What Have You Done for Online Customer Loyalty Lately?
Customer loyalty programs span everything from online coupons and discounts to VIP rewards and free shipping promotions. Some retailers use a points system to reward frequent buyers while others use social networking sites like Facebook to generate product reviews and recommendations. Regardless of which method you prefer, loyalty programs are the lifeblood of e-commerce.
It's important to promote loyalty throughout the entire buying process, not just before a sale. Offer product suggestions on your product detail pages, at checkout and in the confirmation email sent after a purchase is complete. To help turn a site browser into a customer, make product promotions accessible and easy to find. For example, feature promotions on your homepage and use cross-functional promotions to get the message out to multiple touchpoints.
Here are some successful online loyalty programs that can help you attract consumers and set you apart from the competition:
Frequent Buyer Rewards
Turn a frequent buyer into a lifetime customer by offering reward points to redeem on future purchases. For example, offer an online promotion such as $5 off a $50 purchase, or free shipping and returns. Prompt frequent buyers to register on your site by offering a sign-up bonus such as 10 percent off a future purchase. Doing so will help you reach frequent buyers with targeted promotions that will entice them to return to your site and buy again.
Prepaid Gift Cards
This is an easy and popular holiday gift. Make sure your e-commerce platform has the capability to allow consumers to download and print gift cards on your site. Give consumers the flexibility of redeeming the gift online or in-store. This is a great way to attract customers and increase sales. Go a step further to differentiate yourself from the competition and offer the purchaser a promotion like a dollar amount off a future purchase when they buy a gift card.
Rebates
Gone are the days of manufacturer rebates that had to be filled out by hand and mailed back with the product’s barcode and original receipt. If you're going to offer rebates, it's critical that they're instant and easy for customers to redeem. Offer a platform where the consumer can easily go online, plug in a few product details and receive gratification of an instant rebate. This is an ideal way to reward frequent buyers, increase customer satisfaction and drive repeat sales.
Free Shipping
Free shipping offers have become increasingly more popular, particularly since consumers can comparison shop for the best offers. If you decide to offer a free shipping promotion, you must consider in advance what factors will be involved: Is free shipping linked to a time frame or purchase amount? Display free shipping promotions as well as your shipping policy prominently on your site when offering flexible shipping offers. Also be sure that inventory levels are accurate and align with shipping expectations. If an item is out of stock, let consumers know before they add it to their shopping cart.
Online shoppers are savvy and know how to find the best deals and promotions to satisfy their buying habits. In order to remain competitive in this realm and drive consumers to your web store, you must offer loyalty programs and promotions that are easy to find not only on your site but across multiple platforms.
Glenn Grube is global director of e-business sales and marketing at ModusLink. Glenn can be reached at glenn_grube@moduslink.com.
