overhaul your entire Web site, or just prepare your marketing tactics for the holidays,
there are some efficient and effective strategies e-tailers may be overlooking that they can easily implement
to achieve results.”
This year, because of flagging retail sales, there will be particularly intense pressure on the winter holiday
shopping season for retailers to meet their annual sales goals. And, with more people expected to be shopping
online than ever before – the stakes couldn’t be higher. By dedicating efforts now to have a definite plan of
attack for Christmas, business owners can fix and prevent potential problems with online storefronts before
it’s too late.
“We have already begun setting our end-of-year sales plan into motion with features such as social media
sharing, gift lists, gift ideas and free shipping,” says Susan Aplin, president and CEO of Bambeco.com. “By
getting out the gate fast now, we will be in great shape to have a very lucrative holiday sales season.”
“Don’t get caught trying to solve issues on the fly,” says Cook. “E-tailers cannot just hang some garland in the
window and hope shoppers will come in and buy. Get your technology straightened out now, and create a
specific plan for marketing and consumer promotions – so when the season is upon us, you are just executing
the plan.”
ShopVisible offers online retailers the following recommendations for their holiday sales planning:
Is Your Web Site Ready?:
First and foremost, make sure your Web site and underlying technology can support your marketing plans; you
need the right capacity to quickly and accurately process large quantities of orders and a unified platform that
gives you a single dashboard that allows you to monitor and refine sales strategies quickly and effectively. It is
important that online storefronts be user-friendly for both customers and back-end management in order to
maximize sales and grow business. If e-tailers are operating on a sub-par platform they may lose sales
opportunities, waste valuable time fixing inefficient technology and even suffer a site shutdown. To avoid
these problems, E-tailers are advised to switch now to an ecommerce solution that provides smart technology
that can grow with their businesses.
Search Engine Optimization is a Marathon, Not a Sprint:
High visibility in search engine results are worth gold, online retailers can implement strategies right now that
will yield results by year-end. The right technology and the right content creation now will help move your
products to page one of search engine results.
New Home Page Promotions:
Shoppers will be searching diligently online for sales and promotions to help every dollar count this year, and
having a well-timed series of homepage promotions can help businesses capture savvy shoppers and turn
them into happy customers. It is great to have a specific set of calendar items, so your team has a
“countdown” of marketing activities to continue to entice customers. E-tailers should begin homepage
promotions as early as November 1 and sustain activity with new promotions through December 24. From
coupons to special offers on select merchandise to featured products, business owners should begin planning
home page promotions now and make sure they can be easily implemented through their sites.
Implement Channel Integration: Online retailers need to tap into the many available online marketing
channels, such as Amazon, eBay, Overstock and the many different comparison shopping sites to help make
their products available to more people in more places – which will help increase sales and grow business.
Intelligent ecommerce platforms provide seamless channel integration and order management that allows
businesses to easily push their products onto the virtual shelves and manage those customer orders in one
place.
Free Shipping & Drop Shipping: Smart shipping is one aspect of online retail that can greatly affect the
customer shopping experience and reduce abandoned shopping carts. By selecting the right vendor and
minimizing fulfillment inefficiencies, online retailers can offer free shipping for the holidays – an added value
that can help an indecisive shopper decide to buy. In addition, businesses should research potential dropshipping
partnerships with preferred manufacturers to allow them to expand their selection while reducing
overhead risk. Keep in mind, the common denominator in all shipping options is providing shoppers with
assurance that their gift will arrive in time for the holidays.
Wish Lists & Gift Registries: Everyone has someone who is hard to shop for, and providing wish lists and gift
registries can help make one’s online store the perfect shopping solution this holiday season. Integrating a
wish list feature onto a site will allow customers to build a list of gifts they would love to receive and share
that wish list with family and friends. This feature is simple to add to a site and helps make gift giving easy.
Web Word of Mouth: Word of mouth has long been the key to success for many retailers, and remains
important today. Online retailers who want to expand their customer base should incorporate functionality
that allows shoppers to spread the word easily to their friends and networks via the Web. One way to do this
is by adding “email this” buttons to product pages to allow customers to email their shopping finds directly to
friends and family. Also, incorporating social media widgets into a site will allow shoppers to quickly spread
the word about their new favorite store by sharing it on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace
and Digg.
E-tailers need to be getting ready for holiday shoppers now according to ShopVisible, and these ecommerce
tools can help online retailers maximize their efforts and achieve bottom line results. By partnering with a
comprehensive ecommerce solution provider, business owners can easily make fast, cost-effective additions
to business strategies to help meet and exceed holiday sales goals.
“We encourage business owners to look ahead and make changes now so they can have a very successful
holiday come December,” says Cook. “E-tailers who want to re-launch their site with a richer, more effective
platform in time for holiday shopping have plenty of time if they begin today. Even if you are not prepared to
re-launch a whole new site, we can still integrate key functionality into your existing site to enhance your
productivity this year.”
About ShopVisible
Based in Atlanta, ShopVisible is the most search engine optimized ecommerce solution available to online
retailers. ShopVisible’s SaaS (software as a service) ecommerce solution is a comprehensive suite of tools that
creates a business environment where customer service, back office, inventory, marketing accounting and IT
seamlessly work together. The ecommerce solution ensures online visibility and revenue growth through
built-in Search Engine Optimization that takes businesses to the top of the page in search results and puts
products in all the places online where people are shopping. ShopVisible helps you make money and save
money by eliminating inefficiencies and redundant software – taking your business to a place where pay-perclick
campaigns and patchwork systems are obsolete. For more information, visit www.shopvisible.com or call
(866) 493-7037.
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ShopVisible proudly announces our latest eCommerce site launch-video game control wizard, KontrolFreek.
Competitive gamers who embrace maximum maneuverability, 360 degree agility and speed-laden accuracy will love KontrolFreek's FPS Freek aimed (no pun intended) at popular shooter games like Halo and Call of Duty. The FPS Freek "was designed and tested by professional gamers in tournaments across the Country. The results are clear – FPS Freek enhances aiming precision and increases game performance with a minimal learning curve." Analogously, for the racer, aviator or other mobile gamer, KontrolFreek's much lauded SpeedFreek "allows gamers to relax their thumbs while keeping in constant contact
with [the] controller surface. Additionally, the SpeedFreek's supporting
slide walls enable sharper movements while adding control and
precision." For the gaming aficionado who love to play GranTurismo and other racing games, this new technology is sure to get your score elevated.
The KontrolFreek technology is efficient, agile, aesthetic and affordable. Their products have been tested relentlessly by expert gamers and the results have been proven: "thousands of professional and amateur gamers have already experienced the competitive advantage of KontrolFreek’s products," and you should not wait to try if for yourself.
ShopVisible is an Atlanta, GA based eCommerce solution intent on revitalizing the online commerce and SEO industries. We congratulate KontrolFreek on their auspicious new site launch and wish them the best in not just playing the game but in fact mastering it...
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