With retailers being the go-to for many customers, it is important to have a good returns policy and personalised service to shop virtually.

A young woman makes plans to join a friend on a shopping spree in the weekend. She has an important wedding to attend and urgently needs to update her wardrobe. The popular mall is her best bet and she goes on a relentless retail spree to find what she needs. After a highly disappointing experience, as she either cannot find the right size or style, she almost gives up. She likes one outfit but alas, it’s not available in her size. Her friend whips out her smartphone to check the availability of the same dress, online. Yes, her size is available!

The Indian shopper has clearly moved to online retail shopping platforms, owing to convenience, options and better deals. This has given a huge boost to the online shopping category. As the market continues to grow, ecommerce players are faced with myriad challenges owing to strong competition, lack of product differentiation, overheads and timely delivery. There are so many options that a customer can choose from and the competition is very close. Further, with global players in the fore, smaller retailers really need to up their game.

Let’s look at the key challenges in the customer online shopping journey. Today, customers prefer an option to track their order delivery schedule over other features like product recommendations, loyalty points and benefits. The bottom line is that customers are looking for an effortless and transparent experience. They expect to hear from online retailers not only before they buy, but after as well. Our recent report states that 56 percent consumers are unhappy with the lack of visibility that retailers provide on their order delivery status – not knowing if their order will arrive on the promised date or not having an option to track their delivery order status on demand. Hence, it is imperative for companies to understand the critical nature of this touchpoint in making or breaking customer loyalty.

Source – Yourstory