What’s On The Inside Isn’t All That Counts – 4 simple steps to put the magic into online shopping
I ordered a book online earlier this year and eagerly checked my post box daily waiting for it. Two weeks later, nothing. No contact to say it had been delayed. No email to say my order had been dispatched or even received. No reply to my email politely asking them where my book was. Fast forward over four weeks before my book finally arrived (it must have been an arduous trek from Sydney to Tasmania.) The anticipation of the read was definitely diminished because of the wait and the lack of service.
It got me thinking, with so much trade happening online these days what are retailers doing to contribute to the excitement of the experience? I’ve surveyed a few friends of mine in retail and I’ve come up with a few ideas.
1. Email your client when they make their order (either have this automated or shock horror do it manually) and let them know:
- When they can expect their order
- When it will be shipped
- How it will be shipped
- And if you can, make it sound like a human wrote the email
2. Inject a bit of personality into your order. We often send out our orders from www.unleashedknowledge.com addressed to “Fabulous Jody Smith” or “Rock Star Robin”.
This comment left on a blog shows (think free publicity for your company) the impact this tiny gesture can have:
Saturday, June 28, 2008
I got wowed!
Today I received a package that I had ordered from Kirsty Dunphey.
It cost nothing to address it to me with the title as "The Awesome..." but it made me feel like a million dollars (is that how she got her first million by the time she was 23?).
They also included a mobile phone sock & a CD, but it was the title that made this package memorable.
It made me think how I can make my clients feel extra special ...
Posted by Tony
Friday, June 20, 2008 from tonysideaspage.blogspot.com
3. As Tony mentioned in the point 2 – we like to include some extras when people purchase directly from us. Sometimes they’re cards, a mobile phone sock (a Mock!) or a DVD of me speaking –a nice little surprise (as opposed to a boring invoice) when people open their package.
Bex Gold, founder of the divine range of glamour cleaning products at www.cinderella.com.au told me: “I often add microfibre cloths or stain removal sachets - the feedback from consumers is really positive.”
