by Suhaib Zaheer SVP, Managed Hosting at DigitalOcean & GM, Cloudways
2024 has whizzed by, with many people not realising Valentine’s Day was upon them until the last minute. In a bid to find the perfect token of their love, forgetful romantics would have been scouring the internet for that special something. However, amid the excitement, frustration can quickly set in as eager shoppers find themselves refreshing their browsers in pursuit of sought-after items, only to be met with the crash of a retailer’s website.
This deals a significant blow to the retailer’s reputation and credibility. The anticipation built up by marketing campaigns and the allure of exclusive deals can swiftly turn into disappointment for customers faced with inaccessible websites or slow loading times. When online shopping dominates, technical hiccups can tarnish a brand’s image and drive potential buyers away.
This serves as a reminder that optimising bandwidth and minimising friction during shopping periods is essential for retailers to avoid inefficiencies and maintain positive relationships with their customers. Investing in robust infrastructure and scalable technology solutions is key to ensure that the online shopping experience remains smooth and seamless even during busy times of the year.
Retailers should learn from past mistakes and, in the run-up to next year’s Valentine’s Day, retailers must enhance their digital capabilities to meet heightened demand and exceed customer expectations. Failure to do so not only results in missed sales opportunities but also risks alienating a loyal customer base and damaging the brand’s long-term success.
Enhance the mobile shopping experience
During shopping events, retailers must prioritise mobile commerce. Mobile establishes connections with customers directly on their pocket devices, offering features such as push notifications, one-click purchases, location-based services and tailored recommendations. This level of convenience has the power to significantly elevate user satisfaction which is appealing to shoppers who seek value and appreciation in their shopping journeys.
By ensuring compatibility across a wide range of devices and platforms, businesses can expand their reach and consistently deliver an outstanding shopping experience, regardless of the customer’s preferred digital touchpoint. This enhanced accessibility not only promotes a smoother shopping journey but also leads to increased conversions during these peak shopping events.
Optimise bandwidth capacity
One of the core strategies to streamline operations is optimising bandwidth capacity. This ensures the seamless handling of the massive influx of online shoppers without the threat of slowdowns or website crashes. Fortunately, automated systems can now efficiently adjust bandwidth capacity to handle website traffic spikes and scale it back down once the busy period subsides. This means retailers can maintain fast, reliable and responsive websites, no matter the demand. This also actively avoids having to force the retailer to migrate to a custom website solution, by removing the need to manage servers, possess IT skills, or risk spending budget.
Simplifying the buying process, condensing numerous steps into a streamlined and intuitive checkout experience, plays a pivotal role in reducing friction, boosting speed, and reducing the risk of customers losing out on their desired purchases. Offering guest checkout options and eliminating mandatory account creation hurdles can eliminate unnecessary obstacles, catering to time-pressed shoppers.
It’s all about personalisation
For major shopping events, it should all be about personalisation. Retailers need to tap into advanced analytics and data-driven insights to make well-informed decisions and offer personalised experiences that speak to each customer. By analysing customer behaviours, preferences, and past purchase history, retailers can create unique recommendations that cater to each customer’s distinct needs. This heightened level of personalisation has the potential to significantly enhance customer satisfaction, making shoppers feel truly valued and, ultimately leading to a surge in sales and spreading the love even further.
