In my experience working with brands, keeping customers coming back is crucial for long-term success. Here, I want to reveal some of the best retention tactics I’ve seen being deployed by leading online retailers. By implementing even a few of these hacks, you can transform one-time buyers into loyal, lifetime patrons.
Welcome New Customers
Make Signup a Breeze
When creating accounts is quick and hassle-free, customers instantly feel valued. Ensure your forms only request essential info. Offer autofill and guest checkout too.
Surprise with Freebies
Who doesn’t love a surprise gift? Pepper your packaging with free stickers, samples, or even ebooks. It’s an inexpensive way to spark delight that keeps customers reminiscing about your brand.
Seek Feedback
Asking for feedback shows you care about improving their experience. Keep it simple with a 1-question NPS survey after checkout or in their first email. This data can be marketing gold.
Reward Loyalty
Loyal customers can contribute up to 70% of revenue for many online merchants. Rewarding repeat purchases must be a priority.
Create VIP Perks
From promo codes to free expedited shipping, special perks make big spenders feel like more than just another sale. Consider a private Slack channel for sneak peeks and polls too.
Gamify Purchases
Everyone loves watching an animated progress bar. Gamifying buying journeys exploits our competitive psychology.
Spotlight Power Users
Publicly recognizing committed customers isn’t just good PR, it boosts engagement. Spotlight them in newsletters or interviews. These brand ambassadors can drive referrals too.
Optimize Checkouts
Clunky checkouts kill conversions. Small tweaks here can provide big revenue lifts.
Allow Guest Checkout
Forcing account creation frustrates those who prefer speed. Allow guest checkout with clear paths to create accounts later.
Highlight Security
Showcase trust badges, secured payment icons and encryption guarantees help customers feel in control, reducing cart abandonment.
Simplify Payment Options
Minimal form fields, express checkout via Apple/Google Pay, plus allowing multiple payment methods ease purchasing, especially on mobile.
Offer Easy Returns
Return policies prominently displayed build confidence at checkout. Consider including free return shipping and prepaid labels.
Drive Re-Engagement
Purchase history data offers clues for targeted re-engagement campaigns bringing back once-active users.
Send Winback Emails
For lapsed customers, send special discounts or insider content to reactivate them. Time these for 1-3 months after last purchase based on their frequency.
Remarket Recent Views
Plug your product catalog into remarketing ads and target recent site visitors. This efficiently gets products back in front of those likely to buy them.
Review Abandoned Carts
Email or SMS abandoned carts with specific product discounts 24 hours later. Tailor messaging to reflect number of times it’s happened to increase urgency.
Recommend Complimentary Items
Suggest add-ons in post-purchase emails based on order history, like batteries with electronics or lotion with bath soaps. This increases order values.
Anticipate User Needs
The best ecommerce UX seems to read minds, precisely meeting customer needs at each stage.
Personalize Everything
Product recommendations, content and offers tailored to individuals convert exponentially better. Build rich customer profiles and get to know them.
Subtly Guide Discovery
From curated categories to strategic search results to suggested pairings, subtly guide shoppers to discover more of your catalog organically.
Proactively Notify on Restocks
If a desired product is sold out, allow signing up for restock alerts. Fulfilling these wishes later earns loyalty.
Share User Guides Pre-Purchase
Answer buyers’ questions before they arise. Include sizing charts, user manuals, warranty info, even video demos with products to inform and reassure.
Foster Community
Brands who facilitate meaningful connections between happy customers tend to thrive. Find ways to foster community organically.
Spotlight User Content
Reshare and link to your best Instagram product posts. User images build authenticity. Incentivize posts for amplification.
Moderate User Forums
Nothing builds trust like real reviews and candid FAQs. Facilitate this community content then moderate gently to maintain quality.
Inspire Advocacy
Encouraging fans to proudly rep your brand as affiliates and influencers infuses free passion. Ensure referral programs reward ongoing evangelism.
Host Live Events
Pop-up shops, classes or virtual gatherings allow superfans to engage beyond buying. These rare in-real-life events also generate great content for social.
Say Thank You
Gratitude forges emotional bonds with customers. Expressing appreciation through small gestures shows this relationship matters.
Send Handwritten Notes
A hand-written “thank you” card mailed after purchase feels nostalgic and authentic. Reserve these for your highest spenders only for maximum impact.
Spotlight Superfans
Publicly recognizing especially zealous evangelists is like rocket fuel for advocacy. Everyone wants to emulate these VIP brand devotees.
Surprise with Free Upgrades
Delight long term patrons by mysteriously upgrading their purchase. Turn their standard delivery into overnight for extra wow factor.
Bonus Tip: Share Behind the Scenes Access
Let VIP shoppers sneak a peek behind the curtain sometimes with an inside look into your processes through video tours or live Q&As. Fans eat this stuff up.
By implementing even a subset of these retention strategies tailored specifically for your ecommerce venture and customers, you will be well on your way towards building unbreakable brand loyalty.