Enable e-commerce businesses to effectively re-target their customers
Overview
Background
Since 2008, Burst SMS team has been dedicated to furnishing businesses with SMS services to facilitate customer communication. An extensive count of online shoppers have been observed to abandon the checkout process without finalising their purchases. Such behavior can have varied implications for online businesses. E-commerce businesses have a substantial opening to delve deeper into consumer behaviors, harnessing SMS technology to rekindle engagement and motivate shoppers to successfully complete their transactions.
Objectives
Gain an understanding of how consumers feel about receiving text messages from online shops, in order to design an appropriate SMS construct and cadence. As Burst SMS wants to become "trusted advisor for e-commerce businesses, not a dump pipe"
Outcome
Validating effective SMS constructs and identify suitable cadence
My Role
I was the lead UX researcher of this project
My Process
Research - Identify different types of online shopper. Understand their journeys as well as feelings toward receiving text messages from online stores.
Ideation - Define ideal SMS construct and suitable cadence for SMS to be utilised
Identify design opportunities to improve end user’s experience
1. Identify different types of online shoppers
From the research findings two primary architypes were identified: John and Danielle. These two represent the 2 key patterns that emerged: those who shop using a computer as a primary device and those who use a mobile devices.
John’s typical shopping journey: He was looking to buy a bluetooth headphone on Amazon. He's got a shortlist for the one that he wants to get. He's planning to check on their pricing and make a purchase decision base on reviews and recommendation from the online community.
Danielle’s typical shopping journey: She added some accessories in her cart from The Iconic. She wanted to get them ASAP but is held back by shipping cost. Danielle decides to sleep on it for some time hoping there will be more items that she can add later to get free shipping.
2. Define ideal SMS construct and suitable cadence for SMS to be utilised
I did a survey to understand how people feel about the idea of receiving SMS from stores reminding them about their cart. Majority of responses don’t think it’s common, as e-mail are being utilised more often for that purpose. Taking that into consideration, I’ve come up with SMS contructs that can be tested with users.
Ideal construct of an SMS
From the research, I learned that consumers expect certain elements from a text messages.
Elements that help with credibility:
Sender name
Option to opt-out/unsubscribe
Elements that help with enticement:
Personalised offer
Link redirect to the online shop
Re-engage the architypes with SMS constructs & cadence
#1: send SMS after 24hr mark with personalised discount code (unqiue code which can be used to measure success rate of SMS campaign/ ROI)
#2: send SMS after a few days - a week:
. Recommend items relevant to recent purchase
. Invite them to complete survey and receive incentives
#1: Send SMS after 3 days with unique code SMSDANIELLE20 as a final reminder
#2: Send SMS as a final reminer about the offer. Take care in using appropriate tone that creates a sense of urgency but not pushy.
3. Identify design opportunities to improve end user’s experience
The research revealed a recurring pattern: a significant number of individuals don't recall opting in for SMS services. To enhance visibility and clarity, it is suggested that a solution be integrated into two pivotal stages: the sign-up process (account creation) and the check-out process (transaction). This approach not only empowers consumers but also grants e-commerce enterprises the chance to precisely re-engage with their customers, thereby minimising SMS wastage.
Learning
Personalisation is key:
Tailoring messages based on user behavior and preferences significantly improves engagement and conversion rates. User behaviors evolve, and successful strategies require continuous adaptation. Regularly reassessing and adjusting SMS approaches is vital for sustained success.
Balancing act:
Striking the right balance between providing incentives and respecting user preferences is key to successful cart recovery.