Ecommerce & Retail CX: Mapping the Buyer’s Journey with Surveys

The ecommerce industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with more and more businesses shifting online to sell their merchandise. Yet, with plenty of options available just a click away, customers expect far more than just a simple transactional relationship. They seek a shopping experience that is seamless, personalized, and enjoyable – one that makes them feel valued and understood.

It’s no longer enough to just sell a product; stores must engage with their audience at every step of the buyer’s lifecycle to ensure an exceptional customer experience. This means knowing when to listen, where to improve, and how to turn interactions into growth opportunities.

To truly grasp their audience’s needs and preferences at each stage of the journey, brands often rely on surveys as their go-to tool. While the buyer journey lays out the roadmap for customer success, surveys help identify the hidden bumps along the way. They reveal pain points, areas for improvement, and opportunities to delight customers – whether it’s right after a purchase or a few weeks into product usage.

Typically, most brands focus on surveying just a couple of key touchpoints, like post-purchase NPS to measure customer loyalty, or post-helpdesk interaction CSAT to gauge service satisfaction. However, to gain a deeper understanding of the entire customer journey, we recommend implementing a comprehensive set of touchpoints:

1. Physical Store or Website Experience
2. Shopping Cart Abandonment Follow-up
3. Post-Purchase Follow-Up
4. Order Fulfillment
5. Product Usage
6. Email Marketing
7. Customer Support Interaction
8. Post-Return/Refund/Exchange
9. Subscription Service Enrollment (for subscription-based models)
10. Post-Renewal of Services or Products (for subscriptions)
11. Post-Cancellation of Services or Products (for subscriptions)
12. Seasonal or Promotional Campaigns

In this article, we’ll break down the key stages of the buyer’s journey in ecommerce and retail, explore the different types of customer surveys suited for each touchpoint, and share quick wins to enhance the overall shopping experience. 

Taking the importance of collecting customer feedback out of the way, where do we start?

Understanding the Tools at Hand

Collecting feedback is essential to identifying customer pain points and areas for improvement throughout the buyer’s journey. This insight enables brands to develop a customer-centric strategy that enhances engagement and builds loyalty.

Stores can use various types of surveys to collect experience data, such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys. Each survey type provides a unique perspective on customer satisfaction and can help brands better understand their buyers.

NPS surveys measure customer loyalty and advocacy by asking the question: “How likely are you to recommend our product/company to a friend?”. Customers answer on a scale of 0-10, and based on their responses, they are grouped into Promoters, Passives, or Detractors. Naturally, the higher the score, the more satisfied and loyal customers are.

CSAT surveys measure customer satisfaction with specific experiences such as product quality or customer service. These surveys use a rating of 1-5, 1-7, or 1-10 on a “Very Satisfied-Very Dissatisfied” scale or formats like 5-star, thumbs up-thumbs down, emoji, to gauge how satisfied customers are with their experience.

CES surveys, on the other hand, look into the amount of effort a customer puts into completing a specific task, such as making a purchase or contacting customer support. These surveys usually use a scale of 1-5 or 1-7 to gauge the level of effort the customer had to exert.

The rating questions of all three survey types need to be followed by an open-ended question to generate more actionable feedback and dig into the areas of interest.

Stores can use these surveys through various channels like email, in-app, chat/messenger, or SMS. While email remains the go-to option, certain touchpoints may benefit more from SMS or web pop-ups to reach customers where they are most active. The key is to choose the survey channel that best fits your brand’s needs and target audience. 

Now that we are all set with the most popular customer surveys, let’s dive into the specific touchpoints to consider.

Focus on the Buyer Journey

Each stage of the buyer’s journey presents unique opportunities and challenges for stores to engage with and satisfy customers. By gathering information on what matters to clients and what they are looking for, brands can adjust their product offerings and messaging to better appeal to their target audience.

Thinking about your customer’s journey, here are several non-negotiable experiences to always collect data and improve the experience on:

1. Physical Store or Website Experience: Making It Easy for Customers to Find What They Need

Often the first point of interaction between a customer and your brand – whether it’s through a physical store or online – this touchpoint is a great opportunity to create an amazing first impression and pique their interest. It covers everything from how easy it is for customers to find products to how simple it is to move through the checkout process. It’s a critical factor in the consideration and decision stage of the buyer’s journey since a smooth, enjoyable shopping journey can be the difference between a one-time visitor and a loyal customer. On the flip side, a confusing or frustrating experience can lead to abandoned carts and missed opportunities.

The easier it is for the prospect to engage with your store and get what they need, the more likely they are to buy your merchandise again. It’s all about store usability, speed, and wording – the answer to all possible questions should be easily accessible with just a few clicks.

Try to understand what is failing you: is it the UX and store design, misleading on-site path to their purchase, missing operational policies or product specs, failure to make the right purchase for their goals due to misleading info, etc. There are plenty of UX deciding factors for a prospect not to end up converting, so it’s crucial to figure out what works best for your audience.

On top of a seamless onboarding experience, the purchase itself should be frictionless for the customer to complete their order.

By prioritizing the order experience and leveraging survey data to make improvements, DTCs can increase their chances of converting potential customers into loyal ones.

Types of Surveys for the Store & Order Experience

CES surveys measure how much effort it took for customers to find what they were looking for. This gives you valuable insights into how well your site layout or physical store setup is working. Did customers have to search for too long? Were they frustrated by too many steps? The easier the experience, the happier they’ll be – and more likely to complete their purchase.

CES is also perfect for evaluating how easy or difficult it was for customers to register on your platform. Yet, this step is often optional in many ecommerce stores (especially platforms like Shopify), where customers can checkout as a guest without having an account. Creating an account is more about convenience and personalization – enabling features like saved preferences, order history, and faster future checkouts – rather than an essential requirement to shop.

