Small businesses are thriving. In the U.S. there are 30.2 million small businesses—and as the economy thrives, that number is only expected to grow. As these businesses gain steam, they are turning to eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and Square to run their operations. But few know the benefits of combining the powers of these platforms with their other favorite business apps. For example, SMS eCommerce integrations can help small businesses scale with ease.
Even if a business has already installed an SMS integration for their eCommerce site, team members may not be taking full advantage of it. While an SMS eCommerce integration does allow both the eCommerce platform and business SMS app to share critical customer data, it is capable of doing much more.
Let’s dive into the top 5 ways to maximize an SMS eCommerce integration.
SMS eCommerce Integration Tip #1: Automate Order Updates
An SMS eCommerce integration allows your two favorite apps to speak to one another. This means that your apps can, with your permission, tell one another what to do. Triggers can make your eCommerce platform initiate an action in your business SMS app, and vice versa. For example, your business SMS app can automatically send order updates once an order is confirmed in your eCommerce system. Once the business SMS platform knows it needs to send a text to a certain customer, it can fill in a previously-selected template with the customer’s custom information, like order numbers and shipping estimates.
By automating the order update process, your team can spend less time managing small tasks and instead focus on more important projects, like providing more personal customer service.
SMS eCommerce Integration Tip #2: Expedite Q&A
When customers are about to choose one of your products or check out, they may have a final question. With SMS for eCommerce, your business can install a widget on your eCommerce platform’s customer-facing website. Placed in strategic positions, like a product page or checkout page, a widget allows your customers to quickly click choose to message your team when they have questions. If a customer access your website with a smartphone, their native app will automatically open with your SMS number populated. Once they text in, their message will arrive immediately into your business SMS inbox.
With this particular SMS eCommerce integration feature, your business will be able to answer customer questions—and secure orders—faster than ever before.
SMS eCommerce Integration Tip #3: Improve Return Coordination
Many businesses offer ample order updates, but when it comes to returns, they aren’t so communicative. SMS for eCommerce helps improve each stage of the fulfillment process, including returns. After your businesses creates a simple trigger, your eCommerce platform can let your business SMS platform know when a return is confirmed, when it is received by the shipping carrier, and when it arrives to your warehouse. Return updates put customers’ minds at ease, showing them that you care about the entire customer journey.
With an SMS service for eCommerce, your team can easily improve the return process—without increasing employee workloads.
SMS eCommerce Integration Tip #4: Schedule Re-Engagement
About 77% of online shopping carts are abandoned. There are many reasons why customers change their minds about purchasing a product or don’t purchase from your brand anymore. By regularly engaging with your customers, you can be sure that it’s not because they’re feeling neglected. With the help of SMS for eCommerce, your business can schedule SMS drip campaigns that automatically connect with customers who haven’t interacted with your eCommerce platform for a specified amount of time. Simply create a trigger that adds out-of-touch customers to a drip campaign list. Then, your drip campaign will check in on a regular basis. Your team can even automate a simple message to be sent when a cart is abandoned, ensuring that if customers left the cart because of technical difficulties or product-related questions, you’ll be able to resolve those queries quickly.
Scheduling these re-engagement opportunities is a great way to reduce missed opportunities without increasing your marketing team’s workload.
SMS eCommerce Integration Tip #5: Simplify Feedback Requests
At the end of the day, one of your top business goals is to provide your customers with a valuable service. One of the best ways to ensure you’re giving the people what they want is by asking for feedback. But when feedback requests are sent via email, sometimes customers don’t see them. Email has a low average open rate of 20% and a response rate of 6%. On the other hand, texts have a 98% open rate and a response rate of up to 80%. With an SMS service for eCommerce, your team can automate SMS feedback requests. The SMS platform will allow you to create a trigger within your eCommerce platform, such as an order status updating as complete. Once your SMS platform recognizes that trigger, it can automatically send an SMS survey to the relevant customer. This is also a great way to automate SMS review requests for websites like Yelp or Google My Business.
By automating the feedback request process with an SMS service for eCommerce, your team can be sure to get feedback from all your customers—and make changes that improve your business for the better.
Need an SMS eCommerce integration for your brand? Try our text service for business today.
