What You Can Learn from a Big Retailer like Amazon for Your eCommerce Customer Experience

If you have an e-commerce business, you likely are already aware of the skill and precision that the largest online retailers employ to provide unparalleled customer experiences for their users, with the most wildly successful of these being Amazon. If we study their methodology, what takeaways can you gain to help your own business? Let’s break it down.

Shutterstock; Photo by oatawa

How It Started

When Amazon started back in the early 1990s, it was an online book retailer. Its evolution has been astonishing, and they have now expanded into digital streaming, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and more, including acquiring subsidiaries like Whole Foods for Amazon Fresh and developing consumer electronics with its Fire TVs and tablets, Echo devices, and Kindle e-readers. The “Amazon Effect” has inspired other e-commerce businesses to adopt similar practices to satisfy customer expectations around experience.

The Customer is King

Most significantly, their total dominance in creating a user-friendly customer experience is unmatched worldwide. Their entire culture is customer-centric, and their company principles focus on customer obsession, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Now the third-largest public company in the world (after Walmart and China’s State Grid), it is valued at over $1 trillion. They are entirely focused on customer satisfaction, from replacing lost packages to giving full refunds if items don’t arrive on time. This has influenced how customers now view any e-commerce retailer.

How They Create an Unmatched Customer Experience

Amazon’s unwavering focus on providing outstanding customer service is legendary. So, how can you emulate this type of success? First, focus on your audience and find out what they want. Then find the ways to deliver it. Second, keep innovating. Look for ways to improve and exceed customer expectations. Adopting an omnichannel experience is vital in today’s world, as you need to meet your customer where they find you (website, social, etc.). Utilize your customer data to create personalized experiences and positive interactions with your brand. Train your customer service team to be product experts. If you see what your customers are looking at and purchasing, recommend similar products.

One of the primary reasons Amazon is a leader in customer experience is that they have created processes and procedures to prevent problems in the first place. Their global, 24/7 access to assistance coupled with prompt resolution of issues has made them superstars. Are you utilizing your social media channels to identify and resolve problems? A quick response on social goes a long way to satisfying disgruntled customers who have used the platform to reach out to your brand there.

Prioritize Constant Innovation

Amazon’s dedication to constant innovation has driven its business from day one. Their One-Click buying technology was revolutionary, allowing users to buy things faster and making app purchases easier. Amazon Prime membership includes free shipping, video streaming, shopping, books, and many other benefits. All of these innovations map back to their core principles. And they have continued to evolve. With marketing campaigns like Prime Days, Back-to-School, and the end-of-year holidays, they have excelled at understanding what their customers want and delivering it to them successfully.

What Can You Do?

We have seen that Amazon’s extraordinary success maps back to its company principles. When it comes to your own e-commerce business, what steps can you take to prove your company’s mission? How can you deliver what your customers want? And how do you make it easy for them to purchase? Talk to your teams to develop your new e-commerce strategy so that you can start today and create new avenues for success.