Survey Questions to Ask

1. Product Search and Filtering:

• How easy was it to find the product you were looking for?
• How simple was it to use the search bar to find products?
• How would you rate the ease of using our site’s search function to find relevant products?
• Did you find the filtering options easy to use for narrowing down your search by assortment/size?

2. Navigation and Category Browsing:

• Were the product categories easy to navigate?
• Were you able to locate product categories easily?
• Was it easy to navigate through the different categories on our site?
• On a scale of 1 to 5, how straightforward was it to move between product categories?
• Did you encounter any difficulties while browsing or navigating?

3. Overall Layout and Improvement:

• Was the layout of the store intuitive?
• How would you rate your overall experience finding what you needed?
• How helpful did you find the product descriptions?
• What would make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for on our site?
• Is there anything specific about our site’s navigation that you found frustrating or difficult?
• How can we improve your experience in finding the products you’re interested in?

4. Account Registration:

• How easy was it to register an account on our website?
• Did you encounter any issues during the registration process?
• Was the registration process straightforward?
• Did you find the required steps for registration to be reasonable?
• How likely are you to complete future purchases with us after registering?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters

Making sure customers can easily find their way around – whether in-store or online – can make or break their experience. Here are some tips to enhance the navigation experience:

• Simplify Site Layout: Use clear menus, concise language, organized product categories, and easy-to-use filters to make browsing intuitive.
• Optimize your Shopify store with A/B testing and tailored templates: Since 90% of ecommerce businesses use Shopify, testing different layouts and designs can improve the path to purchase. Use product-specific templates to make navigation easier.
• Optimize Search Functionality: Ensure your search bar delivers accurate results, as according to Econsultancy, 30% of site visitors use it to find specific items. 
• Add Product Recommendations: Help guide undecided customers with personalized recommendations based on their browsing and purchase history.
• Provide Descriptive Product Information: Detailed descriptions, high-quality product photos, and helpful resources like buying guides, product comparisons and FAQs can help customers make more informed decisions. Offering product reviews and ratings can also build trust and provide social proof.
• Mobile Optimization: With over 50% of ecommerce traffic from mobile, ensure your site is fully responsive.
• Enable Social Sign-Ons: Let customers register using Google or Facebook for a quicker sign-up process.
• Improve Physical Store Layout: Group similar products together and use clear signage to guide customers through your store easily.

By following these customer experience tips and leveraging the insights gathered from surveys, brands can create a strong foundation for success in the buyer’s journey, setting the tone for the customer’s experience with the product or service. By using surveys and taking the necessary steps to improve the customer experience, ecommerce businesses can effectively influence the purchasing decisions of potential customers and move them to the next stage of the buyer’s journey.

Store Experience Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CES (Customer Effort Score)
• Purpose: Measure how easy it is for customers to browse your store or website and find what they need; or how easy or difficult it was for customers to complete the registration process and adjust to optimize their first-time user experience.
• Timing: Send CES surveys immediately after customers browse your site, visit your store or completes their registration to get relevant, actionable feedback.

2. Shopping Cart Abandonment Follow-up: Understanding Why Customers Leave Before Buying

Shopping cart abandonment is one of the biggest pain points for DTCs. Customers browse, add items to their cart, but for some reason, they don’t complete the purchase. Actually, only 30% of shoppers purchase something they add to their cart. Acording to the Baymard Institute, the cart abandonment rate for all industries averages at around 70%, which means that most potential buyers are walking away before clicking “checkout.”

Understanding why customers abandon their carts is key for reducing this rate and boosting conversions. This is where a well-timed follow-up with a short survey can make all the difference. By collecting feedback directly from these customers, you can uncover the reasons behind their decision and make improvements that encourage more completed purchases.

Type of Survey for Shopping Cart Abandonment Follow-ups

At this stage, the cart abandonment surveys are sent best via email or displayed in-app. A quick survey or quiz – either multiple-choice or open-ended – can help you gather the insights you need without overwhelming the customer. Keep it short and simple, so it’s easy for them to respond.

The main goal here is to identify the reasons behind the abandoned cart. Was the shipping cost too high? Did they get distracted or confused by the checkout process? Maybe they found a better deal elsewhere. Whatever the reason, collecting this feedback gives you the opportunity to improve your checkout process or offer incentives that bring them back.

Survey Questions to Consider

1. Reasons for Abandonment:

• What stopped you from completing your purchase?
• Did you find the shipping costs too high or unexpected?
• Were you unsure about the product details or return policy?
• Did you experience any technical difficulties during checkout?
• Would free shipping have encouraged you to complete the purchase?
• If you found a better deal, where did you find it?

2. Checkout Process Experience:

• Was the ordering process easy to complete?
• On a scale of 1 to 5, how intuitive was the checkout process?
• What could we improve to make the checkout process easier for you?

3. Payment Options and Preferences:

• Which payment options would you prefer?
• How satisfied were you with the payment options available?
• How can we make your shopping experience more enjoyable?

