Product Experience (PX) vs. Customer Experience (CX)
E-Commerce
Nowadays, the experience that customers have with a product or service is decisive for the success of an e-commerce company. The terms Product Experience (PX) and Customer Experience (CX) are often used, which are closely related but cover different aspects of customer interaction. In this blog article, we shed light on the differences and connections between product experience and customer experience.
What is Product Experience (PX)?
Product experience refers to the entirety of the experiences that a customer has directly with a product or service. It begins with the first perception and includes everything to do with the use of the product after purchase – from packaging and unpacking to initial commissioning and actual use over a longer period of time. Product Experience focuses on the customer’s reaction and interaction with the product itself and is a key factor in how a customer feels about the outcome of their purchase. A positive product experience means that customers are not only satisfied, but are also happy to recommend the product to others and make repeat purchases.
Example: When you buy a new watercolour paint box, the PX is how well the colours mix on the paper, how bright the colours are and whether the paint box is easy to open and use.
Key aspects of Product Experience
- Product presentation: How detailed and convincing is the product presented?
- Product design and aesthetics: How visually and haptically appealing is the product?
- User-friendliness and usability: How easy and intuitive is the product to use?
- Functionality and performance: Does the product fulfil its promised functions?
- Quality and reliability: How good is the workmanship and how reliably does the product work?
- Packaging and first-use experience: What is the first impression when unpacking and using the product?
In markets with many functionally similar products, an outstanding product experience can make a decisive contribution to differentiating your own products from less well thought-out alternatives and motivating customers to choose these products.
Case studies for an outstanding product experience
Apple: Apple is known for its outstanding product experience. The design, functionality, stores and unboxing experience are harmonised to offer a perfect product experience. Products such as the iPhone and MacBook are not only technically advanced, but also extremely user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
Dyson hoovers: Dyson has revolutionised the hoover market by focusing on the product experience with innovative design, outstanding suction power and user-friendly technology. Customers appreciate the performance and ease of use of the products, which directly influences the PX.
Amazon: Amazon’s focus on a seamless customer journey, from product search to checkout to delivery, has made it the market leader in online retail. The user-friendliness of their website and fast delivery are key aspects of their product experience.
What is Customer Experience (CX)?
Customer experience describes the experiences that a customer has with a company over the entire duration of the customer relationship. CX includes every point of interaction between the customer and the organisation, including marketing, sales, after-sales support and even the way the organisation responds to complaints. Customer Experience is more comprehensive than Product Experience and aims to maintain a positive relationship between the customer and the company throughout the entire customer life cycle. A positive customer experience leads to customers feeling that the company not only understands their needs and wishes, but also fulfils them.
Example: If you buy a watercolour paint box, the CX includes how easy it was to find the box in shop or online, how friendly the staff were, how quickly the box was delivered and whether the company provides good instructions on how to use the paints.
Key aspects of Customer Experience:
- Brand perception and trust: How is the brand perceived overall and how much trust do customers have in the brand?
- Purchase process and simplicity: How easy is it to purchase the product?
- Customer service and support: How effectively and efficiently does the company help with problems or questions?
- Personalisation and individualisation: How well does the company adapt its products or services to the customer’s needs?
- Communication and interaction: How does the company communicate with its customers?
Satisfied customers are not only more loyal and less price-sensitive, they are also the best brand ambassadors. Their satisfaction reduces the likelihood that they will switch to the competition and increases their willingness to recommend products or services to others. This leads to low-cost and effective advertising through word of mouth.
Case studies for an outstanding customer experience
Zappos: The online shoe retailer Zappos is famous for its customer experience. With free shipping, a 365-day return policy and excellent customer service, Zappos has built a loyal customer base. The positive CX here includes not only the use of the website, but also the interaction with customer service.
Amazon: Amazon has also significantly shaped the customer experience. With features such as 1-click purchasing, personalised recommendations and outstanding customer service, Amazon has built up an extremely loyal customer base.
Netflix: Netflix has developed from a DVD mail order service into a leading streaming service that not only lives the customer experience, but is also constantly improving it. An intuitive user interface, personalised streaming recommendations and investment in in-house productions attract customers and retain them in the long term.
The connection between PX and CX
Although PX and CX are different aspects, they are closely linked and influence each other:
- Influence of PX on CX: An outstanding product experience can improve the overall customer experience. When customers are satisfied with a product, their perception of the entire company improves. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Influence of CX on PX: A positive customer experience can also help to minimise the impact of minor shortcomings in the product experience. If customer service is excellent, customers may be more willing to overlook minor product problems.
