Growing a business means building great relationships.
There’s plenty to be thankful for when online shops or e-commerce emerged as a viable source of goods for shoppers and as an income source for entrepreneurs. Starting from the dot com boom that began in the mid-’90s, we as consumers gained another platform to shop beyond going to physical stores or using a phone to order from TV infomercials. As years went by, technology fine-tuned the hows and whys of operating an online business but one thing’s for certain is that having good customer relations should always be given importance if one were to become an entrepreneur aiming for success.
We’ve previously talked about the steps on how to open an online jewelry business and now we’re moving on to the topic of how jewelry entrepreneurs should handle customer concerns and maintain good relations with shoppers.
Always keep in mind your website’s user experience
When running an online business, every effort must be made to ensure that a user (i.e. the person visiting and browsing a website) has an easy time finding and navigating his/her way around the site. Right from the get-go, upon hitting the homepage, the jump from one section to another should be seamless. This can be achieved by a layout that’s easy on the eyes with links that naturally flow from one to another.
At the browsing stage of the online shopping experience, care must be given to ensure product presentation should be aesthetically pleasing with the graphic and textual elements used matching well with the site’s overall aesthetics. In terms of product photography, items should be presented using great shots as well as the use of props and jewelry display tools that showcase the items on sale in a flattering light. Likewise, product categories should be properly labeled and sorted for easy discovery and navigation.
At the point of purchase, customers should be presented with several payment options that are easy to fulfill and reliable. Upon confirmation of order and payment, shipping information should be provided to awaiting customers.
Provide 24/7 customer support through live chat
Customers are more likely to stay with a brand if they know they are being listened to and their issues are being resolved. This requires quick attention to queries that come in through the business’ channels. Fortunately, today’s digital landscape affords brands to have several means to respond to their customers. Aside from providing a direct chat feature on the company website to handle customer concerns, social media’s interactive nature allows for businesses and institutions to respond to user comments and complaints on their official pages. Even attaching a small info card with your contact details to every purchase helps people know that you can be counted on for assistance when asked.
Another perk to having an always-ready customer support system in place? Inquiries about products made through such channels have higher conversion rates.
Create content that will benefit your customers
Providing help and guidance extends beyond the business’ customer support channels. This could also mean providing helpful resources in the form of articles, videos, and clips on your online jewelry shop’s website. These content types can be used to provide jewelry trivia, product guides where you highlight specific items in your collection, as well as after-sales service where you can provide advice on the proper care and storage of jewelry. Content could also come in the form of styling advice or tips on how to best wear jewelry for different occasions. Likewise, the same content can also be shared on the brand’s social media pages to expand its reach.
Such initiatives when done consistently and sincerely can be effective means of helping build good customer relations.
Hold contests or giveaways as a form of gratitude to customers
Gifts are a great way to promote goodwill towards customers, both old and new. For one, it’s a way to give thanks to long-time customers, at the same time it’s also a nice gesture to attract potential buyers to the shop. Simple contests can be conducted through the brand’s social media pages to encourage followers to join while opening opportunities to a wider audience to participate as well.
Discounts and giveaways are also effective for fostering good customer relations, because who will turn down gifts and reduced prices? Offerings such as discount codes and e-vouchers can be given out through the site, online newsletters, and social media. Your best bet is to give them away during shopping holidays (Black Friday, 11.11), your own shop’s anniversary celebrations, as well as special occasions.
Incentivize brand loyalty with points they can exchange for perks and benefits
Another form of gift-giving is implementing a system of points earning where purchases earn the shoppers points which they can exchange for material rewards or experiences. This can be set up with an app or even a physical card that stores every point earned. The bigger the number of points, the bigger the reward. This can be accomplished through partnerships with other merchandisers or establishments that would serve as sponsors for the rewards.
These are just a few ideas to consider when implementing customer relation-building initiatives for your shop. Just remember to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and think of the ways you would want to be appreciated by a shop or brand you’ve been patronizing then start building ideas from there.
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