One of the biggest mistakes fledgling eCommerce retailers make is assuming all customers are alike. While it’s true they all want the products they seek, motivations can be vastly different. Having an awareness of this gives you a better opportunity to convert their visits into sales. While there is as much variety within shoppers as there are people in general, their concerns usually fit into one of five categories. Here’s how to get different types of online shoppers to buy.
I’m Getting a Great Deal
While price does matter to this group, it’s intertwined with the value of the purchase. Understanding this, you can sell to them without discounting heavily if you show them something to make buying from you more appealing. They’re looking for a deal, so offering bundles of complementary products at a discount if they buy them all together can work. Another way to motivate these customers is to emphasize the value of the purchase by touting the benefits the product will provide. Focus your product descriptions on benefits rather than features to accomplish this. One popular way to get eCommerce shoppers to act quickly is by showing a “regular” price and the price they are indeed paying for the product on your website. If your visitors can see that the price they are paying is much less than what the product costs or what it is worth, they are far more likely to act on the great deal and go ahead with the purchase. One example of this in the retail world is Marshall’s. They show a “Compare” price for all of their products, which is always much higher than the price they are charging for the products. While this doesn’t mean this is the regular pricing for the product, it does make people think that they are getting a great deal when they see another higher number as the price that this product (or similar product) can go for elsewhere.
I’ve Found the Best
These customers want to be assured their choice is the best they can get at the price point they can afford. They will spend hours on the ‘net, learning everything they can about the product before making a decision. To get through to them, you have to be as much resource as retailer. Make sure your enterprise ecommerce software supports product videos, side-by-side comparisons, expert reviews and user testimonials. You want them to find all the information they’re seeking on your site so they’ll stay and make the purchase there.
I Got It First
Also known as early adopters, these people like to be seen as being on the cutting edge by their friends and acquaintances. To engage these customers, keep them in the know with newsletter updates touting the latest and the greatest. Be very careful to avoid spamming them though. When you send an email, make sure it is packed with useful information about what’s new and “next.” Your call to action should be for pre-orders so they can be the one to have it first. To get them to register for mailings, offer membership in something like an “Ahead of The Curve Club;” perks can include first notification of new products, points toward future purchases, free samples (where appropriate), gifts and/or discounts.
I Want It Right Now
With their research complete, these shoppers are looking to make their purchases and be done. In all likelihood, your SEO efforts led them to your site and now they’re yours to lose. Make sure your platform erects no roadblocks between them and the purchase. You want your pages to load fast because these people are impatient. Don’t require registration to make purchases. Give them the option to register after they buy instead. Checkout pages should be as simple as possible, requiring only the information needed to conduct the transaction securely. Fast shipping options are a plus because they want it as quickly as possible.
I Belong
These customers want to feel they’re part of something and getting special treatment because of it. Exclusivity is the watchword here. Personalizing the shopping experience is important for people in this category. While this strategy tends to work best for purveyors of luxury goods, the principle can be applied to just about every situation. Make these shoppers feel special and you’ll get lots of repeat business. Where practical, you can employ a subscription model like the wine clubs do. Offer points for purchases, with which they can achieve status in loyalty programs, granting them useful perks and added benefits.
Far from being a monolithic group of “clicks” and “eyeballs,” customers have varying motivations. Once you have a clear understanding of this and how to get different types of online shoppers to buy, your conversion rates will improve dramatically.
