Ah, the little gift (also known as a lagniappe) after purchase. The free oatmeal cookie after your meal at the Red Eye Grille in Manhattan. The sweet-smelling bag of delights from the cosmetic counter tucked into your shiny sack of high-priced makeup.
Everyone can remember a personal story of a little gift AFTER purchase. When I was little, my parents shopped at the same nursery every spring because the owner gave me and my brothers a little seedling as we checked out. Hours, days, weeks of fun-my parents wouldn't have shopped anywhere else.
But the lagniappe BEFORE purchase. That's kind of rare. However, expect to see it trending up soon. Why? Because a recent study in the International Journal of Marketing Studies reports that customers who received a lagniappe BEFORE purchase spent an average of 46% more than non-gifted customers. Yes, not a typo. Forty-six percent.
Why should a gift before purchase have so much more impact than a post-purchase one? Three reasons:
- people have an underlying tendency toward reciprocity, and look, they're right there to reciprocate immediately-by buying from you.
- a pleasant surprise is powerful and produces a long-term memory
- giving without an expectation of return is seen as selfless and admirable
How can e-commerce use these lessons from retail? For the service company or online retailer, what would compare to that tangible little treat in your hand-before purchase?
The short list:
Free trials
Bonus benefits
Free shipping upgrades
Free downloads
Can you think of others?