Educate Your Customers
Turning your customers into repeat buyers is no easy feat. Customer loyalty means more repeat business and less money spent on obtaining new customers. One way to keep your customers coming back for more is by making them smarter shoppers.
Enhanced product information is a critical factor in educating your customers. It's not enough to have the name, price and a thumbnail jpeg of your products. Product information must fill the gap created by the inability to physically touch, smell, taste and in some cases see a product — the shortfall brought about by the two-dimensionality of the Internet. By increasing the levels of information about your products and services, your customers will make smarter purchasing decisions that result in satisfied purchasing experiences, and that means repeat business, not to mention the possibility of a little viral marketing (word-of-mouth) on your company's behalf.
How can you add enhance your current product information? Let's take a look at Drugstore.com as an example. Click on any of the drugs listed in their pharmacy section, and you've got access to medication usage and directions, cautions, and possible side effects. Customers also have access to an online pharmacist, and can search Drugstore.com's archive of commonly asked questions about health and medications. Customers can also submit new questions for a prompt, personal response. Drugstore.com also offers reviews and opinions about products sold on the site – reviews by experts and the customers themselves.
Other ways you can have enhanced content and information to your e-commerce site include:
- Present clear and detailed photography of your products
- Include online chats with experts
- Provide 1800 numbers or live chat with customer service reps
- Add product reviews – both by experts and customers
- Offer free samples of your products
If you want to earn the respect and repeat business of your customers, then empower them with reliable, trustworthy and value-added information. Once the trust has been established, you can be sure they'll come back for more.
Origninally appeared at ecommerce-guide.com.
