These customers have built a product affinity, but have not added any items to the basket and their journey is showing signs of slowing down / heading in the wrong direction
This behaviour suggests a moment of hesitation or reconsideration. This is a unique pattern of engagement, showing intent without finalising their decision. This behaviour indicates a potential interest in specific products or categories but also signals a need for further persuasion or reassurance.
Product Discovery: Re-engagement through Recommendations
Product Discovery: Re-engagement through Recommendations
When it comes to re-engaging users, personalised recommendations powered by insightful data can play a pivotal role. Understanding which products or attributes drove any initial engagement can help you make specific recommendations back to that user - as they’ve clearly not made a decision. Use that data that drove that initial interest in your recommendations strategies.
It’s also important to note whether they've returned to the homepage or are browsing product listing pages (PLPs). Here, dynamically customised recommendations can bring them back into the fold. Think about the behaviour of returning back to a product listing page, perhaps suggesting they have some indication of what they want. But returning back to a homepage, suggests a “Start again” mentality which might require much more guidance (See below)
Execution examples:
Homepage: For those who find themselves back on the homepage, in-flight personalisation that leverages their browsing history and intent can make product recommendations more compelling. Highlighting products or categories that spurred their initial interest, along with similar items that other customers have purchased, can renew their engagement - especially if a user returns back to the site.
Product listing page: PLPs present an opportunity to refine the shopping experience based on the user's demonstrated preferences. Showcasing recently viewed items along with products sharing key attributes or features can simplify their decision-making process. Incorporating dynamic merchandising strategies that align with the shopper's interests ensures that the PLP feels tailored to their needs.
Recommendations location. Think of placing recommendations further above the fold, in a sticky position on the site as the user scrolls, or, just in general, more prominent positions. Perhaps consider adding more products in eg. instead of showing 4 in a scrollable format, add 16 in a block taking up more real-estate as the user is still in a “browsing” mentality
Product Discovery: Recently Viewed
Product Discovery: Recently Viewed
Showing users what products they’ve already viewed is a great little function to support their decision making process. It helps with increased engagement, is an example of personalisation, which can ultimately lead to greater conversion rates. At the end of the day, if we've already looked at it, then we've shown interest. And if we've shown interest, we're more likely to buy. But we’re not thinking about that right now; we’re thinking about supporting our audience with their product discovery.
Execution examples:
Perhaps clustering recently viewed items together to push them to the top of the page (or bottom), or adding an icon next to them to show that they’ve been viewed should, in theory, help expedite product decision making.
Often it is the case that recently viewed is a sticky module on the site to act as a continual reminder of what the user has already viewed. That being said, consider using that to your advantage. When the user returns to the site, perhaps, making that front and centre. Clustering this at the top of a product listing page, or a landing page.
Add even more to that by adding elements of persuasion to these modules. It’s a functional process to just say “you’ve viewed this”. It’s a persuasive, human behavioural process to repeat some of the benefits or key features of the product when reminding users of the product they’ve already viewed. Consider adding such product features, or even social proof mechanisms or stock scarcity, in order to act as persuasive cues for the recently viewed module or component.
Engage: Maintaining Engagement (general)
Engage: Maintaining Engagement (general)
Recognising that a segment has a particular level of intent, over a number of interactions, should indicate they have shown a level of trust and interest in your brand. This lays the foundation for further engagement.
Encouraging newsletter sign-ups with contextually relevant prompts, such as updates on new product releases or price drops, can keep the dialogue open. Ensuring that these communications maintain the context of their initial interest is crucial for re-engaging them effectively. It feels as though the hard work is done - there’s a level of confidence in the brand, now it’s about a) persuasion of a product and b) maximising engagement.
Execution examples:
Highlighting content pieces such as buying guides, video testimonials about the brand - any content that might deepen engagement with a user that strengthens that bond (which is why some form of newsletter sign up, account creation or loyalty scheme - despite not purchasing - is recommended at this stage)
Encouraging users to sign up for your newsletter, or some method to capture an email address to ensure that, if they return (or giving you the chance that they might return) is always a good thing. Try to contexualise the need of this segment to the request that’s being asked.
What? You’re asking for a personal piece of information; an email address. What value exchange can you give them that helps them give up that information? This could be a functionality like saving items for later or back in stock announcements. As part of a competition or giveaway. It could be a valuable piece of content, or something exclusive that they need in their lives. Perhaps the hope of getting something in the future oppose to right now?
Where? The method of asking this information can be sticky on the site somewhere. It could be in a popup either centrally or off to the side somewhere. Or it could be as a component on the site (eg. below the product call to action, as part of the product grid). This email address collection could occur anywhere on site, thinking about your highest engagement areas and utilise it there. If the majority of users land and bounce on your product page, it might be worthwhile collecting the email address in a component on that page.