1. WHAT
MATTERS MOST TO CUSTOMERS IN
THEIR ONLINE SHOPPING
EXPERIENCE
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GreenHONCHOS

2. Consumers spend huge amounts
on online brands, especially
during the festive season, which
sees billions of dollars total spend
on purchasing goods online,
worldwide. It's not hard to see
which mode of purchase people
prefer anymore, online shopping
or buying from brick and mortar
stores. Even as e-commerce gains
in popularity, the expectations of
online shoppers are going up.
What exactly do customers want
while shopping online?
Customers want to shop at online stores that offer
them a rich online shopping experience. They
prefer to shop with companies that have high
standards with regard to customer service and
product experience. Customers are savvier now,
the recent financial crisis having trained them to
look for better pricing elsewhere and pursue price
for value purchases. A recent research study by
the Forrester group indicates that close to 88% of
online consumers abandon their shopping cart
before checking out. This suggests that even if
online retailers pull out the stops to entice
consumers to their online selling points, they still
need to put in more effort to close the sale. Which
brings us to question, what exactly are the deal
breakers for online shopping?
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GreenHONCHOS

3. POOR PRODUCT
EXPERIENCE
It's true that quite a few people do their research through
online stores while making their actual purchases in brick and
mortar stores, for want of a hands-on experience with the
product. Taking a cue from this, e-retailers must provide a rich
shopping experience in order to turn their e-shops into
effective selling points. For example, e-tailers could provide
product images of high quality, enabling shoppers to view
product details at different angles.
Some e-tailers are also experimenting with video shots of their
products. For example, HSN.com takes videos of models
walking down an aisle wearing the designs they sell. This live
example, feel and flow of the fabrics make an indelible
impression on the buyers' minds. When e-tailers augment
reality by using videos to provide shopping descriptions, they
can create a more personal experience for the buyer. With the
evolving technology, consumers will increasingly expect to be
able to simulate real life product testing. E-tailers that use
gaming environments and interactive videos to engage with
shoppers while delivering product information seem to have hit
the target.
LACK OF SOCIAL MEDIA
INTEGRATION
What single factor has turned the online shopping experience
from brand centric to customer centric? Yes, the answer is
“Social Media”. Traditional media is fast losing momentum and
social feeds are becoming the IT thing. More and more, online
shoppers turn to their favorite bloggers and online friends to
discover trends and to read product reviews. Most e-retailers
are aware of the power and the growing influence of social
media in online purchasing behavior. In a recent survey, half
the retailers who responded had either already implemented
social sign-on or had planned to include it in the immediate
future.
However, e-tailers have to manage this endeavor without
making their customers feel as though they are being stalked.
Privacy is still sacrosanct, even if the majority of consumers
are given to sharing their personal information with brands.
Overuse of targeted Ads could therefore result in unforeseen
reactions. To be on the safe side, e-tailers must make an effort
to integrate social media and allow customers to choose
whether to share personal information. lets innovate
GreenHONCHOS

4. ISSUES WITH PRODUCT
DELIVERY
Product delivery is a huge issue when it comes to
online shopping. 44% of consumers abandon their
shopping carts owing to cost of delivery. By
providing detailed information on product delivery
times and shipping costs, e-tailers could encourage
transaction completion. The View Cart page should
contain shipping cost calculation and free shipping
offers if any (check http:Groupon.com). Doing this,
especially with large orders and for loyal customers
will help encourage a sale. Consumers also want to
be able to track their orders. E-tailers should either
provide tracking information on their site or help
customers track purchases through the courier
company's site. E-tailers can also partner with a
tracking services company to enable easy access
to tracking information.
GEOGRAPHICAL
RESTRICTIONS
Another major deal breaker for many e-tailers is
their geographical restriction. For example,
HSN.com, the world's largest retailer in gold,
gemstones and fashion, does not ship outside of
the United States. This greatly limits its global
sales. By expanding their e-commerce initiatives
globally, e-tailers can reach customers in emerging
markets such as India, Brazil and China. That
apart, existing customer whose lifestyle dictates
global movement will be able to retain their brand
loyalty if international shipping options are enabled.
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GreenHONCHOS

5. LACK OF INCENTIVE TO BUY
The recent economic downturn has made consumers more cautious when it comes spending their dollar. Price
comparison across the web has become part of the purchasing process. Exclusive sales sites such as Gilt and mass
discount sites such as Groupon share the spotlight as the default destinations of the value-wary customer.
Personalized discounts and time-limited sales leveraging social media integration provide more incentive for
consumers to shop directly via brand sites.
PATHETIC CUSTOMER SERVICE
E-tailers should enable their customers to contact customer service through multi-channel touchpoints, such as online
access, telephone, SMS, social media and so on. E-tailers must provide customers a timeline by which they'll revert
with a solution. Customers expect e-tailers to maintain a smooth flow of communication via different channels, and not
keep them hanging. Customers also expect confirmation emails whenever required, which minimize the need for
assistance during the purchase.
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GreenHONCHOS

6. Acquire
Integrate Customers -
Logistics & through
Payments Traditional or
Gateway Digital
Marketing
Proactively &
socially
Take my store manage my
How Do I Online online brand
Drive more
business from
repeat buyers
Ensure
superior
multi-channel
customer
contact
experience
Get Incisive
Consumer &
Web Analytics
Derive higher
profits from
my online
store
GreenHONCHOS could be your solutions
partner to deal with such challenges!
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GreenHONCHOS
Email: info@greenhonchos.com
Website: www.greenhonchos.com