Everything you need to know about eCommerce automation

Last Updated on March 2, 2024 by Owen McGab Enaohwo

Image Credit: yo-kart.com

For E-commerce business owners, automation can be a major game-changer. Especially when the aim is to be quick and efficient.

When you automate various aspects of your e-commerce store, you can save time, reduce human errors, and scale your online business more effectively. For instance, automating the order checkout and confirmation process can help you be more responsive to customers. This is one way to improve customer experience.

On this note, we’ll walk you through some important things you need to know about e-commerce automation and how to improve your business with it. Let’s get started.

What is E-commerce Automation?

E-commerce automation is the process of running your online store by using technology to handle tasks automatically.

Typically, e-commerce automation involves using technology to handle repetitive jobs or mundane tasks — like organizing inventory or processing orders — without you having to click buttons every time.

How does e-commerce automation work?

To effectively explain how e-commerce automation works, let’s look at two typical scenarios:

First one: a customer makes a purchase and instantly receives the order confirmation. The customer also receives subsequent follow-up emails thanking them for their purchase and notifying them about the shipping status. In another instance, a customer abandons their cart. After a while, say 2-3 days, they receive a gentle reminder email, encouraging them to complete the purchase.

In both scenarios, one thing was at play— automation. To get automation running on your store, you set up specific triggers. Triggers in this case refer to actions that initiate a response. For instance, clicking the purchase button triggers a confirmation email, staying 3 seconds on a web page triggers a pop-up, and so on.

In a nutshell, automation involves creating a flow where one action automatically leads to another, streamlining customer interactions with your e-commerce store.

Benefits of e-commerce automation

Ecommerce automation solutions like GetResponse, Woocommerce, or Magento are here to stay, offering unique benefits to online store owners today. Let’s see what some of these benefits are:

1.    Saves time

E-commerce automation is a time-saving superhero for business owners. Because of automation, you can easily speed up the transaction process on your website. Only a few clicks and customers can conveniently make purchases.

Also, tasks like order processing, inventory management, and customer support can be handled seamlessly as manual processes are reduced. This frees up valuable time for you to focus on other important aspects of your business.

2.    Improves customer experience and drives sales

One survey by Oracle reveals that automation can increase sales leads by 80%. When set up correctly, automation can help you create a wholesome customer experience and drive more sales on your ecommerce platform.

For instance, you can set up timely follow-ups and reminders to get customers to take action, whether to complete a purchase or initiate a new one. You can also use platforms like Instapage, MailChimp, or other Instapage alternatives to create targeted landing pages that move potential customers through your sales funnel.

3.    Makes it easy to expand

Automation is a game-changer for eCommerce business owners looking to run on a large scale. Even with a limited increase in staffing, you set up workflows and processes to keep your business running with ease. For instance, you can use chatbots to handle customer queries or run targeted ads based on customer interactions with your brand.

In a nutshell, automation is a strategic investment for your e-commerce business that promises to give both short-term and long-term benefits.

Types of e-commerce automation

There are various ways you can implement e-commerce automation in your e-commerce store. Here, we’ll look out for 4 common types of e-commerce automation.

1.  Email Automation

Email marketing automation helps you ensure that your customers receive relevant information at the right time. This way, you can initiate a stronger connection with them. Email automation also enables you to build an email list and send targeted, timely email campaigns with little to no manual effort. For example, just like Hims below, you can set up automated emails for order confirmations.

Image Credit: reallygoodemails.com

Additionally, you can set up automated email sequences for special seasons like Christmas, summer, and so on. You can even send special campaigns on your customers’ birthdays.

Speaking of emails, you can also take advantage of generative AI tools like Writer to set up thoughtful marketing emails. See the example below:

By showing up consistently, you can improve customer engagement and continue to stay top of mind. It’s also a remarkable way to boost sales.

2. Customer Support Automation

Customer support automation helps you resolve common queries and issues. Chatbots are a prime example, you can set them up to provide instant responses to frequently asked questions. These virtual assistants can guide customers through the purchasing process, track orders, and offer support 24/7. You’ll only get to step in on major issues that automation may be unable to resolve.

By automating your customer support, you can enhance customer satisfaction and free up human employees to focus on more complex concerns. It’s quite helpful if you don’t have enough customer reps to handle customer communication one-on-one. Ultimately, it’ll help to improve your overall customer experience.

3. Customer Journey Automation

This type of automation is all about guiding customers through various stages of their interaction with your online store.

For instance, when a customer visits your store for the first time, you can automate a pop-up that gets them to sign up for your email newsletter. After they sign up, a couple of emails to welcome and introduce them to your products. That’s pretty much what Mint Velvet pulls off in the example below:

Image Credit: mintvelvet.com

As customers explore your site, automation can also trigger exclusive offers that may stand out to them. This way, you’re nurturing your leads until they eventually make a purchase. That’s how you ensure a personalized and cohesive customer journey.

Overall, customer journey automation is a strategic way to nurture leads and turn first-time buyers into loyal customers.

4. Product Recommendation Automation

This is one ecommerce automation that makes good use of artificial intelligence. Imagine having a knowledgeable salesperson who understands each customer’s preferences. That’s what you get with automated product recommendations.

By analyzing past purchases and browsing behavior, e-commerce automation suggests products tailored to individual customers. We’ll see a good example of this AI-powered customer service in the next section.

Automating product recommendations is one way to enhance your shoppers’ experience. It’s also an effective way to drive cross-selling and upselling opportunities.

Examples of e-Commerce Automation

1.    ASOS – Abandoned Cart Emails

ASOS leverages e-commerce automation by sending abandoned cart emails to customers who leave items in their shopping cart without completing the purchase. Here’s one example of such instances:

Image Credit: asos.com

These automated reminders often include personalized product recommendations or limited-time discounts, enticing customers to return and finalize their orders. This strategy helps recover potentially lost sales and re-engage customers effectively.

2.     Mint Velvet – Product Recommendations

Mint Velvet employs automation to enhance the shopping experience through personalized product recommendations. By analyzing customer preferences, page visits, and purchase history, Mint Velvet’s website suggests complementary items or alternatives that align with the customer’s interests. See the example below:

Image Credit: mintvelvet.com

With these recommendations, Mint Velvet can help customers discover relevant products and increase their sales.

3.    Casper – Customer Support Chatbot

Casper, known for its innovative approach to the sleep industry, integrates automation into customer support with a chatbot. As seen below,  Casper’s automated system addresses common queries that customers may have.

Image Credit: Casper.com

By offering instant and efficient support, Casper ensures a seamless customer experience while freeing up human support agents to handle more complex inquiries.

Conclusion

Ecommerce automation is a powerful tool for online store owners.  In this post, we see how saving time, improving customer experience, and supporting expansion are various ways automation can help you today.

Four ways you can implement ecommerce automation include email automation, customer support automation, customer journey automation, and product recommendation automation.

Now, you can also go ahead to implement ecommerce automation and create a more efficient process for your online store. Good luck!

Author bio

Nico is the founder of Launch Space. The company works with enterprise SaaS clients, helping them scale lead generation globally across EMEA, APAC, and other regions.