The Fast Lane
Discover the world of AI-driven shopping optimization and fast-track your way to increased conversion rates, AOV, and customer loyalty. Explore expert insights on e-commerce personalization, merchandising, site search, and more.
Search & discoveryPersonalized Search: 3 Main Benefits for eCommerce MerchantsIn the ever-evolving world of eCommerce, businesses are continuously exploring ways to improve user experience and increase conversions. One approach that has gained significant traction is personalized search. Below, we delve into the concept of personalized search and how it can benefit you in terms of user experience, conversion rates, and average order value.
Meet the Expert:
Ashlee Colliver is an eCommerce expert with over 20 years' experience. Currently, she's the digital growth expert at Shero Commerce.
What Is Personalized Search in eCommerce?
Personalized search in eCommerce refers to tailoring the user experience to the specific interests and preferences of individual users or user segments.
It goes beyond traditional search methods that rely solely on the words entered into the search bar. Instead, personalized search takes into account various factors:
user behaviorprevious purchasesbrowsing historydemographics
3 Crucial Benefits of Personalized Search
1. Enhanced User Experience
Personalized search greatly enhances your users' experiences by delivering highly relevant search results tailored to their individual interests and preferences. By considering factors like past purchases, browsing history, and demographics, personalized search algorithms help your users find what they're looking for quickly and easily.
This way, you save your users valuable time because they don't have to sift through irrelevant products. This efficiency improves your users' overall shopping experience, making the search process faster and more convenient.
» Personalization isn't restricted to search: Use omnichannel personalization to give your users the best experience on every platform
2. Increased Conversion Rates
By enhancing your users' experiences and satisfaction, they're more likely to convert. Consider that when you present your users with relevant search results that meet their specific needs, they feel understood and valued by you. This in turn can increase their trust and foster a positive perception of your brand. Satisfied users are more likely to return to your website, make repeat purchases, and become loyal customers.
3. Higher Average Order Value
Through effective personalization strategies like product recommendations, you can encourage your users to add more items to their carts. This creates ideal upselling and cross-selling opportunities to increase the average order value.
Pro Tip: Keep Your Personalization Efforts BalancedIt's important to recognize the difference in intent between someone searching on the website and someone browsing through categories. Those who use the search function are usually ready to make a purchase, while those browsing are often just exploring options. You can try:Add 'You may also like...' suggestions to the checkout or search results pageShowcase what other customers who purchased the same item also likedImplement federated search capabilities to show search results from all over your website
Ensuring Ethical and Privacy-Compliant Personalization
It's important that you handle user data ethically and respect customer privacy when implementing personalized search algorithms. Utilizing first-party data, obtained with user consent, is a key strategy to ensure ethical compliance while still offering a personalized experience.
Make sure you're aware of and comply with relevant regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), when dealing with user data. By adhering to privacy laws and obtaining user consent, you can protect both your customers' privacy and your business interests.
» Follow these tips on how to strike the right balance between data privacy and personalization
Personalized Search as a Cornerstone for Success
Personalized search is a powerful tool that can offer significant benefits. By going beyond traditional search methods, it can deliver highly relevant search results suited to each user's interests. This gives users a more efficient and convenient way to find what they need.
By putting the customer first and embracing the power of personalization, businesses can elevate the eCommerce experience and drive long-term success.
FAQs
Search & discovery4 Advantages of Using an On-Site Search Engine: Expert InsightsA seamless and intuitive shopping experience is critical for success in the fast-paced world of eCommerce. An on-site search engine is a powerful tool that can dramatically improve the user experience. In fact, online shoppers are 2–3 times more likely to convert if they use a site's search feature.
Below, we discuss the main advantages on-site search engines can offer online stores. We also share expert advice on how to maximize these benefits by incorporating key search features and avoiding common mistakes.
Meet the Expert:
Ashlee Colliver is an eCommerce and digital growth specialist. She is the Executive Director of Client Services at Shero Commerce, a global agency that helps develop brands from design and launch to marketing and optimization.
Understanding On-Site Search Engines
An on-site search engine is a functionality within an eCommerce website that allows users to search for specific products or content directly on the site.
Like Google Search, an on-site search engine enables users to find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently without needing to navigate through various menus and categories.
» Head to our complete guide on on-site search engines for more information
4 Ways an On-Site Search Engine Can Benefit Your Store
These are the four primary advantages of using an on-site search engine:
1. Enhanced User Experience
By providing an on-site search engine, eCommerce stores can cater to the needs of users who prefer search over navigation menus. Research shows that almost 50% of online shoppers use search over traditional navigation methods.
For example, it's far more efficient for a user to type "ankle boot" into the search bar than to click on "shoes" as the main category, scroll down to "boots," and only then find "ankle boots" as a sub-subcategory.
By catering to user preferences, merchants offer a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. Moreover, not offering on-site search means removing a preferred feature half of your customers use.
2. Higher Conversion Rates
When users search for a specific product, it indicates a higher purchase intent than users simply browsing or casually navigating through the store. These shoppers have a particular item in mind and are actively seeking it out, which suggests they are closer to making a buying decision.
By presenting users with relevant search results, merchants can capitalize on this intent and increase their chances of converting visitors into customers.
An excellent example is the apparel and accessory retailer Steve Madden. After partnering with Fast Simon, their conversion rate from search has doubled. This can be attributed to their streamlined custom site search. The misspelling below made no impact on the search results. Furthermore, they offer intuitive search filters to help narrow down the 298 results the search engine yielded.
