Monetate: Top 3 tips for increasing engagement

"Consumers now demand an online experience that is just as relevant as shopping in a store," said Kurt Heinemann, Chief Marketing Officer, Monetate. "A successful merchandising strategy makes products easy to find, facilitates purchase decisions by providing targeted and relevant information, and guides shoppers through the checkout process as seamlessly as possible. Without adapting to these consumer expectations, brands risk losing screen-share to more engaging competitors."

Here are Monetate's top tips for increasing engagement through merchandising.

First, deliver recommendations on Thank You/Confirmation pages - this is a good place to show related products or even testimonials without hampering the checkout process. While you're thinking recommendations, don't forget the product reviews. These, both the good and the bad, should be directly on the product page

"Including negative reviews conveys authenticity and will improve visitors' perception of your brand," writes the company.

Second, allow for visual, predictive search - search that includes images - because this can guide searches without the issue of misspelling product names. While thinking images, 'badge' some products with 'Top Pick' or 'Limited Edition'. These product descriptors can be helpful to shoppers.

Finally, make checkout simple. Did you know coupons can hamper sales as easily as enhance them? You could optimize the coupon box so eligible coupons are automatically added, make it simple to choose a payment option.

"Enable express checkout and allow customers to complete their purchases using services that they're already subscribed to or familiar with, such as PayPal," writes the company.

Tags: ecommerce merchandising, ecommerce trends, merchandising tips, Monetate