There was a great article called “Rescuing the E-Commerce Deal When the Customer’s Walking Away” published last week at the Ecommerce Times featuring a quote from MarketNet.

The following is an excerpt from the beginning of the article:

‘Nothing is as heart-wrenching to an e-tailer as watching a customer abandon a full cart just seconds before consummating the deal. To be so close yet so cashless is more than frustrating; it’s harmful to an e-tailer’s health. A virtual armory of tools are in use to woo, cajole, prompt and push consumers to make the buy — but are they working, or are they turning even more customers away?
“Most fall woefully short,” Matthew Brown, senior director of e-commerce and interactive marketing at MarketNet, told the E-Commerce Times. “Instead of focusing on using tools and technologies to help the customer, much more thought and time needs to go into Web site architecture in the first place.”‘

My response to the question at hand was actually much longer . . .

“Today’s eTailers constantly look for new tools to “assist” with the online customer service experience, but most fall woefully short.  Instead of focusing on using tools and technologies to help the customer, much more thought and time needs to go into web site architecture in the first place.  Amazon is a prime example of an eTailer that “gets it.”  Amazon provides highly detailed product descriptions, multiple photographs, previews of book content (a.k.a. The tease), support from customer generated content in the form of reviews, and detailed yet concise shipping information on almost every page of the shopping experience itself.  As a result, Amazon has me “captured.”  I’ve never had to email them, never had to call them, and certainly have never had to engage in online chat for any type of support.

The cost involved in implementing these shopping tools is high, and the training (and retention) costs are even higher over the long term.  If more eTailers would invest the funds back into a rich site experience, where a customer doesn’t require help, that is the optimum situation – and will ultimately result in higher ROI.”

Some eTailers in the article provide examples of services like online chat or emailing abandoned basket content back out to a customer.  I personally consider both somewhat invasive, especially in the case of chat if I (in my consumer shoes) do not initiate it.  Pete Olson, Vice President of Product Management at Amadesa closely echo’s my main point – look at the fundamental functions of your site closely, and optimize all facets from the point of view of the consumer.

As an avid online shopper, the list below details what I consider to be helpful in “closing the deal” when it comes to finalizing my purchase:

1.  Brand Trust – I tend to shop sites that I’m familiar with or that have been recommended to me.  The last part of that statement is powerful – sites “that have been recommended to me.” Right, social networking has already crept into my influencing equation.  If I have friends that I trust that have had positive shopping experiences, I will most certainly take their advice and at least review the sites for my needs.

2.  Product Reviews – Many eTailers are hesitant to add product reviews on-site as they are afraid of negative reviews.  My stance is that consumer opinion will be spread whether an online product has reviews, or people conversing about the products themselves.  eTailers need to remember that negative or false reviews should be looked upon as an opportunity to re-examine the product in question for problems, or to directly address a false review with positive information.  This is a case of customers influencing customers – i.e. virtual word of mouth.  If you are proud of your products, and stand behind them with integrity, there should be nothing but benefit realized by implementing consumer product reviews on-site.

3.  Clearly Defined Shipping Policies – This simply could not be easier to implement.  Quick check – Zappos, free shipping.  Target, free shipping (with few conditions).  ToysRUs, free shipping (with few conditions).  I could go on and on.  These three retailers in particular “get it.”  I only needed to go to each site’s homepage to know what basic shipping charges are.  Is this really so difficult to implement properly?

4.  Useful On-Site Search – As an online retailer, the choice you make for your site’s search functionality should never be underestimated, but it almost always is.  We must consider that a consumer performs a search using terms THEY think of when describing a product they’re looking for.  Retailers often use “romance language” in product merchandising copy, presenting a huge obstacle for human beings who are performing natural language searches.

I just went to a site known for a wide variety of watches, and searched the phrase “red mens watch.”  Sounds simple enough, right?  Unfortunately it’s not so cut and dried.  The search results returned to me contained 9 total hits, but only 5 of those had any red on the watch whatsoever.  After doing a manual count within all of the company’s categories, I found 20+ mens watches that filled my criteria. Online retailers need to realize that choosing the correct on-site search is an imperative part of a successful Ecommerce system – not simply an afterthought.

5.  Prior Positive Experience – The majority of today’s eTailers cannot survive on one-time purchases.  That’s where retention marketing tactics like outbound email promotions are imperative in cultivating a relationship between the buyer and seller.  A positive experience from my perspective begins with the overall on-site shopping experience, and does not end until I receive my package.  I expect my goods to be packaged at least as well as they would have been at a physical store, just as I expect an EASY return process if I am not satisfied with my order – for any reason.

To sum things up blatantly – GET IT RIGHT!

In all seriousness, eTailers will make great strides in closing the sale AND retaining a customer if they closely adhere to #2-#5 in my list.  However, #1 – “Brand Trust” must be EARNED.

Through a combination of customer feedback in the site architecture process, a customer-centric view of the overall web site functionality, and a true passion for customer service, a retailer can not only succeed today, they can make a long lasting impact on consumers just as Amazon, Zappos, and a few others who do it “right” have made on me.