E-commerce best practices improve customer experience and efficiency

Written by Tobias Riis Christensen

In a highly competitive e-commerce landscape, providing excellent customer experiences is essential for growth. As consumers, we have become more expecting of great convenience, speed, and service when we interact with webshops. This means that businesses must not only focus on offering quality products but also on ensuring that their customer journey is seamless from start to finish. Below are some best practices that can help e-commerce businesses improve customer satisfaction while maintaining efficiency in operations.

1. Keeping the return process digital reduces friction

Returns are an inevitable part of e-commerce. However, the ease with which customers can process a return can determine whether they choose to shop with you again. Traditional return processes that involve printing labels, visiting post offices, and dealing with customer service are cumbersome and frustrate customers.

That's why you should consider implementing a digital returns process. Companies like Ingrid, Claimlane, and Returnless provide fully digital return solutions that streamline the experience for the customer. By allowing customers to get a return label as a QR code on their mobile device, and then getting the post office to scan it, the process becomes smoother, more efficient, and eco-friendly. Also, there’s no need for a printer at home, which the fewest of us have anyway.

The benefits for your business go beyond just customer satisfaction. These solutions provide critical data on return reasons, which can be leveraged to improve your product offerings and negotiate with carriers or suppliers.

Pro tip: Use returns as an opportunity to offer exchanges or gift cards, turning a negative experience into a positive one.

2. Helping customers make the right product choices

One of the most frequently asked question in e-commerce customer service is: “What size should I get?”. Customers often hesitate when they are unsure of product fit, leading to orders where customers ordered multiple sizes or no purchase at all. Clear product guidance can dramatically improve conversion rates and reduce returns.

Consider using size guide software like TrueFit or EasySize to provide accurate sizing information. These tools help customers feel more confident about their purchase decisions, leading to fewer returns and higher satisfaction. Additionally, AI-powered product advisor software, such as excentos or ZERV’s product advisor, can help customers choose the right product based on their needs.

By integrating these technologies, you ensure that your customers get the right product on the first try. This not only boosts customer satisfaction but also cuts down on the logistical costs associated with returns and exchanges.

Pro tip: Offer personalised product recommendations based on past purchases or preferences to further engage your customer base.

3. Provide shipping information proactively

“When will my order arrive?” is perhaps the most common inquiry in e-commerce. Providing clarity and proactive communication about delivery status can transform a potentially negative experience, such as a delayed delivery, into a positive one.

Provide your customers with transparent tracking information and communicate the status to them regularly. Proactively inform customers about their delivery status, not just through the carrier’s communications but from your own email or SMS systems. Keeping the customer informed builds trust and reduces anxiety around delays.

Taking it one step further, ensure that your internal processes include automations that trigger emails or notifications when delays are detected. This kind of proactivity shifts the customer’s perception – they now see you as an ally working to solve a problem at the carrier rather than the cause of the issue.

Pro tip: Hosted tracking portals on your website provide customers with a seamless, branded experience when tracking their orders, increasing touchpoints and engagement with your brand.

4. Reducing the impact of complaints on your business

“I have a complaint, what do I do?” is something no business likes to hear but one that’s inevitable in e-commerce. How you handle complaints can make or break your customer’s loyalty to your brand.

Utilise complaint-handling software such as Claimlane, Ingrid, or Returnless mentioned previously to ensure fast and efficient claim management. For instance, companies like Skechers have managed to reduce claim handling times by 80% with such systems. The faster a complaint is resolved, the more likely it is that the customer will give you another chance.

The data collected from claims and complaints can also be invaluable in improving your product or service and in negotiations with suppliers or manufacturers.

Pro tip: Consider offering alternatives, such as exchanges or store credits, instead of outright returns to keep more revenue within your business.

5. Proactivity, self-service, and automated workflows

As customer expectations rise, e-commerce businesses must move away from reactive customer service and towards proactive engagement. Whether it’s answering product queries, handling complaints, or managing orders, proactivity is key to maintaining the trust of your customers in an era where more webshops and competitors pop up.

Something like chatbots provide real-time responses to frequently asked questions and enable customers to resolve issues independently. This reduces the load on customer service teams and ensures that common inquiries are dealt with quickly.

Also automating repetitive tasks not only improves customer experience but also allows your team to focus on higher-level issues. For example, automated emails can be triggered when there’s a delay in shipping, or product advisors can assist customers with sizing and product selection, allowing your human customer service agents to connect with your customers in more meaningful ways.

Pro tip: Automate routine tasks but leave room for personalisation. Customers still value human interaction, especially when resolving complex issues.

Technology allows you to be proactive and provide great customer experiences at scale

The key to thriving in the e-commerce world lies in combining technology with proactive customer service. By leveraging tools that enhance the customer experience, your business can reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, drive revenue.

Implementing these best practices not only positions your business as a customer-centric brand but also helps you scale operations without sacrificing quality. In an industry where competition is fierce, investing in the right tools and strategies is essential to staying ahead of the curve.