Following on from our recent invite to attend the Sorted Retail Sessions, we thought it would be interesting to explore further. As we tentatively exit the pandemic, retail eCommerce faces something of a dilemma. Namely, “How do we keep the good times rolling?”. Yes, there are now alternatives in going out to shops and falling back into habitual buying patterns. So, what to do about it?
Experience, experience, experience
While it is true that our co-founder, Steven Cozens, referred to the human brain as ‘the ultimate slouch’, he means it. “It’s all about the customer experience. If you over-index on it and know exactly where to focus, you make it easy for the brain. The brain relies on a myriad of shortcuts for self-preservation and slick retail eCommerce supports that”.
It’s no longer “location, location, location” but “experience, experience, experience” that will differentiate. Most importantly, you need to do something to pull customers away from their old habits. Ultimately, for many people it is difficult to replace or replicate the experience of bricks and mortar retail. The best we hope to achieve is to make experiences as customer-centric and ‘frictionless’ as possible.
Retail eCommerce had it good
The trend towards online shopping was building apace before the pandemic. Millennials and Gen-Z are already avid users of eCommerce through websites, apps and social media. Steven notes that, “Imagine the cognitive load on the brain for people not as familiar with eCommerce having to adjust during lockdowns. Choosing a retailer, finding what you need, comparing prices, creating an account, completing the transaction and then waiting for an undefined post-purchase experience. In this case, the need outweighed the want and so people forced themselves through it. That ‘hassle’ is now removed now that shops are open again.”
So, have the good times deserted retail eCommerce now that there are alternatives? Have online retailers truly rested on their laurels? How have the hybrid retailers adapted? The answer is mixed, and in some cases disappointing. Having had 15 months of unusual trading and consumer behaviour, it feels like some still have work to do. Steven agrees, noting that “Despite a huge effort around digital transformation, it doesn’t always ‘feel’ like customer experience is a focus. For those who spent time understanding their CX and relentlessly focussed on it, it will stand them in good stead. After all, now would seem like a great time to remind people how easy your retail eCommerce journey is.”
How neuroscience enhances customer experience
As a marketing research tool, neuroscience comes into its own here. Where focus groups, interviews and surveys are susceptible to bias, neuroexperience seeks to reduce it. This involves studying CX at every touchpoint and seeking ways to improve responses. Specifically, we seek to increase positive emotional and physiological responses to experiences. One element of this is the UX of a platform but it covers the end-to-end contact with customers.
Steven elaborates further by suggesting that, “Subconsciously, retail eCommerce customers desire an easy experience with a low cognitive or neural ‘load’. If we supplement this with positive experiences, we help the reward centre of the brain put a ‘tick in the box’. Ideally, we want frictionless experiences that emote in the right way.”
Hybrid retail eCommerce experience
Arguably, the most difficult job is for those with both a physical presence and online shopping. Not only did some big retail brands not have the slickest of online experiences but the ‘better’ experience in-store was removed. Steven suggests that, “Some customer experience comes from the people that you interact with at multiple touchpoints. In defence of their business models, hybrid retailers perhaps reluctantly deployed online shopping to defend against eCommerce-only models. When forced to rely on them entirely, it removed a subconscious ‘safety net’ of how to resolve a problem if things go wrong. This may have attached negative feelings towards hybrid retailers.”
There is still time to make sure online is sorted. Retail eCommerce ‘pure-play’ isn’t going away any time soon. Steven adds that, “A fabulous in-store experience, customer-centric after-sales service and a zero-hassle, positive online option are a powerful combination. Hybrid players have a great opportunity to defend their territory with an experience that cannot be matched by online-only players.”
What is happening in retail right now?
The CEO of the British Retail Consortium said of May 2021 retail sales, “Pent-up demand for the in-store shopping experience, as well as the first signs of summer weather, helped retail to the strongest sales growth of the pandemic.” This is great news for the sector after a torrid time, particularly for fashion and furniture that depend heavily on in-store experiences.
The backdrop of this is that online sales remain 39% higher than pre-pandemic levels in May. The pure-play eCommerce players may see this quickly erode in the coming months. Crucially, we know that many people crave socialisation and this is where pure-play struggles. The challenge, Steven adds, is “To remind customers how great your online experience is and how you served them during the pandemic. Now is the time to think about exceptional experiences, retention, loyalty and advocacy.”
There is also a keen interest in parcel tracking, courier systems and post-purchase experience. These software solutions support great online retail experiences and Sorted are a major player with some of the biggest retail brands investing in CX.
Retail, eCommerce and great experiences
Combining our consulting with a range of data and insights offerings means we have the tools to help inform decisions. Furthermore, our neuroscience research tools support with branding, campaigns and great experiences for customers.
If you would like to discuss retail customer experience, simply call us on 01565 632206. Alternatively, why not email sales@think-beyond.co.uk or ask us to call you back when convenient for you.
Finally, why not check out the Retail Sessions Podcast itself on Google Podcasts on either the Sorted Retail Sessions channel or by going directly to the Retail Sessions podcast with Steven.