What do you do if your E-Commerce platform fails to deliver an innovative customer experience?
When your e-commerce platform isn't meeting the mark with innovation, it can be a real setback. But don't fret! It's an opportunity to reassess and revamp your strategy to deliver the exceptional online shopping experience your customers crave. Remember, the digital marketplace is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. Let's explore some actionable steps you can take to turn things around and ensure your e-commerce platform stands out in the crowded online space.
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Marl Ian DionaldoFractional CMO | Growth Marketing & Strategy Expert | Helping 7-Figure & Up Companies Achieve Predictable, Profitable &…
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Eitan Koter 🎙️Co-CEO @ Vimmi | The Video Commerce Platform | Host of the eCom Pulse podcast
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Mateo Mendez DelgadoMBA Candidate | VC, Startups & Technology Enthusiast
Begin by conducting a comprehensive audit of your e-commerce platform to identify where it falls short in delivering an innovative customer experience. Look into user feedback, analyze customer journey maps, and assess the usability of your website. This stage is critical for pinpointing specific areas that require improvement, such as website speed, navigation, product display, or checkout process. Understanding these gaps will serve as a foundation for crafting a targeted strategy to enhance your platform's performance.
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Consider doing these to provide innovative customer experience for your e-commerce platform: - Assessment: Evaluate current experience against benchmarks. - Feedback: Gather insights through surveys and reviews. - Analysis: Study competitors' platforms for successful features. - Innovation: Research emerging trends for inspiration. - Collaboration: Engage teams for brainstorming and implementation. - Testing: Conduct A/B and user testing for validation. - Communication: Transparently share changes with customers. - Monitoring: Regularly track metrics for iterative improvements. - Adaptability: Stay agile to meet evolving customer needs.
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1. Get an expert to help you analyze your platform vs. competition. Check for performance optimization, site load time, customer journeys and hit maps. 2. Engage with customer through reviews, customer support tickets and surveys. 3. Make sure your site is optimized for mobile. 4. Consider integrating advanced technologies like AI, AR/VR, or personalized recommendation engines to enhance the shopping experience. 5. Use live and non-live video, specifically shoppable video that increased customer loyalty, brand engagement and conversion rates. 6. Experiment over time with different technologies and customer journeys until you've optimize your UI/UX and tech stack
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Embarking on a journey to enhance your e-commerce platform begins with a meticulous audit, scrutinizing every facet to unearth opportunities for innovation. By heeding user feedback, dissecting customer journey maps, and evaluating website usability, you gain invaluable insights into areas ripe for improvement. Whether it's optimizing website speed, refining navigation, enhancing product display, or streamlining the checkout process, every detail matters in crafting a seamless customer experience. Remember, at every step of the funnel, listening to your clients and analyzing metrics is paramount, guiding your strategic decisions and ensuring your platform evolves in lockstep with customer expectations.
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Instead of just focusing on technical gaps, consider assessing your platform's emotional and social impact. Analyze how well your e-commerce experience aligns with your customer's values and aspirations. Look for opportunities to create more meaningful connections and inspire a sense of belonging and purpose. Consider how you can use your platform to promote social causes or support local communities.
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When your e-commerce platform falls short of delivering an innovative customer experience, it's crucial to pivot and revitalize your strategy. The main action? Rethink and overhaul! Dive deep into the customer journey to identify pain points and missed opportunities. It might mean adopting cutting-edge technologies like AI for personalized shopping experiences or reimagining your interface for ultimate usability. This decisive action not only addresses current shortcomings but also positions you as a forward-thinking leader in the competitive digital marketplace.
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Firstly you should initiate an exhaustive audit of your platform, diving deep into user feedback, scrutinizing customer journey maps, and evaluating website usability. Pinpointing deficiencies, whether in website speed, navigation, product presentation, or checkout flow, is pivotal. Armed with this insight, craft a tailored strategy aimed at augmenting platform performance.
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When your E-Commerce platform falls short in delivering an innovative customer experience, start by assessing gaps. Conduct a thorough audit to pinpoint areas needing improvement—consider user feedback, analyze customer journey maps, and assess website usability. This insight forms the basis for a targeted strategy to enhance performance, focusing on areas like website speed, navigation, product display, and checkout process.
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Check user feedback, do analyze customer journey maps, and test yourself also how easy it is to use your website. This helps identify areas needing improvement, like speed, navigation, product presentation, or checkout. Use these insights to create a plan to boost your platform's performance.