You can explore any of these reasons for abandonment while formulating your questions or by listing them among the multiple-choice options to choose from:

Quick Customer Experience Boosters to Reduce Cart Abandonment

Once you’ve gathered feedback, it’s important to act on it. Here are some key tips to help reduce cart abandonment and encourage customers to complete their purchases:

• Provide Multiple Payment Options: Offer different payment options such as credit card, PayPal, and Apple Pay, to cater to different preferences. Since most businesses use platforms like Shopify rather than building stores from scratch, enabling these payment methods is straightforward through Shopify’s settings.
• Include a Save Functionality: Provide customers with the ability to save their payment and shipping information to save them time on future purchases. A great example of this is Amazon‘s 1-Click feature, which allows customers to purchase items with just a single tap, bypassing the need to re-enter payment or shipping details. 
• Offer Free or Reduced Shipping: Shipping costs are a top reason for abandonment. Offer free or discounted shipping to encourage purchases. According to  a Walker Sands survey, 90% of shoppers say free shipping is the top incentive to shop online.
• Simplify Checkout: Ensure the checkout process is quick and easy. If multiple steps are involved, provide simple instructions and a progress bar to avoid confusion of frustration.
• Envisage Guest Checkouts: If you are a non-Shopify store, allow guest checkouts for customers who want to avoid creating an account. Baymard Institute’s research shows that in 26% of online shoppers abandoned their carts because were forced to create an account before checking out.
• Send Reminders: Use automated reminders via email or SMS to remind customers of their abandoned cart. Including a discount or free shipping in these reminders can entice them to return and finish their purchase.
• Clarify Product Info and Return Policies: Make sure product details and return policies are clear to reduce hesitation.
• Provide Purchase Incentives: Sometimes, all a customer needs is a little nudge. Offering a small discount, free gift, or loyalty points for completing their order can be just the push they need to finalize their purchase. According to Insider Intelligence, around 59% of customers consider rewards and loyalty points as a key part of the shopping experience.
• Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your site and checkout are mobile-friendly, as 86% of cart abandonment happens on mobile devices.

Shopping Cart Abandonment Follow-up – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: Short Poll (Multiple Choice or Open-ended) / Quiz
• Purpose: Understand why customers abandon their cart and gather suggestions to improve the checkout process.
• Timing: Send the survey shortly after the customer abandons their cart, while the purchase is still fresh in their mind.

3. Post-Purchase Follow-Up: Strengthening Customer Relationships

Once a customer completes a purchase, your relationship with them is just beginning! The post-purchase follow-up is a golden opportunity to check in, measure customer satisfaction, and build loyalty. By gathering feedback right after a purchase, you can better understand the customer’s experience and make improvements where needed.

Types of Surveys for the Post-Purchase Stage

At this stage, these types of surveys work well together:

• In-app or Email Net Promoter Score: This helps measure how likely a customer is to recommend your store or product to others after they’ve completed a purchase, giving you insight into their overall satisfaction and loyalty.
• Quiz for Demographics & Attribution: A quick quiz can help you collect useful data about your customers, such as their age, location, and how they discovered your store. This data is invaluable for tailoring future campaigns.

Survey Questions to Ask:

• On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our store to a friend or colleague?
• How did you hear about our store (social media, referral, search engine, etc.)?
• What factors influenced your decision to shop with us (price, reviews, recommendations, promotions)?
• Did you find all the product information you needed to make your purchase decision?
• Can you share a bit about yourself? (Collect demographics like age, location, and interests)
• What is your age group (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc.)?
• Where are you located (city/country)?
• What device did you use to make your purchase (mobile, desktop, tablet)?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Post-Purchase Follow-Ups

Here’s how you can maximize the effectiveness of post-purchase follow-ups:

• Send Surveys Promptly: Capture feedback right after purchase for the most accurate insights.
• Personalize the Follow-Up: Address customers by name and refer to their purchase for a more personalized experience.
• Keep It Short: Ask only essential questions to respect the customer’s time while gathering valuable feedback.
• Use Demographic Data: Leverage quiz responses to tailor future marketing campaigns.
• Offer an Incentive: A small discount for survey completion can boost participation and encourage repeat purchases.

Post-Purchase Follow-Up Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: NPS + Demographic/Attribution Quiz
• Purpose: Measure customer loyalty and satisfaction, and gather demographic data to refine your targeting.
• Timing: Trigger surveys immediately after purchase or delivery to capture fresh feedback.

4. Shipping & Delivery: Making the Last Mile Count

When considering a purchase, customers often weigh various factors, such as shipping speed, cost, duties and reliability. In fact, free shipping seems a real breaker for 68% of the U.S. online shoppers who didn’t purchase at least half of the time when not offered free shipping. Therefore, stores need to ensure that the contracted providers meet the expectations of their potential customers whenever possible. Delivery is often the final touchpoint before the customer receives their product and can heavily influence the customer’s perception of the brand, although it’s frequently beyond the business control.

Any disruptions or delays will negatively impact the customer experience. This is related to timely deliveries, stock-outs, miss-picks, missing items, or faulty products that prevent customers from getting the value your brand has to offer. Duty charges that are not clearly mentioned on the website may not be related to the supply chain, but are definitely among the top reasons for customer frustrations as well.   

Such situations are inevitable, but acknowledging the risks, being transparent with your customers, and keeping an eye on feedback trends before the problem gets out of hand will do the job.

Types of Surveys for the Delivery Stage

To collect data at this stage, ecommerce businesses can use:

• CSAT surveys to measure customer satisfaction with specific aspects of the delivery, including the accuracy of delivery times, packaging and product condition when it arrived. Hence, questions should focus on the customer’s experience with the delivery process and any issues they may have encountered. 
• Transactional NPS surveys to gauge how likely customers are to recommend the brand based on their delivery experience.

These surveys – shared by email or SMS – will give you valuable insights into areas you can improve or optimize.

Survey Questions to Ask

To gather insights about delivery preferences and pain points, ecommerce businesses can conduct shipping confirmation surveys, delivery confirmation surveys, and post-delivery surveys. Sample questions for such surveys can include: 

1. Delivery Time, Process, and Updates:

• How satisfied were you with the delivery time/the speed of your delivery?
• Did your order arrive within the expected delivery time?
• Was the delivery process smooth and hassle-free?
• Did you receive regular updates on the delivery status?
• Was the package tracking information accurate and up-to-date?
• How satisfied are you with the communication you received during the delivery process?

