We need to change our thinking about the consumer purchasing cycle. The traditional view is that the steps include information gathering, evaluation, making the buying decision and executing the transaction, and finally retaining existing customers. This approach worked in an environment where we as marketers controlled the message, the channel, and the cadence. We needed a way to classify our various communications to know where they fit in the customer's buying cycle. Unfortunately, we no longer control our brand or our marketing because of the proliferation of marketing channels and outlets. For example, it is not that long ago that there was only one commercial television station in the UK, whereas now the number is easily in the hundreds.

It is a cliché to say that we should treat our customers in the same way that we ourselves want to be treated. It is a cliché because it is both true and blindingly obvious. Interestingly, it almost never happens. I propose as a start that we shift how we think about the buying cycle to a more consumer-centric approach. 

• Consumer – Everybody that could possibly ever stumble across your company, whether this is intentional or not. People in this phase may or may not have identified that they have a problem or desire that they need solving. 
  
  
• Shopper – People who have decided to start researching solutions and looking for alternatives. In the days before the internet, this actually involved going to the shops and talking to somebody.
  
  
• Buyer – Shoppers that have not only decided to make a purchase but have also decided to purchase from your company. 
  
  
• Customer – After the transaction, buyers want validation that they made the right decision. This can come in the form of the out of the box experience (think Apple), support, and or long term benefit.

This may seem a subtle shift, but it is an important one in that we start thinking about what the customer needs at each of these stages rather than developing content and marketing tactics that tick the boxes. Additionally, this shift in thinking highlights another change that I think many retailers have missed. Relative to the whole process, consumers now spend much less time shopping than they do buying.

No longer do people have to go to a bunch of shops to look at products or spend hours of time on car showroom floors getting details about the cars. All of that can be done online from the comfort of their own homes. By comparison, the buying process has become increasingly important, which is even more so when coupled with what happens after the transaction. 

Your new customer may have little or no experience of you or your brand. What happens during the checkout process and in the period immediately afterwards can go a long way towards validating the customer’s decision.

The Hitting the Checkout report released last week by dotAgency sister company dotCommerce looked at a sample of 20 of the UK’s leading online retailers across four categories and assessed each against 24 criteria. None of the retailers assessed scored less than half marks as you would expect from the country's top retailers but the average was just 68%, so none of them are hitting for six either.

Generally, the retailers are meeting best practices when it comes to the ecommerce process but are not doing the things that will help the customer validate their purchase decision, build long term relationships, as well as cross sell and up sell. Only 82% sent order confirmations and a paltry 17% sent any post sale emails within ten days of purchase.

Both of these are easily accomplished using trigger campaigns. Most email platforms will let you trigger campaigns off of certain events (e.g. a purchase), a particular time (e.g. birthday greetings), or both (e.g. a set amount of time after an event). Examples of how they can be used to develop a relationship with a customer who has purchased online include:

• Abandoned Shopping Cart – Triggered by a shopping cart not being purchased within a set amount of time of creation. This is an excellent opportunity to add value to the relationship by overcoming what caused the basket to be abandoned.
  
  
• Thank You – Triggered a set amount of time after the order confirmation. The primary reason to send this is because your mother taught you to say thank you. It also provides an excellent opportunity to offer complementary products and services. Lastly, this is a great way to bridge the gap between when the order is placed and when the product ships.
  
  
• Welcome – Can be triggered to start after the product is received or can include a shipping confirmation. This email or series of emails can include tips and tricks, how to’s, frequently asked questions, support details.
  
  
• Customer Satisfaction Surveys – Again, triggered to a time that makes sense for your business or if you are interested in knowing the satisfaction of your purchase process or the satisfaction of the products.

Skip Fidura
dotAgency