Consumers are willing to go the extra mile and pay for that extra charge for customization. Personalization or customization, in an interesting way, improves brand loyalty. Through this tactic, brands can offer what their audience wants.
In 2019, the American Association of National Advertisers recognized the term ‘personalization’ as the most-used marketing word. This has brought massive popularity for the customized and data-driven form of user engagement. From a generally used phrase, ‘customization’ has become the critical context of digital marketing. As per the survey by Statista, US-based companies majorly focus on generating personalized content. This consideration has led them to increase user experience and made them competitive in the eCommerce space.
Recent data obtained from 2022 revealed that revenue earned from CX personalization services reached more than USD 8 billion globally. The growth is likely to multiply in the coming years.
According to a survey from 2021, customer experience, personalization, and loyalty ranked among the top marketing priorities for Chief Marketing officers in the U.S. Further, the survey highlighted that about 80% of the marketers interviewed had plans to implement modern personalization tech. This specifies a clear trend toward putting consumers at the core of marketing efforts. To achieve this customization, enterprises need consumer data, like browsing habits and purchase intention, in the U.S. and other global markets.
Personalization And Customization In ECommerce For Improved User Experience
Indeed, customization in eCommerce is considered for better consumer or user experience. A recent study already revealed the buying behavioral intent of the GenZ audience. The modern-age audience preferably goes for online shopping. This indicates that the e-commerce intent of the contemporary population will replace a significant portion of the offline shopping trend in a few years.
As per a report from McKinsey, 71% of consumers expect personalized experiences in digital marketing, and 76% feel frustrated when this personalization is absent. Incorporating personalization into your e-commerce platform is crucial as it helps keep visitors interested and boosts conversion rates.
You may be wondering how eCommerce customization improves user experience. It is possible through the following criteria.
- Personalized product recommendations
- Tailored content
- Customizable products
- Simplified navigation
- Customized pricing, discounts,
- Enabling easy checkout
- Smart search and filtering
- Real-time customer support.
However, achieving effective e-commerce personalization can be a challenging task. To understand customer preferences, businesses must gather, analyze, and process user data, ideally in real-time.
One of the most challenging aspects is mapping the customer journey and delivering tailored content at every interaction point. In the past, scaling this level of personalization seemed nearly impossible. Thanks to the modern tech stack used by eCommerce web development companies, it has become more manageable to customize the content, provide specific recommendations, and engage individual customers effectively.
As this blog focuses primarily on implementing product recommendations in eCommerce web development, let’s understand the critical practices.
Best Practices For ECommerce Product Customization
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Intuitive UI
Ensure that the 'product customization' presentation is user-friendly and easy to understand. Use clear instructions, visual cues, and interactive elements, guiding customers through the customization options.
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Progress Bar Indicating the Achieved Level
If the customization process involves multiple steps, display a progress bar or steps indicator to show users how far along they are.
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Real-Time Preview
Provide customers with a real-time preview of their customized product. This lets them see how their choices affect the final product, reducing the risk of dissatisfaction and returns.
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Adding "Recommended Just For You" Panel
You may have come across a recommendation panel on an eCommerce store like Amazon. The products in the panel are based on your past search. It is one of the best ways to show that you care about your consumers.
Ask your eCommerce web development partner to use a recommendation engine and provide smart product recommendations to your eCommerce platform.
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Update Buyers with New Products
To succeed in your online commerce, ensure you get the maximum interaction with your users. Update your audience with the new product range they might be interested in.
Showcasing a random product won't work. This would work in both ways. It would help acquire new customers and promote your unique offering to your existing customers.
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Add Social Proof
Request you eCommerce web design service providers to make space for client testimonials and other forms of social proof. You can show products that customers with similar buying choices usually purchase.
It increases the possibility of stock clearance and is an effective form of incorporating product customization. It is also referred to as peer-based suggestions.
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Specific and Timely Recommendations
Apply the algorithm of product customization in a manner that your audience gets the recommendation at the right time. This should be particularly when they are in purchasing mode. Thus, eCommerce web development companies must consider the 'timing' factor.
Making a wrong move can prove your business as a spam entity.
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Make Efforts to Know Your New Visitors
To provide the best product customization to a specific audience group, you should first know what they are up to. Take time to understand them better. As commerce is conducted online, it is not possible to interact face-to-face. You can add a newsletter segment or a survey form on your website.
This helps make consumer interaction much stronger and improves product customization.
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Showcase Product Pairing
Add a section, "People who bought this product also purchased these products in pair." Also, add the combined cost. Note that you showcase these 'product pairing' sections before the checkout section. Don't perform aggressive marketing. It will affect your brand.
This is the final chance you can execute the strategic product customization.
Final Strategy To Implement Product Customization:
Considering all these practices by yourself seems to be complicated. The best strategy you can take is outsourcing the development of the eCommerce website. Ask your development partner to prioritize the product customization segment. This can help you streamline your core business operation and outsource the rest. Although initially, you have to spend an extra amount, in the long term, your business would stand profitable.