Differences in the realisation of PX and CX
Product Experience (PX) differs from Customer Experience (CX) primarily in the degree of personalisation. While CX dives deep into the individual needs and preferences of each customer and creates a personalised, unique customer journey, PX is more focused on the overall experience with the product in question. As a result, PX requires less effort because it is less concerned with the deep emotional and contextual factors that characterise CX.
Focus
- PX focuses specifically on the product and its improvement.
- CX has a broader focus and relates to the entire experience with the company.
Measurement
- PX is often measured through direct feedback mechanisms such as usability tests and product reviews.
- CX is measured by indicators such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) or Customer Effort Score (CES).
Strategy development
- Product managers and UX designers are often responsible for PX, focussing on the direct improvement of the product.
- CX is typically strategised and implemented by a broader group, including marketing, customer service and sometimes even senior management.
While product experience and customer experience cover different areas, both are crucial to a company’s success. A strong product experience can improve the customer experience and vice versa. Companies that invest in both areas create a strong, positive relationship with their customers, which translates into loyalty and ultimately improved business results. But how can you optimise both?
How to improve product experience and customer experience in e-commerce
Customers are more demanding when it comes to online shopping. They want to be able to see and ‘feel’ what they are buying before they buy it. This means investing in product experience and customer experience in order to prevail even in the face of intense competition. Here are some tips on how you can improve both PX and CX to not only increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, but also increase conversion rates and overall sales.
Product Experience
- Detailed product descriptions
What to do: Make sure that each product page is equipped with detailed, accurate descriptions. Use clear and appealing language that emphasises all the important features and benefits of the product.
Why it’s important: Your customers can’t physically see or touch the product, so their decision to buy depends heavily on the quality of the information provided.
_____________________________________________ - High-quality product images and videos
What to do: Use high-resolution images and videos to show your products from different angles. Interactive images, 360-degree views and videos showing the product in action can be particularly effective here.
Why it’s important: Visual elements play a decisive role in conveying a realistic image of the product to the customer and reducing purchasing uncertainty.
_____________________________________________ - Better metadata
What to do: Use better metadata by adding SEO-relevant data to standard information (name, size, etc.).
Why it’s important: Better metadata helps to ensure that the product description is more descriptive and SEO-optimised. This makes it easier for people to find and buy your products.
_____________________________________________ - Single Source of Content
What to do: Provide consistent product information across all touchpoints. The information should be the same and channel-specific wherever the consumer comes into contact with the product.
Why it’s important: The data represents the products in the form of text and visual content. Only then does the customer get an idea of the product and decide in favour of or against a purchase. If the information is different in several channels, this can lead to confusion and discourage purchases.
_____________________________________________ - Intuitive navigation and search
What to do: Optimise the search functions and navigation on your website to make it easier for customers to find exactly what they are looking for. Implement intelligent search filters and categorisation.
Why it’s important: Smooth navigation improves the user experience and makes customers stay on your site longer and more likely to make a purchase.
_____________________________________________ - Mobile optimisation
What to do: Make sure that your e-commerce platform works just as well on mobile devices as it does on desktops. This includes responsive design and mobile-friendly checkout processes.
Why it’s important: More and more customers are shopping via their mobile devices. A mobile-optimised experience is therefore essential to reach this growing customer group.
_____________________________________________ - AR and VR
What to do: Experiment with AR and VR to give customers an even better idea of the product, for example through virtual try-ons or placing furniture in their own home using AR.
Why it’s important: These technologies offer an innovative way to improve product presentation and create an immersive shopping experience.
Customer Experience
- Personalisation
What to do: Use customer data to create personalised experiences. This can include personalised recommendations, individual vouchers or customised email marketing campaigns.
Why it’s important: Personalisation leads to greater customer loyalty, as customers feel understood and valued.
_____________________________________________ - Fast and transparent shipping
What to do: Offer different shipping options, including fast shipping, and keep customers informed about the status of their delivery.
Why it’s important: Reliable and fast shipping is one of the main criteria for customer satisfaction in e-commerce.
_____________________________________________ - Efficient and empathetic customer service
What to do: Ensure that your customer service team responds quickly and efficiently to enquiries. Use various channels such as telephone, email, live chat and social media.