2. Condition and Packaging:

• How satisfied were you with the condition of the products upon arrival?
• Was the product packaging sufficient to protect the item?
• Were there any issues with the delivery process that you encountered?

3. Delivery Options and Overall Satisfaction:

• How convenient was the delivery method on a scale of 1 to 5?
• What is your preferred delivery option?
• Were you satisfied with the available delivery options (standard, express, etc.)?
• How satisfied are you with the overall delivery experience?
• What can we do to improve your delivery experience?
• Based on your delivery experience, how likely are you to order from us again?
• How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague following your delivery experience?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters

In order to enhance the delivery experience, ecommerce businesses can focus on providing accurate delivery estimates, regular status updates, and a hassle-free delivery process. That can include providing customers with tracking information to monitor their package progress, ensuring that ordered products are properly packed and protected during transit, and addressing any delivery issues promptly and transparently. Brands can also consider implementing the following tips:

• Provide Transparent Shipping Information: Offer accurate shipping information upfront, such as estimated delivery dates and shipping costs. Customers appreciate knowing exactly what to expect.
• Offer Multiple Delivery Options: Provide customers with multiple delivery options, such as same-day, next-day, or standard shipping, to cater to different customer schedules and preferences. Several shipping options can give customers more control over the delivery process and improve their overall experience.
• Partner with Reliable Shipping Carriers: Your choice of delivery providers can make or break the experience. Choose carriers known for prompt and dependable service to avoid customer frustration.
• Send Delivery Confirmation Alerts: Automated emails or SMS notifications upon delivery reassure customers and close the loop on the order process.
• Communicate Delays Promptly: If there’s a delay or issue, be transparent with customers. Clear communication about delays can prevent dissatisfaction.
• Offer Free Shipping on Certain Orders: Encourage higher spending by offering free shipping for orders over a certain amount or for specific products. It’s a great incentive and reduces hesitation during checkout.
• Ensure Proper Packaging: Use high-quality packaging that protects the product during shipping and presents it well to the customer. Address any product issues or defects promptly and transparently.

Order Delivery Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CSAT or NPS
• Purpose: Assess customer satisfaction with delivery, packaging, and product condition upon arrival.
• Timing: Send surveys immediately after the product is delivered to capture fresh feedback.

5. Product Usage: Keeping Customers Happy with Seamless Use

Once the sale is sealed, the work is done, right? Unfortunately, conversions do not create customer lifetime value nor translate into loyalty. When a customer has made a purchase, your work is just about to start. Your focus is now on engaging new customers for repeat and frequent buys. Track how long it takes them to make the next purchases and the items of interest to be able to accelerate the transaction with tailored upsell and cross-sells.

At the same time, you might have the illusion that your product is the best, while there will always be someone who would find your offering not good enough. So, hearing those who dislike your product due to quality issues or unmet expectations will bring in invaluable product data – opportunities you might not want to miss.

After a few weeks or months of using a product, customers are in a great position to give feedback on how it performs in real-world conditions. At this stage, gathering insights about the product’s ease of use or performance is for identifying any pain points customers may encounter and for improving the overall product experience.

Types of Surveys for Product Usage

Product experience can be measured using: 

• CSAT surveys can help gauge customer satisfaction with the quality and performance of the product. These surveys provide valuable insights into how well the product meets customer expectations in terms of durability, functionality, and overall experience. 
• NPS surveys can help businesses understand how likely customers are to recommend the product to others, which reflects not only satisfaction but also loyalty and advocacy. 

These surveys can be sent via email or in-app shortly after order fulfillment (usually in 7 or 14 days for  purchases that are quickly experienced like clothes or simple household items), giving the buyer a chance to actually use the product. You could then contact individual clients to follow up on an issue, run a CX campaign surveying specific demographic groups, or send recurring surveys to the entire customer base every six months if you have a subscription business model. 

For more complex or long-term products (e.g., electronics, furniture, appliances or seeds, as it’s the case of Epic Gardening), it may take a few months before customers can fully assess the product’s functionality and durability. In this case, a 3-6 month follow-up is more appropriate.

By directly asking for feedback, you confirm just how valuable they are to your business, making them more likely to stick around for longer.

Survey Questions to Ask

When we refer to product experience, an ecommerce & retail business should focus on:

Product Experience (product quality, design, and performance):

• Did you need any help or additional information to start using the product?
• How satisfied are you with the product quality/performance?
• How satisfied are you with the overall experience of using this product?
• Was the product accurately represented online?
• Did the product fit your needs as expected?
• Did you face any challenges while using the product?
• How likely are you to keep using this product over time?
• How likely are you to recommend this product to someone based on your experience so far?

Retention Opportunities::

• How likely are you to recommend our brand?
• How satisfied are you with the rewards program?
• What can we do to improve your experience and keep you shopping with us?

Advocacy Strategies:

1. On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend us?
2. What did you like most about our product/company?
3. What can we improve to enhance your experience?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters

Brands can enhance the product experience and the advocacy potential by prioritizing the following strategies:

• Provide Clear Instructions: Ensure setup guides, how-to videos, and manuals are easy to follow to reduce customer frustration.
• Address Recurring Issues: Use CES feedback to spot common challenges and update product design or instructions. In fact, 47% of consumers avoid repurchasing after a frustrating experience, so act quickly.
• Offer Proactive Support: Reach out a few weeks after purchase to check if customers need help or tips, showing you care beyond the sale.
• Improve Product Pages: Update product descriptions with clearer details or resources, like assembly videos, based on feedback.
• Engage Post-Purchase: Send helpful tips via email a few weeks after purchase to enhance satisfaction and reduce returns.
• Encourage product reviews by including a review link in post-purchase emails to build trust and gather feedback.
• Monitor and respond to feedback on social media and review sites to show customers you value their opinions.
• Create meaningful loyalty programs with exclusive promotions or discounts to reward and appreciate loyal customers.