3. More Efficient Product Discovery
On-site search helps shoppers find products even when they're unsure about the category or subcategory. This functionality streamlines the product discovery process, allowing users to get straight to the items they're looking for.
By reducing the time and effort needed to find products, merchants can enhance user satisfaction and increase the likelihood of successful purchases.
4. Improved Personalization
On-site search engines can offer various levels of personalization. It can range from generalized personalization based on user location to individual personalization based on past browsing history and purchases. This enables merchants to tailor search results to match customers' preferences. This improves their overall shopping experience and leads to increased conversions.
Amazon is a prime example of a platform that effectively provides personalized search results. They draw on data points like purchase and browsing history, click behavior, reviews, and ratings. Their individualized product recommendations in search results generate an impressive 35% of their total sales.
How to Take Full Advantage of an On-Site Search Engine
To maximize the benefits of an on-site search engine, eCommerce businesses should consider the following key features and best practices.
1. Key Features and Capabilities of an On-Site Search Engine
Providing relevant search results should be merchants' top priority. This can be achieved by ensuring your site search engine has these key features:
Natural Language Search
By using natural language processing, search engines can understand synonyms, misspellings, and variations in user queries, leading to more relevant search results. This is particularly useful for online stores where shoppers may use different terms than the product names or descriptions provided by the store.
Search Filters
Search filters are indispensable when dealing with a large variety of products. By offering and optimizing eCommerce filters, merchants can help users refine their search results based on specific attributes such as size, color, or price range. Filters allow users to find products more efficiently, increasing the likelihood of a purchase.
For example, Satya Jewelry, an online jewelry retailer, partnered with Fast Simon to create advanced custom search filters to suit their brand and their customers' needs.
Auto-Suggestions
Auto-complete and auto-suggest features give users real-time suggestions as they type in the search bar. This improves search efficiency and can increase sales by 24%, highlighting the importance of this feature in search optimization.
Mobile Optimization
With approximately 63% of eCommerce purchases made via smartphones, optimizing on-site search for mobile is crucial. Mobile-friendly experiences, such as concise search results, intuitive filters, and auto suggestions, ensure users can efficiently find products without excessive scrolling or navigation.
» Learn about more key features of effective product search engines
Pro tip:Leverage existing technologies like AI and machine learning algorithms to learn user behavior and provide personalized searches. Capitalize on emerging technologies like ChatGPT and voice commerce to guide consumers through the funnel and make the search process more user-friendly.
2. Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are some common mistakes merchants make when implementing on-site search engines:
Hiding the Search Box
Concealing the search box for aesthetic purposes can confuse users and lead to frustration. Ensuring the search box is easily visible, particularly for older demographics, improves the search experience.
Leaving the Search Box Blank
Leaving the search box blank might create uncertainty for some shoppers, resulting in less effective search queries. Entice them to perform a search by providing a starting phrase or example.
For instance, the printing products wholesaler, Toner Buzz, displays the search bar prominently and provides a prompt to encourage and assist shoppers in their product searches.
» Check out our comprehensive guide on the Shopify search bar
Displaying "No Results" Pages
Avoid presenting users with a dead end if their search query doesn't yield results. Instead, offer similar, related, or popular products that may be of interest. This increases the chances of keeping them engaged and driving conversions.
Neglecting testing and optimization
Many merchants treat their search engine as a "set it and forget it" feature. However, delivering relevant results and meeting customers' evolving needs means investing in:
A/B testingdata-tracking and analysisoptimization
Fuel Conversions and Drive Success With On-Site Search Engines
On-site search engines are invaluable tools for eCommerce stores, offering enhanced user experience, improved conversion rates, and efficient product discovery.
By implementing key features, avoiding common pitfalls, and leveraging emerging technologies, businesses can maximize the benefits of on-site search. This is essential for staying ahead in the competitive eCommerce landscape.
» Learn how you can optimize your site search with Fast Simon
Search & discoveryAdvanced Search in Magento: Improve Your Store's ExperienceAdvanced search is a powerful tool that can significantly improve the functionality and performance of your Magento store, leading to increased customer satisfaction, conversions, and sales.
Consider that 43% of your customers immediately zero in on the search bar to find information, but 21% of them can exit your site again from the search results—possibly because they didn't find what they're looking for and are searching for another store to buy from.
But with its range of features, advanced search can help your customers find what they're looking for quickly and conveniently, making it easier for them to complete purchases.
What Is Advanced Search?
Advanced search in e-commerce refers to a sophisticated and feature-rich search system that gives your customers multiple ways to refine their search and increase their chances of getting the results they want.
This can include searching by product attributes, price range, brand, or category. Advanced search also often includes autocomplete and spelling features to make sure your customers still get their desired results even if they make mistakes in their search terms.
Give Your Customers the Best Magento Experience
Having advanced search in your Magento store can give you an advantage over your competitors, considering that 61% of e-commerce stores perform below expectations when it comes to search.
Here's how advanced search can improve your store's experience:
1. Language Recognition
It always comes down to semantics, right? You can give your customers a better shopping experience when you up your language game.
Support multiple languages
When your customers search for products in their preferred language, it can enhance the relevancy and accuracy of their search results. Your customers search more intuitively and find the process more user-friendly, especially if they're not fluent in the default language of your store.Account for language mistakes
Your customers may make typos in the search bar or completely misspell a product name. Advanced search can take this into account and make sure that your customers still get the search results they want—instead of a "No Results" page.
The flexibility that you get from language recognition means that your customers can easily find what they need without sifting through irrelevant results. This can help increase customer satisfaction and, subsequently, sales.
