3 Reasons Why Post-Purchase Experience is Important for Your Business

I recently had the best post-purchase experience ever. A few days ago, I bought a laptop online. From the moment I clicked on the “Place Your Order” button, my anticipation was sky-high. I marked the delivery date in my calendar. I checked the “My Orders” page every day to get the latest updates about the shipping status. And the day the laptop arrived at my doorstep, I ripped open the package like a 5-year-old opening presents on Christmas day. Along with the laptop, I discovered a personalized thank you note. There was also a small guide with detailed instructions on how to set up the laptop.  

But that was not at all. A day later, I received a thank you email with links to resources I could use to set up my laptop and get the most out of it. The email also comprised a link to the detailed returns, exchange, and refund policy. To say that my experience with the brand was amazing would be an understatement. Now if anyone were to ask me for a laptop recommendation, I would send them the link to the site I purchased mine from without a moment’s delay.  

Imagine if you received this same level of amazing customer experience from a brand. Wouldn’t you recommend them to your friends and family? Wouldn’t you purchase from them again and again? Yes, right?! 

Well, this assumption is backed by hard data. According to a survey by Support.com, 40% of connected consumers (consumers who are heavy users of everyday technology) responded that the post-purchase experience including setup, technical issues and returns made up the most part of the overall brand experience. Similarly, a BrizFeel customer survey revealed that customer experience is the number one brand loyalty driver among online shoppers.

Well, what does this mean for you and your business?  

If you want customers to purchase from your brand again and again, you need to deliver the best post-purchase experience! 

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Here are 3 reasons why the post-purchase experience is important for your business:

1. Better the Post-Purchase Experience Means More Brand Loyalty:

A 2020 report from Qualtrics found that 94% of respondents who rated their experience very good indicated they would purchase again from the company. Now that is something to consider!  

But how does customer experience inspire brand loyalty?  

The answer lies in McKinsey’s take on the consumer decision-making journey and loyalty loop model.   

Today, contrary to the traditional model, the customer journey does not end at the Purchase stage. It extends beyond the moment of purchase and into the post-purchase experience stage where the customer engages with your brand.  

A fun unboxing experience, informative and personalized emails, instant technical support, and hassle-free returns experience are just a few of the factors that go a long way in making sure customers engage with your brand and receive a positive post-purchase experience too! And when they do, their expectations are built up high. Now, they will seek the same level of post-purchase experience from other brands. The moment they make another similar purchase, your brand will be the first to pop up in their mind! 

Here is the key takeaway – keep your customers in the loyalty loop by offering an unparalleled post-purchase experience to make brand loyalists out of them! 

2. Better the Post-Purchase Experience, Less the Customer Acquisition Costs:

You’ve probably heard this stat by now – acquiring a new customer can cost up to 5x more than keeping an existing one. As cliché as it may sound, it is true. To attract new customers, you will have to spend thousands of dollars on marketing, advertising, discounts, and much more. But to keep an existing customer in the loop and nudge them to purchase more, you just must spend a fifth of that money.  

And that’s not even the real kicker. The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70% whereas the probability of selling to a new prospect is just 5-20%. The ball is in your court now. What would you do – spend more dollars to get a few customers or spend less to get more sales? 

You know what, retaining customers isn’t that difficult. But first, it is necessary to understand what’s turning your customers away from your brand.  

The 2020 CallMiner Churn Index report lists three reasons (all of which are primarily related to post-purchase experience) why customers leave a brand:  

• They don’t feel they are treated fairly – they are not rewarded for their loyalty while new customers get all the sign-up benefits and bonuses. 
• They are frustrated by the company’s ineffective and automated self-service channels. 

• A lack of knowledgeable and empathetic customer support agents negatively impacts their brand loyalty 

Now, with a few of the following tweaks to the post-purchase experience, you can turn your customers into life-long customers! 

• Devise a post-purchase strategy that rewards customers every time they make a purchase or engage with the brand after the purchase. For example, you can offer a 10% discount coupon to customers who recommend your brand to their family and friends or leave a review on your website. Not only will your customers feel rewarded but also these actions will translate into positive word-of-mouth for your business. Moreover, 47% of shoppers consider shop reviews before making a purchase. More the reason to jump on this bandwagon! 
• 44.7% of consumers would be more loyal to a brand if there were effective self-service facilities for simple tasks such as finding information. So how can you address this problem? Create a comprehensive, easy-to-understand knowledge base or a FAQ page that addresses common customer concerns or problems.  
• Train your customer support agents so they have all the necessary information and are empathetic. 90% of customers will stay loyal after a positive experience with the call center. And positive experiences take place when the agent listens to the problem, understands, and promptly resolves it.  

3. Better the Post-Purchase Experience, More the Competitive Advantage:

Why do customers mostly gravitate towards Amazon shopping? If you dissect Amazon’s post-purchase experience, this becomes super clear.  

Amazon has accumulated some of the best industry practices when it comes to the post-purchase experience. The eCommerce giant offers free returns, different delivery options as well as packaging choices. Their customer support for post-purchase is exceptional including their call me now feature where reps go “above and beyond” to help customers. The company also provides customers with the option to set a scheduled auto-order command for certain items. For example, if you click on the scheduled auto-order command while purchasing your favorite shampoo, Amazon will deliver it every month on the chosen date! These small actions keep customers coming back to Amazon for their shopping every time while differentiating the company from competitors effectively! 

What’s more, you do not have to take drastic steps to deliver a brand-differentiating positive post-purchase experience. Take a cue from Nike. With its 60-day returns policy, the brand addresses one of the biggest customer pain points effectively while earning major brownie points. Similarly, the way Nike has created a close-knit community of consumers who are die-hard brand advocates is remarkable. Just dive into the brand’s digital marketing strategy and you’ll learn a hack or two of how you can do the same for your brand! 

Apple is another brand that has leveraged the post-purchase experience to differentiate itself from competitors. And one of the major aspects of this is the unboxing experience. The brand’s unboxing strikes the right balance between aesthetics and functionality – something that you should strive for too! 

Book Your Own (FREE) Free Post-Purchase Experience Check Now! 

The post-purchase experience can be the secret sauce that not only keeps your customers coming back for more but also makes your brand stand out from the crowd. If you want to uncover specific ways you can give your customers an exceptional post-purchase experience or need help devising a post-purchase strategy, we can help. Book a free post-purchase experience check with our supply chain experts today!

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