Customers looking for multiple channels from retailers for holidays
As ecommerce continues to grow, retailers are having to adapt to these changes as customers' expectations evolve. Recent research has revealed that for the upcoming holiday season, more customers are going to be purchasing items and gifts online, and for this reason, they will prefer retailers that provide multichannel options both for shopping and service issues. Additionally, if businesses fail to implement these methods into their existing operations, they run the chance of losing out to competitors, as patrons turn elsewhere to find what they are looking for.
Social media, live chat coming to the forefront
When it comes to buying products from retailers through the internet, customers are starting to prefer having other digital resources available to them as well. According to a recent survey by LivePerson Inc., customers are increasingly using social media networks to interact with merchants. Forty percent of respondents stated they will use sites like Facebook and Twitter throughout the holiday shopping season to reach out to businesses by tweeting or posting comments on pages.
Mobile devices are also becoming more common for browsing and purchasing items, and shoppers are using mobile applications and optimized websites to access retailers' online storefronts. Of the consumers who said they will use these tools for the holiday season, 50 percent stated it is important that merchants have these resources available for mobile-connected customers.
When it comes to digital components for holiday shopping, live chat options seem to be the most vital for customers, both online and by mobile devices, the survey revealed. Forty-five percent of consumers surveyed prefer live chat for dealing with service issues. The majority of patrons who have used live chat in the past (94 percent) said they will use it again to get the help they are looking for.
"In order to provide the most compelling online shopping experience possible, it's essential that businesses understand how consumers are interacting with brands online during the holiday shopping season," said Jeremy Sokolic, head of marketing at LivePerson. "By intelligently connecting with online visitors, at the right time and through their preferred channel, businesses can exceed consumer expectations this holiday season, enabling them to drive more conversions and greater customer loyalty as a result."
Adapting to multichannel operations
The survey's results help to highlight the importance that retailers offer these digital forms, not just for the holiday season, but for overall operations. Retail Week states that instead of merchants creating channels for their shoppers, businesses should listen to what their customers want. Additionally, constant improvements need to be made, as consumer expectations will change with technology.
