Ecommerce stores usually operate under thin profit margins, meaning these stores have to sell tons of goods quickly to turn a suitable profit. The best way to meet profit quotas is to drive repeat customers.

Convincing one-time customers to come back to your store doesn’t have to be a challenging process. As you will find out, post-purchase for customer retention comes down to your website’s overall function and appearance.

In this guide, we’ll explain some helpful tips for creating repeat ecommerce customers the right way.

Why are returning customers so valuable

There are a few reasons why returning customers are more valuable than one-time buyers.

• To begin, it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing one. Next, returning customers spend 67% more than new ones.
• Loyal customers are much less likely to shop around for better deals. They’re also more forgiving if you make a mistake with their order because they know that you’re usually reliable.
• Finally, happy customers will often leave reviews and refer their friends, which can lead to even more business.

How to create repeat customers

As you can see, driving repeating customers back to your online store is not just beneficial, it’s important for your bottom line. With that said, here are some effective ways to improve your customer return rate.

1. Quality user experience

One of the most important things you can do to drive repeat customers is to provide a quality ecommerce user experience (UX). This means your website should be easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing, and fast.

Your website’s design should also be mobile-friendly as more and more people are shopping on their smartphones. According to Oberlo, mobile ecommerce sales accounted for 72.9% of the market share in 2021.

Your site should have a strong call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to buy your products or services. Your CTA could be something as simple as “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now.”

Make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for by using clear and concise product descriptions. You should also use high-quality images to give potential customers a good idea of what they’re going to get.

It’s important to create a seamless checkout process that doesn’t require too much information from the customer. The fewer steps there are, the more likely people are to complete their purchase.

Another way to create return customers is by providing excellent customer service. This means being responsive to customer inquiries and complaints. It’s also important to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

You can further improve your customer service by offering free shipping or returns, especially during the holiday season. You should also send out thank-you notes or coupons to show your appreciation for their business and generate repeat sales.

2. Building trust and loyalty through expertise

If you want to create repeat customers, you need to build trust and loyalty. You can do this by becoming an expert in your industry and demonstrating that you’re the best at what you do.

One way to build trust is by sharing your knowledge through blog posts, infographics, or video content. You can also show your expertise by being active on social media and answering any questions people may have. 

It’s also important to be transparent with your customers. This means being upfront about the prices of your products or services as well as any potential shipping delays. 

Finally, always follow through on your promises. If you say you’re going to offer a discount or promotion, make sure you deliver.

3. Unique offers and promos for purchasing again

Another great way to create repeat customers is by offering unique deals and promotions. This could be something like a discount for their next purchase or free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

Additionally, you can offer loyalty programs that reward buyers points when making a purchase. These points can then be redeemed for samples, freebies, or discounts on future purchases. 

You could send out coupons in exchange for users who subscribe to your email list or run a contest where they can register to win products from your store. 

By offering these types of deals, you’re showing your customers that you appreciate their business and want them to come back again and again.

4. Utilize customer profiles for customized messaging

Driving return customers starts with utilizing customer profiles. This means collecting data about your customers so you can send them more customized messages through your store’s content management system (CMS).

You should collect information like their name, email address, and purchase history. You can then use this information to send targeted emails with personalized content. 

For example, if someone buys a dress from your store, you could send them an email a week later with a coupon for 20% off shoes. This is much more effective than sending out generic coupons that everyone on your email list receives. 

Customer profile creation will also allow you to segment your audience so you can better target your marketing efforts.

5. Collect and highlight positive user testimonials

Finally, one of the best ways to create repeat customers is by collecting and highlighting positive user testimonials. These could be in the form of written reviews, video testimonials, or even social media posts.

Make sure you’re highlighting these testimonials in a prominent place on your website or social media pages. You could also feature them in your email marketing campaigns. 

By showing potential customers that other people have had a positive experience with your product or service, you’re more likely to convert them into repeat customers.

6. Make important information easy to find

It’s important to make sure important information like your contact information, shipping details, and return policy are easy to find. You can do this by including links in your header and footer, as well as on your checkout page.

7. Make it easy to create an account

Another way to encourage repeat customers is to make it easy for them to create an account on your site.

This way, they can save their shipping information and have a faster checkout process the next time they visit. You can include a link to your registration page in your header, footer, or on your checkout page.

8. Promote a mobile responsive store

Today, it’s important to have a mobile responsive store. More and more people are shopping on their mobile devices, so it’s crucial that your site looks great and functions well on all screen sizes. If you don’t have a mobile responsive store, you’re likely losing out on potential repeat customers.

9. Make Sure Your Site is Secure

When customers are entering their personal and financial information on your site, they need to know that their data is safe.

Include security seals from trusted organizations like VeriSign and GeoTrust, and make sure your site has an SSL certificate. You can also include links to your privacy policy and terms of use to give customers peace of mind.

10. Ask for feedback

Next, don’t be afraid to ask your customers for feedback. This can be done through surveys, polls, or customer reviews.

Not only will this help you improve your business, but it will also show your customers that you care about their opinion and want to provide them with the best possible experience.

11. Don’t lump all repeat customers together

Finally, it’s important to remember that not all repeat customers are the same. Segment your customers so you can tailor your marketing and sales efforts to each group. This way, you can provide the best possible experience for every customer, which will encourage them to keep coming back.

Create repeat customers with Hostdedi

Building repeat customers starts with having a dynamic online store. If you feel that your current online store creator isn’t up to par, then it may be time for a change. StoreBuilder by Hostdedi allows anyone to build an intuitive online store.

Are you ready to get started? Try StoreBuilder to start selling today.