Editor’s note: Michael Lazar is the Executive Director of Marketing at ReadyCloud. We’re delighted to share his expertise in eCommerce with our audience.
How can you add that personal touch to your products and packaging before you ship?
Online shoppers expect that “in-person” experience, in one way or another. By taking this extra step to show your customers that they are truly valued, they’ll be more inclined to return in the future.
If you’re a small to medium-sized business, you not only have a higher chance, but a greater opportunity of truly connecting with your shoppers.
Why?
Because there will always be a dedicated group of people who prefer shopping at and supporting smaller eCommerce sites. Therefore, if you take the time to add that personal touch, they will most definitely appreciate it and look forward to the next order.
Doing so has another benefit, too: Increasing retention and making your business more successful.
There are many ways you can show your customers that you care during their unboxing experience. Here are 7 of the most useful.
No. 1: Thoughtful Packaging
Just like a nice presentation of the meal you order at an upscale restaurant, the way you package a customer’s order matters!
Utilizing quality packing material to avoid damage is the most important. After all, what good is a product if it doesn’t arrive in one piece?
Along with that is taking the time to deliberately and even methodically pack the order in a way that looks appealing upon opening. That image will always resonate with customers.
Don’t forget about branded boxes. It’s a fact that people are more likely to be repeat customers from a merchant that uses premium boxes. While they cost more than the boring brown box, it is a tactic that will surely pay off in the long run.
No. 2: A Handwritten Note
Showing your customers that there’s a real person behind your brand goes a long way. Taking the time to write even a brief and handwritten note saying “thank you” will let them know how much they’re appreciated.
No. 3: A Bonus Gift
Turn old inventory into a bonus gift!
Every retailer will eventually have excess product that they can’t sell for one reason or another. But don’t view that as a negative. View that as an opportunity to enhance the customer experience by including it as a ‘bonus gift’ within orders.
This will go over very well with both long-standing and new customers.
No. 4: A Sample Product
Introduce your customers to new and upcoming products by including a sample of one or more. By doing this, you’re not just limited to online marketing, you’re taking it a step further by physically putting your product in the customer’s hands. It’s a simple way to increase the possibility of future sales as well as improved loyalty and retention.
No. 5: Swag Items
This is a smart way to create a win-win situation. By throwing in stickers of your brand into the orders, for example, customers will appreciate that and most likely display them in visible areas which will give your brand even more exposure.
No. 6: Gain Critical Feedback
Engaging with your customers to learn more about what you can do to create the best experience possible will only yield positive results.
You can inquire about how their shopping experience was on your website, the customer support or even about sample products that you included. Any insight into your operations will only increase retention.
No. 7: The Receipt
This should be self-explanatory, but believe it or not, there are some e-tailers that forget to include the receipt when they ship out an order.
Not only should you always remember to include a receipt, you should also consider an elegant way of enclosing it, rather than just throwing it in the package as most do. Again, it’s the little things that count.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, creating a memorable shopping and unboxing experience by adding personal touches to your shipments will only serve to benefit both your brand and your customers, thus generating happiness all around!
About the Author
Michael Lazar is the Executive Director of Marketing at ReadyCloud, makers of an aACE-integrated CRM software solution that works across all your sales channels. As a nationally syndicated author Lazar enjoys covering topics that are related to eCommerce returns. Follow him on LinkedIn.
