Selling products doesn’t not only require you to learn about the products you want to sell – no. It also requires that you learn about the buyer. Every buyer usually is in a buying cycle. Some of them will take longer to buy a product, while others take a shorter time to do so and even become loyal customers.
If you are an eCommerce website owner, reading about online payment processing is not enough. You also need to know about the buying cycle –from when a prospect is scrolling online to when they receive the package. In this article, we’d like to help you understand the eCommerce purchase cycle and your role at every stage.
Read further to learn more.
Awareness
The first level of the buyer’s journey is knowing they need something. Typically, the buyer doesn’t know what product will solve their problem at this stage. They are open to different solutions and will research to identify the best ways to solve the problem.
Your role here is to reach out to them using SEO, social media, referrals, blogs, and PPC campaigns. It also means that you need a proper content strategy to achieve this.
Consideration
During the research, the customer will begin to understand the best solution for their problem. They will consider which product will best solve my need, affordability, and durability. At this stage, your work is to provide adequate information on why your product is the ideal solution for their problem.
The information you give should include benefits and your product’s uniqueness. Before they go to the next stage, they will read several reviews, both on-site and off-site reviews.
Decision
At this point, most clients already know what they need. If you provide adequate information, they will consider purchasing from you first because you are trustworthy. The buyer will also gather more information from your product page to identify whether it’s the right product for them.
Your role is to explain in detail why your product stands out from the rest. You can be brand-specific here and show your competitive advantage.
Purchase
You already have them in your net. The buyer will buy the product from you since it fits their needs. As the site owner, ensure that the buying process is easy and the price of your product is reasonable.
Besides that, ensure that you display the product’s cost, a clear product image, and the shopping cart. Avoid adding distractions to the checkout process, as it can make them go for your competitor.
Loyalty
You don’t want the customer only to be a one-time buyer. Therefore, keep in touch with them and provide information (product manuals) they need for using the product. Ensure that your customer support is available and easy to reach.
If possible, create a section where they can give an honest review of the product. Buyers that love your product will endorse it to their friends and will come back when they need another one from you.
