6 tips for etailers after the thankyou page

The customer comes first. That is the motto of many online stores, yet for many retailers the customer journey often ends as soon as an order has been sent.

Although a purchase is generally seen as the end of the sales process, this should act as the basis for a long-term relationship. With these six tips for post-purchase you can transform every one-time customer into a regular customer.

Research shows that only 27 percent of new customers make a repeat purchase. That means that you will lose more than three quarters of the customers after their first purchase.

And retailers are missing a big trick here, because when customers have just ordered something they are often very receptive to additional products or services.

A powerful post-purchase customer strategy is therefore essential to keep customers close to you, and I believe success can be guaranteed with the following six tips:

1. Track & trace is essential

A strong post-purchase strategy starts as soon as an order is purchased and shipped. This may seem like a no-brainer, but emails to keep your customer informed of the status of an order are essential to keep customer satisfaction high.

Retailers therefore need to make optimal use of this contact moment. In addition to essential information, try and immediately provide a new reason for ordering another product. For example, display a banner with a new product or share a discount code with a limited validity - that way you trigger customers to come back again soon. By regularly testing with different banners and discount promotions you will discover what suits your customers best and whether the track & trace emails have had the desired effect.

2. Unboxing is a large part of the fun

Nothing is more fun than unpacking a new order. No wonder then that unboxings, videos in which orders are unpacked, are a bit hit on social media right now. For example, in 2017 Google calculated that the amount of time people spend watching unboxing videos is equivalent to playing the movie 'Love Actually' 20 million times.

Make sure that your package is also worth unpacking and producing a video around. Choose attractive packaging materials, write a nice thank you card or surprise your customer with a personal voucher. With a special 'unboxing experience' you will exceed expectations and provide a personal edge.

3. Don’t skimp on the returns policy

When a new order has just been placed, you may not want to think about the possible risk of a return shipment. Yet the harsh reality is that from time to time customers simply won’t be 100% happy with a product. At least 30% of all products ordered online are returned compared to around 9% in brick-and-mortar stores, so online retailers need to be able to reflect this trend.

To prevent the return process from being a reason to avoid your webshop in the future, you may want to consider investing in a user-friendly return portal - a digital environment where customers can automatically register their returns based on their order number without the usual hassle. In addition to simplifying the return of orders, you can also offer the option to choose store credit instead of money back, planting the seed for a future order.

4. Recommendations and reviews are a big deal

Did you know that a whopping 35 percent of Amazon's sales come from recommendations of other products? That just goes to show that personal recommendations are still a success. Use the knowledge you have of customers to send emails with product recommendations or a reminder.

A reminder email is particularly effective if you sell products that will run out after a while, such as dog food, cosmetics or detergent. That way you prevent your customer from missing out on their favorite product and you build a long-term relationship.

5. Instructional ‘how-to’ videos are becoming increasingly popular

In addition to sending product recommendations, you can also consider sending 'how to' emails sharing tips and instructional videos for specific products. For example, many people can still use some instructions when assembling a new cabinet, but it can also be nice to send a tutorial with an eyeshadow palette.

Not only do you reduce the chance of returns with these types of communication, you also increase the chance of repeat purchases. Thanks to your tips, customers can get the most out of their product: good for customer satisfaction and for building customer relationships.

6. A genuine thank you email

They are not track & trace emails, but with an open rate of 42 percent, thank-you emails come a close second in terms of priority when it comes to smart email marketing. A thank you email is well received because the customer has just bought something and is susceptible to content from your webshop.

Take advantage of those warm feelings and use this email to your advantage. For example, ask for a review in exchange for a discount code or point your customer to the newsletter of your webshop to try and build a long-term relationship with the customer.

The next time you are tempted to sit back after receiving an order, remember the above tips. If you manage to develop a successful post-purchase strategy, every order becomes an opportunity for another purchase!