purchasing model of online consumer

Benefits of Using Email as a Means of Online Consumer Shopping

As opposed to other methods of doing business such as social media and offline customer means, the use of email as a means of online consumer shopping is also a complemented means of doing business. Because of the way the process is carried out in the preceding equation, there will be further customer retention as well as customer acquisition. This is due to the fact that consumers who conduct business by email have a greater proclivity to pay more.

Email as a More Official and Secure Method

Customers continue to believe that email is a more official method, that transactions conducted using this medium are much more serious, and that there are fewer chances of purchases and frauds (Scott, 2015). It has more potential of generating revenue rather than just being too shiny and for showing off products. Much as social media such as Facebook and twitter will be far off better in engaging the customers, it is email means that will be used to facilitate the actual sale.

Personalizing Emails for Customer Engagement

Email is preferred as a tool that is more secure as it’s permission-based. The contacts in the email account are those that have been granted permission to go ahead in exchanging messages. Your clients as a sales person will grant you permission on whether you will be sending the messages as compared to social media where you are likely to receive anyhow send messages hence making the whole task so annoying.

Increasing Sales and Customer Loyalty

Every organization works to increase their sales, increase the number of customers while working to maintain the number of customers they have both their loyalty and retaining them. By use of mail, the most appropriate way is to personalize the email of the recipient. The name of the customer needs to be mentioned in the salutation as this makes them feel like they are being known and the company cares for them. When it comes to business and customers, the company should be conscious enough lest they lose their customers (Scott, 2015). Therefore matters such as casing and spelling their names should be done with great care so as to earn their intimacy.

Incentives for Customers and Good Web Design

Give motivation to the customers that are there. Some aspects such as reserving some jobs for the customers and even having them participate in the activities of the company to some level will pay off. This will make the customers continue to be loyal and therefore encouraging others to come for your products. In case there are outings such as lunch or retreat, adding some customers will not cost the company that much and at the end of it, they will tend to remain loyal to the company. There is also need to have a discount for every referral that a customer makes to a new customer.

Good web design that is easy to navigate, operate and to use. The website should also be friendly such that the customer has comfort dealing with it. At times there are too complex hence making the customers opt for other areas or online company whole website suit them easily. The products should be displayed in a manner that the customer can view other varieties and choose their best options. The buttons such as those that are for purchasing the products should be such that they are not going to be “killer” to the customers. For example, a product selected should be selected and deselected with easy as per the customer need rather than having to start over afresh if you have selected some products by mistake.

Instant Response and Website Efficiency

Instant response to post-purchase response of the customers. This applies to both pre-sale and after-sale of products and services. Customers who have taken products and would wish to return them are supposed to be treated to their satisfaction. This makes them be good ambassadors of your products and services. The way you treat the customers will play a role when they are advising others on where to shop (Scott, 2015).

One of the advantages of online business is that it increases the visibility of products, the company, and their brand due to the display made on the website. This aspect is not that easy as there is competition everywhere on the same. Therefore, there is a need to consider vital features when designing an eCommerce website as they affect the efficiency of the online store. The following are some of the features to be given priority during design:

Usability

This aspect is concerned more with the functionality of all the modules of the website and not the general outlook of the stay and the way products are displayed. The good look of your website should be equal to its functioning. The links should be working efficiently and all buttons should be functional as much as possible. It should do as instructed as much as possible for the sake of the comfort of the customer.

Clarity

Ambiguity and incoherence will definitely affect negatively the usability of the website and compromise the customer eligibility and trust for the customer. For clarity, the website should be designed in a manner that even the least technology-illiterate can navigate with the least or no assistance. Once the customer has selected the products, he/she should be taken through all the other necessary steps until how they will receive their products. Confusing and ambiguous or even a complex one will discourage the customer and he/she would definitely have to search for the same services elsewhere.

Memorability

Customers do visit the website and leave then come back after some time. The way your website is arranged and designed in a manner that it is easily traceable is crucial factor. This is because a customer is will likely forget the website and will search in a best fit manner. Thus how easily the customer will trace it back will likely help to increase the customers since a customer coming back for the second time is an indication that there is something they liked on the site. (Scott, 2015).

Effective and Complete Messages

Customers are humans who are easy to manipulate and need all sorts of tricks so as to be convinced. They will judge you based on the message you send them at that particular moment. Therefore appropriate messages are those that have some elements of creativity. They should relay a message in a more concise, communicating and involving manner. They should be in a manner that the customer becomes satisfied and looks forward to receiving another message from you soon. The messages should not make customers be bored to an extent of ignoring your next messages and finally end up unsubscribing from your channel.

Complete Messages are also the kind of messages that are appropriate. The customer should not be put in a position that he/she will always be trying to figure out what was the intention of your message. It should have all the necessary information within a reasonable size – that which is not too long or too short. The content of the message should contain all the relevant items such as specific date, time, quality, etc. The message should be designed according to the audience’s level of understanding, potential reaction, and relationship with the composer (Scott, 2015).

Work cited

Scott, David Meerman. The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, and viral marketing to reach buyers directly. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.