Everten: Spelling of Search Terms
Everten sells various kitchenware. Their search results for "fry pan" and "frypan" are the same, so it doesn't matter if you spell it as two words or one.
2. Multiple Types of Content
Magento allows you to create and manage various types of content, such as product descriptions, blog articles, pages, and more. You can also use Magento's built-in rich-text editor to enhance the formatting and presentation of your content.
Advanced search gives you an extra advantage by making sure your customers find all of your content quickly.
Cater to non-product searches
Your search results won't be restricted to products only. Your customers can also view related blog posts, reviews, subscriptions, etc.Use your internal search bar as a gateway
Your search bar is central to your store and can be the first point of contact with your customers. By making it a gateway, your customers can easily access their desired information from this one point. They don't have to scroll aimlessly through information or click on several tabs.
Liebherr: Diverse Search Results
Liebherr is an international group that manufactures equipment and technology for various industries. Just by searching for "refrigeration", multiple search results from various places on the website appear. For example, products, company profiles, and magazines. A very useful filter on the left allows you to refine your search even more.
3. Advanced Sorting
Advanced sorting means your customers can sort their search results according to their preferences instead of the default sorting option in your Magento store.
Support your customer's end goal
Your customer is visiting your store with a purpose, for example, to buy a gift. Advanced sorting can help them achieve this faster. If they're on a budget, they can sort the results according to price. Similarly, if they don't know the person well, they can sort the results according to popularity.
Zachys: Refined Search Results Sorting
Zachys specializes in wine and liquor. After using the filters on the left, you can use the advanced sorting option on the right to organize your search results according to top rated, product name, high and low pricing, or relevance.
Do It the Fast Way
Expecting quick and accurate search results is part of your customers' online behavior. With advanced search features, like what we just discussed, you can easily provide this to them in your Magento store.
Creating an optimized site search experience can encourage your customers to convert more, which will also boost your average order value.
» Further enhance your site search with this ultimate guide to internal search
MerchandisingE-commerce Homepage: 4 Best Practices for Promotions (+ Examples)Your e-commerce homepage is often the first thing your visitors see, so it's a crucial place to showcase promotions and make sure your merchandising is on point. After all, potentially 67% of your visitors can make unplanned purchases based on a promotion. To help you get started, consider these best practices with examples to convert visitors to your e-commerce homepage into customers.
1. Keep It Simple
Simplicity is key when it comes to your e-commerce homepage promotions. If your text and visuals are too busy or confusing, you'll lose the critical window of opportunity to capture and keep your customers' attention. This window is extremely short—just 3 seconds.
But when you have a clear, consistent, and concise message, you're able to drive your customers through the funnel quickly and more efficiently. They'll know exactly what the offer is and what they need to do next.
Amazon: No-Frills Promotions
Amazon's "Today's Deals" page does a great job of this. The page starts with categories of products, including a crisp photo with a white background to represent each category. This helps users easily navigate to the types of products they're looking for.
This visual merchandising strategy continues down the page with intuitive organization, clear photos, descriptive titles, and badges that show the percentage discount.
» Enhance your visual merchandising to create an engaging e-commerce experience
2. Highlight the Value Proposition
It's critical that, right off the bat, your customers recognize why your promotion is worth their time and money. They must be encouraged to take action and convert. You can do this by being clear about the terms of your promotion. If it's a discount, state the percentage or dollar value clearly up-front. Don't make them fish around for the most relevant information.
Sephora: The Beauty of a Good Deal
Sephora's "Beauty Offers" section states the 50% discount in a bright pink bar across the top of the page. This also includes how long the promotion is running, which further grabs the customers' attention and piques their interest. An additional merchandising technique is showing which of the discounted items are already sold out by using an "Out of Stock" button instead of an "Add" button. This builds extra value for customers, creating the impression that these items are so hot they'll be gone soon if customers don't act fast.
» Ensure your promotions stand out and drive traffic with promotional tiles
3. Create A Sense Of Urgency
When your message instills a sense of urgency and limited supply, your customers are less likely to say, "Maybe later..." and more likely to say, "Gotta have it!" You can create urgency through the "limited time offer" or "limited stock left" sections on your e-commerce homepage.
H&M: Not Fashionably Late
H&M chose to offer free shipping on orders for a limited time. This is communicated through a banner that runs across the top of the screen, claiming, "Free shipping ends tonight!" To drive home the urgency of the offer further, H&M includes a countdown timer that shows how many hours are left until the promotion expires. This is a classic e-commerce strategy to alert shoppers that the good deals won't last.
Underneath this, another brighter banner advertises the Winter Sale, which gives access to deals up to 50% off. Combined, these two banners create a visual hierarchy that packs a powerful punch to create urgency and nudge shoppers to make a purchase they otherwise may not have made.
» Implement these critical visual merchandising strategies to drive sales
4. Personalize Promotions
Personalization can help you stand out from the competition and build strong relationships with customers. It also assures customers that you "get them" and have an understanding of what they're looking for when they shop.
A study from Accenture showed that a whopping 91% of respondents said they're more likely to shop with brands that personalize the shopping experience and provide recommendations accordingly. This fact is no hard-kept secret. Customers expect personalization—and will go elsewhere when brands don't provide it.
Netflix: Personalize Your Watchlist
Netflix runs on one of the most successful and well-known personalization engines in the world. It churns out a never-ending list of suggestions based on titles you've already watched as well as titles that are popular in certain regions and within certain categories. It keeps people locked in for hours of viewing.
