The talk about serving people at all touchpoints may be overstated — at least when it comes to first-time customers. 

The main marketing factor that prompts shoppers to buy from a retailer they have never purchased from before is brand messaging. That is true for 33% of shoppers, according to 2019 Customer Lifecycle Report: The Retail Shopper’s Journey To Loyalty, a study by Yes Marketing. 

In contrast, only 12% are swayed by messages being delivered where they want to see them — i.e., email, social, push.

Another 25% are influenced by messages that encourage them to trust the company, and 18% by content that includes review or testimonials.

Price is the main lure — 47% base their decisions on it, and 39% base decisions on presumed quality. 

However, those factors are reversed when it comes to loyalty — 41% decide their fealty based on value and quality of products, add 36% by price.

Also important is convenience — 40% are sold by free or expedited shipping, and 24% by proximity to a store. Another 20% are swayed by the purchase process. 

Way down the list are the returns policy, specified by 9%, and the ability to purchase via a mobile app, at 7%.

Not that consumers feel that all the messaging they get is relevant — 47% say they often receive relevant communications, and 13% say they always get them. But 37% rarely receive them, and 4% never get them. 

Whatever you do, don’t hit customers with too many messages.

Of the consumers surveyed, 36% say retailers they have bought from send them too many emails. In contrast, 34% feel the same about push notifications, 32% feel that way about display ads and 29% feel that way about SMS. 

At the same time, 60% feel that email frequency is just about right, compared with 64% for social media, 62% for display ads, 61% for SMS and 57% for push notifications. Only 5% say email isn’t frequent enough.

Email is a great way to promote special deals and events. For instance, Williams Sonoma recently sent an email offering free shipping and an option to buy online and pick up in-store on the same day.

And Barnes & Noble uses email to promote local in-store book clubs and author signings. 

When it comes to influence, nothing comes close to beating recommendations from friends or family — 45% rely on them. Only 16% depend on Google search, while 14% depend on print, mail or TV ads and 8% depend on product review sites.

What moves consumers to trust a retailer they have never done business with? Here’s what they say:

• The retailer provides enough information about its products — 36%
  
• The retailer promotes products and services that are relevant — 17%
  
• The retailer offers pricing on par with competitors — 13%
  
• Customer-generated content or testimonials — 10%   

Yes Marketing surveyed 1,000 consumers who have purchased with a retailer online in the past year.