Notes

Any time I make a return on Amazon, I end up sharing some level of detail about why I didn't hang on to the item. I always hope the feedback makes its way back to the seller and if it's an issue, they can find ways to improve.

I don't think we spend enough time talking about returns when brands are looking to optimize their e-commerce websites. As important as it is to talk to your customers to understand their wants, needs, and desires, returns can shed light on actionable opportunities to improve.

Here are a couple of scenarios:

• Most protein powders arrive with a big open space at the top of the container. Customers return the product saying it's defective and they didn't get enough. The truth is, the powder settles and that's how every container arrives. So, make sure every customer knows what to expect before they buy!
  
• A brand sees their boots being returned at an uncomfortably high rate, but about half of the customers buy a bigger size. When they add a question to the return process, they learn that most customers wear the boots in colder months with thick socks. They fit fine, but they need the extra room to be comfortable. So, make sure every customer knows to size up if they're thick-sock lovers!

What was the last return you made? Was it a product issue or something that could have been prevented with an update to the website pre-purchase?

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 167 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

There was a time when every new client we worked with was looking for a quiz. It didn't matter what they were selling. They thought a quiz "like BuzzFeed" was just what they needed to lift sales. They know better now.

Quizzes can be great tools for engaging customers and simplifying their decision-making process. However, they're typically best suited for extensive product categories with multiple variations and specific use cases, such as beauty, skincare, or food.

When a quiz feels like overkill, creating a product comparison chart can often have the same impact. Comparison charts are ideal for products like tech gadgets and furniture, allowing customers to easily compare features, measurements, and materials side by side.

While these two tools can coexist, less is often more! Offering too many features may overwhelm customers and divert them from purchasing.

We're currently working with a client whose catalog includes three variations of the same hero product with several accessories. Their website has a quiz AND comparison chart. When you take the quiz, you end up on a comparison chart. The quiz gets more traffic than the comparison chart, but neither feature gets much love or drives conversion.

With so few products, this client will be better off highlighting what makes each variation unique and integrating a comparison chart in as many touch points throughout the website as possible. Customers will quickly understand what makes sense for them without having to answer any questions or be asked for their email addresses.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 166 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

I was chatting with a client last week who sells mostly in retail and Amazon rather than their own e-commerce channel. They mentioned a recent product launch and how they plan to drive customers to Amazon to purchase the product. Their decision had to do with getting better margins via Amazon.

There's been a lot of chatter about Amazon's new integration with Shopify via Buy With Prime and this couldn't be a better use case. Rather than driving traffic to Amazon, our client can offer the benefits of Amazon Prime to customers through their own website. Given their sales channels, understanding their customers has always been a challenge. Buy With Prime would give them access to customer data for every purchase, which is not available through Amazon, making it easy to re-market to them for upcoming launches, discounts, and more.

In case you missed it: Amazon launched its Buy With Prime Shopify app today! Learn more. For more information on Buy With Prime, check out my post here.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 165 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

The team and I were looking at the subscription side of a client's business today and noticed a trend: sharp drop-off from the first to the second month of a subscription. We often see this when customers can get a discount for subscribing. Instead of making a one-time purchase, they subscribe and cancel.

While this is considered "normal," all hope is not lost. While most customers aren't likely to let you in on their little scheme, it's always worthwhile to ask subscribers what led them to cancel. These insights can serve as valuable puzzle pieces to improve the subscription experience and maintain customer engagement.

While there are numerous tactics to address this issue, one approach emerged from our discussion today: use the start of a customer's subscription to re-educate them on why they subscribed and the benefits of doing so.