By implementing these tips and using customer satisfaction surveys, brands can ensure a positive post-purchase experience for their customers and improve their chances of repeat business and referrals.

Product Usage Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CSAT and NPS
• Purpose: Measure the ease of use and identify areas for product improvement.
• Timing: Send these surveys a few weeks or months after order fulfillment to capture valuable insights based on real-world product usage.

6. Email Marketing: Feedback on Demand

What if every email you send could do more than just communicate – it could actually help you improve your ecommerce business? Email marketing isn’t just about promotion, it can be a non-intrusive, yet efficient feedback touchpoint in the buyer’s journey. By embedding feedback options directly into email signatures, you can turn each communication into a continuous feedback channel.

Every email your team sends – whether it’s answering a product inquiry or following up on a support request – comes with a simple, clickable button. This button gives customers the flexibility to share their experience instantly, whenever the moment is right for them, without waiting for a survey after a purchase or interaction. 

It’s feedback on demand, right at their fingertips, helping you stay connected to customer needs and making it easier to act on their input. This approach also increases response rates since feedback is available at their convenience, making it easier for you to spot trends, improve services, and ultimately build stronger relationships.

Types of Surveys for Email Marketing

This email signature touchpoint is perfect for gathering insights on how well your team is performing in customer interactions. The most relevant survey types for this touchpoint include:

• CES (Customer Effort Score): Measures how easy or difficult it was for customers to resolve their issues or get the information they needed through their interaction with your team.
• CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score): Focuses on how satisfied customers were with the quality of the service or support they received from your team.

Whether you choose to use CES or CSAT, including them in the signatures of your agents, sales managers, or any customer-facing staff allows you to collect valuable feedback whenever your customers receive an email. By leveraging in-signature surveys, you create an always-on feedback loop that helps you monitor customer sentiment across various interactions.

Survey Questions to Consider

• How did I do?
• How easy was it to resolve your issue?
• Was the information provided helpful?
• Were your concerns fully addressed?
• Was your issue resolved to your satisfaction?

These questions will help you gauge the quality of customer interactions and identify areas for improvement.

Quick Customer Experience Boosters

Here’s how to make this continuous feedback touchpoint more efficient:

• Keep It Visible: Make sure the feedback button or link in your email signatures is easy to find. It should stand out, but not distract from the main content of the email.
• Make It Quick and Easy: Keep the surveys short and to the point. Customers are more likely to give feedback if it only takes a few seconds to complete.
• Limit the Number of Answers: By keeping the feedback options simple and focused, you eliminate any gray zones. Customers either provide a strong signal of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, helping you quickly identify areas for celebration or improvement.
• Use Automation Tools: Platforms like Retently can help automatically include these feedback buttons in your email signatures, ensuring consistency across all communication. Monitor feedback as it comes in, and respond quickly to any issues or concerns.

Email Interactions – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CES and CSAT surveys embedded in email signatures.
• Purpose: Gather real-time feedback on customer interactions with your team, making it easy for customers to provide input when it’s most convenient for them.
• Timing: Feedback is always accessible, allowing customers to share their experience whenever they receive an email.

7. Customer Service: Resolving Issues and Building Loyalty

While many online shoppers may never require support thanks to self-service options like Knowledge bases and FAQ pages, there are still many instances where customers will need prompt and responsive service. 

At all times, your team must be proactive and ready to  step in to take control of customer pain points. And here’s where a personal connection is bound to make a huge difference as to a customer’s perception of the brand and loyalty. 

Delivering swift, personalized, and consistent customer service is key to keeping your customers onboard and helping them get the most out of your products. In fact, 56% of consumers have stopped shopping with a brand due to poor customer service, so the stakes are rather high.

Apart from the value customer feedback delivers for improving your products and the overall shopping experience, an effectively solved complaint has a shot at turning a Detractor into a loyal customer. 

Types of Surveys for the Customer Service Experience

This touchpoint is essential for gathering data on customer support satisfaction, particularly around response time and issue resolution. Brands can leverage multiple types of surveys to collect relevant insights at this stage, however the default option is CSAT.

CSAT surveys evaluate customer satisfaction with the quality of support received. Questions should focus on aspects like how well issues were resolved, the helpfulness of support staff, and overall customer experience.

At this point, feedback can be gathered via email, messenger, or in-app since support needs to be easily accessible at all times. For maximum results, these surveys are triggered right after a support ticket is closed.

Example Survey Questions To Consider

Here are some questions you can use in these surveys:

• How satisfied are you with the received support?
• How satisfied are you with the speed of resolving your issues?
• Was the support representative knowledgeable/helpful?
• How satisfied are you with the ease of contacting customer support?
• Were your issues resolved to your satisfaction?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Customer Service

Customer support includes all interactions between the buyer and customer service representatives, both before and after purchase, hence it is a critical aspect of the Consideration, Purchase, and Post-purchase stages. Here are some key tips for enhancing your customer support:

• Offer Multiple Support Channels: Provide options like email, phone, live chat, and social media to make it easy for customers to get help.
• Make Support Easily Accessible: Offer an intuitive, easy-to-find support page or help button to reduce frustration.
• Use Automated Solutions: Implement AI-powered chatbots to quickly handle common inquiries, reducing wait times.
• Train Support Staff Well: Ensure your team is friendly, patient, and knowledgeable about your products to boost the quality of customer interactions.
• Monitor and Respond to Feedback: Actively track customer feedback and quickly address any negative comments to improve satisfaction.

