Turning First Time Customers Into Repeating Customers

By Author: Alan Smith
Total Articles: 1285
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Here are simple, inexpensive ways to impress a first time customers so they will remember your company website next time they make a purchase.
It is definitely hard to convince online shoppers to trust a website they have never purchased from in the past. A simple email acknowledging that their order is essential. If your shopping cart softwares does not do this automatically, send a personalized email stating their order was received and thank the customer for choosing your company to do business with. Once the customer's order is shipped, send another email stating the date the item was mailed and the shipping method used. Do not forget to include a tracking number. Always immediately acknowledge any delay in processing the customer's order. Nothing is worse for a customer who is already hesitant about placing online orders to be left wondering if the order and their financial information was even received by a company.
Always answer customer inquiries promptly. Generally people remember doing business with a website that answers questions and inquiries promptly. You should never refer to a customer by a number ...
... in email or telephone communications. You should let your e-commerce customers know there is a real person behind the website that cares about their business. Remember that canned answers to questions rarely impress customers either. You can be easily businesslike in your dealings with customers and still make them feel valued.
You should ask first time customers for permission to email them in the future. A vague newsletter sign up option is definitely not good enough for e-commerce websites. Let your first time customers know that emails will also include special deals or coupon codes for future purchases and follow through with special deals. Assuming that you sell a quality product at a good price, your customers will be pleased, but they may forget all about your website. You should keep your company name in front of previous customers with an email marketing campaign. Generally, people are more apt to make a purchase from an e-commerce website if they know the site is trustworthy and they received a good deal the first time they made a purchase. Customers will also be more likely to refer your e-commerce website to friends if website name always stay on the tip of their tongue because that is what word of mouth marketing is all about.
Generally, packaging is an overlooked way to turn first time customers into repeat buyers. Remember that a well packaged item, neatly presented, makes a customer feel that the shipping costs were well worth the money. Even packaging can also increase a customers perception of value. For many people, an online purchase is an emotional decision. Spending extra pennies on quality packing materials is an inexpensive way to make a customer remember their purchase fondly.

The last trick should be include something special in each order for first time customers. As depending on the products you are selling, a simple handwritten thank you note may be appropriate. Remember that more expensive products may require a small gift or sample that can be used with the product. For example, an e-commerce website selling a cookware can include recipes or samples of exotic spices. A small gift can differentiates your e-commerce website from the thousands of other websites selling the exact same products.
Consider first time customers to your e-commerce website as the perfect target audience. Generally, they are proven online shoppers who are interested in the type of merchandise you sell. All efforts to turn them into repeat customers will be far less expensive and time-consuming than acquiring new customers. First time customers are likely to be friends with others who share an interest in what you are selling. Make your website feel good about referring to their friends.

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