Here's how to put this into action:

1. Initial Welcome Email: As soon as a customer subscribes, send them a warm welcome email. Remind them of the key reasons they subscribed and the value they'll receive from the service or product. Make it clear that you're here to make their life easier.
2. Regular Communication: Throughout the first month, send a series of well-timed emails that highlight different aspects of your product or service. For instance, showcase real-life use cases with success stories or share tips on how to make the most of their subscription.
3. Flexibility and Customization: Emphasize the flexibility your subscription offers. Mention that they can customize their subscription to fit their needs. This can include adjusting quantities, delivery schedules, or even adding new features or products to their subscription.
4. Feedback Loop: Encourage customers to provide feedback during this time. Actively seek their opinions on how you can improve their experience. When customers feel heard, they're more likely to stay engaged.
5. Vacation and Special Circumstances: Make it clear that you understand life can get in the way, and that's okay. If they're going on vacation, explain how easy it is to delay shipments. If they feel they have too much product, guide them on how to adjust their orders or reduce quantities.
6. Personalization: Whenever possible, personalize your messages. Address customers by their name and tailor your content to their preferences and behaviors, such as their purchase history.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 164 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Customer retention is the name of the game in today's competitive landscape. With the ever-increasing difficulty of acquiring new customers, brands are shifting their focus towards keeping their existing customers engaged and coming back for more. We continually see an untapped opportunity in this shift, and it's all about collaboration.

In a blog post I recently wrote for Wonderment, I discuss the benefit of merging the efforts of marketing and customer service (CS) teams to prioritize customer retention, and how Wonderment can help. While marketing traditionally concentrates on attracting new customers, CS teams are in direct contact with the existing ones. They hold the key to understanding what drives customer satisfaction and what improvements can be made.

The numbers don't lie: retaining customers is not only cost-effective but also more profitable. It costs significantly less to retain an existing customer, and they are more likely to try new products and spend more. That's where the magic happens when marketing and CS teams join forces.

Click here to read "How to Bridge the Gap between Marketing & CX teams to Increase Customer Retention" on the Wonderment Blog.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 163 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Our team at Barrel has been working with Recharge for years now, back when it took custom code to do anything unique outside of a traditional subscription program.

Since then, Recharge has taken the time to listen to customers and gather feedback to evolve the platform to address their business needs more effectively.

While their core offering still revolves around subscriptions, Recharge offers more of a complete retention platform aimed at increasing LTV than ever before.

Let's look at an example:

A merchant uses Recharge to design a subscription program where customers can build a bundle to mix and match flavors.

Customers can seamlessly update their subscriptions via the Recharge Affinity portal, swapping out flavors as they want.

The merchant can spin up changes and modify the portal experience in minutes vs. weeks.

While subscriptions are gaining steam, the merchant sees an opportunity to engage their best customers with an exclusive offering. They use Recharge to launch membership, giving customers access to exclusive content, monthly products, and an online community.

As membership takes off, the merchant notices bundle subscribers tend to churn around three months. The merchant needs a way to keep subscribers engaged until month five. They know customers who subscribe for this long tend to stick around.

The merchant taps into Recharge Flows to design a series of automations that recognize the subscriber's place in their journey and keep them engaged, starting with these areas:

They differentiate between subscribers canceling at months two, three, and four with different messaging and incentives to continue subscribing.

They surprise customers with a gift at month three and thank them for subscribing.

They run an A/B test to see if customers prefer the gift or store credit to spend more.

The credit wins out, so they pair it with a targeted upsell, further driving LTV and loyalty.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 162 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Remember when your cell phone felt sacred? A private little world in the palm of your hand. You only gave your number to your inner circle of friends and family.

Times have changed, though. Yes, you get robocalls, but your inner circle now includes the brands you love. You welcome them into your world until they abuse your invitation. They mean well but often come off more like a friend who wants you to know what they're doing every second of every day.

Maybe unlike your friend, there’s still hope for brands. If used and not abused, SMS can be lucrative for brands and valuable for customers.

Here is some SMS automation inspiration to get things rolling, build trust with your customers, and most importantly, maintain a spot in their contact list.

1. Welcome Series: When someone joins your list, send them something to say thanks. Reinforce your story or mission, value prop, and/or hook them up with an exclusive offer.
   
