Here’s Why Customer Appreciation is Vital in Ecommerce
While only about 15% of eCommerce buyers are return customers, interestingly – returning customers actually make up about 35% of all online shopping revenue, and they spend 3 times more than one-time shoppers. This is why customer appreciation is so crucial to consistent revenue.
What does this mean for you and your eCommerce business? It means that you should be making a solid effort to show that you appreciate the fact that, in a sea of online eCommerce options, your buyers chose to purchase from your store!
But how to make a personal connection with a customer with hopes they become a loyal brand ambassador? Read on for a few industry-leading ideas you can use to make a personal connection and express appreciation to your customers!
If you need more tips, check out our article on turning your email list into customers here!
Customer Appreciation – Establish Who You Will Be Thanking
As a business owner, there are many ways we are thankful for our customers. When putting together a thank you marketing campaign, you’ll want to be very specific about who you are thanking and for what particular event? The only thing worse than not being appreciative to your buyers is sending an impersonal, sales-heavy thank you message.
Consider where your customer list is most built out as well as your budget. Many of the largest brands opt to send colorful mailers personalized with the customer’s name and an exclusive offer. This is one option you can consider, however it is quite costly to send a physical piece in the mail and for smaller businesses, the return on investment can be quite small. For this reason, crafting a personal thank you email can be ideal. Target a particular group of customers so the messaging will apply to the entire segment of your list. As an example, you might send a “Thank You for Your Purchase” email to first time customers who have purchased from your store in the past 6 weeks. By contrast, if you were to send a general “Thank You to Our Customers” email, it would feel far less personal and likely see far fewer opens.
Get Creative with Your Customer Appreciation Tactics
Including a special offer is a great way to thank customers, but be sure you make it feel like a gift versus a pressure to purchase now. Many offers to recent or first-time buyers will offer a longer than usual expiration date. This is because the customer might not be ready to make another purchase upon receiving the thank you email. However, if they are offered a fantastic discount, good to be used through the end of the year – the customer is far more likely to remember and use the discount for a holiday or during their next purchase of the items sold in your store. Another great idea is a free shipping code with no expiration date.
Many eCommerce businesses also use the delivery of the item to a new customer as an opportunity to include something special. If you have your fulfillment well organized, consider including a special free item as a thank you, or use this opportunity for free shipping if sending a physical mailer!
We’re Here to Help
Your customer appreciation strategy is essential for earning loyal repeat customers! Let’s get started with building out and integrating your email list with the WP EasyCart plugin! If you have yet to join the WP EasyCart family, get started today for FREE!
