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A personalized shopper journey is the best way for a successful e-commerce brand to create an excellent online customer experience. This strategy is not restricted to luxury labels though. All sizes of e-commerce stores can strive to make their customers feel like royalty, and reap the rewards of their efforts. 

According to McKinsey, a personalized experience is preferred, recommended, or paid for by 78% of consumers. When the best e-commerce platform and strategy are implemented, personalization can align with your business objectives while also assisting your customers in receiving an optimal experience whenever they interact with your brand.

Understanding E-Commerce Personalization

E-commerce personalization tailors a shopping experience to your customers' needs and desires. The purpose of this type of personalization is to treat each shopper as an individual, so they feel valued. In turn, they’re more likely to convert, reconvert, or increase their order size.

There are a variety of e-commerce platforms in the market. When searching for the right one, make sure it's easy to use and implement. For example, this Absorb LMS review highlights its features and how you can completely control the learning experience for your staff.

Personalization Approaches for E-Commerce Solutions

Personalizing customer shopping experiences isn’t a new revelation in the e-commerce sector. However, many businesses continue to fall short of their goals.

A primary pitfall is that most corporate brands use ineffective personalization techniques. With various e-commerce personalization tools available–each of which offers a different level of customization–choosing the one that best meets your needs may be difficult.

According to Forrester, 53% of digital experience delivery professionals said they lack the right technology to personalize client experiences. The best e-commerce platforms capture real-time user behavior across to deliver personalized content to assist users in discovering and purchasing products or services. Marketing and e-commerce experts layer personalization software onto these experiences to help increase online sales and delight their shoppers.

E-Commerce Personalization Strategies

Here are some strategies you should implement in your e-commerce personalization system: 

1. Customize your homepage.

You can configure your homepage to show unique content, based on a range of factors, like your viewers geographic location and timezone, the weather, or even their past viewing history. A user from social media might be interested in different content from someone who visited your site from a link included in an email.

2. Provide product recommendations.

A wide range of potential customers visit online stores.. Some people know exactly what they’re looking for, while others prefer to browse. Product recommendations are one of the most important social proof tools to help shoppers make decisions. They also drive discovery, as shoppers can find similar products or see products they might not have found otherwise. 

There are a variety of ways to leverage your data when recommending products that can increase your sales. For instance, you can showcase items that are frequently purchased together or even highlight items that other people with similar product views rated highly.

3. Highlight seasonal items.

All e-commerce companies know that peak season is the golden quarter for sales and shopping. Companies should always be on the lookout for opportunities to implement seasonal personalization. For instance, brands that offer apparel know that their customers will be looking to buy clothing for specific seasons, while home decor retailers might want to highlight their holiday silverware and mantelpieces.

Due to diverse cultures and climates, every shopper won’t be able to see the same season-specific offers. Before implementing this website personalization tactic, be sure your customer base is segmented appropriately to avoid showing unnecessary product recommendations to your visitors.

4. Offer product customization.

By letting your customers decide how they engage with your brand, they’ll not only feel valued, but will also be more likely to engage. One way of doing this is by letting your shoppers decide what kinds of offers or email communication they want to receive, and how frequently they receive it. This will set up your customers with a sense of purchasing power, while also creating an opportunity for you to increase your revenue.

5. Provide a continual shopping experience.

By enabling customers to pick up where they left off in their shopping, you can easily reduce shopping cart abandonment. With this personalization strategy, you can instantly notify guests of previously chosen products and preferences based on their web browsing history. Although it is a more intricate personalization tactic, it can produce excellent results, and make shoppers feel valued.

Tip: Does your online store provide customer bookings? Extend your shopping experience beyond your site, with the help of appointment scheduling tools, which can automate your bookings easily, saving both your customers and team members valuable time.

6. Implement retargeting.

Before Google gets rid of third party cookies, you can still display personalized content to your website visitors even after they’ve left. Retargeting is also a powerful way to encourage customers to buy something else or keep your brand top-of-mind.

7. Design interactive games and surveys.

Many e-commerce brands use ‘gamification’ or client surveys to learn more about their customers. Shopper information obtained this way can be used  to customize shopping experiences to better meet their needs and preferences.

Tip: Add a skip button or quick exit to allow your visitors the option of omitting questions they don't want to respond to, and avoid launching a survey the moment a visitor arrives on your site. Instead, have it triggered at a specific point in the shopper journey, such as when they’re about to leave the website. 

8. Enhance segmentation.

Every customer uniquely engages with your e-commerce store. Segmentation allows you to ensure that shoppers accomplish their objectives on your site, regardless of how they interact with it. 

For example, you could highlight special promotions for winter gear to visitors living in areas that are cold. Variables could include location, age, income, if they’re a new or repeat customer, and lots more. By doing this, you can maximize personalization and set up your e-commerce site to provide the best customer engagement.

9. Integrate UGC throughout your funnel.

Consumers are driven by peer-to-peer decisions more than any other marketing tool. According to Statista, 54% of US consumers say they learn about new and exciting products from acquaintances and friends.

Including User-Generated Content (UGC) such as reviews, photos or social media posts will give your site a new dimension. Visitors can see your goods in real life by sharing images, videos, and customer reviews.

Boost Your Brand with E-Commerce Personalization Solutions

A personalized e-commerce customer experience is a must for any growing business. Personalization distinguishes your brand from competitors and fosters a 1:1 connection with your customers. It assists brands in creating interactions that increase customer engagement, resulting in a successful, long-term future for your brand.

Always keep in mind that the best personalization tools and strategies are those that support your brand's objectives. Invest in solutions geared toward your website’s personalization goals, and implement personalization strategies that align with your needs.

Your Fast Track to E-Commerce Personalization

Granify combines machine learning technology and human expertise to deliver a scalable strategy that is proven to delight your shoppers.