In the e-commerce world, personalization can be found everywhere, from global powerhouses like Amazon to mom-and-pop shops.
» Delve deeper into how personalization can help merchandising
Maximize Your E-commerce Success the Fast Way
Effective e-commerce homepage promotions can be a game-changer if you want to attract and retain customers. When executed well, they can paint a bright, vivid picture for your customers about the opportunities and deals they have access to. By implementing these merchandising strategies and best practices, you can deliver an incredible user experience, draw your customers in, lead them to exactly what they're looking for, and keep them coming back for more.
In today's highly competitive online marketplace, can your e-commerce business afford to ignore the power of effective promotions on your homepage?
MerchandisingResponsive Web Design: Craft a Seamless E-commerce UX (+ Examples)Did you know that 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad user experience? In today's supercharged digital age, using virtual merchandising techniques, such as responsive web design, to craft a seamless e-commerce UX is a necessity. More consumers than ever are shopping on different types of devices, so your web design must be able to respond to your customers' needs.
What Is Responsive Web Design?
Responsive web design allows web content to adapt how it is displayed based on the user's device, window size, and screen size.
The user's browser will detect the device being used and morph the site's layout. This can include altering the layout to optimize the site's text, images, and other design elements for the screen. For example, condensing three columns on a desktop version to one easy-to-scroll column for mobile.
E-commerce sites that can standardize the user experience with seamless functionality between different devices can achieve:
Happier customersStreamlined engagementMore conversions
» Consider the differences between adaptive vs. responsive design
1. Mobile-First Design Strategy
A mobile-first design strategy prioritizes the web page design for mobile, then adapts it for larger screens. This way, you can avoid:
GlitchesIrregular displaysBroken imagesOther technical issues that occur when you design for desktop size first
A mobile-first design strategy leads to faster site speeds and an overall better user experience. Here are some of the core focuses when using this strategy:
Minimal designVisual hierarchiesContent-focusedBold, consistent CTAsGrid systemsTouch navigation
Targus: Geared Up And User-Friendly
Targus, an electronics and accessories store, effectively implements a mobile-first design strategy with large, easy-to-click blue CTAs and capitalized headings to guide the user through the page. The site uses visual hierarchies, minimal design, and touch navigation for an overall better user experience.
» See why customers are leaving your e-commerce store and how to make them stay
2. Flexible Grids and Images
Flexible grids and image use can fortify your visual merchandising techniques, which can help boost conversions and create long-lasting customer relationships. This also allows the web pages to adjust to the customers' browsing behaviors.
Flexible grids are a method of dividing a page into multiple columns and rows, which you then pop your content and user interface (UI) elements into.
Zachys: Brimmed With Variety
Zachys is a family-owned e-commerce store that sells wines and spirits. Their site highlights how flexible grids can be used to create a visually appealing and functional mobile site.
Its fluid layout with columns (see on the right) and different image sizes gives an intuitive way to engage with the product offerings. Combined with the use of bold heading fonts and easy navigation, like side arrows, the layout offers a visually stimulating experience that entices users to explore more and convert.
Tip: To accomplish flexible grids, you can use percentages instead of fixed pixel widths when designing a page.
» Explore this helpful list of the best e-commerce merchandising strategies and practices
3. Navigation and Menus
Clear and intuitive navigation helps create smart collections on your site, which can boost conversions because users can explore your page effortlessly and intuitively. An effective path is what users will take to get to know your brand, browse through your inventory, and eventually make a purchase.
A common menu technique that works across different devices is the hamburger menu.
A hamburger menu is an interactive visual that consists of three horizontally stacked lines. It allows you to keep a full menu in a compact and expandable format, so it's only visible when users click it.
Other beneficial tips include:
Using collapsible or expandable dropdown menus and sub-categories.Styling with fonts and colors to enforce hierarchies.Keeping the design simple and clean to minimize distractions.Maintaining consistent navigation and menus across all pages.
Spiceology: Guided By Spice
Spiceology, a premium spices and herbs retailer, leverages its visual hierarchy from a navigation, typography, and graphics perspective. This can help them optimize customer experience and drive conversions.
The site maintains consistent navigation, with slight tweaks, like the hamburger menu (see image 1), for mobile. It uses expandable menus and sub-categories with pictures (see images 2 and 3), plus bold CTAs (see image 1) for easier navigation.
The white background and bold black text help users scan without clutter distracting them. Using varying expansion types and heading sizes enforces a desired conversion hierarchy. This refers to the expandable headings (see image 2) being the main product categories and the smaller headings highlighting other site features less aligned with higher sales and conversions.
Benefits of Responsive Web Design
This design strategy offers the following positives that can lead to higher engagement and conversions:
Improved user experience: Ensures a seamless user experience across all devices.Increased reach: Research shows about 76% of Americans make purchases only on mobile devices. Responsive web design enables your site to seamlessly reach users on various device types.Cost-effectiveness: Eliminates the need for separate mobile and desktop sites, which can help lower development and maintenance costs.Improved SEO: You can achieve better search engine rankings and visibility by providing a consistent user experience across devices.
» Find out why the e-commerce world is moving to no-code design
Fast Potential For Fast UX
Responsive web design can help you ensure your e-commerce site provides a seamless user experience across various device types. You can adopt multiple fundamentals of this design strategy based on your merchandising and business goals. Understanding user intent and prioritizing user behavior and preferences can contribute to better brand recognition, improved reach and engagement, and more conversions and sales.
