Indecisive customers can make it very difficult to develop effective customer loyalty marketing strategies. You have probably encountered this type of customer on more than one occasion, and no matter how hard you tried, you could never get them to make a purchase.

It is relatively normal for this to happen, but there are different ways to get them out of this state of doubt so that they trust your brand and become happy customers. In this article, we will review what they are. Remember that at Zapiplay we apply effective strategies for your business, if you need help you can contact us.

What are undecided customers?

We all hesitate when it comes to making a purchase. We may not completely trust the sellers, the product, the brand or the service. However, indecisive customers are those who, despite being interested in a product or service, regularly hesitate and postpone their purchasing decisions indefinitely.

Although undecided customers tend to hesitate more in their purchases when they are made in person (as there is more interaction and tension), this type of consumer is also present in online sales. Therefore, if you have an e-commerce or sell through marketplaces, you should know the characteristics of indecisive customers and how to deal with them. Remember that we are experts in digital sales, we help you build your e-commerce.

Most common characteristics of undecided customers

There are different profiles of indecisive customers, but here are some common elements that define them and can help you identify them:

They ask very specific questions: They tend to ask very specific questions rather than the typical "I'd like you to tell me a bit about X product/service".

They need time and space to make their decision: They will not give you an immediate answer on whether they want to make the purchase or not. They prefer to assess the situation calmly and make the decision when they are 100% sure.

They do not give their opinion: Although they listen carefully to everything you tell them about the product or service, they will never give you an unequivocal opinion.

As mentioned, undecided customers can also be found in the digital environment. Their defining characteristics are:

• High cart abandonment rate
• Repeated visits to the same pages
• Regular visits to the FAQ section

Tips for dealing with indecisive customers

We have already seen how to deal with specific profiles of undecided customers. However, there are some strategies that can be useful to deal with all of them and with those who do not fall into the 4 categories mentioned above. Again, it is important to differentiate between physical sales and e-commerce sales, as behaviours are different depending on the type of purchase method.

Physical Sales

In brick-and-mortar sales, the relationship between the customer and the salesperson is very important. Therefore, having your staff implement some of the following tips can be of great help when dealing with hesitant customers:

Offer alternatives: Presenting undecided customers with a single proposal is not the best option, as it will put more pressure on them. Showing them flexible and varied offers that allow them to choose according to their criteria will give them much more confidence. One of the best strategies is to present them with three proposals that vary in both value and features.

Practice active listening: listening to indecisive customers is key to understanding where their indecision lies and resolving the doubts that prevent them from continuing with the purchasing process. In addition, active listening, in which the listener is able to understand the ideas and thoughts of the speaker, will also make the customer feel cared for and generate more trust.

Respond with confidence: if there is one thing that characterises an undecided customer, it is doubt. As a brand, you must counteract that by increasing their confidence. Answering the questions they ask with confidence and being clear in your communication is one of the best ways to achieve this.

Avoid dominant postures: you should not exert too much pressure, as you will end up overwhelming the potential customer and achieve the opposite effect. Once you explain the features of the product or service, give them time to make a decision.

Digital Sales

Some of the tips in the previous point can also be applied to your e-commerce through customer service. However, here are some specific recommendations to better deal with undecided customers in e-commerce:

Offering human counselling: It is very common for customers, especially those who are undecided, to have concerns, especially when it comes to buying online. Therefore, it is important that you offer them personalised and humanised attention. This does not mean that you have to do without chatbots, as they are very useful for resolving frequently asked questions. But it is important that they are always backed up by a customer service team made up of real people. One of the forms of customer service that customers value most is direct chat, because of the convenience it offers. Implement it in your business! You can ask us for advice in this area.

Create a complete website: Incomplete websites are known to have indecisive customers because they need clear information to help them make a decision. We recommend that you have a question and answer page, as well as a clear shipping and return policy. Product sheets are also very important, as they will allow the customer to get a clear idea of a certain product, despite the limitations of online shopping. We offer you a website service.

Avoid cart abandonmentAdding products or services to the cart without completing the checkout process is very common among indecisive customers. Fortunately, there are some techniques that can help you prevent this from happening. Offering free shipping and returns, accepting a wide variety of payment options, simplifying the checkout process or allowing payment without checkout.