Survey: Don’t ignore online customers post-purchase

What happens after an order is placed is crucial in driving website traffic and revenue.



That’s according to a new study, “Pathways to Loyalty and Post-Purchase Success,” from WBR Digital and Narvar, which reveals that engaging online customers appropriately during the post-purchase phase of their journey is key to building meaningful relationships fundamental to a brand’s success. Ninety percent of the retailers polled in the survey agree that engaging customers after they make a purchase drives new site traffic and revenue.



“The period of anticipation between when a consumer buys a product and when it arrives on her doorstep is the new moment of truth in retail,” said Amit Sharma, founder & CEO of Narvar. “This is a critical opportunity for retailers to continue the conversation and drive retention. As we see in the survey findings, retailers now recognize the value of optimizing the post-purchase experience to not only reduce call center costs and generate incremental revenue, but also to nurture the consumer relationship and build trust for future transactions.”



Key findings from the survey include:



• Eighty-seven percent of retailers agree that providing customers with proactive information about their orders decreases call center volume.



• Retailers identify price, internal resources, and availability as their biggest obstacles to moving forward with post-purchase initiatives.



• Among initiatives studied in the report, recommending new, related products brings the highest value for 40% of retailers.



The findings suggest that in order to overcome major internal challenges to post-purchase strategy adoption, advocates must convince their leadership that the programs will create value — not only for the sake of the customer, or for the sake of customer retention, but for the sake of the bottom line as well.