Getting Personal: Customizing eCommerce

Repeat after me: Customize and personalize. Customize and personalize: These two words are about to become synonymous with the eCommerce industry.

It’s certainly an interesting parallel; thanks to the development of online capabilities, we are living in an age where we are physically connected to our customers less and less. Yet in order to be successful, particularly in ecommerce, we need to try to create more of a connection with those buying our products. Enter customization.

Customization covers a multitude of options aimed at improving the experience your customer has and increasing their satisfaction. This, in turn, helps to identify what exactly your customers are after, so you can alter your production and limit wastage.

One of the biggest challenges faced by consumers, is the concept of “analysis paralysis” – when one is presented with too many choices. Not wanting to go too deep in to the psychology of it but, put simply, the brain connects too many options with increased risk, which may see the customer walk away from the sale. According to Accenture, nearly 40 percent of online shoppers have left a site after being overwhelmed with too many options.

Infosys reports that a whopping 86 percent of consumers say personalization plays a role in their purchasing decisions. So you hold the key to influencing those that visit your site. Customizing and personalizing your customer’s experience begins with looking at certain key areas such as demographics, interests, and past buying behavior. A great tactic for eCommerce businesses is looking at ways to customize your website, so you can tailor it with content and offers targeted at each shopper. Offers, in particular, are a great way of reaching out to your customers on a more personal level, as it gives you a platform to customize the copy, length of time, and even the product itself.

We are also seeing a rise in live chat platforms, which enables access to your target market at any given time. This makes your customers feel more connected to you, and also makes your employees more efficient (and we all love an opportunity to save on operating costs)!

Matchco is a perfect example of a beauty brand that has customized a solution that is unique to every sale. Using mobile technology, customers can create a foundation shade that matches their own skin tone. This creates a sense of uniqueness and exclusivity, increasing the chances of repeat business. A win-win for both the brand and the buyer.

We already know that every customer is unique; the key to success is to leverage customization techniques that are the best fit for both your brand and your customer. Research has shown that over 70 percent of consumers would prefer to do business where their personal information is used to make their shopping experience more relevant, so let’s get down to the business of making it personal.