This year, knowing that old marketing strategies won’t work as they did in the past years is crucial. A business’s target persona may not change over time, but these people’s buying patterns/behavior and purchasing capabilities are volatile; thus, they can vary as time goes by.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) Brands enjoy lower production costs and have access to a variety of affordable tech tools. With this, they are considered the most innovative and up-to-date in eCommerce retail. DTC brands are well-set to anchor the pace for seamless Shopping in a post-COVID economy. DTC businesses are reinventing retail in methods few could have foreseen only a decade ago—from click-to-collect to other innovative tech features. Further, businesses and brands today don't need to allot money on massive expenditures to provide a significant omnichannel shopping experience, thanks to the rise of online purchasing and transaction systems. We have created this blog for you to know how to make the best shopping experience for customers this 2021.

How Seamless Shopping Happens

Frictionless shopping in eCommerce refers to customers being able to browse and buy more items with fewer hassles. Seamless shopping, when paired with great products or services, provides a great shopping experience to customers of all types. Today, DTC brands can’t afford to not have a user-friendly website since the sheer volume of new online brands is growing fast, and they have got to catch up to generate sales. Thanks to the latest technology, it is a hundred percent possible to remove barriers that everyone previously thought were unavoidable in the digital marketing field.

Customers must be excited about the prospect of visiting your store and relieved that doing business with your brand will be simple and painless in order for online shopping to be really smooth.

Most typical points of friction for a DTC customer

Retailers who are ahead of the curve can spot problems before customers even notice them. Consumers discover what they've been missing only when a brand "hacks" an inconvenience.

Customers who previously liked 7-10 business day shipping of their orders will no longer consider a brand if they cannot receive their item in less than a week, thanks in part to different brands’ one- to two-day shipping guarantee. These eCommerce shortcuts are only discovered after a thorough understanding of the pain areas, goals, and aspirations of their customers. As a result, frictionless shopping is a continuous improvement process in the retail industry. Hence, as a result, when it comes to frictionless shopping, DTC businesses don't always have to look out for out-of-the-box strategies. The following are some of the most prevalent points of friction in online retail:

1. Website is difficult to navigate
2. Reliability of the brand is low
3. No defined marketing goal
4. Purchasing procedure is excessively time-consuming
5. Multi-channel is set up instead of omnichannel
6. Shipping time is extended
7. Returning or exchanging items is a difficult process;
8. Customization is either poor or non-existent.

• Website is difficult to navigate

A long “add to cart” and checkout process is a huge turnoff for online shoppers. In the pre-2010 era of eCommerce, clicking through 5-7 different websites to complete a purchase was acceptable, but in 2021, it is plain intolerable. Particularly for online stores that require users to create an account, buyers should not feel like they are bending over backward to save items to a cart, navigate through multiple redirects, choose from a restricted list of payment options, or re-enter previously saved billing/shipping addresses.

• Reliability of the brand is low

Here’s a fact: since there are so many products to pick from, an unfamiliar brand is an untrustworthy brand. Consumer skepticism is perhaps the most common source of conflict in the purchase process. Prospects do not enter the consumer funnel if there are no customer reviews or a consistent web presence across several platforms. Hence, simplifying your approach to online selling is the key.

• No defined marketing goal

Audiences are confused by DTC brands that deploy complicated language or badly planned marketing methods. In some circumstances, brands target the incorrect audience. It's all too easy for brands to lose touch with their customers' thoughts. When this happens, the brand may mean to imply one thing but express a completely different message.

• Purchasing procedure is excessively time-consuming

Another source of concern for DTC brands is a complicated website. Shoppers should have no trouble finding what they're looking for so they can proceed to checkout easily. That being said, visitors will not want to shop from a website that lacks trustworthy search tools, key product description sections, category menus, and a variety of easily accessible customer service resources.

• Multi-channel is set up instead of omnichannel

Stretching your online store to other platforms is excellent - unless such platforms aren't in sync. Shoppers can't trust your brand to stay up with inventory, give up-to-date purchase information, or save lists they've established on one of your channels if you don't have a seamless connection between your multiple channels.

• Shipping time is extended

Unless you're delivering internationally or across an ocean, most internet customers will balk at the prospect of waiting a week or more for their item. To be clear, most customers don't mind having the option of longer, less expensive shipments. However, many eCommerce companies still do not provide customers the choice of speedier shipment, such as overnight or hurried.

• Returning or exchanging items is difficult

One of the most undervalued methods for DTC brands to reduce barriers for their customers is to offer a smooth, quick return/exchange process.

• Customization is either poor or non-existent.

Unless they offer low costs, brands that treat their products and services as "one size fits all" are doomed to fail. However, even when offering the lowest available price, many customers prefer a more personalized experience.