Why it’s important: Good customer service can build trust and is often the deciding factor in whether a customer returns or not.
_____________________________________________ - Simple return and exchange processes
What to do: Make the return and exchange process as simple and straightforward as possible. Clear information and support in these processes are important.
Why it’s important: A customer-friendly returns process reduces the risk of a purchase and can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
_____________________________________________ - Active listening and customer feedback
What to do: Implement regular customer surveys and feedback systems to gain insight into your customers’ needs and wants.
Why it’s important: Feedback helps you to identify weaknesses and shows customers that you value and respond to their opinions.
_____________________________________________ - Community building and engagement
What to do: Build a community around your brand by using interactive content, forums or social media to communicate with and engage customers.
Why it’s important: A strong community leads to increased customer loyalty and can generate effective word-of-mouth advertising.
_____________________________________________ - Transparent communication
What to do: Be transparent about prices, stock levels and company policies. Clear and honest communication creates trust.
Why it’s important: Customers appreciate transparency because they feel they are being treated fairly and respectfully.
How does a PIM system support the product experience and customer experience?
Data plays a very important role in e-commerce, because digitalisation only works with data. Products can only be represented online and offered for sale on the basis of the data. A Product Information Management (PIM) system plays a crucial role in managing this data and is the right tool when it comes to optimising the product and customer experience. After all, the optimisation of the product and customer experience is also based on data. Here are some key ways in which a PIM system can improve both the product experience and the customer experience:
Product Experience
- Consistent and accurate product information: A PIM system centralises the management of product information, which means that all product data is consistent and accurate. This ensures that your customers always receive the right specifications, prices and product descriptions, regardless of which channel they interact with. A precise and detailed presentation of the product directly improves the user experience and increases trust in the product.
- Improved product presentation: With a PIM system, you can ensure that product images, videos and descriptions are of high quality and can be used effectively across different platforms. An attractive and informative presentation increases the likelihood that the product will meet and even exceed your customers’ expectations.
- Faster product launches: PIM systems speed up the product launch process by reducing the time it takes to enter and update data. Faster product launches mean that your customers get access to new products faster, which promotes a fresh and dynamic product offering.
- Better data quality: A PIM system makes a significant contribution to improving data quality. It enables changes and updates to be made centrally and reflected everywhere at the same time. In addition, integrated quality checks ensure that only mature data is played out. This improved data quality leads to fewer errors, which in turn increases customer trustworthiness and satisfaction with the product.
Customer Experience
- Personalised customer experiences: PIM systems can manage data in a way that enables personalisation across different touchpoints. By using detailed product information, you can offer personalised recommendations and content tailored to the specific interests and needs of your customers.
- Omnichannel consistency: An effective PIM system ensures that all channels through which your customer interacts – whether online shop, mobile applications, physical shops or social media – provide consistent and up-to-date information. This consistency is crucial for a seamless customer experience as it avoids confusion and increases satisfaction.
- Improved customer support experience: With reliable and easily accessible product information, your customer service team can respond more effectively to enquiries and problems. A PIM system enables your support staff to quickly find the information they need, resulting in faster and more accurate responses and therefore increased customer satisfaction.
- Fewer errors and returns: By providing accurate and comprehensive product information, a PIM system reduces the likelihood of customer complaints and returns due to misunderstandings or incorrect expectations. This contributes to a more positive overall experience, reduces returns and strengthens trust in your brand.
By implementing a PIM system, you can not only optimise internal processes and make them more efficient, but also make a significant contribution to improving the product experience and customer experience.
Final thought: Product and Customer Experience
The Product Experience (PX) focuses on the product itself and how it works. The customer experience (CX) refers to the experience with a company over the entire duration of the customer relationship. The PX is part of the customer experience, because CX encompasses all interactions between the customer and the company, including the product experience.
Offering both experiences is important for companies, because they provide for:
- Satisfied customers: Good PX and CX ensure that customers are happy and are happy to buy from the same company again.
- The recommendation: Happy customers tell their friends about their good experiences, which brings in more customers.
- The success of the company: Companies with good PX and CX are often more successful because their customers remain loyal and give good reviews.
An efficient product and customer experience depends crucially on consistent and accurate product data. Ensuring high-quality product data that leads to a flawless shopping experience is only possible with the right tool – a PIM system. Just like our OMN PIM. Experience our PIM system for yourself and let us advise you on PX and CX without obligation: Contact us now > >
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