Customers hate being ‘catfished’ by companies and a massive 80% of consumers admit a consistent post-purchase experience is fundamental to their desire to repeat-purchase, according to new research.
Independent research from Narvar the post-purchase and loyalty experts, reveals that 60% of consumers are more likely to repeat-purchase from a brand or retailer that communicates with them directly after a sale. When a customer is expecting to hear from the brand or retailer after a sale, but they are passed along to a different business, such as a third-party delivery company or carrier, they feel ‘catfished’.
80% of consumers feel that consistent post-purchase communication is fundamental to their desire to repeat-purchase. Many brands and retailers currently delegate these communications to third-parties, which means losing control and visibility of the customer experience beyond the buy button. However, these moments are critical to customer satisfaction: post-purchase issues like poor delivery communications are responsible for 74.4% of all 1* reviews on TrustPilot. Brands and retailers have a golden opportunity to turn customers into “core repeaters” by taking back control of their post-purchase communications, and turning these moments into experiences which delight customers.
Anthony Gavin, EMEA Regional Director, Narvar said:“Consumers have been clear that they don’t want to be ‘catfished’ by brands and retailers. We know that consumers expect to receive proactive communications about their order and delivery after a sale. We now also understand that they expect that these communications to come directly from the brand or retailer that they just bought from, and not a third-party. When these communications aesthetically reflect the brand too, customers are even more emotionally engaged. This is so important as brands and retailers look to differentiate and build genuine loyalty in a highly competitive environment.”
Online retail is faced with the challenge that today’s customers are less loyal than in the past, but research from Narvar’s Hierarchy of Needs Report shows 50% of online shoppers said they are more likely to shop regularly with brands or retailers which they have an emotional connection with. In fact, 25% of UK shoppers were found to be more loyal to brands that they had a good experience with than they are to other major relationships in their life – to their partner (4%), their friends (6%), their hometown (7%) or their current job (8%). 20% of British consumers are more loyal to these brands and retailers than they are to the Royal Family.
So what should online merchants do to encourage repeat sales and drive customer loyalty? The key is creating a rewarding and engaging journey that extends beyond the buy-button that maps to the “4 C’s” identified in “The Post-Purchase Hierarchy of Needs” report:
• Communication: consumers prefer retailers and brands that have delivered exceptional and proactive communications
• Choice: Delivery flexibility is a key component for consumers considering repeat-purchases
• Control: consumers what to have their preferences respected and will be loyal to retailers and brands that allow them to change their mind at the last minute
• Connection: consumers want a strong emotional connection with their favourite retails and brands, who should be providing immersive experiences at scale
The survey of 2,000 UK consumers was conducted independently in partnership with Walnut Research.