In this age of seemingly infinite options, nothing captures a customer’s attention quite like a personalized shopping experience. Today’s shoppers desire unique products and services tailored specifically to their tastes, preferences, and needs. If independent retailers want to keep up with Amazon and other ecommerce giants, prioritizing ecommerce personalization should be at the top of their list.
Online shoppers have increasingly high expectations and seek retailers that offer individualized experiences and products. Additionally, advancements in technology have made personalization more accessible, leading consumers to expect tailored experiences wherever they shop. As a result, businesses that prioritize ecommerce personalization gain a competitive edge while meeting customers’ high expectations.
True personalization in the context of online retail goes well beyond tailored marketing communications and individual customer journeys. It involves creating customized products and experiences to meet customers’ unique needs and preferences.
Product personalization allows customers to customize products to their liking, often involving features such as choosing colors, materials, and sizes, or adding personal touches like monograms or engravings. This level of personalization enhances the customer’s sense of ownership and connection to the product, leading to a more meaningful and satisfying purchase experience.
As the trend of personalization in ecommerce continues to grow, catering to individual preferences is no longer an option but a necessity. Discover our picks for the 9 biggest benefits of incorporating personalization into your business.
72%
of luxury consumers place personalization at the top of their list of preferences when interacting with brands
Most brands don’t offer their customers a way to personalize items, even though it’s in high demand. 72% of luxury consumers place personalization at the top of their list of preferences when interacting with brands. Integrating personalization software will set your brand apart from competitors and help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. It will not only distinguish your brand but also provide a unique way to attract new, loyal customers.
If you’re interested in an easy way to offer product customization, learn more about our personalized-to-consumer fulfillment services. Shoppers can personalize products with custom engravings, embroidery, direct-to-object printing, and include custom greeting cards for the ultimate gift-giving experience. OWD also offers complimentary offerings, such as custom packaging to further raise your brand identity.
Personalized experiences make it easier for customers to find products they love and for you to understand what your customers want. Tailoring your offers, content, and experience to each shopper will help you set the stage for an elevated shopping journey that nurtures prospects through your funnel and keeps them in your pipeline.
According to a study conducted by Evergage, marketers as a whole (96%) tout the ability of personalization to advance customer relationships. In addition, as a result of their personalization programs, marketers have reported:
However, if you fail to deliver on personalization, you’re more likely to alienate or even lose your shoppers. According to research by Forrester, 68% of customers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal and would be unlikely to return to that website. Use your customer data platform and personalization tools to scale your operations and tailor each visitor’s journey based on their user profile.
Getting your customers involved in the product creation process creates a dynamic and fun shopping experience. Whether it’s designing a custom pair of Vans or making your own stuffed animal at Build-A-Bear Workshop, allowing product personalization is an effective way to attract new customers.
Customers who personalize products are more likely to feel emotionally connected to the brand, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases. Satisfied customers are also more likely to become brand advocates, sharing their positive experiences and personalized products with others, contributing to positive brand association. A 2021 survey conducted by McKinsey revealed that 78% of consumers are more likely to repurchase and recommend products from businesses that focus on personalization.
78%
of consumers are more likely to repurchase and recommend products from businesses that focus on personalization
According to a 2023 survey by Segment, 56% of consumers say they will return to businesses if they have a positive personalized experience. Shoppers are actively seeking personalized ecommerce experiences. Incorporating product personalization into your storefront, like P2C fulfillment, is an excellent business move to increase conversions and excite your shoppers.
Today’s consumers are willing to pay more for products that are customized just for them. According to a study by McKinsey, 76% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase from brands that personalize.
The value added through item personalization allows your brand to adopt premium pricing strategies without alienating your customers. Research by Deloitte has revealed that personalized products often command a higher price point, leading to increased revenue for the brand. Personalization incentivizes your customers to shop while driving higher revenue and average order values.
Additionally, personalized recommendations highlight related products or upgrades that appeal to customers’ unique preferences, further boosting sales. A study by Forrester found that “77% of consumers have chosen, recommended, or paid more for a brand that provides a personalized service or experience.” Customers are also less likely to compare prices of customized products with competitors, focusing instead on the unique value they receive.
Personalization in ecommerce is not just a trend; it’s a pivotal strategy that leverages valuable data on customer preferences, behaviors, and trends to shape future product development and marketing strategies, ultimately enhancing the customer experience. A 2022 survey revealed that 80% of customers find it acceptable for marketers to analyze their purchase history, highlighting a consumer expectation for tailored shopping experiences.
The power of personalization allows brands to quickly test and refine their approaches through direct customer feedback. The rich insights gained from personalization enable more effective customer segmentation and empower brands with targeted marketing capabilities, leading to more resonant and successful campaigns.
Combining general personalization efforts with product personalization will help your brand remain relevant and competitive. While you can use the information in your customer data platform to drive more effective offers and ad campaigns, offering product personalization can help differentiate your brand from similar competitors in your niche.
However, using your own site data is better than relying on third-party sources. A report by Segment shows that first-party data is not only of higher quality and more cost-efficient but also a more ethical choice. Relying on third-party data brokers risks eroding customer trust and damaging your brand’s reputation. Therefore, maintaining clear, transparent communication about using customer data to enhance personalization is crucial for fostering trust and loyalty among your customer base.
