Harness integrated communications data for offering personalized eCommerce experiences and for building customer loyalty!

With the phenomenal increase in eCommerce, it’s natural for customers to feel daunted and confused by an overwhelming number of e-vendors. When clarity is hazed, customers’ loyalty shifts to those who are leveraging Ecommerce for enhanced commerce personalization. Customer experience is not built in a day, it is nurtured, pampered and understood by diligently following or keeping track of behavior pattern and several external factors. It is a work which can save a lot of money, increase customer loyalty, and accelerate growth, if eCommerce is channelized.

Commerce Personalization

Remember those neighborhood stores, who would greet customers by name, know exactly what each required and offer discounts as a mark of respect for loyalty. Online retailing requires same touch and feel even if there is remoteness in the concept of eCommerce. Commerce Personalization means retailers know their customers in and out and offer customized online shopping experience. Automated supply chain management integrates and correlates information about each customer. This enables personalized touch based on browsing history, purchases, geographical location, language and other significant personal information about a customer.

Ways to Start eCommerce Personalization

The best bonding is created by incorporating robust customer support in the supply chain management system. It connects merchant to the customer and establishes one-on-one relationship. For eCommerce Personalization, a retailer can explore strategies which can give the most beneficial outcome.

• Account Creation: Encourage consumers or visitors to create account for receiving personalized messages or for tracking orders or wished items, essentially for better shopping experience. This exercise will provide data about customer as location, preferences, attitudes, and very importantly what is the price range bracket in which one prefers shopping. Powered by AI and Machine Learning, an algorithm can be worked to collect information and give personalized experience to customers.

• Customer Support: It is a fully insured way to collect data and know the customer at a personal level. AI supported by ML can really make this work easy and super-fast.

• Segmentation of Subscribers: eCommerce runs on getting personal with consumers via emails. Emails subscribers can be segmented on the basis of geographic location, interests, gender, demographically, behavioral or psychographics (inclusive of lifestyle, attitudes & values etc). These make promotion specific and enhances customer experience as it is more personalized.

• Online Quizzes: Visitors or customers can be encouraged to fill quizzes for personalized information on sizes, tastes, quality standard or expectations. Essentially idea is to gather data relative to product personalization. It differs with business and is very central to the idea of product.

• Incentives: Offer incentives to consumers to come back, especially old ones who have not visited the website. Personalized messages ‘there’s something which you would not like to give a miss’, ‘we have not seen you for a long time, check our new launches’ or something similar in nature can even allure old customers and help in getting them back on the loop.

Benefits of eCommerce Personalization

Leveraging eCommerce implies combining digital technology for scaling up marketing techniques and making it a personal experience, which e-retailing lacks. Commerce personalization brings back the same old friendly touch which customers experienced with brick-n-mortar shopping. It is very effective as once a merchant knows the customer and is able to build a personal relationship, customer experience is enhanced as items of interest and value can be shared with the right consumer. The benefits of eCommerce Personalization can take business to the next level, let’s check out a few of them.

• Personalized Messages Improves Conversion: Based on history of browsing data, retailers can send personalized messages. As in, suppose a consumer has been searching about car deodorizer and a retailer has various options available. The AI powered system can identify those consumers and recommend some earthy organic flavors or some exotic ones or an air purifier to keep the leather smell at bay. Such messages can increase footfalls, improve conversion and have a positive impact on customers as well as business.

• Personalized Marketing Campaigns Bolsters Loyalty: When a retailer has complete information about a customer, a personalized marketing campaign can be worked upon. This would engage customer, bolster loyalty and make them feel important. For example, if a retailer knows a customer resides in a region where winter is harsh, then the retailer can start sending customized suggestions on upcoming sales on winter wear or about a new range which can keep the customer warm and cozy. These personalized marketing campaigns with individualistic requirement, binds a customer and confirms loyalty.

• Individualized Shopping Brings Repeat Customers: Machine Learning captures and stores customers purchasing history. Later, prompts about earlier purchases help customers to recall needs. This individualized shopping journey pampers customers and if someone can help them to shop with speed, they appreciate it. This works on building loyal customers. Take for example Amazon stores last purchasing list of a customer. Now, if someone has done grocery shopping and if items from the previous list are recommended to the customer, this many times leads to repeat purchase and gaining their trust in the process.

• Reduces Cost by Avoiding Extensive Online Marketing: Personalized eCommerce ensures there is no dearth of repeat customers, this brings down cost on marketing and promotion. A deeper insight into customer profile, goes a long way in building, curating customized options and sending suggestions for calling them back again and again.