Improving eCommerce Sites With Customer Data Platforms

Take it from the many brands that lose sales opportunities every year. Although successful customer acquisition requires a specific skill set, the right tools, solid strategies, a reasonable budget, and several key players, lack of personalization is a common complaint about eCommerce stores.

Why Personalization Matters? 

As consumers have increased the use of devices to conduct business, their expectations have evolved. When interacting with a brand, consumers prefer brands that offer a tailored experience. The best way to understand what personalization is and why it matters to eCommerce platforms is to put yourself in the consumer’s shoes. 

When you visit websites, you expect them to be engaging, informative, secure, and easy to use. Should you decide to make a purchase, you also expect the process to be seamless. If you interact with an eStore that doesn’t meet these expectations, chances are you’re going to search for another provider. Without personalization, brands reduce their chances of attracting new customers, keeping existing ones, and boosting sales.

How Can A CDP Help? 

Data is like a trail of breadcrumbs consumers leave behind to provide insight into their identities, motivations, interests, emotions, needs, and purchasing behaviors. When collected, analyzed, and applied effectively, brands can use the information to improve eCommerce sites. The most significant problem companies have with this concept is data management. 

That’s where CDP can help. What is CDP? Short for customer data platform, it’s a system predominantly used by marketing and customer experience experts. The innovative technology makes collecting and analyzing consumer data easier. 

When you can accurately dissect customer information, you can make more informed decisions to enhance your eCommerce platform. Companies that have harnessed the power of customer data platforms have dramatically improved eCommerce platforms in areas like those listed below. 

Buyer Personas

Customer personas and profiles help web developers, marketers, and customer service experts determine activities regarding shopping behaviors. The data ultimately assists with answering questions like product preferences and purchase times. Armed with these details, brands can make essential changes like ad placement, product recommendations, and promotional offers that appeal to customers and target audiences. 

Customer Service

Quality customer service is essential to eCommerce business success. Satisfied customers equate to loyal customers, positive reviews, referrals, and improved brand awareness. Customer data platforms enable companies to analyze information to enhance eCommerce sites. 

Reviewing details like support ticket response times, delivery times, and consumer satisfaction levels can help encourage positive changes on these sites. Web developers can incorporate chatbots, live chat, and flexible delivery options to increase satisfaction rankings and provide better service. 

Supply Management

While you’d think that product inventory is a separate entity from eCommerce platforms, it’s quite the opposite. If businesses are going to continue satisfying their customer’s needs, they must ensure they have products in stock. There’s nothing an online shopper hates more than seeing something they want and finding out that it’s not available for weeks or months. 

If a company analyzes data like geographic information, buyer behaviors, social trends, and product demands, they can ensure that they have enough items their customer base prefers. Brands can also devise plans to develop flexible delivery options that lead to faster, efficient, and sustainable transport for improved satisfaction. 

In Closing

eCommerce stores were in demand long before the coronavirus pandemic started in March 2020. Be that as it may, since this health and economic crisis, the need for safe, fast, and convenient ways to purchase products and services has increased. With this increased demand also comes to the expectation of a personalized experience. 

Brands that wish to remain competitive beyond these trying times must ensure they have eCommerce sites that meet or exceed the requests of their target audiences. Technological innovations like customer data platforms enable companies to leverage big data to cultivate better online experiences for improved satisfaction and increased sales.