{"id":20416,"date":"2022-12-02T02:44:20","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T02:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/02\/what-is-the-ecommerce-customer-journey-all-about-the-complete-guide\/"},"modified":"2022-12-02T02:44:20","modified_gmt":"2022-12-02T02:44:20","slug":"what-is-the-ecommerce-customer-journey-all-about-the-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/02\/what-is-the-ecommerce-customer-journey-all-about-the-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Ecommerce Customer Journey All About? The Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You\u2019ve probably heard the phrase \u201cit\u2019s all about the customer\u201d when talking about retail, hospitality, or any other type of customer-facing business. But what does that actually mean?<\/p>\n

In a nutshell, this short phrase is trying to say that the success of any business depends on its ability to create a great customer experience.<\/p>\n

In order to do that, businesses need to understand the customer journey. What are the steps that a customer takes on their way to becoming a lifelong fan? By understanding this process, businesses can map out a plan to give their customers the best possible experience at each stage.<\/p>\n

What Is the Ecommerce Customer Journey, Exactly?<\/h2>\n

Imagine this: you\u2019re looking for a new pair of shoes. You head to Google and type in \u201cblack leather boots.\u201d A bunch of different results come up, and you click on the first one that looks promising.<\/p>\n

You have now completed the first stage of the ecommerce customer journey: awareness. Awareness is the first of five stages of the customer journey for online shoppers. Let\u2019s break down all five together:<\/p>\n

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  1. Awareness<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Consideration<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Purchase<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Retention<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Advocacy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1. Awareness<\/h3>\n

    The \u201cawareness\u201d stage is when a customer becomes aware of a problem or need that they have. In our example, the customer (you!) realizes that they need a new pair of black leather boots.<\/p>\n

    At this stage, customers are not yet looking to make a purchase. They\u2019re simply trying to find out more about their options and what\u2019s available to them, and they know that they need to do some research before making a decision.<\/p>\n

    This is the stage where businesses need to make sure that their product or service is visible to potential customers. If your products aren\u2019t appearing in search results, you\u2019re not going to be considered as an option.<\/p>\n

    2. Consideration<\/h3>\n

    Once a customer is aware of a problem or need, they enter the \u201cconsideration\u201d stage. This is when they start to do some research and compare different options.<\/p>\n

    In our example, the customer has now gone to a few different websites and is considering which pair of black leather boots to buy. They\u2019re looking at things like price, quality, style, and reviews from other customers.<\/p>\n

    At this stage, businesses need to make sure that they\u2019re providing potential customers with the information they need to make a decision. This means having things like product descriptions, customer reviews, and pricing information clearly accessible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    3. Purchase<\/h3>\n

    The \u201cpurchase\u201d stage is when the customer finally makes a decision and buys a product or service. To move the customer from the consideration stage to the purchase stage, businesses need to provide a smooth and easy buying process.<\/p>\n

    This means having a well-designed website, a secure checkout process, and clear shipping information. Customers should also have the option to contact customer service if they have any questions or problems.<\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t as easy as it looks\u2014shopping cart abandonment<\/a> can be a huge problem for ecommerce businesses. In fact, the average abandonment rate is 69.57%<\/a>. That means that nearly 7 out of 10 people who start the buying process don\u2019t actually complete it.<\/p>\n

    There are a few different reasons why this happens, but the most common one is that the buying process is too complicated or time-consuming. If customers can\u2019t easily find the information they need or they get frustrated with the checkout process, they\u2019re likely to give up and go somewhere else.<\/p>\n

    4. Retention<\/h3>\n

    Customers enter the \u201cretention\u201d stage as soon as they make their purchase. This stage is when businesses need to make sure that they\u2019re providing a great post-purchase experience. This means doing things like sending out a confirmation email, processing orders quickly and efficiently, and providing excellent customer service.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    This is much more important than you might think because retaining a customer means you won\u2019t have to offer them a refund. 64% of Americans<\/a> report experiencing buyer\u2019s remorse after making a sale purchase. So making sure you follow up with them post-sale to ensure they had a great experience will go a long way toward improving any potential regrets about buying your product.<\/p>\n

    5. Advocacy<\/h3>\n

    The \u201cadvocacy\u201d stage is when customers become promoters of your business. They talk about your products or services to their friends, family, and social media followers, and they make repeat purchases from your website.<\/p>\n

    To turn customers into advocates, businesses need to provide an exceptional customer experience at every stage of the customer journey. If you can do that, you\u2019ll be well on your way to building a loyal and passionate customer base.<\/p>\n

    How Can I Improve the Customer Journey for My Online Shoppers?<\/h2>\n

    At each stage, there are a few different things you can do to improve the customer journey for your website or mobile app visitors.<\/p>\n

    Here are a few of the most critical.<\/p>\n

    1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)<\/h3>\n

    The first thing that you can do to improve the customer journey is improve your search engine rankings<\/a>. Doing so will increase visibility and ensure that those who are looking for products or services like yours will be able to find your website.<\/p>\n

    There are a number of different things that you can do to improve your SEO, but some of the most important include the following:<\/p>\n

    For ecommerce, finding the right keywords is critical to success\u2014you need to make sure that you\u2019re using terms that potential customers are actually searching for.<\/p>\n

    \"Screenshot<\/figure>\n

    You can use several different tools to research keywords, but one of the most popular is Google AdWords Keyword Planner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    2. Website Design and Usability<\/h3>\n

    Another important thing to consider is your website\u2019s design and usability. Is your website easy to navigate? Is it visually appealing? Does it provide the information that potential customers are looking for?<\/p>\n

    You might want to consider hiring a web designer or developer to help you create a website that\u2019s optimized for conversion.<\/p>\n

    \"Screenshot<\/figure>\n

    Crazy Egg\u2019s heat-mapping and confetti<\/a> tools can be a valuable asset in this process\u2014it allows you to see where people are clicking on your website and what\u2019s causing them to leave.<\/p>\n

    You should also leverage conversational commerce tools like chatbots to improve the customer journey. These tools are able to answer customer questions in real-time, which can help reduce friction and improve the overall experience.<\/p>\n

    \"Screenshot<\/figure>\n

    In this example above, the AI chatbot has two preprogrammed responses it can give\u2014you can either track your order or report an issue.<\/p>\n

    You can also send their internal team a message to connect with them directly.<\/p>\n

    Chat tools can be used for many other things as well, depending on the type of product you sell and how robust your chatbot is.<\/p>\n

    For example, a SaaS company might use a conversational AI tool to help book meetings, qualify leads, and answer simple product-related questions.<\/p>\n

    A department store may use one to connect shoppers with customer service, manage returns and refunds, or even help shoppers find items in-store with recommendations.<\/p>\n

    3. Create a Sense of Urgency<\/h3>\n

    When it comes to ecommerce, one of the best ways to encourage customers to complete their purchase is by creating a sense of urgency. You can do this in a number of different ways, but some of the most common include the following:<\/p>\n