Ecommerce UX is Beyond the Website, Indeed!

Most UI/UX concepts have been overhauled with the inception of the term CX. It is the complete picture. The point that most businesses miss out is the vast scope it entails. It is no more just about your website or CRM automation. There are factors beyond that.

Two of my recent purchases made me live through this. One from Flipkart and another from Amazon. Though I am Flipkart’s loyal customer, I had to make one of the purchases on Amazon (India); simply due to a lesser quantity than desired on Flipkart. Both the products belong to the consumer electronics category and they would need installation services.

Now in most cases, our understanding of UX would end once the purchase is made. However, not the same for CX. Flipkart product page included far more detailed information about the Installation services than Amazon’s (surprising it may sound, but yes). So before making a purchase, I was fully aware of what happens after the product is delivered.

It is often stated that online selling is all about bringing the offline buying experience into play. In the instances where the product includes after-sales services, the buyer generally spends a lot of time researching about pricing, various offerings, and then makes a decision. Here, details such as who will install the product, the warranty, what if something breaks down, etc. really makes a big impact on buying decision.

Why Flipkart wins the game of CX?

First, they set the right expectations from the product page itself - “48-hours installation commitment”. (Source: Flipkart App, Product Page Screen)

Once the order is placed, there is a detailed update that confirms the expectations set. (Source: Flipkart App, Order Status Screen)

And second, what happened after the delivery. Within minutes of the delivery, I received a text message saying that my installation is scheduled for a particular time slot and with an OTP to share with the engineer. That was followed by a call from their customer services to confirm whether the engineer has called me to confirm his arrival.

Further, amongst the list of options in their support offered guided help on Installation services.

The Contradiction!

Against much detailed documentation and supporting the customer journey through the purchase and afterward, Amazon listing did not offer much help. Upon querying their customer service about installation services, the response was if we provided such services, we would mention that. Absurd! 

This post is not to defame Amazon and promote Flipkart. For ecommerce, much is talked about bringing the online experience closer to offline, if not better it. For goods where post-sales services are extremely critical, the buyer still prefers the offline medium over the online channels. The reason is the lack of support during post-sales from the online channels. Whom should they contact if they need technical help? Are their purchases covered in warranty? If yes, what are the scenarios where the warranty can be void, and so on?

Ecommerce businesses must present themselves as accountable channels to compete with offline vendors. For example, Flipkart may have initiated this practice out of support queries from customers seeking help with the installation. Or worse, warranty being void as the installation was carried out by a non-certified engineer. In spite of no fault of the ecommerce platform, such things affect their customer service standards. And therefore, CX enhancement is a critical factor that can boost the trust in your platform.

Learn how Biztech Marketing Services can provide you with consultation services on CX enhancement and ecommerce, get in touch with us through [email protected].