It’s true that as technology helps us do things quicker, our patience thins. A 2024 Sauce Labs survey found that 82 percent of respondents thought sites or apps contained too many steps. Added to the challenge, 30 percent of customers who do make it to payment are returning their purchases.
A good website presence is essential to satisfying today’s shoppers. Seventy percent of Gen Zs and 69 percent of millennials only trust a brand after conducting their own online research. Their buying approach creates an opportunity for brands to become educators during the research-to-buy process, offering informative content, unboxing videos, and engaging with their online communities.
Artificial intelligence focused on improving recommendations, demonstrating higher quality product content, and offering virtual try-on features are all entering the scene to help build consumer confidence and get the right product in their shopping carts in as few steps as possible.
Still, it’s not about leveraging every tool out there but choosing one that appeals to you, building it seamlessly into your user journey, and learning from the data it provides.
Related story: Top E-Commerce Consumer Frustrations and How Streamlined AI Tools Can Help
Choosing the Right Tools for Your Customers
Investing in the right e-commerce platforms and services enhances user experiences (UX) and streamlines operations. However, understanding what's correct for your business depends on your industry, objectives and existing audience.
Apparel retailers most often face returns due to size, style and fit. A McKinsey study found these issues were the cause of 70 percent of online returns. In this case, AI tools that match shoes and clothes with customers’ purchase histories and smartphone sensors could be a good match for you.
Perhaps the most trifling issue is getting visitors to convert in the first place. Did you know that Google found that 46 percent of customers use smartphones throughout their purchase process? Ensuring you have a responsive e-commerce store that functions on any device, including tablets and smartphones, is critical to meet this audience’s needs.
Maintaining Bug-Free Websites With AI
E-commerce owners are constantly updating their websites to offer dynamic UX, recommend the most relevant products, and reduce returns. Traditionally, this requires them to write and update scripts to ensure the user interface (UI) performs correctly. However, with the increase in website functionality options has come with an increase in website bugs: 70 percent of websites are estimated to have at least one significant bug at any given time.
Self-learning AI software and website testers are quickly becoming the next addition to e-tailers’ hot lists to help minimize errors. Tools that conduct daily checks on critical site functions, automatically identifying UI issues before they affect customers or sales, are critical. The out-of-the-box tools mean no setup, prompts or scenario guidance are required, making them a fast, efficient and hassle-free solution for improving customer satisfaction and preventing revenue loss.
In addition, tools such as DeepCode and Amazon CodeGuru Reviewer help automate code reviews on your websites, using static analysis and machine learning to identify potential vulnerabilities. By making it easier to spot and fix functionality issues with AI, e-commerce owners have the freedom to experiment with the UX safely and ensure that the changes they make are implemented bug-free.
Building the ideal e-commerce store is an ongoing process; you get it right today, but your customers want something else tomorrow. The best way to keep them happy is to keep close tabs on what is working and what isn’t. By starting small with focused tools that meet your objectives and using AI to help you monitor its performance, you're sure to build a digital customer journey your audience will love.
Maryam A. Hassani is the co-founder and CEO of Zealous, AI-native framework for medium to large software companies.
Maryam Ahmed Hassani, co-founder and CEO of Zealous, is at the forefront of AI-native software development. She's committed to leveling the playing field in technology, enabling software developers and companies to launch products faster, reduce costs, and maintain high-quality software as they grow.
Following her graduation from NYU Abu Dhabi with a BA in Political Science, Maryam entered the innovation space as a strategy consultant at EY. Some of her notable achievements include leading the Special Olympics Innovation Challenge and playing a key role in the MBRIF Accelerator Program.
Alongside Zealous, Maryam is the Head of Trends & Innovation at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), where she oversees strategic projects focused on advancing the early childhood development field.