Customer Support Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CSAT as the primary choice.
• Purpose: Measure customer satisfaction, ease of support interactions, and likelihood to recommend the brand post-interaction.
• Timing: Trigger surveys immediately after support tickets are closed for optimal results.

8. Return, Refund and Exchange: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities for Loyalty

When purchases don’t go according to the plan, the way a brand handles returns, refunds or exchanges can make or break customer satisfaction and loyalty. According to sources, at least 30% of products ordered online are returned or exchanged, and while this touchpoint is only relevant for some customers, it nevertheless requires proper attention for a seamless experience. 

Refunds can be a stressful experience for customers; hence, ensuring the process is as smooth as possible is essential. A well-handled refund or exchange can make a huge difference in whether a customer sticks with your brand or chooses to shop elsewhere next time.

Types of Surveys for the Post-Return Experience

To understand customer satisfaction with the refund or exchange process, using CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) and CES (Customer Effort Score) surveys is highly effective:

• CSAT Surveys: These help gauge overall customer satisfaction with how the refund or exchange was handled.
• CES Surveys: These focus on how easy or difficult it was for customers to initiate and complete the refund or exchange process, shedding light on any roadblocks they may have faced.

By focusing on these areas and using the right surveys, you can ensure that even when things don’t go perfectly, the customer’s experience with returns and refunds leaves them satisfied. A seamless return process can keep customers loyal and more likely to shop with you again.

Survey Questions to Ask

1.  Process Clarity and Ease of Use:

• Was the process clear and easy to understand?
• Was it easy to initiate your return/exchange request?
• Were the return instructions clear and easy to follow?
• Was the return policy clear before you made your purchase?

2. Communication and Support:

• How easy was it to contact customer support regarding your return or exchange?
• How satisfied are you with the communication during the return process?

3. Overall Satisfaction and Speed:

• How satisfied are you with the refund/exchange process?
• How satisfied were you with the outcome of the refund?
• How satisfied are you with the speed of processing your refund?
• Did you encounter any issues during the exchange/refund process?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Post-Returns

Since online buyers cannot interact with a product as in a physical store and can rely only on genuine product descriptions and customer reviews, having a clear return policy that is easily accessible is a must. Actually, 67% of buyers check this page before making a purchase. Offering an easy-to-understand and transparent refund policy can help build trust with customers and provide them with peace of mind. Additionally, fast and hassle-free refunds can help improve the overall customer experience. You could also offer free return shipping which, according to statistics, is not only expected by about 80% of consumers but increases the amount spent in your online store.  

Some other ideas for an improved customer experience are:

• Communicate Clearly: Keep customers updated throughout the return process, from receiving the item to processing the refund or exchange.
• Provide Incentives: Consider offering incentives, such as discounts on future purchases, to customers who have had a negative experience with the refund process. Turn a negative return experience into a future purchase opportunity.
• Track and Analyze Return Data: Collect data on returns and exchanges to get an idea of how frequently it is occurring. Regularly review return reasons to improve product descriptions, quality, and minimize returns. 

Understanding why customers request a refund is key to minimizing returns, improving product quality, and enhancing the customer experience.

Post-Return Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CSAT, CES
• Purpose: Collect feedback on the ease and satisfaction of the returns/exchange process to improve logistics and customer service.
• Timing: Send surveys shortly after the return or exchange is processed for timely and relevant feedback.

9. Subscription Service Enrollment: Getting Customers Off to a Great Start

In subscription-based models, whether you’re offering monthly product deliveries, exclusive membership perks, or access to ongoing services, the enrollment process is a key moment for your customers. It’s their first experience with the subscription, and a smooth start can set the tone for their entire journey with your brand.

From the ease of signing up to the perceived value of what they’re getting, this touchpoint has a key role in customer satisfaction and retention. In fact, research shows that 63% of customers are more likely to stay subscribed if the onboarding process is simple and clear.

Why Use NPS Surveys for Subscription Enrollment?

NPS surveys are a great way to measure customer loyalty early in the subscription journey. By asking how likely customers are to recommend your service after they’ve completed the enrollment, you get a clear picture of their overall satisfaction with the process and the perceived value they’re receiving.

To maintain ongoing satisfaction, consider sending these pulse surveys every six months (but no more frequently) to check in with customers. These surveys provide a quick, regular snapshot of how smooth and seamless the subscription experience continues to be. This approach helps monitor customer perceptions over time, ensuring that any potential issues are caught early.

NPS also provides insights into customer advocacy – how willing your customers are to promote your brand. A high NPS score at this stage indicates a strong start, while lower scores can help you identify areas of friction or dissatisfaction that need to be addressed quickly to improve retention and reduce churn.

Survey Questions to Ask:

• Based on your subscription setup experience, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?
• How likely are you to recommend our subscription, given the benefits you’ve received so far?
• How likely are you to recommend the subscription after your initial experience with the process?
• Based on your first impression of the subscription, how likely are you to recommend it to others?
• How likely are you to continue subscribing after your initial experience?
• How likely are you to recommend our subscription service based on the flexibility of the setup process?
• How likely are you to recommend our subscription service based on the perceived value for the price?
• How likely are you to recommend our subscription service to a friend after experiencing the variety of products offered in your first delivery?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Subscription Enrollment

To ensure a smooth and satisfying subscription enrollment experience, there are a few things you can focus on:

• Simplify the Signup Process: Ensure customers can subscribe quickly and easily, avoiding lengthy or complex forms.  Aim for a sign-up process that takes less than a minute.
• Highlight the Value Early On: Highlight key benefits like discounts, priority shipping or premium access right from the start to reinforce their decision.
• Be Clear on Terms: Clearly communicate billing cycles, cancellation policies, and delivery schedules to avoid confusion.
• Offer Flexibility: Allow easy modifications to delivery dates or subscription preferences – whether that’s changing delivery dates, skipping a month, or upgrading to a different tier – to keep customers engaged longer.
• Send a Confirmation: Follow up with a confirmation email outlining what customers signed up for and what to expect next. This reassurance helps customers feel in control and reduces the chances of confusion or frustration later.
• Personalize the Welcome: Offer a personalized welcome gift or discount to make new subscribers feel valued.