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If your e-commerce platform lacks innovation in delivering a customer experience, it's crucial to gather feedback from users, analyze competitors, and invest in user experience (UX) design. Prioritize intuitive navigation, mobile optimization, and fast performance, while also exploring innovative features like personalization, AR, chatbots, and community engagement. Continuously iterate on your platform, leveraging emerging technologies and maintaining a focus on enhancing customer satisfaction through seamless browsing, reliable service, and ongoing improvement efforts. By addressing these areas, you can revitalize your e-commerce platform and provide customers with an engaging and innovative shopping experience.
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In my experience it is best to put aside the personal view and get help from third parties who are neutral and new to the platform so they can give an independent observation not biased by what you already know. I've seen most clients shape a website after what they like instead of listening to experts and client studies. We employ external testers and also ask friends sometimes to place an order and see what tey do and how they interact.
Listening to your customers is paramount. They are the best source of information when it comes to understanding the shortcomings of your e-commerce experience. Implement feedback mechanisms like surveys, comment sections, or direct outreach to gather insights. Analyze this data to discover patterns and common issues that customers face. This direct line to customer sentiment will not only inform your innovation efforts but also show your customers that you value their input, fostering loyalty and trust.
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Putting your clients at the center of your e-commerce strategy is non-negotiable. Actively soliciting and listening to their feedback through surveys, comment sections, or direct outreach fosters invaluable insights into improving the customer experience. By analyzing this data, you not only inform innovation efforts but also demonstrate your commitment to their satisfaction, nurturing enduring relationships built on trust and loyalty.
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Go beyond traditional surveys and create immersive, interactive feedback experiences. Use gamification techniques to incentivize customers to share their thoughts and ideas. Host virtual focus groups or co-creation sessions where customers can collaborate with your team to design new features or products. Embrace radical transparency by sharing customer feedback publicly and inviting open dialogue and debate.
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The most important is your customer feedback, establish feedback channels such as surveys, comment sections, or direct outreach to glean valuable insights. Dive deep into this data to uncover recurring patterns and prevalent issues experienced by customers. Armed with this firsthand understanding, you can tailor your innovation efforts to address these pain points effectively. Moreover, by demonstrating a commitment to listening and responding to customer needs, you not only enhance the customer experience but also foster long-term loyalty and trust.
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Listening to customers is crucial for understanding e-commerce weaknesses. Use tools like surveys, comments, or direct outreach to gather insights.
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I do not recommend popups or additional buttons (unless in a less visible place) on the site itself but instead there could be a follow-up email after a purchase asking the client for a review on the easy of use on the site. A "need help?" type chat is also a good source to catch problems, have the chat support note the common issues that arise.
Technology is the backbone of e-commerce innovation. If your platform is lagging, consider upgrading your tech stack. This might involve adopting new software for inventory management, integrating advanced payment options, or utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to provide personalized shopping experiences. While tech upgrades can be an investment, they're often necessary to keep pace with customer expectations and industry standards.
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💡 First of all you should zoom out (use the helicopter view approach) and audit the current tech. Once you analyzed it and found the bottlenecks - you should fix it, measure and iterate until you see that it works smooth and delivers the level of the customer experience you expect it to deliver.
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Even incremental upgrades tailored to your capacities can yield significant improvements in customer experience and operational efficiency. Whether it's enhancing inventory management, integrating advanced payment solutions, or leveraging AI for personalized shopping experiences, each tech adoption represents a strategic investment in staying relevant and competitive. While upgrades may entail initial investments, they're essential for aligning with evolving customer expectations and industry benchmarks. By prioritizing technology adoption within your means, you're not just modernizing your e-commerce platform—you're future-proofing your business for sustained success in the digital marketplace.
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To remain competitive and profitable, your total cost of ownership for ecommerce technology stack should remain below 4% of gross merchandise value. Costs associated with ecommerce include CDN, search and personalization, CMS, payment gateway, oms and core commerce capabilities.
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The development of a technology stack is necessary not only to maintain the proper level of security, but also to develop and adapt new solutions that meet modern standards and ensure system stability. Typically, companies that keep pace with technological advancements strive to reduce the time required to develop services. Conversely, companies that neglect to update their platforms and rely on outdated technology often spend more time developing core features that their competitors can easily implement. This highlights the importance of continuous technological innovation to remain competitive and efficient in modern business.
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Rather than just upgrading your existing tech stack, explore emerging technologies that can fundamentally transform the customer experience. Experiment with virtual or augmented reality to create immersive, multisensory shopping experiences. Leverage blockchain technology to ensure supply chain transparency and authenticity. Invest in conversational AI to provide hyper-personalized, 24/7 customer support and recommendations.
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Boost your e-commerce with tech upgrades: If your platform lags, consider new inventory software, advanced payments, or AI for personalized shopping. While upgrades involve costs, they can enhance customer experience and drive revenue growth.