MerchandisingeCommerce Product Pages: 5 Best Practices to Improve Online MerchandisingProduct pages can make or break a sale. This is where you showcase your products in the best possible light to convince potential customers to become paying customers. Below, we list and discuss five best practices you can apply to your eCommerce product pages to improve your online merchandising techniques and ultimately boost your sales.
1. Use High-Quality Product Images
Visual appeal has a high impact. About 85% of your customers feel product images are important to help them make their purchase decisions. Your customers must be able to picture the product and its quality clearly, as well as understand how it will fit into their lives, before buying it.
Here are some tips for selecting and displaying product images:
Use high-quality equipment to capture optimal lighting and details.Choose angles that showcase the product's best features and unique selling points.Provide context through lifestyle images, demonstrations, or showing the product in use.
Steve Madden: A Step in the Right Direction
Steve Madden, a global fashion brand, uses multiple images to showcase this pair of high heels from different angles. Plus, there's even an image of someone wearing the shoes.
This allows customers to get a full idea of the shape and details of the product. It also helps customers imagine how they could wear it if they were to make the purchase. Attention to detail and keeping the customer informed visually by using a display merchandising optimizer can help you improve conversions.
» Want to improve search? Find out why your store needs visual discovery
2. Write Clear and Detailed Product Descriptions
Product descriptions should provide a laser-sharp idea of your product's specifications, like ingredients, materials, dimensions, and weight. You can even try to incorporate storytelling elements to engage and meet your shoppers' intent.
Enticing product descriptions can include:
Descriptive, specific language that paints a picture of the product and its uses.Simple language that's easy to understand for any audience.Benefits that show how the product can improve your customer's life.Bullet points and formatting that are easy to read and digest.
Spiceology: A Dash of Engaging Details
Spiceology, a spice and herbs store, provides creative copy to engage customers. It mentions ingredients, foods the seasoning can be used on, and information about how well the product sells.
This combination can excite and inspire customers to use this product in their own cooking, which can increase the chance of a purchase.
Additionally, Spiceology also includes collapsible sub-sections that include bulleted lists on their product images. These provide a summarized, easy-to-digest view of the copy. This can be perfect for those skimming for key information before making a purchase.
3. Include Product Reviews and Ratings
With more than 99.9% of customers reading reviews when shopping online, it's crucial to make these readily available. Social proof, like product reviews and ratings, is a top-tier way to show your customers that they can trust you and the products you sell.
Some tips for building trust through your product reviews and ratings are:
Use a third-party review platform like REVIEWS.io to collect and display reviews and ratings.Respond to customer feedback, both positive and negative.Use star ratings and customer comments to showcase the overall product experience.
Targus: It's in the Bag
Targus, an electronics and accessories brand, helps encourage purchases with easy-to-access and detailed reviews. From any product page, you can easily click on the review and rating.
This then auto-directs you lower on the page, where average ratings based on categories like "Quality" and an overview of customer review images are included.
Then, for even further detail, each of the reviews appears in full with ratings and whether the past customer recommends the product.
» Learn the importance of personalization in your eCommerce strategy using reviews
4. Highlight Calls-to-Action
Your calls-to-action (CTAs) should be clear and concise for more efficient online visual merchandising, so you can guide your customer intuitively through the purchasing steps.
Here are a few ways you can implement effective CTAs:
Customers should be able to find CTAs instinctively and shouldn't have to search for them.CTAs should be clear about what action the customer is expected to complete.CTA colors should stand out but still work with the overall page and website design.
Zachys: Pour Us Some Clear CTAs
Zachys, a wine and liquor store, uses deep red for the CTA, which stands out against the white background and matches other design elements on the page, such as the search button and price. Additionally, the color can allude to red wine, which fits their product offerings.
The standout CTA helps guide the customer to complete a purchase. Plus, the CTA is clear about what it does with "Add to Cart" marked on it.
5. Personalize Product Recommendations
Product recommendations are key to successful upselling and cross-selling, which are fundamental methods to help boost your average order value (AOV) and overall revenue.
Some tips for identifying products to upsell or cross-sell are as follows:
Use personalized recommendations based on the customer's previous purchases or browsing history.Evaluate data analytics to find related products that other customers have purchased with the main product.Offer bundles and promotions that include products that can be used alongside the main product.
Princess Polly: Complete the Look in One Sale
Princess Polly, an online fashion retailer, uses personalization based on each customer's previously clicked history, which can inspire larger AOVs. By including a "Complete the Look" section on each product page, they have the opportunity to cross-sell to their customers by suggesting other products that can be worn with the particular item being viewed.
Plus, by offering options, like two similar necklaces, the brand gives their customers a choice. Because the necklaces are priced differently, Steve Madden also has the chance to upsell the more expensive necklace.
» Learn more about the benefits of upsell and cross-sell personalization
The Power of Effective Online Merchandising
Online merchandising can make or break your eCommerce store. When you use the right strategies, you'll see a boost in sales and even lifetime customer loyalty. But remember that your store and customers are unique, so don't worry if what works for one brand doesn't work for you. Put these online merchandising best practices to the test and personalize them for your store and customers to increase your conversions.
Marketing3 Customer Segmentation Strategies to Grow Your eCommerce BusinessAccording to a Redpoint Global study, 64% of consumers prefer purchasing a product from a brand that knows them, and 34% say they would spend more on that brand. This means that if you implement customer segmentation strategies carefully, it can help you grow your eCommerce business. By dividing your customers into demographic, behavioral, or psychographic segmentation, you'll have a deeper understanding of your customers' preferences and behaviors, which in turn can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
What Is Customer Segmentation?
