Wishlists are an easy asset to add to your eCommerce website. They can help increase sales engagement, retain customers and optimize the shopping experience.
Shoppers can personalize their collections of products and save them in their users’ accounts for future reference. More advanced wishlists even allow registered site users to create multiple lists under different names, like Christmas lists, or birthday gifts. These lists allow shoppers to remember things that they want to buy, but might not have an intention of purchasing at that moment. They are useful for customers and useful for your business.
What is an eCommerce Wishlist?
An eCommerce wishlist is a valuable tool for you and your customers. When a customer registers an account on your site, they can create wishlists. These stored purchase desires are useful reminders to your customer of things they want and provide you with valuable customer data.
They also help reduce cart abandonment rates because people don’t have to purchase everything in one transaction, they can return at a later date. They also encourage shoppers who are browsing to return to your website to make a purchase if they are comparing products, because they have already done more than half the work on your website to make a purchase, and they know you have their details held secure.
Wishlists drive sales engagement and retention
Google research shows that 40% of customers think their shopping experience would be better if retailers offered a wishlist feature. It is important that branding be added to any wishlist plug-in features. Registered site users want to feel that that information is secure and your branding included on the fill-in form gives users a sense of security.
You can give users options for how to use their wishlist. People save items on wishlists before purchasing or marking items they are waiting to go on sale.
They are also used to save:
- Products that customers want to buy but afford at the moment.
- Reserve products that are out of stock (e.g. in their chosen color or size).
- Some users create multiple lists to share with others (for example as a suggestion for wedding gifts, group purchases, or saving items for different occasions).
Create a wishlist experience
A wishlist is a tool that helps you stay connected with people who are interested in making a purchase. They should be easy to use and edit, and linked with auto email reminders for registered users. These replies would vary depending on your business type. An online bookstore offers extensive options for categorizing wishlists and might not send reminders to customers more than a few times a year. People need time to read the books they buy, so you don’t want to remind them too often of their waiting list.
However, a customer wanting to purchase an item of clothing that has sold out in their size might want an immediate alert when the product arrives. Such proactive measures on your part will help secure sales and develop customer loyalty.
Your wish list must be mobile-friendly
People move between their phones and computer when shopping, so every aspect of your eCommerce site should be responsive, and capable. That includes your wishlist that must load on your mobile as fast and accessible as it does on your website.
Make it shareable
Your website wishlist functionality should include a branded shareable option. It can be a useful tool for people who are compiling a wishlist for birthday or anniversary gifts, items they need for a baby, or a new home. It can also be included on B2B sites for large staff orders so a list from each department can be complied by the decision maker, and it can be clearly understood what items and how many of each product are needed, such as office supplies.
Benefits
- Seamless shopping experience
- Encourage users to buy on your website
- Increasing the sales funnel
- Improve customer engagement and customer experience
Expand your customer base
If your wishlist is shared by your registered user, you might just find a new customer who didn’t know your business existed. It’s easy networking for your business and a great promotion. If the wishlist sharer is a trusted person, the other that they send it to is more likely to trust your business too. If your wishlist and your products work well, new traffic will be interested in exploring your website and may convert to customers.