According to a 2022 Pitney-Bowes survey, returns cost online retailers roughly 21% of the average order value, and this number has been steadily increasing.
However, personalized products tailored to customers’ exact specifications result in fewer returns and higher satisfaction levels. This saves costs associated with reverse logistics and helps create a better online shopping experience.
When customers participate in the personalization process, such as selecting specific messages for greeting cards or choosing a custom-embroidered design, there is greater customer satisfaction. This direct involvement ensures customers get a product they’ll love, significantly lowering the risk of returns caused by unmet expectations.
In a crowded market, personalized products offer a way to stand out, providing something unique that customers cannot find elsewhere. Rather than offering generic products where customers are more likely to just buy the cheapest product on the market, offering product personalization services creates a luxury and premium association with your brand.
71%
of customers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal
This unique offering can be a key factor in a customer’s decision-making process, ultimately tipping the scales in your brand’s favor. Coupling your product personalization offering with other ecommerce personalization tactics is the ultimate combination for high conversions and loyal customers. Visitors demand tailored shopping experiences and if you fail to deliver, you’ll most likely annoy your target market.
Segment found that 71% of customers felt frustrated when a shopping experience was impersonal. Personalization is not only a trend but the new standard.
Personalization helps tailor marketing communications across emails, social media, and other platforms. Brands can ensure content relevance using customer data to guide marketing messaging, boosting engagement rates and click-through rates.
Get the most out of your campaign budget using targeted campaigns that generate a higher return on investment (ROI) than broad, one-size-fits-all advertising. Customized calls to action and messages will increase conversion rates and customer engagement.
Highlighting product personalization and weaving it into your marketing messaging will help stop scrolling. Share customer testimonials and the variety of products shoppers can create using product personalization. Incorporate these product visuals in social media, email, or content marketing campaigns to capture attention and boost click-through rates.
Your customers are more likely to share their unique, personalized products on social media, providing free advertising and enhanced brand visibility. This social proof can influence potential customers, driving interest and traffic to your brand.
Customers sharing their personalized experiences create authentic content that can be leveraged in marketing efforts. Your own brand can highlight customer testimonials and positive reviews to build trust with new potential users. Positive, genuine customer experiences and posts are the best form of advertising. Best of all, it’s free!
There are many tools available online to integrate personalization into your brand’s website and product offerings. However, offering such services can be both confusing and costly. According to the Netcore study, 96% of online retailers utilizing personalization have encountered serious obstacles in their efforts. Too few employees, inadequate or expensive machinery, and difficulty finding the right fulfillment partner all too often prevent businesses from offering customers products that are uniquely theirs.
One World Direct’s new Personalized-to-Consumer (P2C) is here to help you better connect with your customers, without the added stress of doing it all alone. We are an ecommerce fulfillment company offering easy product personalization and comprehensive fulfillment services. Using our P2C software, shoppers can embroider or engrave your products and include custom greeting cards for special occasions and gifts.
The entire P2C process is simple for both you and your customers. Once you decide which services you want to offer, OWD’s P2C experts will help you decide which of your products is the best fit and we’ll integrate the free personalization plugin into your store.
Deliver better fulfillment from start to finish and discover the OWD difference. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about our P2C technology and how we can help lower your fulfillment costs or improve your shipping times. We can also discuss using our call center services to handle all your customer inquiries via email, chat, or calls with American agents. Deliver better fulfillment from start to finish and discover the OWD difference.
Fulfillment costs are based on three criteria: size, weight and delivery time.
OWD offers five service levels: economy (7-10 days); Standard (5-7 days), 2-Day, Overnight and International.
Example Weight: 1 ounce
Fulfillment | Postage | Total |
|---|---|---|
$1.75 | $3.64 | $5.39 |
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DDU means Delivery Duty Unpaid – where the buyer pays for all of the import fees at delivery.
Unexpected import fees give buyers sticker shock – not good. When they refuse to pay, you’ve lost a sale and must pay to return your product, or abandon it.
DDU is an old idea whose time has passed. For these reasons and more, OWD doesn’t recommend DDU for e-com sellers.
DDP is an acronym for Delivery Duty Paid. DDP means that the seller pays for all the duties and import fees.
With DDP, your customers won’t be surprised with unexpected customs charges – good!
With OWD’s landed cost calculator, your foreign customers will know exactly what their various VAT, customers and duties will cost. No unhappy surprises.
For large-scale operations needing a full solution in Europe, there’s OWD Europe, based in Amsterdam.
OWD handles phone calls, e-mails and web chat eighteen hours a day from our own state-of-the-art facility.
We’ll handle your inbound sales and customer service contacts.
You get career agents who speak American English and know how to sell.
$99 gets you 200 calls, e-mails or chats handled every week.
You get your own phone number and custom e-mail.
We do a lot more. Call for details.
The Voice of Your Brand
OWD’s all-inclusive Returns service provides simplicity and high-end customer service. OWD includes a pre-printed return label as part of your packing slip. Your customer need only drop it in the mail.
What’s included: packaging slip with return label, QC inspection, re-bag, re-tag and return to stock. What’s excluded: postage cost, poly bags and any special packaging.
