These days, people have become smart and browse the web to seek valuable information. Since its conception, eCommerce has grown in leaps and bounds within a short period. There have emerged numerous eCommerce portals along with increased competition. Customers are now eager to make purchases over the web using their smartphones and computers. Although online shopping is quite easier and convenient for consumers, eCommerce companies, be it big or small do face huge challenges. Ecommerce failure has become a common scenario with several failures being reported than success. It is tough to prepare your eshop and cater to the changing needs of your customers. You need to take care of just about everything ranging from website maintenance to customer service.
Challenges faced and how to avoid eCommerce failures
- Delivering omnichannel customer experience: Customers may try to reach your brand via different touchpoints. They might contact your customer support, visit your site, use a messaging platform or a live chat. They may even shop from the store or use the social media page to leave a message. Provide your team with the latest technology. Visual engagement tools when used can help your organization to render services to customers across all channels, touchpoints and journeys. Come up with a sound strategy:
- Identify first the key channels. Find out what is crucial for your customers. Your customer support should contact customers through their preferred channels, live chat, email, phone, video call, live chat, etc.
- Maintain context: Try to direct conversations depending on the previous interactions of the users. Use parameters to track customer conservations with a unified view like the user profile. It allows you to respond contextually.
- Online identity verification: As someone visits your eCommerce site and registers, you should make sure it is a genuine customer. Such eCommerce tips when followed helps avoid bots and fraudulent accounts. Otherwise, it may result in unwanted revenue loss, especially when CPD (Cash on Delivery) is concerned. It is possible to overcome this issue by taking appropriate steps. Verify details of the customer. First, identify suspicious activity, which may be in large order or high-value form. Identify fake email addresses and phone numbers. As customer registers with your site, send across verification link through email or text message. Validate delivery address by sending across automated calls to customers on all COD purchases.
- Revamp selling approach: Most eCommerce failure is because companies being stuck to the past find it difficult to sell online. They may lack crucial insight into buying patterns and customer behavior. Vital data is essential to achieve success in the current competitive eCommerce environment. Consider offering products on leading web platforms like eBay and Amazon. Such sites already boast of having a large volume of ready market. Simply promote your brand of products/services. Also segment data. The next step is visitor segmentation. This way, you can identify as well as communicate with your visitors. This will be based on their past conversations, journey, browsing behavior, geographical location, referral page, etc. Anticipating your customers’ needs, you can offer them personalized services like promo codes or free delivery, thus increasing conversions.
- Outshining competition: It is one of the crucial eCommerce tips that you need to follow. According to industry experts, you need to come up with a unique approach to tackle competition. First, conduct proper research and get to know the market, your competitors. Come up with a sound strategy after finding the products in demand. Eliminate outdated items. Choose blogs and social media platforms to promote your brand, products and services. Have more web presence with promotional offers. Provide your team with motivation and appropriate tools like shared inbox, live chat, etc. to assist customers.
Getting to know how to avoid eCommerce failures can help your business to survive and succeed.
