How to Retain your Existing Online Customers and Get Them to Purchase More

It is but of common knowledge that it is cheaper and easier to get your existing customers to purchase from you again than to attract a new customer and get him to do business with you. Then if that is so, how do we actually go on about holding on to our customers? It becomes more difficult to get them interested in buying again from us especially in the online arena where every day hundreds of new businesses burgeon and apply unique tactics to attract your customers away?

• Building Customer Accounts

Customer accounts ensure that the existing customers enjoy the auto filling of form thus saving them the hassle. On the other hand, filling a long account generation form can be put off for many new ones, which generally results in simply browsing and leaving. Thus to tackle this problem you should opt to offer a first time customer to create an account after he/ she has made the purchase.

• Giving Customer Loyalty Benefits

There is nothing like giving personalized loyalty benefits to your regular customers. This will make them build an even stronger relationship and ensure their continued loyalty. You can simply give them a personalized discount or offer them a membership in which they could gain points on purchasing ex. 3 points for every purchase of INR 100.

• Sending Regular Newsletters

Sending newsletters informing them of an ongoing sale or a special offer is a great way to keep your customers informed and increase the chances for more sales. For example you can inform your customer about a super discounted one day sale by sending him an e-mail with the details.

• Surprising Your Customers

Since, you have the details of your existing customers; you can take advantage of this and send them a small gift on their birthday or on special occasions like Diwali. This will delight them and give them a more personalized feel and needless to say will root their loyalty even more. This can even result in advertising of your online shop by the word of mouth, inviting more customers.

• Utilizing Social Media

Social media like Facebook and Twitter have become very popular in India as well. The people who have liked or shared your content are often your loyal customers who can be great channels to endorse your products. You should thus, take the advantage of these media and post regularly your ads, related content and information regarding special offers etc. on them so that your brand comes more and more into the view of the people who follow you and help you to increase your sale and brand value.

• Offer A More Tangible Credit To Return

Discounts can be risky in a way that your customers may become accustomed to. Thus, you need to be careful not to give heavy discounts all the time. However, discounts are a great way to win back the customers who haven’t shopped with you in a while. You can choose to give them a more tangible seeming credit offer like ‘flat INR 150 off on a purchase of INR 1000 or above’. This way the customers are more tempted to buy since this is clearer and more calculable.