Customer segmentation is the process of dividing your customers into groups based on shared characteristics, such as demographics, behaviors, and psychographics.
This way, you can create audience segments and use tailored strategies that are more effective at reaching and engaging your target audience.
The process typically involves several steps:
Collecting customer data through surveys, tracking website behavior and purchase history, and analyzing customer reviews.Performing a statistical data analysis through machine learning or AI to identify distinct customer groups and create unique segments.Creating targeted marketing strategies with product offerings designed to appeal to each segment's unique interests and needs.
» Find out effective ways eCommerce personalization helps your business
1. Demographic Segmentation
Demographic segmentation groups customers based on similar demographic factors such as age, gender, income, location, and more.
When using this strategy, you can start by collecting data through customer surveys and website analytics like Google Analytics or your Shopify Dashboard. This can help identify specific trends and preferences.
Depending on the segment, you should consider different aspects to improve your approach:
Age: Different age groups have different purchasing habits and needs.Gender: You can use personalization to create targeted, gender-specific marketing campaigns based on need and desire.Income: Matching your product offerings to your target audience's income bracket can help improve sales. For instance, if your customers are in a higher bracket, you might offer luxury products and emphasize product exclusivity and quality.Location: You can create campaigns that cater to customers' unique needs in different regions. For example, an eCommerce store selling winter jackets can create targeted marketing campaigns for customers living in cold areas.
Bright Minds: Age is Not Just a Number
Bright Minds, a toys and books store, leverages demographic segmentation visually based on different age groups. Since the majority of the products are for children, dividing them up into age-appropriate groups helps for more seamless browsing. This can boost customer confidence and satisfaction with the store, which can improve sales.
2. Behavioral Segmentation
Behavioral segmentation allows you to create targeted campaigns and personalized experiences by grouping customers based on patterns such as their purchasing habits, browsing behavior, and customer loyalty.
Some ways to optimize this strategy include:
Analyzing purchase history
This can help identify which products or categories are popular, which customers make frequent purchases, and which customers have a high average order value.Tracking customer purchase journey
Customer browsing behavior can indicate which products or categories customers are interested in but have not purchased. This data can be used to create retargeting campaigns.Measuring customer loyalty
You can track how frequently customers make purchases, how long they've shopped with you, and their general engagement with loyalty programs. This can also help you identify and tackle hiccups that bust brand loyalty.
Fragrance Buy: Smells Like Loyalty
Fragrance Buy, a beauty and cosmetics store, offers an extensive loyalty program. This includes:
Earning points, which they call "sprays".Multiple integrated ways of earning points through referrals and social media.An array of point redemption options, from free shipping to discounts.
Social media inclusion can increase reach and customer engagement across multiple channels, which can translate into more sales and customer loyalty.
The business's strategy is effective since businesses that leverage loyalty and rewards programs tend to generate revenues around 2.5 times faster than those that don't. Plus, VIP tiers further instill a sense of reward for customers, as the tier doesn't downgrade once you've achieved it.
» Learn about the convergence between AI, eCommerce, and an optimized experience
3. Psychographic Segmentation
Psychographic segmentation divides customers into groups based on their personality traits, values, interests, and lifestyles.
This strategy can help you understand your customers' intent and preferences even better. Then you can create more effective marketing campaigns and improve your overall site search experience.
Here are some tips to consider with this method:
Conduct surveys and focus groups to gain insights into customers' personality traits, values, and interests.Analyze social media data to understand customers' lifestyles and interests.Create customer personas based on psychographic characteristics to better target marketing efforts.
Princess Polly: Live That Influencer Lifestyle
Princess Polly, an online fashion business, curates clothing and accessories that lean into lifestyle preferences, particularly those of online influencers.
The store strives to deliver "key seasonal trends to fashion-obsessed Millennials", so they tap into this market's psychology by letting their customers shop according to influencers. Customers can easily browse products recommended by their favorite influencers, allowing them to effortlessly emulate the lifestyle they want. This then also doubles as social proof.
The Fast Way to Grow Your eCommerce Business
In eCommerce, customer segmentation allows you to understand and engage with your customers more meaningfully. By identifying commonalities among different groups and creating targeted marketing campaigns that speak directly to their interests, you can improve sales and customer satisfaction. Customer segmentation can also highlight your attention to consumer needs and preferences, which can improve long-lasting customer relationships.
» Need to optimize? See these top eCommerce apps to optimize customer experience
MerchandisingCreate Successful eCommerce Product Bundle Strategies (+ Merchandising Examples)Product bundles are the ultimate win-win for both your customers and your business. Your customers will love them because they can get more for less. Your business will thrive because bundles increase AOV (by as much as 20%) and keep those slow-selling items flying off the virtual shelves. Here's everything you need to know about creating successful eCommerce product bundle strategies with practical merchandising examples.
What Is Product Bundling?
Product bundling is when a store owner sells two or more products together as one package, often at a discounted price.
For instance, a PC retailer may offer a bundle that includes a desktop, monitor, and webcam. This tactic aims to increase your profits by enabling you to sell more inventory and provide additional value to your customers.
Benefits of product bundling include:
Increased sales
Bundling boosts sales by incentivizing customers to purchase multiple items together.Higher customer satisfaction
Bundling offers convenient and cost-effective solutions, enhancing customer satisfaction.Improved profit margins
Bundling at higher price points can increase profit margins through perceived value.
There are several different types of product bundles you can create. The most effective ones include:
1. Complementary Bundles
Complementary bundling is the practice of grouping two or more products that are functionally related and selling them at a combined price.
