5 Tips for overcoming the lack of touch in digital shopping experiences
In digital stores, the purchase decision is based on a representation of the product — not the actual product. Follow these five tips to leverage powerful opportunities to create meaningful customer experiences.
Cover photo by João Ferrão on Unsplash.
As human beings, our experience of things is deeply influenced by the surrounding space. Context and atmosphere are essential for forming impressions and opinions. So how do customers experience the products we offer for sale?
For decades, sellers have made every effort to make physical stores attractive and pleasant — sometimes even creating spaces that don’t look like stores at all.
In digital stores, however, the context matters too. That’s why leveraging some powerful elements is vital to create a meaningful experience for our customers.
One of the biggest challenges of selling physical products online is the lack of touch. Customers cannot experience the product physically: they cannot touch it, they cannot smell it, they cannot see its colors directly, they cannot try things on. Therefore, the purchase decision is not based on the direct experience of the actual product; instead, it is based on a representation of the product.
There are many ways to fill this experiential gap and serve our customers better by providing accurate and thorough information about physical products. And if we present our offer in the best way, we have more chances to make a sale.
So here are my five tips for overcoming the lack of touch in digital experiences.
Tip #1
Invest in high-quality product photography.
Create high-quality and professional images of your products and show details and different angles.
For example, if your customers write enthusiastic reviews saying that your creations look better in person than in pictures (or better than expected in general), it might be a sign that your current imagery is not good enough.
If photography is not among your talents, consider hiring a professional photographer or a freelancer.
Tip #2
Make sure to include a lot of different pictures.
Make sure to include a lot of different pictures throughout your website.
Refrain from relying only on social media to showcase your products, and don’t assume people have the time (or the interest) to make an effort when they need more information during the purchase decision.
Posting appealing content on social media to push customers to your website is a good practice, but you should never reverse this flow and send your customers from your website to social media — not even if it’s “just” to see more images of your products. This is because the moment your potential customer leaves your website, the sale is gone. They will inevitably start engaging with those platforms, messages, notifications, and distractions of all kinds. For this reason, customers must find the information they need directly on your website, not elsewhere.
The way you can incorporate pictures into your online shopping experience depends on many factors, including your template, technical options, sales funnel, and more. Sometimes adding lifestyle pictures to your product pages is a great idea, but sometimes it’s not. What matters is that your potential customer can easily access all the information they want or need, and it must be easy and quick to find.
Tip #3
Create editorial-style content.
Think about the richness and complexity of a typical experience in a traditional store: lighting, textures, colors, compositions, scents, furniture, people, plants, … All of these elements work together harmoniously and render a unique experience. But what can we learn from the physical experience of retail spaces to inform our online shops? How can we create an enjoyable digital experience on a website? Well, it depends. It might be the style and colors of your website design or the setting of your lifestyle shots. Whatever your options, always look for creative ways to convey your messages using different means and techniques simultaneously. When professionally and thoughtfully orchestrated, complexity is not a negative thing, as many think. Embrace your intuition to create unique, distinctive and meaningful shopping experiences for your customers. They will remember your brand and come back for more.
Tip #4
Make it easy and comfortable for users to get in touch.
No matter your effort, some customers will still need more information out of curiosity, insecurity or special needs. When that happens, the last thing we want is to have customers stuck during the purchase process. Instead, make it easy for those potential customers to contact customer service to receive appropriate assistance — and ideally, offer more than one way to reach you. For example, some people prefer calling, while others prefer writing a message. Depending on what’s sustainable for you, try to offer more than one contact option to satisfy their needs.
Tip #5
Read your customer feedback (or product reviews) regularly and look for details, alternative uses, or perspectives you can include in your content.
Effectively explaining products is often a challenge for designers, creators and makers, but presenting our creations in a compelling and relevant way is key.
For example, if you notice more than one customer wearing your belt over coats instead of dresses, consider including this option as a styling tip or showing it in an image.
Customer feedback and user-generated content can be an incredible inspiration for effectively presenting your offer.
Here’s the bottom line. When selling online, ask yourself:
What context are we creating for our products?
What experience are we designing for our customers?
First, think of how you can convey a sense of your product, customer benefits and brand DNA in a digital environment. Then, aim to orchestrate all the different components harmoniously.
Take every opportunity to create meaningful customer experiences in your physical stores, digital presence, and every other point of contact with your audience. If you do so, your customers will love your brand even more!
Francesca – Armonica Studio
Francesca is the creator of Armonica Studio, a marketing consultancy focusing on strategy and communication. She is a Brand Strategist, a Communication Consultant, and the creator of The Armonica Blog: Marketing Insights And Actionable Tips For Creators And Makers. She currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
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