Luxury brands are known for providing outstanding customer service, but this doesn’t always extend to online purchases. Research conducted in 2015 by digital direct marketing company ContactLab suggests that many of the world’s top beauty brands are failing to deliver an outstanding customer experience to online shoppers.
ContactLab scored designer beauty brands on 67 factors, determining that customers received the best possible online experience only 50 percent of the time. Conversely, those shopping with high-end online retailers, such as Net-a-Porter, realized above average satisfaction levels.
Luxury Brands Will Focus on Online Experience in 2016
As a result of these subpar scores, luxury brands can be expected to step up their online experience in 2016. The growing importance of e-commerce in every industry — even high-end beauty products — means these companies can no longer afford to put minimal effort into their online sales.
Little touches, such as sending products in luxurious packaging instead of standard brown wrap and including a thank you card with each shipment are some of the ways they will work to translate their brand standard to online purchases. These brands are now aware they need to engage customers at every step of the online purchase process, just as they would in-store, if they want to retain them.
How Will This Initiative Impact Your Business?
Even if you’re not a luxury brand, you can still learn from their actions. When customers order beauty items online, they want a more personalized experience. Simply placing the product in a box and shipping it completes the order, but it doesn’t build a relationship. If you want online customers to keep doing business with your company, you need to differentiate yourself by making them feel appreciated.
Encourage people to keep shopping with your brand by including thoughtful touch, such as a thank you note or a few free samples of some of your other products. Exceeding customer expectations is no longer an option, it’s a necessity if you want to remain successful in the online realm.
The beauty industry is constantly changing, so you need a team of driven professionals who are committed to keeping up. Momentum Search Consultants strives to be the market leader in connecting talent with opportunity and providing our clients with a targeted menu of value-added HR consulting services. Contact us to learn how we can help you reach your goals!
