Everyday questions make it easier for customers to understand products and choose the right one. Needs-oriented advisory tools support this process, leading to increased sales.
Guided selling is a sales process that helps your customers find the right products faster. Interactive consulting tools determine the specific needs and requirements of the desired product step by step.
Your customers then receive targeted product recommendations based on this data. Clear and easy-to-understand product information enhances the advice so customers can make an informed and confident decision.
There are many reasons for shopping cart abandonment, one of which is the complexity or sheer variety of products. The more complex a decision seems, the harder it is to make. The longer a product will be part of our lives, the more confident we want to feel about purchasing it. If clear and understandable purchase advice is missing or if questions remain unanswered, customers may postpone or abandon their decision.
Studies show that an excessive number of product variants ("jam paradox," see Iyengar & Lepper, 2000) reduces customers' desire to buy, as a wide range of options often leads to a fear of making the wrong choice.
The task is therefore to find clear, application-oriented support to manage the complexity of an offering.
According to a survey of more than 5,700 online store users by the market research institute eConsultancy, around 83% of respondents said they require some form of support to make a purchase decision. For example, they want helpful content, detailed product information, and appropriate recommendations.
However, this creates a challenge, as companies often lack meaningful data on exactly what customers want to buy or learn about.
Your customers' guided selling journey begins with the search results. From the SERP, they arrive at your consulting content and then your interactive consulting tool. Covering the relevant search intent with as much accuracy as possible is vital.
You can increase customers' willingness to buy by:
The guided selling process helps you understand your customers and their search intentions, leading to confident purchase decisions through reliable recommendations and information.
What to keep in mind as a company: Your customers’ trust is low – or rather, it has to be earned. Is the suggested product truly the best fit, or is it simply the most expensive one? The data logic must ensure the recommendations align with customer needs – not just the store's sales goals.
Customers' needs, tastes, and preferences don’t always align neatly with product features. These preferences must be translated into tailored product selections. It is also important to ensure customers remain in control throughout the process, deciding what goes on the shortlist and ultimately into their cart.
Generative AI is already advancing toward offering individual product advice. While the results are not yet fully reliable, progress is promising. AI-powered commerce search could soon give your company a significant advantage.
Guided selling isn't always cost-effective, but there are three scenarios where it excels, and they often overlap:
Application-oriented online advice provides customers with an effective way to make decisions, empowers them, and enhances their overall experience. For companies, this leads to several key benefits:
Fewer abandoned purchases
Digital advice tools can reduce cart abandonment by aligning product recommendations with customer expectations, helping customers make decisions more easily and confidently.
Fewer returns
Return rates decrease significantly when online advice offers precise, easy-to-understand product information that accurately matches customer needs.
Valuable data
One of the most significant advantages of digital consulting tools is the meaningful data they generate. Unlike vanity metrics – superficial statistics with little relevance – this data reveals customer preferences, such as interest in specific product variants or common requirements. These insights can directly inform product development. Tools like Hotjar, Mouseflow, and Microsoft Clarity are particularly helpful for gathering this information.
Increase in sales
Guided selling combines targeted questions, detailed product information, and tailored recommendations to simplify purchasing decisions. According to a survey by the consulting agency invesp, most store visitors are more likely to return if product recommendations are accurate, making the purchase process smoother. This positive experience builds customer loyalty, driving both initial purchases and repeat business.
With the guided selling process, nothing stands in the way of a seamless customer journey from inquiry to purchase. At Moccu, we focus on understanding and addressing customers' search intentions and needs.
Targeted and simple questions guide customers to the right product. We use qualitative testing to evaluate tone and text length.
Gather data on usage and search queries to better understand the questions and concerns of (new) customers.
This is essential, especially for products with many features. Companies build trust and demonstrate quality by clearly communicating product knowledge.
Visual assets add significant value to advisors by helping users visualize product usage and enhance their understanding.
Recommendations should not be too extensive or always favor the most expensive products. In a store, a trustworthy salesperson doesn’t always recommend the priciest option either.
Each product category has its unique characteristics. To effectively convey information, flexibility through a customized solution is required instead of relying on a standard template.
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