Subscription Enrollment Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: NPS
• Purpose: Assess customer satisfaction with the subscription setup process and gauge how they perceive the value of their subscription early on.
• Timing: Send NPS surveys shortly after customers complete their subscription enrollment to get immediate feedback and address any concerns.

10. Post-Renewal of Services or Products: Measuring Long-Term Satisfaction

When a customer chooses to renew their subscription, it’s more than just a transaction – it’s a vote of confidence in your brand. Renewals signal that customers are not only happy with what you offer, but they trust you to keep delivering value. But here’s the thing: a renewal doesn’t mean you’ve locked in their loyalty for good. To truly understand how satisfied and loyal your customers are, you need to go beyond the renewal itself and dig into how they feel about their ongoing experience.

This is where post-renewal feedback comes into play. By using NPS surveys, you can measure customer loyalty and get a sense of how satisfied they are at this point in time. This touchpoint is critical for understanding how well your store is performing and where you might need to improve. 

However, keep in mind that this touchpoint is particularly relevant for long-term subscription services, not for customers who renew on a short-term basis, such as monthly subscriptions. Long-term subscriptions typically involve annual or multi-year commitments, and customer expectations evolve over time.

Why NPS Surveys Post-Renewal?

NPS surveys are a simple yet powerful way to assess how likely your customers are to recommend your service or product to others. Since customers who renew their subscriptions have already made the decision to stick with you, NPS can help you dig deeper into whether they’re simply satisfied or if they’re true Promoters of your brand.

Survey Questions to Ask

• On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our subscription service to a friend or colleague?
• What feature or service do you find the most valuable?
• What was the main reason for renewing your subscription?
• How would you rate the value you’re getting from the subscription?
• Is there anything we could improve to enhance your subscription experience?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Post-Renewal Success

Once a customer renews their subscription, it’s the perfect opportunity to strengthen your relationship with them and ensure their experience only gets better. Here are a few tips to consider for ecommerce and retail businesses:

• Celebrate the Renewal: A simple thank you can go a long way. Send a personalized thank you via email, SMS, or in-app notification to show appreciation.
• Offer Exclusive Perks: Reward loyal subscribers with discounts, early access to products, or exclusive content to boost satisfaction. 
• Highlight Value: Regularly update customers on the value they’re getting from their subscription to reinforce commitment. For example, if you’re offering a subscription box, highlight the new products and exclusive items in each shipment.
• Track Loyalty Trends: Address any concerns from lower NPS scores to show you care and are committed to improving their experience. Use NPS scores to monitor long-term loyalty patterns and proactively enhance customer relationships.

Post-Renewal Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: NPS
• Purpose: Gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction after renewing a subscription, helping you understand long-term satisfaction.
• Timing: Send NPS surveys shortly after the subscription is renewed to capture the customer’s current sentiment.

11. Post-Cancellation of Services or Products: Turning Cancellations Into Learning Opportunities

Customer cancellations can be disappointing, but they also present a valuable opportunity to gather insights and prevent future churn. When a customer decides to cancel a service or subscription, understanding why they made that choice is essential for improving your offerings and keeping customers happy.

A well-timed post-cancellation survey helps you figure out what went wrong and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. The goal is to learn, adapt, and, whenever possible, win that customer back in the future.

Types of Surveys to Use for Cancellations

To truly understand why a customer decided to cancel, a custom exit survey combining both NPS (Net Promoter Score) rating and tailored open-ended questions is ideal. Here’s why:

• NPS Surveys: These can measure a customer’s likelihood to recommend your brand, even after canceling. This helps you gauge overall loyalty and brand perception despite the cancellation.
• Custom Exit Surveys/Tailored Open-Ended Questions: These surveys dig deeper into the specific reasons for cancellation, gathering feedback on the experience and identifying areas for improvement.

Survey Questions to Ask

• How likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague (even after this experience)?
• What was the primary reason for canceling your order/service?
• Were there any issues with the product or service that led to your decision?
• Is there anything we could have done to change your mind?
• Would you consider purchasing from us again in the future?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters Post-Cancellation

Cancellations don’t have to mean the end of the customer relationship. There are several ways you can learn from these experiences and turn them into positive opportunities for your business:

• Simplify the Cancellation Process: Just like with returns, customers appreciate transparency and ease when they decide to cancel a product or service. Ensure the process is frustration-free, with clear steps and quick confirmations.
• Offer Alternatives: Before cancellation, suggest options like downgrades or discounts to meet customer needs. Use thoughtful, personalized messages post-cancellation to leave a positive impression.
• Act on Feedback: Analyze exit survey responses to spot trends and fix issues like high shipping costs or unclear product details. Remember, 88% of consumers say they are less likely to return to a brand after a bad experience, so tackling these issues quickly is key.
• Provide Return Incentives: Offer discounts or free shipping to encourage customers to return in the future. While a customer might be disappointed today, a generous gesture can keep the door open for them to return.
• Target Retention: Follow up with personalized campaigns aimed at re-engaging customers who’ve left positive feedback. A targeted email campaign, featuring products that align with their previous purchases or preferences, can remind them why they shopped with you in the first place.

