Are you looking to take your business to the next level? In today’s digital age, delivering a shopping experience that rivals or even surpasses the in-person experience can be the difference between an average year and a great one.
During the most recent CN webinar, we asked Genevieve Haldeman from Cloudinary to share her advice for making the customer shopping experience as seamless as possible. She was joined by a panel of senior-level executives from GoPro, Ulta and FTD who discussed their own strategies for creating an effective online shopping experience.
WHAT WE LEARNED:
- Optimization of various features can increase likelihood of purchase.
- Personalization can help customers see how a product will fit into their lives.
- The importance of customer feedback in shaping the ecommerce experience.
SPEAKERS:
- Kacey Sharrett, VP, eCommerce, GoPro
- Jeff Hamm, VP, Digital Experience and Operations, Ulta
- Matt Powell, CTO, FTD
- Genevieve Haldeman, VP of Corporate Marketing, Cloudinary
- Moderated by Veronika Sonsev, Co-Founder, CommerceNext
Watch the full recording here or read on for the webinar’s key takeaways!
Optimization is Key
As customers become more internet savvy, the importance of optimizing the customer journey has become increasingly clear. People want to find and purchase what they are looking for in the most seamless way possible. Ulta has prioritized optimizing their product detail pages (pro tip: you can use Chat GPT to help), relying on powerful search and navigation to make it easy for customers to find what they need, and personalizing search results to make the experience feel more tailored to each customer. FTD has made it a priority to focus on mobile optimization, so that customers can make a purchase no matter where they are.
When trying to create a solid shopping experience, it is important to remember to make it as optimized and streamlined as possible. By optimizing the customer journey, brands can keep customers coming back by prioritizing the positive experiences they crave.
The Power of Personalization
Personalization is a key component of creating a successful ecommerce experience. Customers want to be able to see themselves with the product in their lives, and brands that can connect the dots between what customers need and what they offer are more likely to see success. GoPro is a great example of a brand that places a strong emphasis on storytelling and inspiration, with their products allowing customers to capture their most exciting moments and make memories. By showcasing the possibilities of their products in a personal and relatable way, GoPro has created a loyal customer base that connects with their brand on a deeper level.
Similarly, Ulta recognizes that video and images are key to storytelling, allowing customers to see themselves with the product. Their Glam Lab makeup try-on service and digital try-on and skin tone match features further allow customers to personalize their shopping experience. Cloudinary’s research shows that shoppers are 62% more likely to buy something if they can see pictures of someone with the product, making personalization and visual representation even more important in the ecommerce landscape.
By prioritizing personalization, brands can create an emotional connection with their customers, increasing loyalty and driving sales.
Feedback is a Gift
Customer feedback is also crucial in improving the ecommerce experience, as they can directly tell you what is working and what isn’t. According to GoPro, “feedback is a gift” and they have found that adding a feedback button has been incredibly useful in gathering valuable insights from customers. Using data, they have tailored their experience to their customers and believe that the voice of the customer is where you need to focus to improve your ecommerce offering.
Ulta has also recognized the importance of customer feedback and the need to quickly adapt to changing trends. They believe in reacting to customer feedback in real time to make the necessary changes and improvements to the shopping experience. With customer feedback as a guiding light, ecommerce businesses can stay on top of the trends and provide an experience that is tailored to their customers’ needs.
In conclusion, creating a great ecommerce experience requires a multi-faceted approach that considers everything from website optimization to personalization and customer feedback. Overall, it’s clear that businesses that take the time to optimize their ecommerce offerings and prioritize the needs and wants of their customers are the ones that will thrive in the constantly evolving world of online shopping.
Want to learn more marketing tips for 2023 and beyond from 100+ of the industry’s top executives? Register for the CommerceNext Ecommerce Growth Show today!
