Ever had customers step away from your brand after a not-so-great experience?
Sometimes, it's like a bad match—just not the right fit for every shopper. Other times, it's because of stuff like a broken product, not-so-good customer service, or a better deal somewhere else. Sadly, losing customers happens a lot, especially when there are tons of options around but losing customers isn't forever.
One big problem with losing customers is how competitive and crowded the market is today. It's super easy for someone to switch to another shop if they're not happy with yours. A study by PwC found that about one in three customers (32%) would stop buying from a brand they loved after just one bad experience.
Here's the good news: these customers already liked your brand once. And now, you've got an advantage because they know your brand and had a good relationship with it before.
How can you get them shopping at your store again?
Keep them happy
When one out of four customers leaves, it really hurts your business. Shops spend lots of money to get customers, hoping they'll stick around and buy more stuff. But when they leave, it's like the shop wasted that money. So, while you're bringing in new customers, make sure you're also keeping them happy so they'll stick around.
Get to know them
Figuring out why people stopped coming is important to get them back. If they liked your stuff before, there could be a few reasons why they left.
Sometimes, it's because of one bad shopping experience. Maybe they got a broken item or had a bad time talking to someone from customer service. When something like that happens, most people ask for a refund or exchange.
Be careful
You should pay attention if there are lots of problems with your products or how you help customers. When customers stop coming, asking them why can really help figure out what went wrong.
Whether it's the stuff you're selling or how your team is helping customers, finding these problems is the first step to fixing them. You might need to change the product or teach your team new things to stop these problems from happening again.
But even when you try your best, mistakes still happen. So, it's really important to do something when customers leave and try to make things right. Remember, you're dealing with people, and trying to fix a problem can make a big difference.
Now, what can you do?
If customers stop buying because they found better prices somewhere else, giving them a special discount or promo code might bring them back. It's cheaper than lowering prices everywhere and can make a big difference for your customers. And remember, these discounts work best if they're for stuff your customers really like or were looking at before.
If the problem is about what they bought, like something's broken or not what they expected, then make it easier for them to return it. Lots of customers check the return policy before they buy something, 60% of customers do this. So, make sure your return policy is easy for customers to understand and not too tricky.
Let them know what's new and what you're doing to make things better for them. People like when shops are open and honest, and they'll like that you're trying to make things better.
It can be scary to talk to customers who stopped coming. It might also seem like a bad idea to spend more money on them when you've already spent a lot to get them in the first place.
By making returns easier and talking more with customers who stopped coming, you can reach out to people who already know and bought from your shop.