If you own an online store, it’s worth making the buying process as simple and easy as possible for first-time customers. Therefore, you’ll need to remove any friction that might stand in the way of completing purchases.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be as tricky as it might first seem. You can do a few key things to ensure first-time customers have a smooth and effortless shopping experience in your store, such as offering coupons and multiple payment methods.
In this article, we’ll explain why greasing the wheels for first-time customers is essential. Then, we’ll give you some tips for making the buying process simple. Let’s get started!
Why You Should Consider Greasing The Wheels For First Time Customers
Customer retention is huge for business. According to Hubspot, if your business sees just a 5% increase in customer retention, your profits can surge somewhere between 25% to 95%. Equally, repeat business saves you money, with 82% of companies agreeing that retention is cheaper than acquisition.
If you want to encourage customers to return and shop at your store again, you need to ensure they have a good experience the first time. This means making the buying process as simple and easy as possible.
There are a few reasons why greasing the wheels for these customers is essential. First and foremost, it builds trust. If customers have a positive experience with your store, they’re more likely to trust your brand and come back in the future.
Greasing the wheels also sets the tone for future interactions. First impressions are essential. If you can impress new customers, they will likely continue shopping with you.
Finally, simplifying the buying process helps your business stand out from the competition. In a competitive market, offering a smooth checkout experience can quickly set your online store apart.
5 Tips For Simplifying The Buying Process For First Time Customers
Now that we’ve explained why greasing the wheels for first-time customers is essential, let’s discuss some top tips for simplifying the buying process!
1. Offer coupons, discounts, and other incentives
One way to simplify the buying process for new customers is to offer coupons and discounts. Many shoppers love a good deal, so providing an extra incentive can push them to complete their purchases.
There are a few different ways to offer coupons and discounts. However, the best way to launch a coupon campaign is to use a plugin.
We recommend our own Advanced Coupons plugin. It’s a powerful tool that makes it easy to create and manage coupons and discounts. Plus, Advanced Coupons includes features like an auto-apply setting, making it even easier for new customers to take advantage of deals:
Another option is to offer loyalty program points that first-time customers can earn and redeem for future purchases. This setup can incentivize users to keep buying from your store to earn credits or other rewards.
Our Loyalty Program plugin enables customers to earn points for completing orders, leaving reviews, commenting on your website, and more. Furthermore, shoppers can easily view and redeem their balances from a user-friendly dashboard:
Finally, consider using our Advanced Gift Cards plugin to offer gift cards redeemable on the second order. These cards give the customer money off their next purchase, encouraging them to come back and shop with you again!
2. Provide multiple payment options
You can easily simplify the buying process by providing customers with multiple payment options. These might include credit cards, PayPal, and online wallets.
Offering multiple payment options makes it easier for new customers to complete purchases without signing up for specific payment providers. Overall, your online store will provide a convenient and speedy checkout process that shouldn’t deter first-time customers.
With the WooCommerce Payments extension, you can offer multiple payment options in your online store. For example, you can accept credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more:
Plus, our Advanced Coupons plugin can be helpful here. Our tool enables you to offer discounts depending on the payment method. So, if a particular payment gateway is popular or convenient in your region, you can further incentivize customers by discounting purchases.
3. Offer free shipping to first-time customers
Another way to simplify the buying process for first-time customers is offering free shipping. After all, unexpected or high shipping costs are often behind high cart abandonment rates.
There are a few different ways to offer free shipping. For example, you might apply the setting to all orders over a certain amount:
Alternatively, you can offer free shipping to first-time customers by providing them with coupons. This method will trigger the free shipping option for relevant shoppers, provided that they live within your approved shipping zones.
Remember that factoring free shipping into your budget can be tricky and hurt your bottom line. Therefore, you might consider raising your base prices to cover the costs. Alternatively, you can eat the costs and try to get customers to return and purchase more items over time.
4. Provide different shipping options
You should also consider providing first-time customers with different delivery options. These might include standard shipping, express shipping, and overnight shipping.
Providing different shipping options can appeal to customers who want your products as quickly as possible. Offering alternative shipping companies might also be necessary if you deliver products to many different countries worldwide.
You’ll need to make sure that your shipping options are clearly displayed so that customers have a good idea of when they’ll receive their products:
However, keep in mind that these options might not be possible for many countries or regions. It might be worth focusing on a single market (like the United States) so that you can confidently offer reliable shipping policies. Alternatively, you can limit shipping options for tricker regions and provide more options to your target market.
5. Include a product warranty and money-back guarantee
Finally, it could be worth including a product warranty and money-back guarantee to your shoppers. These policies can show first-time customers that you’re confident in your products and stand behind their quality:
Change of mind refunds can also help to encourage first time customers to complete a purchase. They show shoppers that you value their satisfaction and continued patronage.
Deciding between store credit vs. a refund will depend on your business model. Plus, some countries have specific laws addressing refunds and consumer rights.
Conclusion
‘Greasing the wheels’ for first-time customers means making the buying process as pain-free as possible. Although new visitors might be hesitant to complete their purchases, you can nudge them in the right direction.
There are several ways to simplify the buying process, including offering multiple payment options, free shipping, and additional shipping options. Our Advanced Coupons plugin can also help incentivize shoppers with discounts and coupons.
Do you have any questions about greasing the wheels for first-time customers? Let us know in the comments section below!
