Fast Simon Answers
Find answers to online merchandisers' common questions about using AI integrations to improve the customer's shopping experience. From smart collections to personalized recommendations, these expert insights will boost customer engagement, sales, AOV, and your bottom line.
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How Whitespace Brings Focus to Your E-Commerce Website
Whitespace in e-commerce merchandising can help bring focus to products or call-to-action buttons on your e-commerce website. So by using whitespace effectively, you'll be able to create a visually appealing experience that encourages customers to stay and engage with your products. Using Whitespace to Pull Focus Whitespace, also known as negative space, refers to the empty space between design elements and paragraphs on a web page. Veer Away From Busy Spaces in Visual Merchandising Ineffective use of whitespace in merchandising includes a cluttered page layout and no clear visual hierarchy. When too many design elements compete for your customers' attention, it can be challenging to get them to focus on your products. Tip: Treating whitespace in tandem with other design elements, like margins, the site search bar's placement, and typography, can elevate your website's visual merchandising. » Learn how understanding shoppers' intent can maximize e-commerce conversion Steer Toward Whitespace in Visual Merchandising According to research, whitespace can aid in readability and customers' perceptions of your brand. So, effective use of whitespace in visual merchandising allows you to frame or pull focus to product images, descriptions, and other website elements easily by building an apparent visual hierarchy that can guide and encourage conversions and further site exploration. For example, Everten, a kitchenware store, leverages whitespace to highlight the seasonal focus of its products. During a sale, using the stark contrast between white, red, and black can effectively direct customers to the most important leads on their web page. The whitespace here also acts as a framing tool to help product categories stand out so that customers can navigate the site intuitively. This framing creates a sense of balance in the overall web page design, which can create a harmonious brand perception that can drive customer loyalty. » Check out this helpful list of e-commerce merchandising best strategies Fast Focus With Whitespace Whitespace can be a powerful tool for your e-commerce website by making it user-friendly and creating aesthetically pleasing content that's easy to digest. This visual merchandising technique can help you draw a customer's attention to specific products or call-to-action buttons. Optimizing site navigation through a clear visual hierarchy, like on-site search bars bordered by whitespace, can help your website traffic translate into higher conversions and sales.
Asked 2 months ago
Adaptive vs. Responsive Design: Which Is Best for Your E-Commerce Store?
Adaptive and responsive design, a feature of visual merchandising, can impact the user experience of your site on different devices. So, choosing which is best for your e-commerce store is imperative. To help you make your decision, compare the pros and cons of adaptive vs. responsive design and learn which additional factors to consider. What Is Adaptive Design? Adaptive design auto-detects a user's device and selects one of the multiple layout templates to best fit the screen. This ensures your website is optimized for a seamless user experience. Think about the following factors when deciding: ProsImproved performance on slower devicesBetter SEO alignmentFlexibility for future devicesConsTime-consuming to createComplex for beginners For example, BestBuy's adaptive design uses different templates that adjust the page elements to fit a smaller screen. Making the content easy to scroll through across devices can help encourage conversions. You can see (image on the right) that the navigation pane in this particular instance requires the user to scroll to see all options when using the site on mobile. » Discover these essential online visual merchandising strategies to drive sales now What Is Responsive Design? Responsive design uses one layout template and adjusts all design elements on your site to accommodate the user's screen size. This allows for more fluid site navigation and changes in appearance based on the user's device. Some aspects to consider include: ProsConsistent user experienceCost efficientEase of maintenanceSEO-friendlyConsRisk of poor performance on slower devicesComplex for some websitesFocus on content prioritization over screen-specific design This 401 Games example shows how responsive design adjusts to different screen sizes by shifting design elements of their site based on which device is being used. In the mobile version (on the right), the navigation pane is relocated to a collapsible menu on the top left, and the category blocks on the site are moved to a single column for easy scrolling. This user-friendly change can foster customer satisfaction and drive more sales. Which Design Should You Choose for Your E-Commerce Store? The design choice for your e-commerce store depends on your specific circumstances and merchandising preferences. Several elements should be taken into account when making the choice, including: BudgetTarget audienceUser intent and behaviorProduct typesOverall store goals For instance, if you have a smaller budget and a predominantly younger audience, responsive design may be more beneficial. Or, if you have a larger business with bigger budgets and a very diverse audience in terms of age and device usage, an adaptive design could be best for you. » Check out the top e-commerce apps to optimize customer experience Fast Design Whether you prefer the layout adjustments of responsive designs or the template assortments of adaptive designs, the choice is yours. Selecting the appropriate design to best appeal to your audience's site search habits and your product offerings can help you achieve higher customer satisfaction, more engagement across a range of devices, and boosted sales.