2. Order Confirmation: Give customers peace of mind with an order confirmation, letting them know they're good to go. Don't try to sell them more stuff.
   
3. Abandoned Cart: Remind customers about what they were interested in but left behind. Send one within an hour of abandonment. Depending on the brand, you might follow up with a discount or alternative product later via email if the abandoned cart message doesn't do the trick.
   
4. Upcoming Subscription Order: Let customers know they'll be charged for another order. Some brands shy away from this, worried it will create churn. It actually does the opposite. Give customers a chance to make changes like delaying or pausing. You'll gain their trust, and they'll stick around longer.
   
5. Order Tracking: Don't make customers search through their email to find their order status. Use a tool like Wonderment to keep them up to speed throughout the entire post-purchase experience.
   
6. Order Delivered: Once the order is delivered, help customers get the most out of their purchase with how-to videos. Or make them feel good with content about how it was made or something similar.
   
7. Cross-Sell: I don't recommend asking customers to buy more immediately after their purchase unless it's discounted and/or complementary. Otherwise, wait a few days before you suggest they buy again.

One more thing. Yes, most people love a good discount, but not every. single. day!!! If you want to let SMS subscribers in on exclusive promos or give them early access to new releases, that’s fine. But please, stay chill. Let them miss you.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 160 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

In 2023, product upsells and cross-sells are considered table stakes for e-commerce websites. While most of our clients recognize this, they're not always aware of the many placements available across the website and how to use them effectively.

Before we dig into some placement opportunities, let's align on what we mean by upselling and cross-selling. Both tactics aim to increase AOV and drive revenue while providing more value to the customer.

Upselling: encouraging customers to purchase a higher-end or upgraded version of the product they are considering or have chosen. Example: A customer is looking for a new coffee maker. Upselling techniques drive them to a more advanced model that can make cold brew and tea.

Cross-selling: suggesting related, alternative, or complementary products to customers based on their interests or the product they're considering or have chosen. Example: A customer is interested in buying a new bike. Cross-selling leads them to include a pair of cycling shoes, a bike pump, and a spare set of tires with their purchase.

Top Upselling/Cross-Selling Placements

1. Product Page, Under 'Add to Cart': This is a prime location to suggest complementary or upgraded products to the one the customer is considering. These are often special offers for bundling other products or similar alternative products.
   
2. Product Page Module: It's typically wise to have a couple of different product modules on the product page. One can show related products (usually at the top), the other can show recently viewed products.
   
3. Mini Cart: The mini-cart should have upselling and cross-selling placements under the product in the cart. Don't overdo it, though! Keep it to 2-3 relevant recommendations. Also be sure to include some popular products when the cart is empty. A bonus is including a slide-in or pop-up with add-ons when a customer adds a product to cart.
   
4. Cart Page: Even if you have a mini-cart, the cart page can be good to include for cart abandonment email/SMS. Don't forget to give this page the same love as the mini-cart.
5. Checkout: On the checkout page, display last-minute offers or discounts to encourage impulse buys before finalizing the purchase.
   
6. Order Confirmation Page: Once a customer makes a purchase, suggest related products or add-ons that complement their order. Even better, offer a discount. It's an excellent opportunity to keep the customer engaged even after the sale and drive AOV. Discounted gift cards are also a great tactic here.
   
7. Order Tracking Page: These pages are among the most trafficked on an e-commerce website. Platforms like Wonderment can help make these pages look great while displaying personalized recommendations based on their purchase history or browsing behavior to spark their interest in additional products.
   
8. Email/SMS Follow-ups: Send targeted follow-up emails post-purchase, recommending products related to the ones bought or highlighting popular products in the same category. After a customer has had time to use the purchased item, send a follow-up email suggesting related products based on their purchase and usage patterns.
   
9. Category Pages: Within each category, use similar modules to the product page to show related or recommended products to guide customers to discover additional items within their area of interest.
   
10. Search Results Page: Display suggested products that closely match the search query, helping customers find what they're looking for and potentially discover more.
    
