In an e-commerce marketing strategy, the customer purchase journey is at the heart of your concerns.
As a merchant, one of your main conversion objectives is indeed the purchase. To successfully convert a visitor to your e-commerce site, it is important to implement a series of actions.
What are the best practices for the customer purchase journey? How does the user experience play a central role?
Let’s review this with YATEO, an expert digital strategy agency.
What is the difference between the purchase journey and the customer journey?
In marketing, the purchase journey and the customer journey, although closely related, are nevertheless different. The latter covers a broader reality than the former. The customer journey includes the purchase journey but goes beyond it.
The purchase journey focused on sales
While both journeys share identical phases and use common communication channels, the objectives differ. With the purchase journey, the merchant aims to sell their products or services.
The steps of the purchase journey revolve around the problem-solution duo:
- Problem discovery: The buyer becomes aware of their problem or need. They then search for solutions and begin a phase of gathering non-commercial, purely informative data. They start considering the possibility of purchasing a product but are not yet sure what the problem is exactly or what the best solutions might be.
- Considering solutions to solve their problem: The buyer is now better informed about their problem and potential solutions. They have identified a specific issue and are seeking a specific solution. This phase involves further targeted information gathering. The buyer explores different options and feels the need for more information before making a purchase.
- Evaluating options and deciding to purchase: The potential customer has found a solution to their problem. However, they still want to avoid making a mistake. This final research phase focuses on the product itself through user guides, customer reviews, comparisons, product sheets, maintenance documents, etc.
The customer journey focused on loyalty
The customer journey focuses on the user experience not only before the purchase but also during and after, so the customer wishes to buy again.
The goal is customer satisfaction and optimizing the customer relationship. The merchant prioritizes loyalty and the customer lifetime value.
The customer journey is divided into eight main stages:
- Identifying the need, followed by gathering information;
- Comparing the different offers available on the market;
- Deciding and making the purchase;
- Receiving and using the product;
- Evaluating the product;
- Accessing customer service, especially post-sales support;
- Customer loyalty;
- Recommending the brand.
While the purchase journey ends at the point of online purchase, the customer journey emphasizes the post-purchase experience and product use, which serve as a true lever for customer loyalty.
A satisfied customer will have a much shorter purchase journey next time, as they will directly turn to the same brand, possibly even the same product.
Customer purchase journey: What are the best UX practices?
The user experience (UX) has become one of the key elements of the conversion process in online shopping. It is a factor in engagement, differentiation from the competition, and customer loyalty.
Page load speed
As time goes on, internet users increasingly want quick answers. A page load time of more than three seconds will drive visitors away.
To speed up your page load, limit the use of JavaScript, optimize the size of your images and videos, use caching, and reduce redirects.
Ergonomics
In line with efficiency, provide a satisfying user experience by designing a simple and intuitive interface to facilitate visitor navigation:
- A clear and well-structured site hierarchy;
- Simple CTA (call-to-action) buttons placed consistently in the same locations;
- Structured, clear, and readable content;
- A smooth, simplified, frictionless checkout process.
A responsive website
As two-thirds of internet users search on mobile devices, you cannot overlook the adaptation of your e-commerce site to all types of screens: smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Make sure your e-commerce site is fully responsive.
Content quality
A beautiful, clear, and fast website is a real plus. However, if users don’t find quality content when they land on your page, the purchase journey will stop there.
To convert visitors into prospects, and prospects into customers, you need to offer relevant content.
Create comprehensive and in-depth informational content, as well as engaging commercial or transactional content.
E-commerce site accessibility
Your purchase journey should be adapted to all types of target profiles, including internet users with disabilities.
Pay attention to aspects such as:
- Color contrast;
- Compatibility with screen readers;
- Font size and background color;
- Easy navigation, etc.
Personalization
Visitors like to feel unique. By offering a visitor-centered browsing experience, you create an attachment to your brand. For example, include personalized messages.
Security
Internet users like to know their data is protected and they can browse securely. Make sure to design your e-commerce site with HTTPS protocol.
Also, comply with SSL and PCI DSS standards.
Offering secure payment options is essential as well.
What role does a web development agency play in a successful purchase journey?
Do you want to improve your customer purchase journey? By working with a web development agency, you are entrusting professionals who know exactly how to implement a strong e-commerce strategy.
With the expertise of an agency like YATEO, you benefit from the advice and experience of:
- Expert web developers proficient in various programming languages, allowing them to design e-commerce sites tailored to the user experience;
- SEO specialists who will optimize your website’s visibility;
- Copywriting specialists who will create relevant, converting content;
- Project managers who will help you develop a purchase journey strategy tailored to your target audience and goals.
With YATEO, ROI (return on investment) is the key focus. The priority is to help you build an effective customer purchase journey.
What is the importance of SEPA payment in the customer purchase journey?
Payment is a crucial step in the purchase journey. It is the final stage, where the purchase itself happens. A payment process that lacks fluidity, security, and simplicity can cause prospects to abandon their purchase.
To minimize payment abandonment risks, consider a payment solution that is:
- Secure, especially regarding the protection of banking data;
- Simple;
- Accessible 24/7.
What are the advantages of SEPA Direct Debit?
Have you considered SEPA payments for your e-commerce site? For an e-commerce business, the advantages are numerous:
- Payment security;
- The ability to set up subscriptions;
- Low cost for the merchant;
- Ease of setting up international transactions (37 countries are eligible).
How does SEPA Direct Debit work?
SEPA direct debit is a payment method that:
- Works in a delayed manner;
- Can be reused.
Specifically designed to handle paperless payments between European Union members, the Single Euro Payments Area is reliable and secure.
With SEPA direct debit, the e-commerce company directly debits the customer’s bank account for the invoiced amount. To do this, the merchant must request direct debit authorization from the customer. The bank verifies the provided data and authorizes the company to debit the customer’s bank account.
SEPA Direct Debit with SlimPay
With Open Banking technology, e-merchants can collect both one-time and recurring payments. In just a few clicks, you can receive funds from the customer’s bank account.
How does SlimCollect work? Payment is initiated without intermediaries, from account to account. The customer simply makes the payment directly from their banking app. The payment process is simple, fast, and secure, significantly enhancing the user experience.
As a merchant, you benefit from a highly effective solution to reduce the risk of unpaid invoices since the customer can no longer request a refund once the payment has been approved. Moreover, the funds are immediately available.
All that’s left is to choose the SlimCollect solution best suited to your business! This will optimize your purchase journey at a crucial stage.