Personalization can include simple product suggestions, such as those based on past purchases or searches. It can also include intuitive features, like AR fitting rooms and customer preference surveys followed by tailored recommendations.

8 tips on how to create a smooth shopping experience

• Invest in high-quality UX design.

A huge number of influencers want to do amazing, candid, honest videos, and then be able to put people in touch with those products immediately. So, when few consumers know that you exist, you can accomplish more with less by partnering with influential customers, including loyal fans and social media influencers. These people will not only give you a lot of excellent user-generated content, but they will also provide your brand with compelling brand awareness, which will help you increase brand visibility and sales.  With this being said, the only solution is genuine trust. Sincere endorsements come from solid ties.

• Lessen the number of clicks to accomplish a purchase.

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok all have in-app selling features that allow users to purchase items in only a few clicks. You can provide a better user experience while collecting the materials you need to improve the site's checkout process by using these social commerce solutions. This objective will be tough to accomplish until shoppers create an online profile on your website. However, any steps you take to limit the amount of clicks clients must make in order to complete transactions would be beneficial.

• Focus on customer advocacy and influencer marketing.

The process of making your website more inviting, clear, and personalized is known as user experience design. Most eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify, include a few UX design components that can be customized. If you plan to update You might wish to consult a UX/UI design specialist or agency for a more in-depth seamless buying experience.

• Create an original content marketing plan based on your business DNA.

Over the last few years, there has been a movement in consumer behavior, indicating that people are tired of the nonsense marketing. We have simply crossed a threshold where brands are suddenly honest, genuine, and just coming at you as they are, which is actually quite stimulating. As a result, such brands are growing at a quicker rate. Authenticity is more than just marketing that makes you feel good. When consumers see a genuine effort from a company that shares their values, solves their issues, and empowers them to reach their goals, that company's marketing connects in a way that rivals struggle to match. When you develop quality content, you create brand loyalty, lower customer acquisition expenses, and improve the efficacy of your organic reach.

• Invest in omnichannel retail capabilities.

Previously, an omnichannel retail technique was relegated to companies with physical locations and large finances. However, thanks to the recent eCommerce boom, an increasing number of buyers are discovering a 360-degree purchasing online experience. As your DTC business utilizes several platforms such as a website, mobile app, pop-up stores, mobile networking, and so on, the actions you take to connect these mediums will help you achieve omnichannel sales and marketing efficiency. Customers will definitely access your company via any medium and enjoy the same amazing experience, equipped with personal details, wish lists, and stored payment systems.

• Streamline the shipping process by zooming in on geographical regions.

Many DTC retailers set their sights on areas where they think they can get quick shipment. Localization strategies for eCommerce permit you to commit funds to control a specific area and then extend as the brand's distribution systems improve. It’s a given that without becoming a Prime Seller, it's difficult to compete with Amazon's two-day shipping. However, if you look for ways to speed up your delivery and shipping processes, you may minimize order queues to the point where your consumers are pleased. Similarly, providing free delivery and having fast shipment for a cost is a legitimate seamless buying strategy that can help buyers warm up to your company.

• Make returns and exchanges painless.

Returns and exchanges are factors no DTC brand appreciates. However, without a smooth return/exchange procedure, fostering customer retention is practically out of the picture. Customers will feel safer in placing future purchases with your business if they learn they can return or exchange things with relatively little effort. In fact, it is also a great idea to advertise a simple return procedure to promote new clients to make their first transaction earlier.

• Continuously foster strong bonds with your customers.

There is absolutely no end to your brand's personalization capability if you go over and beyond to discover your ideal consumer, interact with them, and then accept their input. Personalization is a balancing act between technological advances and emotional intelligence on the part of the advertiser. Further, when you customize, be certain you're prepared to handle long-term bonds. Your interactions with customers establish a better base for bringing innovative smooth shopping opportunities in the present and future.

How to Make the Best Shopping Experience At All Times: Verdict 

All of us at marketing and sales can agree that there is nothing more crucial in the retail industry than the brand and consumer relationship. Shoppers get to choose from a variety of brands while shopping online for a particular product. Authenticity, individuality, and quality have become essential variables in a consumer's purchasing decision as the economy has progressed beyond shortage.

The more time and effort you put into getting to know and interacting with your customers, the higher your return on investment will be. Your DTC business must become fully customer-centric in order to provide a seamless buying process. You'll have won your consumers' trust, loyalty, and contagious word-of-mouth after you've perfected making them feel seen and heard.

This blog is a sign to stop pondering whether your company's online presence is creating a significant impact on clients. Take the resources you learned on this blog and start building an unbreakable online presence through a seamless shopping experience.

Start by reaching out to businesses that can help you reach the right individuals like Ninja Outreach. We generate, find, and bring you the most authentic leads your business requires. Reach out today and see how we can get started!

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