Clear And Captivating

Grocers desiring repeat ecommerce customers must provide content that is accurate and makes shopping more convenient and personalized.

- Randy Hofbauer

As food retailers continue their advance into ecommerce, a focus on clear, complete information is key to winning sales. Yet nearly all shoppers have jumped ship before making a purchase online, because they found content to be lacking, research from Irvine, Calif.-based digital commerce solutions provider Episerver shows.

According to the March report, “Reimagining Commerce,” 98 percent of consumers have been dissuaded from such purchases due to incomplete or incorrect content, with nearly one-third (32 percent) of consumers being deterred every time. Further, more than one-third (35 percent) feel that brands do a poor or very poor job giving the online shopping experience a customized feel, showing that a large number of consumers today aren’t finding the content they value when ordering online.

“Just as a poorly designed storefront or cluttered displays can deter shoppers from a physical store, a website or mobile app with lackluster content can turn off consumers and, in many cases, discourage them from making a purchase,” said Ed Kennedy, senior director of commerce at Episerver, in March. “Our study shows consumers really care about content when shopping online, not only the quality and accuracy, but also how it’s delivered to them. Complete and accurate content is now table stakes, and brands looking to go above and beyond must consider personalization.”

To create a more consumer-friendly, personalized experience on their ecommerce sites, grocers should consider providing:

1) An exploration-focused landing page: