Outerspace, the leading high-touch operations partner for high-growth consumer brands, has officially published its latest report named the State of Brand Loyalty: How the Post-Purchase Experience Influences Online Shopping, which is focused on discovering what converts casual e-commerce shoppers into loyal, long-term customers.
Going by the available details,, the report claims that, apart from quick shipping, customers have come to value brands that offer easy returns, exclusive offers, the personalization and customization of products, and a premium unboxing experience. More on the latter bit would reveal how, given the prevalence of third-party marketplaces that ship every product the same way, over half of consumers (57%) have now expect a more memorable and personalized unboxing experience. This includes a handwritten note or high-quality branded packaging. Anyway, the stated finding is especially applicable for Gen Z and Millennials, who are 11% more likely to expect it. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, are a quarter (25%) less likely to expect the same. Beyond that, women were deemed as 16% more likely than men to repurchase from brands that offer free gifts with their orders, whereas men are a third (29%) more likely to repurchase from brands that use premium packaging or wrapping.
Next up, the report revealed that, when buying premium products, shoppers were found as willing to wait five to seven business days for items like home decor (30%), jewelry (29.7%), and apparel (25%), as compared to everyday essentials like groceries or cleaning supplies.
“As acquiring new customers gets tougher, creating brand fans is paramount for survival,” said Kate Terry, Chief Commercial Officer at Outerspace. “The post-purchase experience is an often overlooked and underutilized channel for building loyalty, but as this report shows, consumers are ripe for forging loyalty beyond the cart — and beyond free or expedited shipping. Unboxing and returns play crucial roles in building a brand’s relationship with its customers, so it’s wise for brands to invest in curating a premium experience that keeps them coming back.”
We referred to the importance of a premium unboxing experience in consumer’s purchase decision, but what we haven’t acknowledged yet is the role of freebies like small order add-ons, such as product samples and gifts. You see, more than half of shoppers are more likely to repurchase from a brand when they receive gifts and free samples (57%).
Another detail worth a mention here is rooted in the significance of an easy return policy. Going by Outerspace’s report, almost 93% consumers deem an easy return policy as their top priority when buying directly from brands. Markedly enough, for more than half the shoppers (57%), easy returns influence the likelihood of repeat purchases, and having the option to choose free shipping on returns determines if they’ll place an order with a premium brand (59%).
Alongside this, environments-friendly packaging has also become a key factor in consumers’ buying process, considering nearly one in every three consumers (31%) say that easily recyclable and premium packaging motivates them to shop with a brand again.
Among other things, we ought to mention how Outerspace conducted this whole research in partnership with Pollfish. Together, the organizations surveyed 1,000 online shoppers, each one hailing from nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 to 64. As for how they did that, the survey would basically use 11 multiple-choice questions to gauge the respondents preferences on components like shipping, unboxing, and returns.
“The post-purchase experience has become a supreme factor for e-commerce growth. By working with logistics partners to make the most of every influential touchpoint after consumers click the buy button, brands give their customers a powerful reason to shop with them again and again,” said Ricky Choi, CEO and co-founder of Outerspace. “With frictionless returns management, onsite order customization and personalization, and warehouse teams dedicated to individual brands, Outerspace’s retail partners see an average of 62% growth in order volume compared to 2023.”
