Article

Ecommerce Personalization: 7 Ways to Make New Customers Feel Valued and Return

What if you could give each of your customers a completely personalized shopping experience that only shows them the products they’re interested in?

With ecommerce personalization tools, it’s as if an automated salesperson is working for your website, constantly analyzing the products your customers are looking at, and saying “Here are more related items that you’ll probably like.”

Personalization also has a significant impact on customer loyalty and retention by offering a more intimate and thoughtful shopping experience. According to one study, 49% of customers said they would become repeat buyers if they were offered a personalized shopping experience.

Because your customer received personalized recommendations that matched their interests, they’ll be more likely to find products they love and continue shopping with you.

In this article, we’ll focus on ecommerce personalization strategies and actionable steps you can take to improve customer retention and drive more sales for your Shopify store.

What is ecommerce personalization? What does it look like for the customer?

Ecommerce personalization is the practice of delivering hyper-personalized shopping experiences to customers based on their unique browsing behavior, preferences, and purchase history.

Think about it this way: the more personalized your store’s website will be, the longer each of your customers will spend in the store, increasing their likelihood of buying products.

In one study, 80% of business leaders said that customers spent 34% more on average when offered a personalized shopping experience.

Here’s a scenario of ecommerce personalization: Sarah visits a Shopify store that specializes in natural skincare products. She browses various categories but seems particularly interested in moisturizers. LimeSpot’s smart algorithms recognize this pattern and begin displaying related items she might like.

When Sarah returns to that website the next day, the homepage features personalized recommendations, like top-rated moisturizers, based on her previous browsing history.

Meanwhile, another consumer, John, is visiting the store for the first time and doesn’t see recommended items yet. However, as John continues interacting with the store, LimeSpot will quickly learn his preferences and begin adjusting product suggestions in real-time.

Through ecommerce personalization, you essentially offer different browsing experiences to different people simultaneously, which increases customer dwell time and conversion rates.

7 strategies for mastering personalized user experiences 

Imagine that you could give each one of your Shopify store’s visitors a completely custom and unique browsing experience. Do you think that would keep potential customers on your website longer? You bet! 

Today, thanks to new tools like LimeSpot, Shopify merchants have the power to create online storefronts that are dynamic, meaning they adapt and display different products for each visitor who interacts with your website.

Let’s delve deeper into the key strategies and features of ecommerce personalization apps, and how they can improve conversions and customer retention.

1. Understanding your customer’s behavior

By getting to know your customer's preferences and shopping habits, you can personalize their experience and make them feel understood. 

For example, if you operate a sustainable clothing Shopify store and notice a trend where customers frequently buy bamboo socks after purchasing hemp t-shirts, you can use this data to suggest bamboo socks to similar customers in the future. This enhances their shopping experience and helps improve your conversion rate by promoting relevant products.

Actionable steps:

  • Use analytic tools to monitor customer behavior and identify buying trends
  • Apply this data to recommend similar products to customers, using tools like LimeSpot for efficient results

2. Personalized product recommendations

Offering customized product suggestions not only drives additional sales, but also promotes customer loyalty. 

If a customer has shown interest in your organic skincare line, recommending related products like organic cotton face towels or a natural skin toner increases the potential for additional purchases, thus boosting your conversion rate and encouraging repeat business.

Actionable steps:

  • Analyze past purchases and browsing history to create personalized product suggestions
  • LimeSpot’s personalized engine can automate this process, improving recommendation accuracy

3. Real-time personalization

Adapting the shopping experience in real-time can dramatically reduce bounce rates and keep customers engaged longer by showing them products they’ve shown interest in. 

For instance, if a customer of your ethical grocery store typically buys gluten-free pasta but suddenly starts exploring the vegan cheese section, dynamically update your suggestions to show a variety of vegan cheeses. This creates a highly relevant shopping experience, increasing the likelihood of a purchase and fostering customer loyalty.

Actionable steps:

  • Use real-time analytics to adapt to changes in customer behavior during their shopping session
  • LimeSpot offers real-time personalization capabilities to ensure relevance at all times

4. Personalized emails

Personalizing your email communications makes customers feel valued and has been shown to improve click-through rates. 

For example, sending an email about the benefits of fair-trade coffee to a customer who's shown interest but has yet to make a purchase can not only nudge them toward conversion but also strengthen their relationship with your brand, increasing the chances of their return.

Actionable steps:

5. Personalized user interface

Personalizing your website’s layout and product selections based on customer preferences can increase customer engagement and keep them on your site longer (dwell time), thereby increasing the likelihood of conversions. 

For example, if a returning customer frequently buys eco-friendly baby products, presenting a homepage layout featuring these items during their next visit will make their shopping experience smoother, enhancing their satisfaction and the probability of repeat purchases.

Actionable steps:

  • Customize the site layout and product displays based on customer preferences and past interactions
  • LimeSpot allows for personalized user interfaces to enhance customer engagement

6. Rewarding loyalty

Rewarding customers for their loyalty encourages repeat business, improving customer retention rates. 

If a customer regularly purchases your range of organic essential oils, offering loyalty rewards or discounts on these products not only incentivizes future purchases but also helps forge a long-lasting customer relationship.

Actionable steps:

  • Implement a loyalty program offering rewards or discounts for repeat purchases
  • Connect this with your personalization strategies for increased effectiveness

7. Seamless checkout experience

Streamlining the checkout process can significantly reduce cart abandonment, leading to improved conversion rates. 

Remembering customers' preferred shipping and payment options, or offering a one-click checkout for returning customers can create a satisfying shopping experience, fostering customer loyalty and encouraging return visits.

Actionable steps:

  • Streamline your checkout process, eliminating unnecessary steps.
  • Offer guest checkout options, saving customer details for future purchases.
  • Incorporate trusted payment gateways, ensuring the checkout process is secure and quick.

Download LimeSpot today!

Experience the power of ecommerce personalization firsthand with LimeSpot, a data-powered personalization platform for Shopify.

Drive repeat purchases by offering hyper-personalized shopping experiences for every individual customer who visits your store.

Download your free trial of LimeSpot to create a personalized shopping experience that converts, with a 12-28% average revenue increase, a 5% boost in average order values, and a 2-5X conversion improvement.

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