Top web features that drive e-retail loyalty
The top web site features that currently drive brand loyalty in online shoppers include rich media and personalisation, according to research by Limelight Networks.
The study also confirmed that those consumers who often shop online most frequently value advanced online shopping features more than those who shop online less often.
Indeed, according to Paul Alfieri, vice president of marketing for Limelight Networks, while loyal customers do not only demand speed but they also want more personalised buying environments including rich features such as sophisticated images and illustrative videos, helping them buy with greater confidence.
More than 1,600 online shoppers ranked the importance of various e-commerce features in their decisions to make online purchases and return to the same web sites for future shopping, with the following features ranking highest in their ability to positively impact shopper loyalty:
- Tied for first place were "product images are clear and thorough" and "site search is speedy and productive".
- Tied for second place were "advanced product viewing functionality" (such as 360-degree viewing, seeing all available colours as they would look on the product, and zooming in and out), and "ability to customise products online" (for example, being able to see items of clothing on somebody of similar build to the customer).
- Third was "written reviews from other users of the product".
- Fourth was "the site recognises me".
- Fifth was "the site recalls my billing and shipping information".
Key rich media factors The study found that more frequent online shoppers (defined as those who said that in addition to holiday shopping, they make online purchases more than once per month) ranked rich media functions as "extremely" or "very" important more consistently than all other respondents.
The following are rich media features that consumers found to be extremely or very important in their decision to stay and purchase from a site, and to return to the same site to purchase again:
- Product photography is clear and thorough: 94% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 84% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Allows me to customize products online: 79% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 65% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Advanced product viewing functionality: 76% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 68% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Video demonstration of required assembly or installation: 49% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 35% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Video demonstrations of the product in use: 46% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 30% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Video product reviews from actual customers: 46% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 33% of those who shop online only once a month.
Key personalisation factors Online buyers also ranked the presence of dynamic content such as personalisation as a critical component to the online shopping experience. Again, the more frequent online shoppers value personalisation more than those who shop online less often. Consumers surveyed ranked the following personalisation features as extremely or very important in their decision to stay and purchase on the site and return to the site to shop again:
- The site automatically recalls my billing and shipping information: 73% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 59% of those who shop online only once a month;
- The site recognises me when I come back to visit: 68% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 52% of those who shop online only once a month;
- The site remembers my personal preferences, such as shoe size, aisle seat on an airplane: 57% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 43% of those who shop online only once a month;
- Product recommendations are made based on the items that I have already purchased: 55% of those who shop online more than once a month versus 41% of those who shop online only once a month.
"Based on these findings, marketers and e-commerce storefront operators preparing for the holiday shopping season can increase conversion and shopper loyalty by adding more rich media and dynamic content," concluded Alfieri.
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