Men & women shop very differently. Women browse more & compare products meticulously, whereas men are more likely to simply rush along single-mindedly hoping not to get distracted from the original purpose of having ventured into a marketplace. An eCommerce shop then, should cater to the differences that abound among shoppers.
Men & women shop very differently. Women browse more & compare products meticulously, whereas men are more likely to simply rush along single-mindedly hoping not to get distracted from the original purpose of having ventured into a marketplace. An eCommerce shop then, should cater to the differences that abound among shoppers
It is known that consumers connect with products they can touch and feel. Naturally, this not possible with digital stores, so the next best option is to have images linked to products at every possible turn. We’ve covered the importance of great product imagery in another post. This time it’s about bridging this gap between consumers viewing products online & finally holding it.
For a start, our online store design should be able to display a section for browsing that is rational & prominent, while also having a predictive search tool available, preferably one that has product image integration. (Most eCommerce solutions should have this function)
In the example above, the search function at the top of the page not only auto completes keywords, it also provides an illustration along with the product title. This is a good feature to integrate with search bars for any eCommerce website as speed is key when the shopper is Product Focused.
Browsers on the other hand need to see a large selection of items, but what is a display that is rational?
Have a look at the example below, the categories are segmented in clear, distinctive sections, that are RATIONAL: it is alphabetized, and more importantly the sub-categories are in the right locations. There is also a sorting function available- surprising overlooked in many web stores, unnecessarily alienating Browsers.
Some shoppers are more inclined towards Social Proof. Social proof is a good way to convince online shoppers that they are on the right track. When we see that many others have purchased a product before us, it affirms our faith in it, and reduces fear of buying an unpopular product. This ties in closely to branding.
Consumers trust brands that are popular, the simple reasoning being: if the brand produced terrible goods, it would certainly not be popular, would it? It’s that mentality that we are banking on when it comes to Sold Counters, as seen in the image below.
Another way to appeal to Social Proof shoppers is to include product reviews. This isn’t a new concept when it comes to online businesses. Everybody does it:
The above is an example of a business page providing Social Proof in the form of a client testimonial. For online retail shops, ratings & reviews on specific products are the way to go:
The tricky part is actually getting customers to evaluate purchases. There are two ways to go about this: either irritate & anger customers, or please & delight us. I’m sure we’d all agree the latter is desirable. From the second customers enter our store, till the one they receive a purchase, the experience has to be a positive one. (Once again, shopping cart builders should rightly have these basic functions)
Customers that have a positive shopping experience are likely to give your business a glowing review TOGETHER with the product review. There is no harm in requesting a review from customers either, most of us are happy to provide goodwill for nothing when we are pleased with an experience. A gentle pop-up is sufficient, even if it only results in a rating, which is better than nothing!
Social Proof is useful for every kind of shopper out there, from the Product Focused, Browsers, One-Time Buyers, and even Bargain Hunters, hence it is important to get it right.
Bargain Hunters are similar to Browsers, in that they are browsing online stores, only these customers are always looking for the best deal available. Ignoring this need will ensure a significant loss of potential sales. Every business has promotions to drive sales figures, we can take full advantage of this by having a dedicated section for promotional items, whether they are discounts, free items, promo codes, or referral bonuses.
This online business selling wine, has great offers for Bargain Hunters:
- New Customer Discount
- Biggest Savings Section
- Clearance Sale Section
By enticing Bargain Hunters with a sign up offer, we are ensuring such customers become part of the fold, and by catering so well to such needs, we further ensure the return to our stores. Here we see two sections catering fully to this segment, titled GREAT DEALS. The best bit is the ability to sort by savings!
Every online store has to start somewhere, and not every business owner has the immediate resources to cater to each & every need. However these are the few most common needs that don’t take great effort to be met, and represent a large chunk of the consumer pie. Serving these segments well will ensure a larger user-base & greater sales figures. Neglecting them will ensure loss of potential profits.
As always, we welcome comments & suggestions, help us all learn to better serve our markets by providing ideas or success stories/examples! Have a great day!
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