How do return visits to a retail site affect purchase rate

Chart of the day: Research shows the power of email marketing to encourage return visits

Much of the insight about how our audiences interact with us online relates to acquisition channels and conversion to sale. So, I was interested to see this research from Ecommerce personalisation platform provider Monetate which shows returning visitor behaviour related to channels.

It prompts us to evaluate returning visitor rates and their impact on sales and how we can influence them through communications using different channels.  This curve shows an interesting behavioural trait where most visitors return within a short period of a week or so (if they are going to return), but others do return.

What are the implications? Monetate conclude with this takeaway:

While outreach tactics, such as targeted emails, should be concentrated within that one-week window, there’s plenty of opportunity to re-engage shoppers after that one-week window: Nearly 30% of all returning visitors come back after a week.

The research highlights the importance of email marketing for encouraging return visits since prospects and customers who are email subscribers. Nearly 70% of all shoppers who initially visit a site from an email return within a 60-day window, and 48% return within seven days. By contrast, 48% of shoppers who initially visit from social media return within 60 days (and only 33% return within the first seven days) and 39% of shoppers who initially visit from search return within 60 days (and only 27% return within the first seven days).

Given the power of email, it's no wonder retailers use many tactics to acquire email addresses to grow their email list. It IS surprising that some other businesses aren't so proactive about it email growth.

• Source: Monetate E-commerce Quarterly
• Sample: Customers of large US retail sites (unspecified)
• Recommended resource: Customer Retention planning guide