Mastering the Decision Stage in E-Commerce: A Key to Unlocking Sales

In e-commerce, every step of the customer journey is essential, but the Decision stage is where the magic really happens. This is the point where potential customers decide whether to purchase or move on. Optimizing this stage can make a significant difference in conversion rates and revenue. So, what exactly does the Decision stage entail, and how can you ensure your customers make that all-important decision in your favor? Let’s break it down.

What is the Decision stage?

The Decision stage comes after the customer has gathered information and compared their options (which happens during the Consideration stage). Now, they're ready to take action, but they need that final push to feel confident about their choice. This stage is often emotionally charged, where trust, value, and confidence play the biggest roles. They’ve narrowed down their options, but they need reassurance and the right motivators to complete their purchase.

Key Goals of the Decision stage in the eCommerce customer journey

At the Decision stage, your primary objective is to convert the customer’s interest into action. While it sounds straightforward, several smaller goals feed into this overarching aim:

• Reduce friction: The easier you make it for a customer to say “yes,” the more likely they will complete the purchase. Minimizing barriers such as complicated checkout processes, unexpected costs, or the need to create an account can lead to more conversions.
• Create urgency or motivate action: Encouraging customers to act now rather than later is crucial in this stage. Whether through time-sensitive discounts, low-stock alerts, or limited-time offers, creating a sense of urgency can motivate customers to complete the purchase.
• Maximize the value of the transaction: While closing the sale is the primary goal, increasing the value of that sale is another important objective. You can achieve this through upselling, cross-selling, or bundling products, providing more value to the customer while increasing your AOV.

Key elements influencing the Decision stage

Pricing plays a huge role in the Decision stage, but it’s not just about having the lowest price—it’s about perceived value. This is where discounts, bundles, and limited-time offers come into play. Here are some tips to leverage pricing strategies:

Time-limited promotions: Countdown timers for discounts or free shipping urgency can tip the scales and push the customer to buy now instead of later.

Clear and transparent pricing: Unexpected costs, especially high shipping fees, are one of the main reasons for cart abandonment. Make pricing transparent upfront and offer incentives like free shipping thresholds.

Bundle offers: Creating customized product bundles gives customers extra value, instead of just pushing them to buy more. Plus, they can help move products that might not sell as well on their own, all while raising the average spend.

Take, for example, clothing and jewelry stores. A ‘Shop-the-Look’ tool can make shopping so much easier for customers. People don’t want to spend hours on your site scrolling through collections and filters. They’re usually inspired by a social post or ad they saw, or they’re trying to piece together the perfect outfit from what you offer.

Last year's sales data showed that the 'Shop-the-Look' strategy was a top performer, both in terms of how often it was used and the purchases it drove.

And this strategy isn’t just for clothing and jewelry stores—it can work for any business with complementary products. For instance, one of the merchants paired a hotspot with a 4month subscription for unlimited wi-fi last year, which was a big hit.

So, how appealing are ‘Shop-the-Look’ bundles to customers?

We had a chat with Alex, the Co-Founder of VOXY Official, the UK's go-to brand for fun, carefree, and high-performance women's fitness wear.

Alex's main goal was to attract more women to his brand. To achieve this, he not only focused on expanding the product range and entering international markets but also decided to introduce bundles – matching sets of products in the same design.

The results? Almost immediately, the average order value increased by 10%.

Comparing year-over-year, this strategy led to sales of around £50,000. That's definitely a positive outcome and a sign that the approach is paying off

Using data to refine the Decision stage

The Decision stage in the eCommerce customer journey is also an excellent opportunity to use data to understand what works and what doesn’t. By analyzing customer behavior during this stage, you can refine your approach. Look at metrics like:

• Cart abandonment rate: This shows how many customers are dropping off at the final step.
• Time spent on product pages: A long dwell time may indicate hesitation or need for more information.
• Discount redemption: Analyze how effective your promotions are at moving customers through the Decision stage.

A/B testing various elements (button colors, CTAs, etc.) can help you identify small changes that may lead to big improvements in conversion rates.

What’s next: The Purchase stage

Having guided your customers through the Decision stage, it's time for the exciting moment of conversion: the Purchase stage! In this stage, we’ll explore the key elements that contribute to a smooth and successful transaction.

Conclusion

The Decision stage is where your hard work either pays off or falls short. By creating a frictionless, trust-filled environment, and presenting enticing offers you can dramatically increase the chances that customers complete their purchase. It’s all about making the step as easy and confidence-boosting as possible.

Remember, at this stage, it’s not just about what you sell – it’s about how you sell it. Fine-tuning your approach here can lead to major wins for your e-commerce business.