By the end of February 2009, Wickes.co.uk customers had generated more than 4,000 authentic customer reviews, without any direct marketing of the launch of the new online reviews feature.
The retailer can now use this customer-generated content to increase customer conversion online as well as improving merchandising and increasing sales and conversion across multiple channels. It is also hoped that the new feature will help to attract new customers, enhance customer satisfaction and garner increased loyalty.
"We're always investing in new technology to use on the web that enhances the customer's journey and increases conversion rates, said Seago. "Customers are free to share their thoughts on any product or project, and put their name on it,' safe in the knowledge that we both take pride in a job well done."
Seago added that the feature has supported the company's marketing campaign around quality and trust in the brand, as well as providing added intelligence about customer buying habits to key areas of the business.
"The ratings feature, for example, has been taken on within the business through the buying team and a range of other departments," she said. "New range reviews are informed by our Ratings & Reviews reports, as are our supplier negotiations."
Wickes has also been able to create a Top Rated Products' section on its website homepage, to make it easier for customers to browse popular items. While the customer content is also used to update and improve individual products' features and benefits' listed on the website.
Wickes' top three lessons learned
1) Make sure online ratings and reviews functionality is used as part of a strategic customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing strategy.
2) Look at what internal customer processes can be improved before specifying technology.
3) Ensure the data from online ratings and reviews is shared and used across the business to aid decision-making processes.
-
Enterprises face delicate balancing act with data center sustainability goalsNews High energy consumption, raw material requirements, and physical space constraints are holding back data center sustainability efforts, according to new research from Seagate.
-
Cleo attack victim list grows as Hertz confirms customer data stolenNews Hertz has confirmed it suffered a data breach as a result of the Cleo zero-day vulnerability in late 2024, with the car rental giant warning that customer data was stolen.
-
How IBM and Adobe craft personalization at scaleWhitepaper Combining the content supply chain, CX orchestration, and intelligent commerce for ideal personalization
-
Preparing for peak: How customers purchased during peakwhitepaper The online shopping trends that shaped the parcel delivery experience during the busiest time of the 2022 calendar
-
The Total Economic Impact™ of IBM iX digital commerce servicesWhitepaper Delivering strategic growth with experience-led commerce solutions
-
US antitrust bill nearing law faces fierce tech oppositionNews AICO seeks to limit the extent to which tech platforms can self-promote, and has drawn tens of millions of dollars in opposition from some of the largest tech firms
-
Square offers sellers buy now, pay later integration with ClearpayNews For the first time, Square customers in-person and online will be given the option to make a purchase as interest-free payments
-
Sharp expands IT services with new FundOnion partnershipNews Collaboration will see the business finance platform now offer Sharp’s range of B2B solutions
-
Apple hit with class action suit for stifling rival tap-to-pay optionsNews The devil is in the details of Apple’s policies, states Hagens Berman’s spokesperson
-
Amazon's use of third-party seller data to be investigated by CMANews The investigation follows an almost identical one currently being carried out by the European Commission after the company was previously charged over similar practices by the European authority in 2020