This cross-selling approach offers several advantages, including improved customer satisfaction and increased sales. Here's how to effectively create a complementary bundle:
Choose related products
Choose items that naturally complement each other and offer value to customers when bundled together for cross-selling.Make it attractive
Offer a discounted price or additional perks to make the bundle irresistible to customers.Promote, promote, promote
Market the bundle through various channels to create awareness and generate interest among customers.
Spiceology: Herb Bundle for Happy Customers
Spiceology is America's fast-growing spice company, offering great deals on herbs, spices, and other seasonings. Their Herbaceous Bundle deal includes two popular dried herb mixes that home and professional chefs are likely to use when experimenting with new flavors. They clearly display the 15% discount—along with a "Sale" badge—and the original and discounted prices to make sure shoppers don't miss this bundle deal.
This cross-selling strategy works by offering customers a curated selection of products that work well together—at a discounted price—providing them with more value and convenience.
» Unsure when it's best to cross-sell? Find out where in the conversion funnel you should cross-sell
2. Mix-and-Match Bundles
Mix-and-match bundles allow customers to pick multiple products from a range of options. Merchants can specify different options for any given product, and customers can choose their preferred ones to create their own custom bundle.
This tailored experience not only boosts customer satisfaction but also encourages brand loyalty and repeat purchases. To create a mix-and-match bundle, you should:
Empower customers
Let customers choose their own products to bundle, giving them the freedom to curate a personalized package that aligns with their preferences.Offer incentives
Provide discounts or exclusive offers for bundling to entice customers to add more items to their cart and increase AOV.Simplify navigation
Ensure the bundle is easy to navigate and use, with clear instructions on how to mix different items. A well-thought-out product description can go a long way toward attracting and retaining customers.
My Raw Joy: A Joyful Mix-and-Match Shopping Experience
My Raw Joy, an organic snacks store, offers a unique "Mix & Match Bundle" option that allows customers to handpick their desired flavors of raw chocolate bars. This strategy empowers customers to create a customized bundle that aligns with their individual taste preferences.
The result is a delightful and personalized snacking experience that encourages customers to make repeat purchases.
3. Seasonal Bundles
Seasonal bundles are curated product packages that are designed to align with specific seasons, events, or holidays.
You can offer timely and relevant products to customers with these bundles. For example, you can create special bundles for the summer holidays, ski season, Thanksgiving, etc. Below are the steps to creating your seasonal bundle:
Choose relevant products
Choose products that are aligned with the season or holiday you're targeting. For example, heart-shaped chocolates for Valentine's Day.Add value
Encourage customers to purchase the seasonal bundle by offering a special discount or added value. This could be a percentage off the total bundle price or exclusive seasonal packaging.Promote effectively
Promote the seasonal bundle through various channels. Highlight the limited-time nature of the bundle to create a sense of urgency and excitement among customers.
CURATEUR: Convenient Curated Seasonal Deals
A great example of a Christmas bundle comes from CURATEUR, an eCommerce retail community offering products hand-selected by renowned stylist Rachel Zoe. The company offers a "Home for the Holidays Set", which is available for a limited time only. This strategy created a sense of urgency, enticing customers to make a purchase.
By offering a prepackaged bundle, CURATEUR made it convenient for customers to shop for Christmas-themed items, enhancing the overall customer experience during the holiday season.
4. Upgrade Bundles
Upgrade bundles are collections of premium or high-margin products that businesses use to upsell and cross-sell to customers.
For example, a computer brand may offer an upgrade bundle featuring a higher-priced, more advanced laptop model along with additional accessories or features. This strategic approach not only improves profitability but also lets you provide a memorable customer experience. Here are the steps to create an upgrade bundle:
Choose higher-end versions
Choose upgraded versions or additional features that complement the original product.Offer incentives
Offer perks like freebies or exclusive bonuses to encourage customers to opt for the upgrade bundle.Market it well
Use social media, newsletters, and influencer marketing to highlight the unique value of the upgrade bundle.
Tank Shop: Upselling the Strategic Way
Tank Shop, a high-quality bathroom fixtures retailer, utilizes an effective bundling strategy by offering an upgrade bundle for their toilet flush. This bundle includes a Max Chamber Upgrade Kit with additional features such as a dual-flush mechanism and water-saving options.
This strategy creates added value for customers, incentivizes them to upgrade their purchases, and can result in increased sales for the business.
» Take a closer look at how to choose which products to upsell
5. Subscription Bundles
Subscription bundles are a convenient way for merchants to offer a recurring subscription service that includes a carefully chosen collection of products or services.
Customers can choose the frequency of delivery, such as weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly, and receive the bundled items on a regular basis without having to reorder each time. This approach provides convenience to customers and a recurring revenue stream to businesses. To create your first subscription bundle, you'll need to:
Choose suitable items
Select products that are well-suited for a subscription model, such as consumables, replenishable items, or complementary products that work well together.Provide incentives
Motivate customers to subscribe by offering incentives such as free shipping, loyalty rewards, or personalized upsell and cross-sell product recommendations based on their preferences.Promote effectively
Highlight the convenience and benefits of the subscription model while promoting your bundle via social media or email and SMS marketing.
AIA Beauty Bundle: Monthly Beauty Product Top-Up
A great example of a subscription bundle is the AIA Beauty Bundle, which includes a curated selection of skincare and beauty products delivered to customers on a monthly basis. This subscription bundle makes sense as skincare and beauty products are typically used regularly and require replenishment.
The convenience of receiving such products on a recurring basis saves customers time and effort while also generating recurring revenue for the brand.
