Are you an eCommerce brand looking to increase your brand’s marketing performance? Look no further. In this piece, we’ll explore how you can leverage the principles of behavioural science to gain insight into customer motivations and preferences that will enable you to optimise your strategies accordingly. 

#1 Personalised Product Recommendations

A study found that customers are 75% more likely to buy based on personalised recommendations, with AOV being around 10% higher compared to when a recommendation was not clicked. 

By analysing consumer data, including browser history, purchase patterns, demographic information, as well as motivations and drivers, behavioural science allows you to deliver tailored recommendations - enhancing their experience and the likelihood of a purchase. 

This is a great example of the behavioural principle choice architecture whereby organising and framing choices in a way that aligns with consumer preferences can help guide them towards desired products. 

eCommerce brands can use default bias to pre-select personalised recommendations based on consumer data to simplify the decision-making process and further increase the chances of conversion. 

#2 Social Proof and FOMO

Research shows that 92% of shoppers now read online reviews before making a purchase.  By incorporating social proof elements into your website and marketing activity, including reviews, ratings and testimonials, you can tap into this psychological behaviour to help consumers feel more confident with their purchases, increasing sales and reducing post-purchase regret. 

Furthermore, around 69% of millennials experience FOMO, and 60% make impulsive purchases because of it. Creating a sense of urgency and leveraging the scarcity principle through limited-time offers or low stock notifications can trigger FOMO (fear of missing out) and encourage immediate action from users, making it a creative sales tactic for eCommerce brands. 

#3 Gamification and Rewards

According to a study by Bond Brand Loyalty, 73% of consumers are more likely to recommend brands with good loyalty programs, and 79% say these initiatives encourage repeat purchases. By applying principles of behavioural science, you can introduce game-like elements such as loyalty programs, badges and points systems to incentivize desired behaviours. 

Gamification can lead to significant increases in customer engagement, with one study finding that 38% of people like it when companies include games or interactive features, and 36% said that they are more likely to visit sites that include gamification. You can take this one step further by employing the goal gradient effect by visually representing progress towards a reward (i.e., 10% off your 5th purchase). This motivates customers to continue engaging with your brand to achieve their goals.

#4 Simplified Checkout Process

Checkout abandonment rate is around 70% across eCommerce industries. By understanding and addressing cognitive load theory, brands can provide a smoother, distraction-free experience by reducing the number of steps in the checkout process or by introducing progress indicators. 

This is why we’ll often see reduced navigation and options once we commit to a purchase; this is brands trying to reduce distractions and friction. Progress indicators are especially helpful as they help visually reinforce where users are in the process and can increase conversions and reduce abandonment rates. 

#5 Persuasive Copywriting and Design

Research suggests that users skim more content than they read. As a result, it’s increasingly important to leverage persuasive copywriting and design in order to capture the attention of your audience and drive action. 

Behavioural research can be used to understand the motivations behind your target market’s needs, which can then be used to create compelling stories that have an emotional appeal. Copy layered with this approach can tap into user emotions, drivers and pain points, making your brand more relatable and engaging.

Key Takeaways

1. Incorporate personalised product recommendations into your eCommerce site to boost AOV and conversion rates. Ensure these are led with data and not random if you want to reap the rewards. 
2. Harness the power of social proof and FOMO in your marketing to capture the attention of consumers and gain their trust. Don’t underestimate the importance of reviews and ratings on product pages. 
3. Leverage gamification to keep shoppers coming back for rewards and increase the chances of them recommending you to others. 
4. Keep your UX seamless by removing barriers, keeping CTAs clear and using progress indicators in the checkout process to reduce distractions. 
5. Conduct a behavioural discovery piece to truly unearth what drives your target market and craft persuasive copy that resonates with their needs while nudging them to purchase. 

Are you looking for a digital partner to help you incorporate behavioural science into your marketing? Get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!