Yousuf Rafi
Some of the best tactics that top online retailers have up their sleeves are the easiest to execute. We’ve compiled the ultimate ecommerce lessons that online retailers have taught us, and how you can copy their exact strategies without breaking a sweat. If you’re trying to automate more of your business, you need to keep reading.
In 2017, an estimated 1.6 billion people purchased goods online, which resulted in a revenue of 2.3 trillion US dollars for the e-commerce industry. And the revenue growth potential for the year 2021 is estimated to be 4.48 trillion dollars.
Running an e-commerce business is not at all complicated. If you have the right guidance, you can stop being run-of-the-mill and enjoy your next holiday in peace.
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Freebies like Sephora
What is more appealing than adding a product in your cart and getting some freebies for it?
If you’ve ever shopped with Sephora, you might be astonished at the way Sephora treats their customers on the checkout. You will get birthday gifts, loyalty bonus packs, and even free samples to make you feel special.
It is not just about having so much stuff. It is also about the unboxing experience of these free items. Customers don’t just adore these trial-sized items, they fall in love with the brand, and end up buying the actual product.
2) Trending Outfits by Dynamite
A research conducted by Nielsen revealed that a whopping 92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer, while 70% are prone to trusting an endorsement from someone they don’t even know.
If you struggle to match the best tie to a shirt like me, coming up with the perfect ensemble for your next big party would leave you breaking out a sweat. Thanks to Dynamite which solves this problem by displaying the trending outfits to its users.
This gives all confused customers a chance to buy something trendy without feeling sorry for themselves. And as for Dynamite, their sales per order values increase by banding together products that complement each other. So, instead of customers buying just one product, they are now purchasing a bundle of products just because they complete a chic look together and seem to be looking hip on other people.
How can you do it? You can create your own gallery and sort out the products by a number of sales in that specific category. You can even offer discounts on products which are trending as customers are already buying the product.
3) Retargeting by Hudson’s Bay
Have you ever purchased a product from Amazon but for some reason forgot to complete the order? Yes, I did it more than once, and in return I got an email, holding out the olive branch, offering me a discount as an incentive to make me complete my order. Surely, retargeting is something which when done right can work wonders for you.
An excellent example is from Hudson’s Bay, where the company invests a fortune on retargeting customers. Customers will be approached from a couple of ad platforms if they have abandoned their cart on Hudson’s Bay. You’ll see their ads on Facebook, Google ads, and even on YouTube if you have shown even a little interest in their products. And the best part is that the market in a subtle way which makes it easier for the consumer to take-in information without feeling odd.
If you are experiencing difficulty in retargeting, go for Shoelace – a retargeting platform for online stores. It is an automation program which gives you the ability to optimize your landing pages and render them more appealing.
4) Loyalty programs like ‘100% pure’
What if you can get reward points for every dollar you spend? 100% Pure tinkered around with this idea, and in an instant, they were able to gather hundreds of loyal customers for their website. Whenever you make a purchase, you’ll be given reward points. And based on those rewards, you’ll get perks such as free shipping, exclusive offers, discount vouchers, and more.
Of course, you cannot afford to give reward points for every dollar, but you can surely create some smart rewards which can glue customers to your website.
5) No one does Affiliate Marketing like MVMT
Recently acquired for a whopping $100 million, the company MVMT has a very fine affiliate program to skyrocket their viral reach. This program has great perks for influencers. it’s a win-win situation if you ask me. In return for promoting the brand to their social networks, ambassadors get gift vouchers, commission, and even points which can be availed later. This helps the brand cut down on hefty marketing costs, as the influencers do an excellent job with email newsletters, paid ads, and content marketing. By working with top affiliates and influencers, the brand’s popularity skyrocketed online in no time, which likely helped them get acquired.
6) Personal Email marketing with Drake
Normally, people hesitate to give away email addresses since they don’t their inboxes flooded with sales emails that brands sent out without a clear goal in mind. But not with Drake. As soon as you enter their website, you’ll see an opt-in button at the top. This means that the brand is not forcing you to subscribe for the emails. Only after users punch in their email addresses, that they are asked for their birthdays and full name so that a more personalized experience could be created for them.
Once you’re satisfied with the service, it is then that you subscribe for email updates. And from the moment you do that, the crew at Drake will make it necessary to create a mind-boggling experience for you. Not only does it collect your email address, but it also offers you a discount code just for opting-in. So, it can also help you score some sales.
The conclusion
Whether you take these lessons with you or not, there is one thing that you need to keep in mind while running an e-commerce store. In the end, it all comes down to making customers happy and leaving them with a smile. Being a customer-focused brand doesn’t need to be a huge time investment; it just needs some smart strategies to get your things in order.
Ashad Rehman