11. "Hello" Banner: Use the banner at the top of the page to your advantage! Promote special offers, bundled deals, or related products to entice customers to explore further on the pages with the most traffic.

Level Up with Personalization

Years ago, we'd use code and tagging to create product recommendations. These days, platforms like Rebuy and Dynamic Yield can use a user's past purchase history, on-site behavior, and other inputs to generate personalized recommendations that will resonate with the customer that much more.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 159 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

I too often see brands overlook the potential of customer data at every touchpoint. This is where Okendo shines.

It was nice to spend time with the Okendo team recently in NYC. I've been continually impressed with how they've grown the platform with features and products that just make sense, all driving toward helping brands build robust customer profiles. More on that soon.

For those curious, here's a common customer journey where Okendo could play a role at every step.

• Customer sees an ad on Instagram. The brand targeted them using data gathered via Okendo.
• Customer visits the website. They love the products but can't decide what to buy, so they take an Okendo Quiz. Brand begins building their customer profile within Klaviyo, capturing their preferences.
• They narrow it down to two products and decide to purchase. They fill out an Okendo Survey post-purchase about their experience. Their customer profile now includes why they bought.
• Once the product arrives, they receive an email prompting them to leave a review. They usually don't make the time, but with Okendo Loyalty (coming soon), they appreciate feeling valued for their purchase and time.
• When they write their Okendo Review, they provide more details about who they are so other customers can relate with them. They even share a photo of them with the product. All of these attributes feed into their customer profile.
• Over the next few weeks, the customer receives Klaviyo automated flows that share content and product recommendations that speak to their interests and preferences.
• The customer becomes hooked. They not only buy more complementary products, they use Okendo Referrals to refer all of their friends to earn cash to buy more.

With every new customer who interacts with the brand, Okendo helps them understand each at a deeper level. All of these inputs helps them fuel more impactful brand, marketing, and product strategy.

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Originally published on LinkedIn. View post here.

Rebuy has been effective for many of our clients, helping them roll out dynamic product suggestions, smart upsells/cross-sells, and post-purchase offers, among other features.

I was chatting with the Rebuy team last week and was excited to learn about their new free plan and use of Shopify checkout extensions.

New free plan: This is a big win for smaller merchants and really any merchant getting started on the platform. Merchants won’t see a bill until Rebuy has generated over $1,000 in revenue. It's nice to see Rebuy standing behind their product with this update.

Unlimited, free use of Checkout Extensions: An effective strategy for upselling and cross-selling is to include relevant products during checkout. Customers are engaged, ready to complete their order, then see a discounted add-on. With one click, their AOV goes up!

Rebuy has made this feature available at no cost via Checkout Extensions to Shopify brands using Plus. Regardless of how much revenue it drives, it's free.

Check out the Rebuy pricing page to calculate estimated ROI and find more details on pricing and other features.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 158 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Throughout my years of designing websites, one issue I see time and time again is that brands often overlook the importance of their website navigation.

Whether you're using a phone or a computer, our research consistently shows that users land on a website, look at the menu, and then move on.

Instead of immediately trying to optimize the content and pages better, we always start work with new clients by thinking about the menu and overall structure of the website. It's not just a tool for users to find their way around; it's a chance for a brand to show them what they're all about and what they offer.

Here's a simple example, if you're a clothing company that cares about being environmentally friendly, make sure your menu highlights what you sell and why you're unique. Here's a simple example: "Bottoms, Tops, Accessories, Sustainability" instead of "Shop, Collections, About, Blog."

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 157 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Early this year, I met with Amazon's Buy with Prime team in person at NRF in NYC. They outlined why Buy with Prime could be a game-changer for our clients. For those unfamiliar, Buy with Prime allows customers to checkout with their Amazon Prime account on a merchant's e-commerce website. While I was intrigued by the potential, it seemed too good to be true for brand selling on Amazon. At the time, it also seemed like setting up Buy with Prime on Shopify websites would be a risk in violating Shopify's terms. One we weren't willing to take.

