“Build it and they will come.” If that’s your philosophy toward your e-commerce site, you’re in trouble. And even if the customers do come, they won’t keep coming back unless you give them a reason to do so. Learn to build loyalty with some of these strategic ways to retain your online customers.

Strategic Ways To Retain Your Online Customers

Get the Numbers, Crunch the Numbers

If your new e-commerce site is a passion project for you, then you probably care personally about your customers. It might seem cold to reduce them to numbers, but the more data you collect, the more you can learn about how to improve their experience. There are all kinds of metrics and ways to measure them, but the most comprehensive is a Customer Data Platform. It takes information from different systems and boils it down for you into a single customer profile. Then, you have guidance on how to grow—and how your customers can grow with you. 

Honor Their Opinions

Consumers are wary of manufacturers’ claims and vague information. Who can they turn to when they’re deciding on a purchase? Each other. Customer reviews are a valuable way for them to decide what to buy, based on real people’s opinions. Embrace this and allow people to post reviews on your e-commerce site. If your buyers can determine the best product for themselves, you should have fewer returns. And if you’re seeing a lot of bad reviews, revamp the product. Customers are telling you how to keep them happy through their feedback. Give them plenty of ways to contact you: text, phone, surveys. Prioritize customer service and always keep improving. 

Reward Them With Deals

If a customer isn’t buying something, it’s because they can’t justify it to themselves. It’s up to you to justify it for them. Coupons are old-school, but they work. Start an email campaign for existing customers to show them you appreciate them. Include a promotional offer or discount code—along with an expiration date so they feel compelled to act immediately. Another strategic way to retain your online customers is by implementing a loyalty program. You don’t have to be as big as Starbucks to establish reward tiers that earn free items, discounts, and other perks. Keep the ball rolling, and your e-commerce site will build momentum to move to the next level.