Persistent cart
Ensuring that products added to the basket from one device are seen when accessing the retailer’s site from another device serves as a reminder of previous activity when customers revisit the site.
Single view of stock
Integrating real-time stock information onto your site serves to further inform customers and in some cases, can encourage a purchase as customers act to avoid missing out on a popular product.
Innovative delivery methods
Click & Collect is moving from a ‘nice to have’ to a consumer demand and for retailers, this option is beneficial in that customers are essentially doing most of the work for you. For luxury retailers, the focus should be on providing a luxury experience. Harvey Nichols, for example, introduced Click & Try earlier this year.
Easy returns
Retailers across all price points must recognise that as the online and high street shopping landscapes continue to merge, those who fail to provide an easy returns experience will most certainly lose out.
Single view of customer
By being able to track and analyse consumer interactions across in-store and online, retailers can create a new level of insight into their customers and therefore market to them with an unprecedented level of accuracy and insight.
Personalisation
Whilst consumers clearly appreciate some personalisation and targeted marketing, retailers must cleverly use their customer data to deliver relevance and value to their customers without being perceived as an annoyance.
Optimising for mobile
Customers are now shopping across a number of devices – including mobile phones, desktops and tablets – so retailers must recognise the importance of making the purchase journey work seamlessly across multiple channels.
Pricing
Clear pricing information is also important for ease of experience. Serving customers with information about payments relevant to their territory, including a selection of currencies, shipping and possible customs costs, ensures that that shopping process remains convenient throughout.
Customer experience
Customer loyalty is something all retailers are vying for and this is becoming increasingly difficult. Retailers need to address and serve customer expectations as much as possible, delivering a similar shopping experience across channels.
Social integration
On-site social media integration enables customers to share favourites with family and friends or indicate coveted items across networks, driving traffic and increasing brand awareness and loyalty.