Despite concerns, we continued conversations with Buy with Prime and even mentioned it to a couple of clients who could be a good fit. Many of these clients raised the same concerns as me. Amazon assured us there hadn't been issues with other Shopify merchants, but this wasn't enough to take the risk.

A few months ago, more Buy with Prime use cases kept coming up while chatting with prospective clients. Eager to see how Buy with Prime could help these merchants succeed, I contacted our Buy with Prime partner manager for an update on the Shopify relationship. This time, he let me in on the exciting news Shopify President Harley Finkelstein announced last week: Buy with Prime was coming to the Shopify app store.

What this means:

• Shopify merchants will be able to install Buy with Prime with a few clicks
• Buy with Prime will be handled through Shopify's checkout
• Buy with Prime transactions will be processed through Shopify Payments

Since hearing the news, I've enjoyed working with Buy with Prime (BwP) on potential implementation for new and current clients. Here are some reasons I'm bullish about Buy with Prime:

1. Amazon Prime trust factor: As a Prime member, I'd be lying if I said I didn't often opt for Amazon over DTC when discovering new products. BwP can encourage shoppers like me to stay on the brand's website to complete their purchase. Amazon order history will even capture BwP purchases, reducing any time spent on customer service inquiries for these orders.
2. Fast, free shipping: Besides the trust factor, I like to shop with Amazon Prime for the fast and free shipping. BwP claims that 55% of shoppers say free shipping is most important when purchasing online. With that in mind, they promise merchants will convert more shoppers by extending this benefit to their customers via their website, lifting conversion by as much as 25%.
3. Customer relationships: It's still hard to believe Amazon is handing over customer data for transactions made via BwP. This opportunity will be huge for nurturing relationships with customers that merchants may have never been able to reach.
4. Customer reviews: Amazon is often a go-to destination for learning what customers think of a product. With BwP, merchants can bring those reviews to their websites to further unify these channels.
5. A/B testing: For those interested, BwP is partnering with VWO to help merchants test the impact of BwP. Key success metrics are conversion % impact, revenue per shopper, average order value, and % of orders through Buy with Prime.
6. Select assortment and pricing: A question that's come up a lot already is around product assortment and pricing and if these have to be the same between Amazon and BwP. The answer is no—merchants can fully own their store offerings without constraints or guidelines from Amazon.

Use Cases

BwP isn't the right move for every merchant. For now, I see the most opportunity for:

• Brands of all sizes who have built their business on Amazon but have struggled to build out DTC
• Brands that primarily sell in retail and on Amazon but have no interest in DTC for several reasons, like the cost of shipping (think: CPG brands) or brands that sell on both but want to grow DTC

Building out DTC: Countless merchants have excelled on Amazon but have been unable to crack the direct-to-consumer channel. There's, of course, a financial motivation to build out DTC, but another is better understanding their customers. Buy with Prime is a game-changer for these merchants. They can launch their e-commerce store and offer customers the same trust and benefits of shopping with Amazon Prime. With full access to customer data, these merchants will have more insight than ever into their customers and the ability to build meaningful relationships through channels like email/SMS. Merchants may launch with all or select products on Buy with Prime but can gradually drive customers to purchase DTC as they build trust.

Unified branded shopping: Amazon made several improvements to its platform over the years, allowing merchants to offer customers more branded experiences; however, it still doesn't come close to what's possible with Shopify. Until now, merchants who opt to sell on Amazon will try to get around this by building a brand experience on a platform like Shopify but still drive traffic to Amazon, even if they offer DTC. We've built experiences like this for countless brands, often in the CPG space. Buy with Prime will help merchants bridge this gap and create one unified shopping experience.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 156 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

E-commerce teams are often fixated on conversion rate. While conversion is, of course, an important metric, don’t miss out on opportunities to drive revenue with engaged customers.

