Wouldn’t it be nice if you could know everything about your customers? The best way to grow your customer base is to understand and personalize your approach to be welcoming for each type of customer that visits your site. Normally, E-commerce consumers fall into one of 4 main categories. We’ve taken this infographic from www.theprblog.co.uk which outlines these four shopping personalities.
There are 4 main digital shopper archetypes:
- The Digitally Dissociated
- The Digitally Divided
- The Digitally Experimental
- The Digitally Integrated
Each E-commerce shopper falls into one of these four categories, which act as a process towards digital integration. However, each of these digital shoppers have their own habits and tendencies- and so there are different ways to reach these customers.
Here is a breakdown of each digital shopper, and how to go about reaching out to them:
THE DIGITALLY DISSOCIATED
WHO ARE DIGITALLY DISSOCIATED SHOPPERS?
Shoppers who prefer brick-and-mortar stores over E-commerce, either because they don’t have access to or choose not to use digital shopping.
WHY?
These shoppers haven’t been convinced of the convenience of online shopping. More than half said that they don’t want to give up the ability to see or try on the product in store before buying. Nearly a third said that they don’t want to wait on their purchases, and want to be able to talk to someone for advice.
Safety is still a concern for these shoppers, with 80% of them stating that they worry about the safety of their financial information when shopping online. 20% say they worry every time.
HOW DO I REACH THEM?
When reaching out to the Digitally Dissociated, it’s important to gain their trust and reassure them. Presenting these customers with a flexible returns policy, and plenty of fitting and measurement information is ideal to convert them. Also, offering live-chat is helpful for these customers, because they can ask questions like they would in-store. Finally, presenting the customer with several secured payment options is likely to put them at ease.
THE DIGITALLY DIVIDED
WHO ARE THE DIGITALLY DIVIDED?
The Digitally Divided are people who have access to and participate in online shopping, but there is a clear distinction between the online world and their “offline world.”
WHY?
The Digitally Divided are more than happy to do research for major purchases online, but they still tend to go to physical stores for the purchase. Nearly three-quarters of these shoppers do their consumer research online. They aren’t unwilling to purchase online- as nearly a third of them purchase “sensitive” items that they would otherwise be embarrassed to buy online.
Nearly half of these shoppers say that the amount of choice online is overwhelming and they are especially wary of products with bad reviews. Sometimes, they go to a store to test the product or see it before purchasing it online.
HOW DO I REACH THEM?
Make sure that there are plenty of customer reviews on your site to reassure these Digitally Divided shoppers. Offering a little something special as an online exclusive (or even products that are online exclusive) could push these customers to purchase online. These customers are reluctant to shop via mobile, so make sure your mobile purchase funnel is as optimized as possible so you don’t deter these customers.
Offering online exclusive promotions could help seal the deal with these customers, so don’t be afraid to send a bit of E-mail marketing their way to pull them back to the site.
THE DIGITALLY EXPERIMENTAL
WHO ARE THE DIGITALLY EXPERIMENTAL?
These shoppers prefer to purchase online, but haven’t integrated the digital world into their everyday lives. The like to experiment with new ways to use technology, but they don’t shy away from physical stores when E-commerce fails.
WHY?
These Digitally Experimental shoppers prefer shopping online and turn to social media for shopping information and suggestions. More than half of these shoppers say that a non-branded blog or social media site has made them change their mind about an intended purchase. These consumers like to share purchases on social media and they tend to trust peer reviews far more than expert reviews.
HOW DO I REACH THEM?
These shoppers prefer online shopping for a few reasons. They appreciate the 24/7 accessibility that E-commerce offers and almost 40% say that they prefer the convenience. A third of these shoppers appreciate E-commerce for easy price comparison and getting better deals on products.
To reach these customers, put your discounts and great deals at the forefront of your E-commerce store. Make shopping online on your site as easy and convenient as possible to keep these shoppers coming back. Making your site difficult to navigate by not optimizing for mobile will be what sends these customers away.
THE DIGITALLY INTEGRATED
WHO ARE THE DIGITALLY INTEGRATED?
These are shoppers who blend online and offline without batting an eye. They have no problem going digital anytime at any place, and the digital world is just integrated seamlessly in their daily lives.
WHY?
This is the crowd that will be more inclined to shop on mobile, with over a quarter of them having already used a smartphone to make a purchase online. This trend is set to grow, as more of the other types of consumers eventually become more comfortable with mobile shopping. These are shoppers that are frustrated when a physical store doesn’t have a digital presence.
HOW DO I REACH THEM?
These are your digital savvy customers who expect the best out of your E-Commerce- so offer them your very best. They will tend to spend more and visit your site more often if it’s quick, optimized for mobile, and user friendly. If you really want to reach your Digitally Integrated customers, a well-designed mobile app is the way to go.
The hardest part of running a business is being able to reach all of your customers. There are always going to be people that won’t be happy, but the middle ground is making the largest amount of customers as happy as you can. By understanding and catering to the 4 different types of E-commerce shoppers, you can improve your sales and create a loyal customer base.
What kind of digital shopper are you? Tell us below or Tweet me!