Post-Cancellation Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: Exit Survey (NPS + Custom Open-Ended Questions)
• Purpose: Understand the reasons behind cancellations and gather insights to prevent future customer churn.
• Timing: Trigger the survey immediately after the cancellation process to capture fresh feedback.

12. Seasonal or Promotional Campaigns: Boosting Satisfaction and Engagement

Running seasonal or promotional campaigns can be a great way to attract new customers and re-engage existing ones. Whether it’s a Black Friday deal, a summer sale, or a holiday special, it’s essential to measure how well these campaigns resonate with your audience and if they truly hit the mark.

To do this, you’ll want to gather feedback from customers who participated in the promotion, ensuring you understand their experience from start to finish. The best way to get these insights? CSAT surveys!

Why Use CSAT for Campaigns?

CSAT surveys allow you to quickly gauge how satisfied customers were with your promotional offer and overall experience. Did they love it? Was the process smooth? Did they feel the promotion delivered value? These are all key questions that will help you optimize future campaigns.

Survey Questions to Ask

1. Satisfaction with the Promotion and Its Value:

• How satisfied are you with the variety of products included in the promotion?
• How satisfied were you with the availability of promotional items?
• How satisfied are you with the promotional offer you received?
• Did the promotion meet your expectations in terms of value?
• How would you rate the overall value of the promotion compared to similar offers you’ve seen?

2. Influence of the Promotion on Purchase Behavior:

• Was the discount or offer appealing enough for you to make a purchase?
• Did the promotion encourage you to buy more than you originally planned?
• Did the promotional campaign influence your decision to purchase?

3. Clarity and Communication of the Promotion:

• Were the terms and conditions of the promotion clear/easy to understand?
• Was the communication about the promotion (emails, ads, social media) helpful?
• What can we do to improve our promotional campaigns?

Quick Customer Experience Boosters for Seasonal or Promotional Campaigns

When running any promotional campaign, whether it’s a limited-time discount or a seasonal sale, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure customers have a great experience:

• Keep It Simple: Ensure the promotion is easy to understand, with clear terms and conditions.
• Make Redemption Easy: Provide straightforward steps for redeeming the offer, avoiding unnecessary complexity.
• Be Consistent: Ensure the same message is delivered across all channels to avoid confusion.
• Act Fast on Feedback: Use CSAT results to quickly fix any issues during the campaign.
• Follow Up: After the promotion, thank customers and offer small incentives to encourage future engagement.

Promotional Campaign Interaction – Key Takeaways:

• Survey Type: CSAT
• Purpose: Evaluate how satisfied customers are with the campaign and if it boosted engagement.
• Timing: Send out CSAT surveys right after customers redeem the offer or shortly after the campaign ends for the best feedback.

Leverage Data to Serve Your Customer Better

So what do I do with all this survey data? You slice and dice it and take action. You should definitely collect and store all the feedback you receive under one roof and share it across the team. Centralized data is extremely important as we move to omnichannel sales and operations.

You might want to start by identifying and taking action on every of the reported or spotted issues and match them with other attributes. 

For example, if survey results indicate that customers are dissatisfied with the checkout process, the company can implement changes such as simplifying the checkout process or offering more payment options. By addressing customer pain points, DTCs can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Brands can also use survey results to drive business success by identifying new growth opportunities. For example, suppose survey results show that many customers are interested in a new product. In that case, brands can invest in developing or promoting that product to attract more buyers.

You need to become more proactive and responsive to customer requests and needs: look for common pain points, behavior trends, segment your customers into specific cohorts (location, stage in the customer life cycle, number of purchases) for valuable context, and A/B test your conclusions. Adapt automation workflows to reach out at the right time and place for more relevant feedback. Look for ways to make the journey more peculiar to specific customer segments. 

Create weekly CX reports to share with the entire team outlining top tags used, sentiment-analysis conclusions, the evolution of the CX scores, and qualitative feedback for motivation. Based on the received feedback, you can easily determine the experiences that are lagging behind that need more attention and the ones you can build on. 

At the same time, share relevant feedback with specific teams. For example, if your survey campaign aimed to assess customer support interactions, you might be willing to share more customer insights with the support team, so they are aware of the customer expectations. In the case of a post-purchase campaign, there will definitely be much of interest to the marketing team in order to adjust their communication. If the delivery pops up as a burning issue, you might be willing to dig deeper and follow up with the supply chain to see what went wrong.

Ultimately, your goal should be to understand journey via the buyer’s eyes and replicate the ones that lead to a higher quality customer base.

Bottom line

Providing a great customer experience is critical to the success of any business. By considering the buyer’s journey and collecting feedback at the most relevant stages, brands can identify areas for improvement and make changes to enhance the overall customer experience. 

Using customer satisfaction surveys like NPS, CSAT, and CES can provide valuable insights that can be used to drive ecommerce success. By implementing these customer experience pointers, DTCs can build stronger relationships with their customers and improve their bottom line.

Given the many touchpoints to keep an eye on, using specialized survey software like Retently is a worthwhile solution. Retently enables you to automate tasks, integrate with various systems, and trigger surveys based on specific events. Get started with a free trial to run multiple surveys, each focused on relevant aspects of the identified experiences. 

Make sure to also explore the newly-added multiple stores and multiple touchpoints support widgets. Use the first one to view how your each store is performing or how all of the stores compare. The role of the second widget is to add more contextual information to your survey responses, by having access to the information on orders and tickets for each particular customer. Explore Retently’s extensive analytics capabilities to the fullest and take your buyer experience to the next level.