Online Shoppers Now Choose Service Over Price
Last year, KMG did a survey of U.S. online shoppers to find out what affects their purchase decisions. The vote was in, and it was a tie between price, selection, and convenience.
KMG did a follow-up survey at the end of the 2006 Holiday Season, and it looks like consumers have changed their minds about pricing. The winner this year is:
SERVICE!
According to KMG:
“81% of the 1,200 consumers surveyed said they shopped at the stores that had their desired items in stock, and 75% said a simple return policy helped them decide which retailers to patronize. Conversely, just 19% of the respondents cited price as the most influential factor in choosing a retailer.”
One lesson to be learned here is to make sure you pay attention to recent trends. Don’t just keep dong the same thing year after year; even if it’s working, it could be working better.
A few things you can do to capture shoppers are:
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If you have an in-stock guarantee, make sure the guarantee is shown in a prominent place on your web-site, and in any ads that you place if space allows.
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As an affiliate marketer, be sure to mention the return policy of the merchant you are promoting.
You will get more click-troughs to the merchant if you do these two simple things. That should make for a much more profitable 2007.
The other lesson is one that should be obvious: treat your customer well. Even as an affiliate, maybe especially as an affiliate, you have a lot of influence over how that customer perceives the merchant. Everyone appreciates that extra effort to make them happy. Taking the time to treat each as an individual with a particular need or concern brings them back time and time again.
Happy New Year!