5 Creative Ways to Show Customers You Care

In the last few years, there has been an explosion of entrepreneurial businesses popping up all over the online market space. If you don’t want to become lost in that giant sea of options, you’ve got to ensure great relationships with your customers. Not only will this set your online business apart as something great, but making your customers feel like they matter will increase your eBay sales, reduce your customer returns, and keep buyers coming back for more. Not to mention that solidifying great customer relationships is really a top best practice for any entrepreneur. Showing your customers that you care is a great way to build that solid relationship, and it goes without saying that creativity is key when best deciding just how to do that. Letting your customers know you care and appreciate them is so much more than just a “Thank You”, and below, we’ve compiled a list of truly innovative ways to make a “Thank You” beyond the ordinary.

Make It Personal

Something as simple as a handwritten Thank You note can go a long way with your customers. It says something about you, and it says something about your consumer. A handwritten note thanking a customer for their business says that you took the time to sit down and write the special note, even in the midst of your busy eCommerce world. Then, it says something about your customer in that they really feel one-on-one, special attention for their belief in your company by making a purchase in the first place. You can’t forget the most important detail of a truly effective personal note, though — your customer’s name! While a personal note is nice in itself, it won’t mean quite as much if you don’t address it to the specific customer. This also goes for follow-up emails thanking a customer for their purchase and making sure the product meets their satisfaction. Personalize, personalize, personalize! Address them by name, and also make the subject line of any email personal with their name as well. If there’s one thing that can possibly spoil the whole point of gratitude Thank You note, it’s when it’s a general one. If you curious about how to write an appropriate thank you note to your customers, here's a great overview of how to do so.

Encourage Social Media Interaction

If your customers are sharing images of your product and how much they love it on their Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, reshare to your own business pages and give them a mention! It might seem like a small deal, but reposting your customer’s content is a way to make them feel truly special and appreciated. On the other hand, you can also encourage your customers to post and interact on social media when they receive and love your products! This tells buyers that you see them, you appreciate their business, and that their thoughts on your eCommerce matter. And it’s also a fabulous way for your customers to spread the word to their friends about just how much they love your products!

Never Underestimate Packaging (And Extras!)

Your customers’ experience begins with receiving that much-anticipated package from your store. Think about how fun and exciting it is to receive a birthday present all wrapped up in snazzy giftwrap and bows. You want to instill this same kind of excitement and anticipation in your customers, while also representing your brand. From bright colored bubble mailing envelopes to sticker covered boxes, your options for shipping supplies that pack a fun punch are limitless. Practice this same idea inside a shipping package by individually wrapping products in pretty tissue paper or tying them up in keepsake fabric bags. Take it a step further by including a package insert, such as a free sample of something from your store. A customer will feel that care when they see just how much time you took to make the entire experience — from receiving the package through to opening it — really special and individualized, just for them.

Give Returns Just As Much Love

‍

Sometimes our products don’t one hundred percent satisfy a customer, and that’s okay. It’s just the way of business and selling. However, it’s how you deal with an unsatisfied consumer that makes the biggest difference. Just as you do with successful purchases, you should give return situations as much (if not more) love. When a customer reaches out to you about a return, be quick and accommodating with your response. And go beyond the return and refund process. Send the customer a personalized apology note with an incentive to come back, such as percent off coupon or a gift card. Consumers understand that things don’t always go according to expectations, so the extra effort to make sure they know you still value their business can quite possibly ensure that they’ll give your store another chance. In case you are selling on one of the popular marketplaces such as eBay, Poshmark & others, our solution (Sizely) helped sellers to reduce returns by up to 50%.

Offer Appealing Incentives

Whether it’s a first-time customer or a repeat, incentives that show your appreciation are always a great idea. So, what do really awesome customer incentives look like? The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can do. From percent off coupons to online coupon codes for free shipping to small items that relate to the customer’s purchase or the line of products in your online market place, you can’t go wrong with an unexpected gift included. Not only does this show your buyers that you appreciate them, but it also increases regular purchase potential and brand loyalty for your business.

What’s really great about these ideas is that they don’t only pose as fantastic ways to show your customers you care exclusively. They also offer something that goes much further, even after. We’ve talked about raising that potential for repeat business, but also making sure your customers feel valued carries over into your actual selling site — positive reviews! Every eBay or Amazon seller strives for that five-star average rating, and not just for the purpose of making sure customers are satisfied. Great reviews bring in more customers and put you higher up on the search listings for shoppers who don’t know you to find you! The benefits for your eCommerce business can really be endless when you take the time and make even the smallest gesture to let your customers know the value they hold for your brand. After all, there is no great business without customers to begin with.

‍