Online Retail and Conversational Commerce: Why the Two Go Together Today

In the modern era of online retail, conversational commerce has a pivotal role to play. Conversational commerce allows eCommerce stores to connect with customers at every step of their customer journey.

Against those aggressive banners and pop-ups, conversational commerce opens up the doors of dialogue between you and your potential customers. As a result, you can establish a long-lasting connection with them.

Digital and online retail businesses map out their customers’ journey in the following stages:

• Awareness

Awareness is a stage when the consumer realizes that he has a problem. To solve the problem, the consumer hunts the market to discover you in the process.

This is the most important stage in the entire funnel, and conversational tools help you connect to your customers who have just begun their journey and are looking for agencies like you.

• Consideration

The consumer has already conducted preliminary research and learned a bit about your company.

At this stage, they are looking for more information, comparing you with all available competitors, reading reviews, and case studies to either close or abandon the purchase.

Conversational AI helps you break the ice and you can give more information to your customers to help them get to know the offer.

• Decision

So, this is the stage when the consumer will decide to purchase. Do not stay under the impression that as the consumer has arrived at this stage on your laurels, he will make a positive decision. You still need to assure your customer and channel their decisions in the right direction.

Conversational AI will keep the spark of communication on and also strengthen the customer’s decision.

•  Retention

In case you were successful to push your consumer to this stage, it means you have provided all the information that you could. However, you must not stop here.

It is time that you take care of all your customers who have arrived at this stage and try to retain them for future purchases.

Let conversational AI help you send personalized messages from time to time and respond to feedback if any.

By now you are probably convinced how conversational commerce helps you grab the attention of your customers toward your brand and increases the credibility among future consumers.

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Let us now see the benefits of conversational commerce for your online retail brand.

1. Reduce cart abandonment

70% of shopping carts are abandoned due to various reasons. While it is a serious issue, we must work on the root cause of the problem.

One of the primary reasons that people do not finalize their purchase is the high shipping costs. On top of it, customers are discouraged when they have to create an account and undergo a confusing checkout process.

So, how does conversational AI help you reduce cart abandonment?

• Brands can leverage the technology and send proactive greeting messages to customers via live chat. They can offer support to the customers to fill out any forms required and complete the purchase.
• Use social media checkbox Plugin: Social media plugins allow the brand to detect active sessions on the platform and connect with users who have finalized their orders. Brands can offer discounts to add more incentives to their purchase.

 2. Close potential deals faster

Support your customers using the power of conversational commerce. As 49% of the customers love the option of messaging over a phone call, conversational AI helps to close the deal faster. You can:

• Send customized live chat greetings.
• Use a chatbot on the checkout page
• Use chatbot reminders.

3. Direct messages to support consumers

Your brand may have easy-to-understand products but when a few products have complex features, direct messages through conversational AI will let you reach out to your customers.

4. Collect feedback

Collecting feedback from your customers is essential, and when you do it through natural conversation, it is much more effective.

5. Offers cross-selling and upselling opportunities

Conversational AI helps you with cross-selling and upselling opportunities that double your profits by retaining old customers. Technology helps brands connect with an old customer through a messenger chatbot.

That said, some of the popular types of conversational AI you can use an online retail brand are live chat, chat bots, messaging apps, and voice assistants. Identify the kind of conversational AI that works for your organization and leverage the power.

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Rounding Up

Conversational commerce allows online retail stores to connect with customers throughout their buying journey. All online stores can leverage this facility to sell products and services during conversations. Brands must remember that conversational commerce will work for them only when it is tailored according to the needs of the consumers. Do it right to get the best results.