E-commerce lessons for customer loyalty in 2024

As the year comes to a close, retailers are realizing that their biggest wins in 2023 will continue to inspire lifelong loyalty and drive e-commerce growth in 2024. Looking back, I think it would be a great method.

When it comes to brand longevity, nothing is more important than customer loyalty. Earning that trust isn't easy, but 2023 continued to show how all that hard-won goodwill can be easily undone by a single disappointing experience. To overcome the fickle nature of consumer taste trends, the brand turned to his two biggest companies transforming industries with social media and AI technology.

Changes in the influence of social media

Social media platforms have created new ways for brands to engage with loyal customers and potential customers, but they have also made brands more susceptible to negative reviews that can severely impact their business. Brands in 2023 that were unprepared for the real-time dynamics of consumer feedback on channels like TikTok and Instagram were particularly hurt. This was especially painful when the shipping and return experience was poor, and required quick and proactive action by online retailers with post-purchase solutions.

In the year ahead, social media and its expanding reach will only grow in popularity, making it increasingly important for online retailers to protect their brands and consumer loyalty. This changing content space holds huge opportunities in the year ahead. His TikTok and YouTube videos, including try-on shows, styling inspiration, and GRWM (Get Ready with me) content, published by the brand's consumers and supported by the brand itself, drive community engagement and loyalty. Masu. Brands in 2024 will also need to invest in strategies for community-driven platforms, such as Facebook groups and new platforms like Discord. In fact, within his first day on fashion marketplace StockX's Discord, he had over 20,000 users join, setting a record for the brand's server with the most users joining in a single day.

The value of a strong social media program will continue to benefit your brand. Recently, French sports and footwear brand Courir recorded an average conversion rate of 2.89% for notifications with customized icons that connect to their Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages. This is more than double his average conversion rate for e-commerce emails.

AI is rapidly gaining popularity

As AI's popularity as a brand skyrockets, leading online retailers such as Drew House are embracing post-purchase as a new revenue stream to drive customer satisfaction and plan to increase personalization in post-purchase customer communications by 2023. We focused on post-purchase SaaS solutions to power it. tool. Next year we will continue to see growth as brands achieve huge ROI on post-purchase AI such as:

• Personalized shipping and delivery updates: AI provides real-time personalized updates on shipping and delivery status to keep customers informed and engaged throughout the post-purchase stage .
• Customized recommendations for future purchases: Based on your recent purchases, AI suggests complementary products and accessories to increase the likelihood of additional sales.
• Personalized product care tips: AI can send you tips and guidance on how to use and care for your purchased products, tailored to the specific item you purchased. This not only adds value but also demonstrates the brand's commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Feedback and review requests: AI can intelligently time and personalize product reviews and feedback requests, for example by highlighting aspects of a product that customers may value, increasing the likelihood of engagement. will increase.
• Dynamic follow-up communications: AI schedules follow-up communications such as emails and push notifications based on customer engagement patterns, ensuring messages are sent at the most effective time.
• Loyalty program personalization: AI tailors loyalty program communications to deliver relevant benefits and incentives based on customer purchase history and preferences.
• Predictive support queries: AI predicts and addresses potential post-purchase questions and product-specific issues, providing proactive support and reducing the likelihood of customer dissatisfaction.

2024 Strategy for Retailers

As social media and AI continue to shape the next era of the U.S. e-commerce market, retailers are ready to take 2023's lessons on personalization and engagement into the new year. Businesses find it much easier to engage with consumers post-purchase than constantly pursuing new customers. Additionally, this post-purchase engagement can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of marketing to new leads.

So how can retailers provide the best experience for American customers? Make sure your technology stack is properly configured to automatically deliver information on demand, in a way that's tailored to your customers' preferences. Effective communication must be prioritized. You should also provide positive and valuable updates while shoppers are waiting for their delivery. This is an easy way for retailers to increase their brand reputation.

Information is the most important part of the post-purchase experience for many consumers. In fact, four-fifths of American consumers think these proactive order tracking alerts are important, and proactive outreach is a critical piece of the puzzle that is underrepresented by e-commerce platforms. It should not be evaluated. Finally, you must demonstrate an awareness of consumer psychology, which prioritizes convenience. The key to ensuring long-term business success in the e-commerce space is building lasting relationships.

A key part of this is always making sure your products are the most convenient option for shoppers. American consumers want their delivery experience to fit their lifestyle, not the other way around. Considering that the majority of American consumers prefer packages that arrive on the promised day over quick delivery, it's clear that they want deliveries to fit around their schedules.