Urgency marketing has made a name for itself with a number of brands. E-commerce businesses have a lot to gain from implementing these strategies into their campaigns.
As huge proponents of urgency marketing, it was only right that we shed a light on the ways this impactful tool can be used in e-commerce.
Here are seven ways you can implement urgency tactics into your online business.
1. Checkout timers
How would you respond if an item you selected for purchase was only going to be available in your cart for a limited time? You’d probably feel a heightened sense of urgency to pay for the product as soon as possible. The same is true for consumers worldwide, and we have our brains to thank for the push to purchase.
Urgency marketing thrives on humans' psychological response to time. When we feel as though something we’d like to have in our possession could possibly disappear if we don’t move fast enough, it enacts a certain amount of fear that encourages immediate forward movement.
Checkout timers are particularly powerful because they prevent consumers from getting too comfortable during the end of their shopping experience. While adding an item to their cart might have provided a consumer with a sense of complacency, seeing that it will only be secure in their cart for a certain period of time can prompt them to take further action and ensure that it will remain in their possession for the long haul.
2. In-stock notifications
We all know the pain of seeing the words "SOLD OUT" on an item we had our eyes on, especially when there was no way of knowing it’d be unavailable for purchase soon.
What if there was a way to express true transparency with your audience and inspire them to buy your products? In-stock notifications are the way to go.
A lot like what you might be thinking, in-stock notifications let customers know when items that were previously out of stock are back and available for the taking. Customers who may have walked away from their shopping cart disappointed by the news that their desired item was sold out, can now quickly return to your site in hopes of getting the item this time around.
In-stock notifications are a small addition to your marketing, but they make a huge difference in the way consumers do their online shopping.
3. Free shipping for a limited time
It’s no secret that consumers aren’t the biggest fans of having to pay for shipping. In fact, some customers will even walk away from their online purchases if they have to pay more than what they'd like in shipping and handling.
You can help to solve this pain point and increase conversions by taking away any mention of paying for shipping. Of course, you won’t be expected to do this forever; it isn’t feasible for your business. You can, however, offer free shipping for a limited time.
Customers will be more than happy to take you up on your offer as they won’t want to miss out on a deal that fits right in line with their desires. Presenting limited-time free shipping is a great way to listen to the concerns of your customers and drive revenue.
4. Limited-time discounts
There’s no denying that customers love discounts. It’s a win for any consumer to get a marked-down price on a product they love.
If you’re interested in adding urgency to this beloved marketing strategy, you can do so by offering your customers discounts for a limited time. Your customers will have to act fast if they want to take advantage of the deal before time runs out.
5. Low-stock notifications
In a world where emotions are the driving force for a lot of humans, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is especially powerful.
Companies who capitalize on low-stock notifications are bringing that psychology into their marketing efforts for strong consumer responses. In the case of low-stock notifications, urgency is sparked by FOMO and scarcity.
When items are scarce, or supply is few, customers are met with fear that they won’t be able to get their hands on the products. You can bring about immediate action by letting your customers know that an item they added to their wishlist or shopping cart is low in stock.
6. Cart notifications
The ease of online shopping is often attributed to a consumer's ability to place their items in a virtual cart, skip long lines, and go about their merry way.
Customers don’t have to worry about lugging a huge cart around a store or figuring out where to place it if they decide they don’t want their items anymore. Unfortunately, what might sound like good news to consumers, isn’t as easy on the eyes of marketers.
Abandoned carts are a huge problem for online brands and the issue isn’t slowing down. Luckily enough, urgency marketing can help. Cart notifications serve as reminders to customers of all the wonderful things they’d be leaving behind if they chose to abandon their cart. The notifications prompt your customers to give their decision a second thought or simply remind them to return to the site if they got distracted while in the process of checking out.
If a notification isn’t enough to get your customers to make a purchase, you can add extra incentives like limited-time discounts to prompt them forward.
7. Item status notifications
Urgency in shopping can come as the result of social proof, the idea that humans are more likely to follow the same line of thinking as people they trust. This is why e-commerce functionalities like reviews and testimonials are so important.
Outside of those two standard practices, you can also spice up your site by including notifications around the status of items up for sale. You can let your online visitors see just how many other customers in your loyal audience are looking at the same item or the amount of times that product has been checked out.
It’s only natural that your customers will begin to look at purchasing the item with even more urgency, causing its value, and the value of your brand, to skyrocket.
There’s no shortage of ways to use urgency marketing in e-commerce businesses to increase conversions and ultimately, revenue.