Creating an individual journey for each and every customer isn’t an easy task — in fact, it’s one of the biggest challenges ecommerce brands face.

Compare shopping online, where you can anonymously browse pages and pages of products and leave without buying a thing,
to an in-store experience. There, a sales assistant is on hand to answer customer questions, provide an element of human interaction, and present an experience that matches each shopper’s wants and needs.

During an in-store experience, a customer might ask the assistant if they stock a particular product, inquire about different sizes, and ask for recommendations based on the products in their (real-life) basket. 

Each response will be geared towards their specific needs, giving them information they want quickly and allowing them to make an informed decision on the spot. 

With online shopping the face-to-face element is removed completely.Instead, brands have to rely on customer data and tracking pixels to create an experience that’s even remotely on the same level as shopping in-store.

But with a whole host of tools available today, it’s becoming increasingly common to see ecommerce brands making their customer experiences unique.

The struggle is creating personalized experiences while maintaining that all-important human touch.

Why personalization is important

Consumers today actually expect brands to create personalized experiences for them. One report by Accenture revealed that 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from companies that remember them and provide relevant offers. It’s a bit like going into a store and having the staff welcome you back by name.

In fact, shoppers today are so eager for a personalized experience that the same report found that 83% are willing to hand over their data in exchange for a buyer’s journey that’s unique to them. 

Personalization doesn’t just provide customers with their own individual experience, it comes with a range of other benefits too.