5 Ridiculously Simple Hacks For Your eCommerce to Win Customers For Life

Maybe you've heard about this recent story between Tesco (grocery store from the UK) and a customer complaining on social media about a dead worm found in a cucumber. You'll laugh when you read Tesco's brilliant response. From a customer retention perspective, Tesco's initiative had everything you'd expect to win a customer for life and even more:

• friendly tone
• empathy
• collaboration
• surprise
• fun

You don't have to be Tesco. But you can step up your game with your customer's relationship by implementing these 5 ridiculously simple hacks to improve your eCommerce customer retention. All you need is passion and goodwill.

1. Use your customers' names AT ALL TIMES

You might laugh at this but a little detail like this one is essential to build a strong relationship with your customers in the long run. When you write them an email, or [respond to them on social media](https://blog.aftership.com/twitter-best-ecommerce-brands-customer-success/" target=_blank"), make it a habit to begin your message with it. Ask it right away when you're missing it and don't forget to keep the information somewhere you can refer to quickly.

A person's name is the sweetest sound —Dale Carnegie

You don't need to subscribe to a CRM. Simple tools like these ones can do the job well:

• [Google Spreadsheet](https://www.google.com/sheets/about/" target=_blank") as a CRM tool.
• [Fieldbook](https://fieldbook.com/" target=_blank")
• [Airtable](https://airtable.com/" target=_blank") - see a template below

2. Remember your customers' birthdays / anniversaries

Be smart on that one. Keep the same database you started using one of the tools above and add two columns or more, depending on what you're selling. Find out or ask when is the birthday of your customers. Send them a gift, or a quick note, or a discount. Magic will happen.

Here's a tweet from Shopify's Head of Communication Mark Hayes:

I love waking up to Kylie Jenner Snapchatting about the birthday gift @Shopify sent her: https://t.co/HaaDTZmplS

— Mark Hayes (@allsop8184) August 9, 2016

You send a gift, and in return, millions of followers on Snapchat have a positive impression of your brand. Well done Shopify . What's preventing you from doing the same at your own scale?

Mark down the first time your customer ordered from you and set up an alarm. Send This your anniversary between your eCommerce and your customer. Send her or him something special that day. Make her feel special and unique. Nostalgia is a powerful trigger. This is the story you're building with your customer. Don't ruin it.

3. Feature your customers on your eCommerce store

In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes —Andy Wahrol

Everybody wants 5 minutes of fame. Use your customers interaction with your product to build the trust. This is how FitJoy welcome customers on their websites. See these tweets about happy people eating the cereal bars?

Ask for feedback and the permission to use your customers stories. Not only it will improve the conversion of your eCommerce store, but it will turn your customers into proud advocates of your brand.

4. Give your customers twice as much as you receive from them

Instead of spending money in Facebook ads, or Google Adwords. How about surprising your customers? When Gary Vaynerchuk ask what he can do for his followers on Twitter, here's what happens:

I sent this dude a CheeseBurger!
So when I ask what can i do for you on Twitter!
I mean it!
http://t.co/20vivNxzqp

— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) August 23, 2013

Pretty awesome right? The next time you want to allocate some budget to ads, think about imaginative ways you can spend the money for maximum impact instead. Set up a #askUSanything session on Facebook, or Twitter, or Snapchat. Respond with humour to crazy requests and surprise your customers. Your social media following will be on fire .

5. Meet your customers in person

You're selling online yes but you can still organise events for your tribe. Once your customers have met with the face behind the products, it's harder for them to change. The more you build, the more likely your customers will come back.

Selling yoga pants? Organise one-hour of yoga class for free. Selling matcha tea online? Run a book club discussion where readers will drink your tea among others. The sky is the limit as long as you care about your tribe.

Here's the #teamWarby from Warby Parker organising #ladiesdrawingnight

Thanks to all who joined us tonight at Bergen St. for #ladiesdrawingnight with @leahreenagoren, @juliarothman, and @rachaelcole! Follow along on Snapchat to watch the floral magic in action

A photo posted by Warby Parker (@warbyparker) on Aug 9, 2016 at 5:02pm PDT

#####Over to you! What are the simple tricks you've been trying to implement to keep customers coming back? Share your tactics in the comments below or hit us up on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/aftership/" target_blank"). We'd love to feature your kick-ass story 🤘

Oh, by the way, I almost forgot: here's [the full story of Rob and William the dead worm](https://www.buzzfeed.com/laurenstrapagiel/wonder-worm?utm_term=.lr7o7347J#.xfz2V5XVR/" target=_blank) .