During Pride month in June, brands should be aware of the impact they have on society. The products people buy, and the places they purchase from shape our society. Fostering inclusivity is therefore incredibly important for these brands to do. Pride month is a great time to consider how and why to do this.
Why Creating Inclusivity Is Important
As well as inclusivity being an important principle to stand for, it also has benefits for your eCommerce business. Customers want to feel aligned with the morals of the brands they are giving their money to. With the growing LGBTQIA+ movement, customers want brands to reflect and celebrate their experiences. This can be achieved through conversations, reviews, products, social media presence and recommendations. The more inclusive your brand, the more room you make for everyone to feel there is a place for them with your company.
Millennials & Gen Z Inclusivity
Social change is no longer viewed as something separate from shopping. As a society we understand the intersection between social struggles and consumerism. The places we spend our money should reflect our values. In fact, 43% of consumers view brands more positively when they are active in social change.
Similarly, 22% of consumers are loyal to brands that represent the ethical standards they support. When it comes to Millenials and Gen Z, these figures grow even more. They simply need to see that brands are inclusive in order to consider purchasing from them. Gen Z would not even purchase from a brand if it didn’t align with their values.
How To Create Inclusive Shopping Experiences
Celebrating pride and inclusivity can be achieved through different methods.
Meet Customers’ Needs
As in many areas of eCommerce, the customers’ experience should be at the forefront of your decision making. Pride listings should reflect what customers are looking for. Product reviews will help you to understand what shoppers are looking for and how they feel about offerings. Different ads will attract different customers, so use A/B testing to see what works best.
Shoppers with special needs will benefit from ecommerce merchandising. Those with disabilities will benefit from clear listings, audio descriptions and clear images. Being inclusive spans across all different areas, and having offerings that meet everyone’s needs will be great for your business.
Be Loud & Proud
If you are supporting pride month, make it clear on your site! Don’t be shy about the inclusivity your brand is committed to! Make a clear mission statement, or a statement about the cause being supported at that moment. Images, inclusive language and pop-ups are all great ways to show your support. Since it matters to shoppers what your values are, make sure they are clear.
Special Products & Packaging
Another way of making your support known is through the products offered. You can offer a range of pride related products, bundles, or discounts. Shoppers want to celebrate pride, help them along their way. Creating bundles is a great way to increase AOV and improve the customer experience.
Expanding product offerings makes your store more accessible to a broader audience. Many companies even have pride product lines that appear before and during June. Disney is one such company that thrives on this. Other items like pride decorations, party supplies and apparel can boom during this time. If these are already offered in another capacity with your site, it is a great idea to expand to pride over this time.
A Long Term Strategy
In terms of brand growth, improving inclusivity is a win-win situation. As time goes on and Millenials and Gen Z become the main shoppers in the market, it’s clear that they will require your brand to be inclusive. If you’re planning on long-term growth, this is a need.
In return, your store will increase sales and win customer favor. On top of all that, you will be helping move society forward into a more inclusive and accepting place that will benefit us all.