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Switching tech can be costly and needs to be justified. Almost all of our clients had tried at least several platforms before finding one that is balanced in usefulness and price. Just switching to a different platform for an ecommerce solutions opens the door to several major differences in both user experience and tehnical difficulties arising which need to be overcome. You also need to make sure you get long term support from the team that will be creating the new site and they have experience with transitioning from your existing platform.
Enhancing user experience (UX) is key to retaining customers and attracting new ones. Focus on simplifying navigation, optimizing for mobile devices, and ensuring your website is accessible to all users. A clean, intuitive design that makes shopping effortless can significantly improve customer satisfaction. Remember, a positive UX extends beyond the website to all customer touchpoints, including customer service and post-purchase support.
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Une expérience utilisateur sans couture, c’est la clé pour développer son ecommerce et fidéliser. Ça se conçoit avec du bon sens mais surtout : ça se teste. Toutes vos cibles clients n’ont pas nécessairement les mêmes attentes. Les tests utilisateurs sont nécessaires pour créer une expérience client qualitative et fidéliser vos utilisateurs. Écoutez vis clients, soyez customer centric, c’est cette stratégie qui vous mènera à la réussite.
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The clearer and more logical the processes are in achieving the final goal, the simpler it becomes to drive sales. However, it's crucial to remember that e-commerce involves more than just the customer-facing front end. Many businesses overlook the significance of the experience for managers, particularly in terms of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) or platforms that consolidate all functionalities for processing and managing orders. This backend aspect is essential for ensuring that managers can provide a positive experience for the customer.
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Challenge conventional UX design principles and explore unconventional, experimental approaches. Embrace asymmetry, tactile interactions, and bold, expressive visuals to create a more emotionally resonant experience. Use sound and motion design to create a multisensory, immersive environment. Personalize the experience based on customers' moods, preferences, and past behaviors, going beyond simple demographics.
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One common mistake in UX is not taking into consideration the target audience. Different age-groups have different experience and familiarity with usind older or newer style websites and user interfaces. Younger generations might not have the same perspective as older ones and vice versa. Some years ago we used to have just one generation using the net, now we have at least 3 major usergroups just by age, finding the best UI to match all is tricky, so do a background study of similar sites and prepare the work before tackling UX modifications.
Stay abreast of market trends to keep your e-commerce platform innovative. This means not only following the latest in technology but also understanding shifts in consumer behavior and preferences. For example, the rise of social commerce or the expectation of sustainable practices from brands can influence how you position your platform. Adapting to these trends can help you stay relevant and competitive.
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Remaining vigilant about market trends is vital for e-commerce success. It's not just about embracing the latest technology; it's about staying attuned to shifts in consumer behavior and preferences. Whether it's the emergence of social commerce or the growing demand for sustainability, failing to adapt can leave your platform lagging behind. In today's fast-paced market, the consequences of falling out of sync with trends can be unforgiving. By continuously evolving and aligning with market dynamics, you not only stay relevant but also maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape.
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You should always keep a finger on the pulse of market trends, embracing not just technological advancements but also shifts in consumer behavior and preferences. Whether it's the burgeoning realm of social commerce or the growing demand for sustainable practices, aligning your platform with these trends is essential. By adapting and evolving alongside the market, you can ensure that your platform remains relevant and competitive
Lastly, consider forming strategic partnerships that can enhance your platform's capabilities. This could include collaborating with tech companies for advanced features or joining forces with logistics providers for faster shipping options. Partnerships can bring in fresh perspectives and expertise that you might not possess in-house. By leveraging the strengths of others, you can create a more robust and innovative e-commerce experience for your customers.
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Always seek to create a collaborative ecosystem for your commerce, from my experience, developing synergies between companies and even departments, are key to keep upgrading your service.
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Look beyond the usual suspects and seek out unconventional partners who can help you innovate in unexpected ways. Collaborate with artists, musicians, or chefs to create limited-edition, experiential products. Partner with environmental organizations to develop sustainable packaging solutions or offset your carbon footprint. Join forces with mental health experts to create content and resources that promote mindfulness and wellbeing.
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Here it is important to understand what is beneficial for a business - adapt solutions from the market or create your own.There are very few e-commerce companies with sufficient resources to create quality solutions in-house. Adaptation often looks like copying competitors, but the feature set is half the battle. The right balance between functions is important, don't be afraid of such decisions.
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Be aware that if you are working with several teams on social communication, ads, web-development and site maintenance that there can be background tension between them, especially if the both offer similar services but you are contracting one for communication and the other for ads. This is not usually intentionally bad intentioned but I have seen bad teamplay from different solution providers. Invest in yourself to understand enough so you can follow the discussions and catch any ping-pong where a problem is just passed around and not being resolved.
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