As many marketers are starting to realize, we are in the age of personalization. From the ability to customize shoes, to picking the linings of a suit, countless retailers are getting behind the personalization movement. Not only has this ‘customize-it-yourself’ trend gone viral in the world of commerce, but customers everywhere are starting to demand these one of a kind, unique experiences every day.
With that said, personalizing an online shopping experience can seem daunting; it can also easily go awry without the right tools. So, then comes the question – how do you personalize the shopping experience for hundreds to thousands of customers everyday? The answer lies in your technology. UpSellit, a conversion optimization technology company based in Agoura Hills, CA, specializes in personalizing the shopping experience for the internet’s biggest brands. By leveraging browsing behavior and purchase patterns, UpSellit is able to learn what your customers love, frequently purchase, and flock to in their on-site journeys. This knowledge about your customers makes it easier than ever to customize the experience for each visitor. Here are three ways UpSellit uses product recommendations to personalize the on-site experience with their technology.
1. Highlight Items Frequently Purchased Together
In a product recommendation engine, there’s nothing more valuable than knowing what your customers love. From the moment a customer adds an item to their cart, having the ability to intelligently recommend other ‘Frequently Purchased’ pieces ultimately increases AOV with a simple upsell. What’s more, product recommendation engines like UpSellit’s suggest products that customers are more likely to buy, as opposed to blindly suggesting products that are of no relevance to a customer’s real-time needs.
Instead of suggesting items that are frequently purchased together, some sites recommend items by simply suggesting popular products. While this appears to make sense on the surface, the method is impractical in context. To understand why, imagine an aisle in a store. If all popular items were grouped together, an aisle could easily contain breakfast cereal and motor oil. Just as this is not an appealing combination in a store, it’s not an appealing combination online.
Instead, take the intuitive approach to product recommendations. This not only makes it easier for customers to find items they might not otherwise have seen, but tailors the experience for customers in a way that keeps them coming back for more.
2. Recommend Bundles or Accessories
UpSellit works with many retailers, such as Samsung and Lenovo, that sell consumer electronics like cell phones, televisions, and computers. One way UpSellit’s product recommendations help these businesses is by recommending items and accessories that will supplement what is already on a customer’s radar. By suggesting products that add to the value to a prospective purchase, UpSellit is able to inspire larger purchases.
What’s more, bundles are not limited to electronics, such as a new phone and its case. Rather, retailers of all verticals are able to leverage bundles and accessories to steer their customers in the direction of a larger purchase. If a customer is buying a piece of furniture, consider suggesting an accent piece that complements the first item’s aesthetic. If they’re buying golf clubs, suggest bundling them with a new golf bag, or some tees. Another potent area for this sort of upsell is in online fashion. Retailers can use recommendations to urge customers to ‘complete a look’ or ‘get a set’.
While not all products can be successfully bundled together, many can. Keep the question in mind, “What products would complete this purchase?” Retailers should be mindful in how they combine products, aiming for recommendations that feel natural and organic. Often, the key to a successful upsell is simply suggesting it to a consumer.
3. Allow Customers to Upgrade
In addition to adding a level of personalization to your offerings, allowing upgrades to ‘new and improved’ versions of a product is classic upsell that remains a tried and true way of increasing average order value. Any number of organizations use this tactic, and for good reason: upgrades make customers feel important and increase profitability.
Hotels for example, frequently use the power of upgrades to increase profits while catering to the desires of specific customers. A guest wanting to make full use of the hotel’s amenities may be quite willing to spend beyond the hotel’s base rate for a suite with a jacuzzi tub. Meanwhile, if a guest simply wants a place to hang his hat for the night, there’s little need for such an elaborate room, meaning he’ll pay less. Simply put, offering upgrades empowers consumers and creates a personalized experience while increasing profits. Take note, however, that upgrades are not limited to businesses like hotels.
In ecommerce, practically any business can offer upgrades. UpSellit helps sites determine which of your customers are most likely to upgrade, and uses customized solutions to capture their attention. If you’re having trouble imagining an upgrade for your business, try to adding an element of personalization to your standard products. The only limit is one’s own imagination, so be creative! Consider offering to monogram certain items for a fee. Make exclusive colors or styles available for an upcharge. Offer customers the option to have their item intricately gift
wrapped for a just a few dollars more. Such examples have the power to make your customers feel important while simultaneously raise your AOV.
Conclusion
The ever-changing ecommerce landscape can prove challenging, even frustrating at times. That being said, adding a level of personalization to your site is a great way to set you apart from competitors and increase your AOV. UpSellit specializes in using personalization tools to help ecommerce brands capture attention, reduce abandonment, and make more conversions. Every solution is custom built for each individual site, because in ecommerce, successful solutions are never one-size-fits-all. If you’d like to learn more, head over to the UpSellit website.