Your storefront is digital; but your customer appreciation doesn’t have to be. Your online store can break the digital barrier with two words “thank you.” Those two words go a long way to express gratitude.

Online Customers are Real Customers

Your shopping experience should be as friendly online as you would like it to be offline. We tend to think that an online store isn’t real. Relationships online aren’t real. Your customers are people and they have certain expectations. They aren’t robots — at least yet.

Treat people well and they will have a warm feeling toward you. We call that affinity. Affinity leads to loyalty; loyalty leads to sales. This is human behavior, not a marketing hack.

“Thank You” are Two Powerful Words

People appreciate being, well, appreciated. They took the time to find your store, choose an item, and go through your checkout process. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to include a hand-written thank you note.

Artisans do this often. I’ve purchased jewelry and paintings online from artists who have taken that extra step. Packaging your item as a gift makes the customer feel even more special; as if they had sent a gift to themselves. Even a “thank you” sticker makes the customer feel good.

If your product is digital, send a personalized email. You can automate it with your email marketing nurture campaign if you like. Going out of the way — especially when your eCommerce website is small in volume, will make a difference.

If you’re not sure, scroll through Instagram looking at all of the people mentioning that they received a thank you from a vendor.

How Do You Thank Your Online Customers?

We’ve talked about positive reinforcement when it comes to getting customer reviews. Thank you gifts are not that different.

It doesn’t make too much sense to send hoodies with every order. No, but at the end of the year, you can recognize affiliates and those high lifetime value customers.

“For example, handing out a swanky gift package with every order is a surefire way to blow your budget. But segmenting high value customers and sending them a handwritten note with a branded gift can cement an already positive relationship.”

Shopify

Gratitude and Online Stores

You do what you practice. It’s that simple. When you feel gratitude for your customers, it will manifest in your behavior. You’ll want to randomly do something nice for them. You’ll pay it forward. You’ll donate to a cause in a customer’s name.

“Saying ‘thank you’ to your customers gives them a sense of satisfaction and demonstrates that you’re a not just a faceless corporation processing a transaction.”

Jilt

What are you grateful for? How can you express it toward a customer?

Your Community and eCommerce

Your community wants your products. The products bring people to your site and the community keeps them there. With PeepSo’s EDD and WooCommerce extensions, you can have the best of both worlds — eCommerce and Community.