Why?
Because of the added value.
- The saleswoman was incredibly polite, helpful and friendly
- I was invited to try on clothes that I clearly was not going to buy, just to see how versatile the jacket was.
- Looking at the jacket, I could see the incredible level of craftsmanship that had gone into it
- It has a 60 day ‘change of mind’ guarantee
- It has a lifetime warranty on stitching
That is incredible levels of value. As a result, I committed to the purchase and left the store incredibly happy.
This is why adding value is important to you, as well as your customer.
- It makes your brand name remembered
- You assert yourself as a reliable brand in the industry
- You go well beyond just satisfying your customer
And you’re in luck -some of the best ecommerce builders make it incredibly easy for you to add value into the way you sell your products.
So let’s take a look at exactly how you can add value to your customer’s buying experience.
Starts before the sale
In the two above examples, you saw how value was added after the sale – firstly, with a sense of ‘I got a lot for my money’, and secondly with a high-quality product.
But adding value to your customer’s experience starts from the moment they visit your website.
For example: If your website is laid out poorly and hard to navigate, there’s no value for the customer to hang around.
They’ll quickly leave and go find another product elsewhere. So by adding value before the point of sale, you set the foundation to maximize your efforts after the sale.
Informative product pages
After successfully navigating your website, the next place your customer will land is on your product page.
The role of this page is to inform your customer about the product as much possible.
One of the natural dangers of buying online is that, unlike my personal experience in the jacket store, you cannot physically hold and inspect a product before buying it.
How can you solve this problem?
By using high-resolution, close up photos of your products.
This isn’t quite the same as physically holding a product, but combine high-quality product photography with a well-written product description, and you’re on your way to creating the next best thing.
You can add extra value to your product page by including a video of your product being used in it’s intended way. This is a massive step in delighting your customer.
A lenient returns policy
As you just read, the fact that your customer can’t touch and feel their purchase before buying it makes it hard for them to commit to a purchase.
So what happens if a buyer does commit to a purchase, yet they’re not satisfied?
That’s when a lenient return and exchange policy can work in your favor.
If your customer is not sure about committing to a purchase and you have a ‘free return policy’, that’s going to make them more confident about their purchase.
As a result, if your customer has purchased the wrong sized shirt, but knows that you will pay for them to send the item back and give them the correct size, you’re adding value.
You’re showing that your business is trustworthy and that in the event of a mistake, it’s not going to leave your customer out of pocket.
Of course, such policies are great for the buyer, but quite often leave you, the retailer, in a position to be taken advantage of.
Implement your lenient returns policy with caution, and pay close attention to anyone exploiting your kindness.
FAQ Section
How do you answer your customer’s questions when they’re just one step away from committing a purchase?
Even the most stupid question may have an unclear answer. Solve this problem by creating an FAQ.