There’s so much to learn from Amazon that we could write an entire book on valuable eCommerce nuggets for online sellers based on how this retail heavyweight has conducted its operations over the years. In part one of this two-part series on key Amazon eCommerce lessons for retailers in 2022, we discussed four important areas you could improve in your business by studying how Amazon serves its customers. In this part, we’ll continue that discussion to highlight four other areas in which eCommerce businesses and DTC brands can model Amazon to improve the customer experience and last-mile delivery. The four areas we’ll expand upon in this piece include: Leverage Customer Feedback Keep Offering More Products and Services Introduce a Loyalty Program Deliver Better 1. Leverage Customer Feedback Leverage Customer Feedback Consumers will naturally need more guidance before deciding to buy, and one way to satisfy their curiosity is by reading reviews and taking advantage of Q&A sections. Shoppers always want to see positive feedback on any product of interest. Knowing what others have to say has been shown to impact their decision-making process ahead of other incentives like loyalty programs and discounts. That's something that Amazon eCommerce leverages by providing a section for Q&A, as well as reviews. Making such provisions available creates a community vibe around the brand since customers can share information as they progress towards the checkout. Over 60% of customers have a higher chance of buying from a retailer that offers reviews and ratings. If you shop on Amazon, you’ll have noticed how the retailer requests a review and asks you to leave a rating. They then attach a ‘verified purchase' flag to your feedback which in turn adds trust to the review process. You’ll also find that the product pages have a Q&A section at the bottom to allow you to ask questions and get answers from previous buyers. Being able to count on other customers to supply vital information helps to eliminate bias from the shopping process. Customers can then benefit from the honest feedback they get from fellow shoppers and use that to make better buying decisions. If you run an eCommerce store, consider requesting product reviews from your customers using follow-up emails. Of course, you will need a superior post-purchase experience system to track and help you get it done right. Alternatively, if you require customers to have a personal account on your site, display a review request whenever they log in. Don’t forget to include aesthetics like stars and flags to help other buyers see that the reviews come directly from the individual buyer. 2. Keep Offering More Products and Services Keep Offering More Products and Services Amazon eCommerce first started as an online bookstore but eventually grew to become the biggest retailer in the online space. One strategy that the industry heavyweight employed to increase its dominance was to take on more risk by expanding its product offering and introducing more services. It's all about diversification. Amazon eCommerce wants to be the first to pop up in the minds of consumers for virtually any product that they think of. That’s why it never stops spreading its tentacles, trying out new things, and implementing new services to improve customer satisfaction. This is arguably one of the most significant Amazon eCommerce lessons for fast-growing retailers. Never be scared to experiment and diversify. There are so many other businesses out there sticking to the script, afraid to try new strategies because of the fear of losing their customer base. If you want to stay ahead of your competitors, start studying your ideal customers and use that knowledge to innovate. That way, you’ll always remain ahead of the pack with new ideas and solutions while your competition plays catch-up. 3. Introduce a Loyalty Program Introduce a Loyalty Program Most people may not realize it, but Amazon has arguably the best loyalty program out there. You may have heard of Amazon Prime, a unique program where customers have to pay before gaining access. Now that’s quite surprising because most loyalty programs don’t cost a dime. What's even more intriguing is how Amazon eCommerce is able to get as many customers as possible to happily pay just to join its Loyalty program. You can tell at this point that Prime is value-packed, right? Firstly, Prime users enjoy free shipping whenever they buy from Amazon on almost all products. That's such a smart move because a lack of free shipping is one of the leading reasons why customers abandon their carts, and 91% of buyers are more likely to return if a retailer offers free shipping. Secondly, Amazon Prime other benefits like early product access, as well as free books, music, and movies. Users who are part of the loyalty program end up spending more than regular customers but the benefits are so influential that you find more people switching from other retailers to Amazon eCommerce so they can subscribe to Prime. While you may not be able to compete with Amazon eCommerce by offering a loyalty program with similar benefits, begin by setting up one where customers get rewarded each time they return to buy from you. It's all about finding out what specific benefits appeal to your customers the most, such as improved shipping, discounts, or freebies, and then building your program around that. 4. Deliver Better 4. Deliver Better eCommerce on Amazon has undergone years of innovation in customer service, ultimately changing how shoppers expect their packages to be delivered. Thanks to Amazon Prime, we've now moved on from the standard 3-4 delivery date estimates to customers expecting free and faster shipping. Consumers now demand more shipping options so they can pick the most suitable delivery method as per their circumstances. While some are willing to settle for cheaper or free shipping, other customers don't mind paying a little extra to get their packages delivered faster. Amazon eCommerce has designed its delivery experience to meet the demands of all kinds of customers and you should as well. For starters, make sure your fulfillment process is designed to deliver better every step of the way. That implies you must start offering shorter delivery timelines along with multiple shipping options in real-time. Gladly, you have the ultimate solution in FenixCommerce Delivery Operating System (DOS), which optimizes the end-to-end shopping experience by displaying accurate delivery date estimates on your product pages, cart, and checkout for each product. Fenix also provides carrier rate shopping by displaying multiple shipping options based on customer location and carrier info, as well as intelligently suggesting the most cost-effective delivery option that will get the order to the customer by the desired date. See how it works here : With Fenix, you can also start offering the Buy Online and Pick Up In-store (BOPIS) service if you’ve got multiple physical stores. That way, you can allow your customers totally evade shipping fees by allowing them to shop online and then fulfilling their orders from the physical store closest to them. Building a Retail Brand like Amazon eCommerce eCommerce on Amazon grew through lots of innovating and experimenting. You too can get your retail to succeed by watching Amazon’s steps closely and trying as much as possible to replicate their moves even with a smaller budget. Test in smaller phases and make adjustments where necessary. Remember, it’s all about creating a superior pre and post-purchase experience for your customers. That’s how you earn their trust and turn them into repeat buyers and loyal advocates for your brand. At Fenix, we’d like to help you transform your eCommerce business so you can begin delivering superior customer experiences. Get in touch with us to discuss your eCommerce challenges right away.
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