Asked 2 months ago
Behavioral Marketing in eCommerce: Personalize Your Customers' Experience
Behavioral marketing in eCommerce can help you personalize your customers' experiences through data insights. McKinsey research finds that those prioritizing personalization in their marketing generate 40% more sales. So, using tailored marketing and product offerings to address your customers' interests can help increase your revenue and improve customer loyalty. What Is Behavioral Marketing? Behavioral marketing targets customers based on specific actions they make on your site. This technique uses data like web analytics, cookies, search history insights, and other tools to target customers effectively. Platforms, such as Klaviyo, can help you collect and analyze behavioral data to drive more targeted recommendations. Behavioral Marketing Segmentation Behavioral marketing segmentation uses data to divide customers into audience segments based on their behavior and preferences, then targets each segment with specific campaigns or offerings. For instance, Woolery, a fiber arts business, offers smart collections based on material and activity. This base-level personalization helps make the site easy to navigate, particularly for customers who know what they're looking for. » Learn more about how personalization can help merchandise your products and collections Behavioral Marketing Strategies By using behavioral data, you can deliver the right campaigns to individual customers, improve their experiences, and increase their chances of conversion. You can try strategies like: Remarketing Show ads to customers who have previously visited your website or interacted with your brand online. For example, a fashion retailer may advertise products that customers recently viewed but didn't purchase.Product suggestions By making product recommendations based on your customers' behavior, you have the opportunity to cross-sell and upsell. For example, an online bookstore may suggest other books by the same author or in the same genre.Email marketing By analyzing your customers' behavior, you can send them personalized content and promotions. For example, an eCommerce store may send abandoned cart emails to customers who didn't complete their purchases.Personalized website experience Customize your website content based on customers' browsing behavior. For example, a travel website may display hotel recommendations based on a customer's previous search history. » Discover the importance of personalization in your eCommerce strategy using reviews Fast Personalization for Fast Results With 71% of consumers expecting personalized shopping experiences, behavioral marketing is a necessity. By creating a more engaging and relevant shopping experience, you can help increase sales and revenue. Leveraging personalization can help your customers feel valued and understood, which can boost loyalty and create long-lasting customer relationships.
Asked 2 months ago
At What Stage of the eCommerce Conversion Funnel Should You Cross-Sell?
Cross-selling at the checkout stage of the eCommerce conversion funnel can help you optimize your customers' experience in your store and increase your revenue. In fact, according to McKinsey research, cross-selling can increase your sales by 20%. Cross-selling is a marketing strategy where you offer related or complementary products to your customers to encourage them to increase their purchases. Cross-Selling in Your Conversion Funnel Invesp notes that 26% of revenue comes from personalized product recommendations. So, implementing cross-selling at the checkout stage of your conversion funnel is a good strategy because your customers have already decided to make a purchase. By using product personalization based on their preferences, you can encourage them to buy complementary products and increase your average order value. Cross-Sell the Right Way Let's take Everten, a kitchenware online store, as an example. When adding a specific item to your cart, like a two-piece frypan set, Everten suggests complementary items that are cheaper. These items aren't essential to using the frypan set but can enhance its use. Implementing cross-sell personalization at this point can, therefore, show that you're paying attention to your customers' interests, which can increase the likelihood of a higher average order value. Additionally, recommended items that are cheaper than your customers' intended purchase items can imply higher value without having to spend outside of their budget, and simply increasing profit isn't your only motive—user experience is too. » Find out how and why to use eCommerce upsell and cross-sell recommendations Fast Cross-Selling at the Final Stretch Integrating cross-selling at the bottom of the conversion funnel can help increase sales and improve customer satisfaction without being overly aggressive. But, through A/B testing, you can find out if cross-selling works better at other stages based on your product types and customers' needs. By understanding customers' intent and buying preferences, you can recommend relevant and personalized products, increasing the likelihood of cross-selling success.
Asked 2 months ago
How to Choose Which Products to Upsell in Your eCommerce Store
Choosing which products to upsell in your eCommerce store is crucial to boosting revenue and average order value. Because 11-30% of your revenue can come from upselling, we've compiled the top factors you should consider when choosing which products to upsell. Upselling encourages your customers to buy extra products or a higher-priced version of the same product they initially intended to buy. 3 Factors to Consider When Choosing Which Products to Upsell 1. Pick Products You Can Upgrade Offering upgraded or customized versions of products provides added value to your customers and increases the overall sale for your business. The products should also be relevant to the site search queries or the customers' previous purchases. For example, on the 401 Games site, when searching for Pokémon products, two similar bundles come up. One offers an extra pack, making the bundle cost more. The use of bundling and added value can help entice customers to purchase the more expensive bundle. Tip: When bundling, you can use A/B testing to see which bundles get the most traffic and result in more sales and profits. This technique can also be used for price testing. 2. Consider the Price Range Choosing a more expensive product can help increase your profit, but make sure that the price difference is still reasonable and that your customers feel they "won" by purchasing your product. By experimenting with different price points, you can find the sweet spot that leads to more conversions. For instance, Steve Madden uses smart collections to highlight differently priced products that are still related. This paints a fuller image of what the customer could attain and wear together. Since the prices are close in range, it can imply more value that fits the customer's budget. 3. Personalize Your Product Recommendations By analyzing data about what your customers have purchased in the past and their browsing preferences, you can offer complementary products or updated versions of previously purchased items. Personalization can lead to more revenue since customers may be more likely to purchase because they feel understood and valued. Take IMA, for example. They offer a "personalized just for you" section while browsing that lightly suggests custom bundling the customer can try, which can lead to higher revenue per order. » Learn more about the benefits of upsell and cross-sell personalization Fast Upselling Solutions Customers are more likely to accept upsell recommendations if the products are logically chosen. Using the right strategies based on your product types, prices, and customer preferences can be beneficial. You can gain higher conversions and revenue, optimized customer experiences, and better inventory management. So, why not take a look at your product options and find which strategies work for you? » Ready to cross-sell next? Implement cross-selling at the right stage of your conversion funnel
Asked 2 months ago