Here are 3 low-hanging fruit opportunities I see brands often miss:

1) Not getting to know the customer

While most brands assume they know their audience, do they really understand them? Assumptions are not enough.

Regular customer calls, "Jobs To Be Done" interviews, and post-purchase surveys aid in understanding customers' wants, needs, and aspirations. The insights from these interactions can help inform targeted improvements.

A good starting point for gathering input is through post-purchase surveys. Fairing offers an effective solution. For those already on Okendo, their survey tool is also a great option.

2) Not cross-selling and upselling dynamically

Upsells and cross-sells may seem like a no-brainer but if they’re not dynamic, the juice may not be worth the squeeze. Upsells and cross-sells should show up throughout the shopping experience, primarily on the product page & cart.

Using tools like Rebuy makes it easy to show dynamic, personalized, and relevant products that the customer will actually be interested in.

Bundling is another strategy for effective upselling. Craft bundles that cater to specific customer interests, such as first-time customers exploring multiple flavors. The better you understand your customer, the more effective bundles can be. Happy customer? Increased AOV? Win-win.

3) Neglecting the post-purchase phase

One of the biggest missed opportunities is post-purchase. The order confirmation page is a prime spot for upsells and cross-sells, enticing customers with limited-time offers. This may be the third time they’ve considered adding the item to the cart, but a discount often seals the deal.

It’s not just the Order Confirmation page that has opportunities. Did you know order tracking pages are among the top five most popular pages on Shopify sites? Elevating order tracking with an on-brand, personalized experience can go a long way with customers and notably increase AOV. We love Wonderment for this.

Don’t lose hope if a customer initiates a return! Again, make this experience feel great and on-brand. Make the return easy, but also re-introduce similar or complementary products for an exchange. Loop simplifies this process.

There’s too much to say about email/SMS to fit in here, but with more data around your customers, you have the power to create robust, automated flows that will keep your customers engaged and deepen your relationship with them.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 155 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Here are some e-commerce trends we're seeing with our clients at Barrel and are working with them to improve on:

1/ Personalization

If you truly understand who your customer is, you can create personalized experiences for them, which will make them more loyal to your company.

For personalization to work, you have to consider what questions you’re asking the customer and what channels you’re using to learn about them:

• Product finders
• Quizzes
• Reviews
• Emails

etc.

This will help you tell the difference between someone buying a ring for their partner and someone buying a ring for themselves.

These are two different customer types. And they’ll need different personalized experiences.

2/ Website speed & performance

Everyone wants things quickly. People are impatient.

If your website is crawling along, they’ll move on. And your conversion rate and AOV will fall.

At Barrel, we test our clients’ websites and analyze how they load scripts, handle third-party apps, etc. to make sure they’re snappy.

3/ Accessibility

It’s amazing how many websites are difficult to navigate or have buttons that are hard to find.

This isn’t just a matter of compliance and following guidelines. Designing your websites to be more accessible makes the buying process easier for your customers.

4/ Reduced environmental footprint

Customers care (or want to care) about the environment — and companies are listening.

Offering customers a discount when they send old products back for recycling is a good example.

Another one is offering a re-sale program where customers can buy and sell used merchandise. Treet makes this pretty turnkey.

Overall, I think these are all good places for businesses to focus their e-commerce efforts — and Barrel is investing in helping our clients do so daily.

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 154 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

No matter how well a product works, there will always be some dissatisfied customers. But understanding what's causing the dissatisfaction can be illuminating. Sometimes, the very qualities that make a product unique might not resonate with specific customers. In such cases, it's less about refining the product; and more about focusing on the right customers.

I've been a Naked Nutrition customer on and off for several years. What I love about their protein powders is their low-to-no sugar, minimal ingredient labels. Sure, there are better-tasting protein powders out there, but you buy Naked Nutrition because it's well... naked.

I appreciated this email newsletter they sent the other day, leaning into what many probably see as poor customer feedback:

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This post originally appeared in Edition No. 153 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.