It’s hardly news, but it’s worth repeating – online shoppers love the convenience and (often) instant gratification of an ecommerce transaction. What started as a novelty has become an obsession. When we shop online, we truly feel the need for speed. But today, keeping your customer experience slick, speedy and successful is about more than having a lightning fast load time. In this chapter, we’ll explore a few ways to keep things feeling frictionless for the modern consumer as their behavior evolves.
Persistence Pays
The way we shop online is constantly evolving. As of 2022, the majority of ecommerce traffic is coming through mobile devices. We’re shopping on the go – and this means that a lot of product exploration and comparison is being conducted when distraction and interruption are high. As a result, the way that customers use the shopping cart is changing. The Nielsen Norman Group noted that in their research across 49 ecommerce sites, they “frequently observed shoppers using the cart as a holding area to compare items and save products while they continued to shop or for later sessions”. As a result, persistent shopping carts are a must for customer convenience. Shopify cart cookies should last 14 days from the time an item is added to the cart, but to ensure a seamless experience across devices it can be helpful to install an app like Persistent Cart.
Smarter Searching
Next up, an unsung hero of customer experience – a decent search solution. Shopify’s native offering here is still lacking, yet a poor search experience can be incredibly frustrating for your customers and you shouldn’t underestimate its ability to put a shopper off (to the extent that you lose a sale). A customer entering a search term into your store’s search is clearly demonstrating high levels of purchase motivation. As a result, consider investing in a solution like Klevu to unlock next level “mind-reading” abilities to serve up the results your customers are hoping for. Not only does this reduce the pathway to purchase (and minimize customer frustration) it also helps transform high levels of intention into conversion.
Champion Curation
Finally, reduce your customers’ hard work when shopping, by getting canny with your curation. You know your audience, and you know your products. Coming up with smarter ways to catalog and structure your sales offering, to inspire easy selections and speedier adds to cart, is a win-win. Customers are happy they’ve found the perfect item, and your store receives higher conversion rates. Think about seasonal demand, holiday requirements and trending search terms to create collection pages that offer the perfect selection of curated gifts. As a bonus, this can also be a big help when it comes to your store’s SEO.
Why It Matters
Ecommerce success isn’t just about having great products - it’s about making the shopping experience as seamless as possible. Modern consumers expect convenience, speed, and personalization at every touchpoint. By implementing persistent shopping carts, enhanced search functionality, and curated collections, you’re not just reducing friction - you’re creating a store experience that keeps customers coming back.
But the customer journey doesn’t end at checkout. Your post-purchase emails are just as important as the shopping experience itself. A well-designed order confirmation or shipping update can reinforce trust, reduce customer inquiries, and even drive repeat sales.
For more insights on how to optimize your post-purchase emails, check out our blog post on Harnessing the Power of Transactional Emails on Shopify and learn how to turn every email into an opportunity to engage and retain customers.
Enhance Your Shopify Notification Emails with Orderly Emails
To ensure your customer communication is as seamless as your store experience, Orderly Emails helps you customize and brand your Shopify notification emails. Upgrade from Shopify’s default emails to beautifully designed, conversion-optimized notifications that align with your store’s branding.
By improving both the shopping experience and post-purchase communication, you set your Shopify store up for long-term success.