Your e-commerce business could meet hundreds or thousands of potential lifetime customers today. The problem is that most online stores aren’t set up for customer retention. It’s a common mistake among early-stage startups and new e-commerce businesses. When a website is new, the primary focus is on just getting clicks. Customer retention is particularly important for an online supplement store, where many products naturally lend themselves to repeat purchases.
Startups can become so focused on getting visitors to their landing pages via SEO that they overlook what they expect those visitors to do once they get there. Over time, successful online stores tend to rely on six key pillars of customer retention that help turn first-time customers into repeat customers.
1. Positive first purchase experience
In e-commerce, the workload is higher compared to brick-and-mortar retailers because businesses are responsible for both the online experience and the actual product experience. There’s also the anticipation factor that sets expectations higher while customers await the arrival of their product compared to the in-store shopping experience, where buyers get to see the product in person at the purchase point. The scaffolding for a positive first purchase includes alerts when products are shipped, reliable order tracking, and branded packaging that creates a satisfying unboxing experience.
2. Consistent post-purchase communication
Don’t assume a customer will remember to come back even if they like your product. The best way to secure engagement beyond the first order is to send an email asking how the customer likes the product. You can even invite them to leave a review or provide feedback.
Many customer “ghost” brands simply because the brand ghosted them first. The truth is that customers can actually forget where they ordered a product from even if they like it. They may also simply forget to reorder a product after it runs out. By providing consistent communication via coupon offers and newsletters, you can keep the line of communication open.
3. Personalization
Make a customer login account matter. Using dynamic design, customize the user experience for each customer account based on what they search for or purchase. This is especially important if you have a large inventory that can be overwhelming for shoppers.
4. Loyalty programs
One of the best ways to retain customers is to reward them when they come back. Loyalty programs gamify the shopping experience by allowing customers to accrue points and unlock perks. Perks like coupons, free shipping, or free gifts make customers feel like they’re leaving money on the table if they don’t shop with you.
5. Subscriptions
Subscriptions with auto shipping remove the friction from the buying experience for your customers. By placing the subscription option next to the traditional “add to cart” option, you’re presenting the option for customers to remove reordering from their to-do lists. Your odds of boosting customer retention rise if you lower the price per unit or provide free shipping when customers opt in for subscriptions.
6. Customer service
Don’t make your customers feel like they’re screaming into a void when they need assistance. One thing successful online stores do is create the experience of shopping at a living store. Customers don’t just feel like they’re shopping on a static screen. They know that helpful, knowledgeable customer service agents are on the other end to help. One industry study found that a single bad customer service experience can cause nearly 75% of consumers to abandon a brand forever.
Today’s new customer can be tomorrow’s sure thing. You just have to make sure you’re not frustrating your customers during their first journey with your online store. Ultimately, it means removing friction between them and the next order.
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