» Interested in subscriptions? We summarize the main benefits of a subscription-based eCommerce model
Fast-Forward Your Business Success With eCommerce Product Bundles
Keep in mind that product bundles are the secret sauce to sweetening your eCommerce offerings. But it's not just about tossing random items together. Embrace the power of testing and refining your product bundling strategies based on customer feedback, market trends, A/B testing, and data analysis. With strategic product bundling, you'll have your customers coming back for more and your business thriving with success!
» Bundles are just the start. Learn more about upsell & cross-sell personalization to boost sales
MerchandisingCreate Irresistible eCommerce Product Descriptions: 5 Tips to Count OnCompelling product descriptions can increase sales and improve customer experience. Up to 67% of shoppers say that eCommerce product descriptions are a deciding factor in their purchase decision. That's why it's essential to create irresistible eCommerce product descriptions as part of your merchandising strategy to attract customers and boost sales. From audience segmentation to focusing on benefits, we'll show you five ways to make your product descriptions powerful to increase conversions and grow your online business.
1. Know Your Target Audience
To create product descriptions that resonate with your customers, you must understand shoppers' intent, preferences, and pain points. Knowing who your customers are will help you tailor your messaging and ensure that your product descriptions address their specific needs and interests.
You can research your audience by:
Analyzing demographics
Start by nailing down the demographics of your target audience, such as age, gender, location, and income.Using social media
Social listening is a great way to improve your product descriptions. Use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see how your customers describe your products or your competition.Gathering customer feedback
Ask your customers for feedback on your product descriptions with post-purchase surveys. You can use this feedback to refine your product descriptions and make them more effective.
» Discover different customer segmentation strategies to grow your eCommerce business
2. Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines
The headline of your product description is the first thing potential customers will see. It's essential to write product headlines or product roundup headlines that are attention-grabbing and prevent customers from leaving your store too soon.
To create impactful headlines, you should:
Use Numbers
Including numbers in your headlines is a great eCommerce merchandising tactic that makes headlines more specific and eye-catching. For example, HaiRegrow includes "100% Natural" in their product heading, adding a unique selling point to the simple description, "Men Beard Oil".
Ask Questions
Asking a question in your product headline can pique your shopper's curiosity and encourage them to scroll further down your product page. For example, "Looking for the Perfect Gift? Discover Our Top Picks" is more likely to grab attention than "Gift Ideas".
Create a Sense of Urgency
Using urgent language in your headline can create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) and encourage shoppers to take action. For example, Sephora uses "Just-Dropped Scents" or "This Just In" because it resonates better than "New Products". Similarly, you can highlight any limited-time promotions like product bundle offers or discounted prices.
Tip: If you're struggling to think of creative, eye-catching headlines, try ChatGPT to elevate your marketing strategy. Be as specific as possible when giving ChatGPT instructions, and the AI-driven chatbot will come up with lists of possible headlines in just a few seconds.
3. Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features
Any successful eCommerce marketer will tell you that benefits far outweigh features when it comes to product marketing, including product descriptions. Benefits are the emotional appeal of your product, which will ultimately persuade customers to click "add to cart".
Highlight the Results
Show customers the end result of using your product. For example, instead of saying, "Our vacuum has a strong suction", say, "Our vacuum will leave your floors spotless and your home feeling fresh and clean".
Focusing on the benefits and results of your product that speak directly to your customers' needs and emotions will lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
» The layout of your product descriptions is also important. Explore how to create an irresistible layout
4. Use Descriptive and Sensory Language
Using descriptive and sensory language in eCommerce product descriptions can help make your products more memorable and appealing. It can create a more vivid picture of your product in your customers' minds, allowing them to imagine using and enjoying it.
Use Strong Adjectives
Use language that paints a picture of how your product will benefit your customer. For example, instead of saying, "Our shampoo has natural ingredients", say, "Our shampoo will leave your hair feeling soft, shiny, and smelling amazing".
Appeal to the Senses
Appealing to the senses using sensory words can help customers imagine using your product. For example, in Sephora's product description, the lip color has a "juicy sensation" when applied to the lips.
Use Comparisons
Comparing your product to something else, especially something tangible and commonplace, can help customers understand its unique qualities. You can say something like, "Our car has a trunk larger than a shopping cart, so you can easily fit in all your gear!"
» It's not only the words that are important. Carefully consider the font style as well
5. Optimize for Search Engines
Optimizing your product descriptions for search engines will improve your rankings and make it easier for customers to find your products online. Here are some key SEO strategies:
Use relevant keywords
Research and use relevant keywords in your product descriptions, such as the name of the product, its features, and its benefits.Write compelling meta descriptions
A meta description summarizes your product description that appears in search engine results. Write compelling meta descriptions that accurately describe your product and make shoppers click through to your product page. You can see an example of a meta description below.
Use alt tags for images
Alt tags are descriptions of your images that appear when images can't be loaded. Use descriptive alt tags that include relevant keywords to help improve your search engine rankings.Use structured data
Structured data helps search engines understand the content on your website. Use structured data to provide additional information about your product, such as its price, availability, and reviews.
Fast-Track Your eCommerce Success With Enticing Product Descriptions
When it comes to eCommerce success, product descriptions play a critical role in capturing customer attention, building trust, and driving sales. With so much online competition, compelling product descriptions can make all the difference in attracting and retaining customers.
Carefully crafted product descriptions serve as a virtual salesperson, enticing customers to move further down the sales funnel—an essential role for any eCommerce store.
» Use these best practices to improve online merchandising on your product pages