What is Guided Selling and how does it work?

Offer personalized online product advice, just like in the store

Guided selling helps your website visitors by offering online personalized product advice. It assists them in making the right purchase decision based on their personal preferences and needs. Guided selling allows you to engage with potential customers, focus on their challenges and desired applications, and then automatically recommend the best product for them. Just like in a physical store, where you can ask a salesperson for product advice.

Imagine you are looking for a new e-bike. Chances are you'll end up on a category page with dozens, if not hundreds, of different e-bikes. Which one should you choose? It’s hard to know.

You have the following preferences:

• You plan to make regular long bike rides of more than 50 km.
• You want to use the e-bike mainly for recreational rides during holidays abroad.
• Because you'll be taking the e-bike on the back of your caravan, a lightweight model is highly desired.
• Since you occasionally want to do groceries with the e-bike, a basket would be handy.
• You are 182 cm tall.

To increase relevance and narrow down the product options, you are supposed to use the product filters (read this article to understand why product filters often fall short). But to use these filters, you first need to understand what the different options mean. Chances are you don't know the difference between a mid-drive motor and a rear-wheel motor, the difference between a 400 kWh and a 300 kWh battery, or which frame size suits your height best: frame size 48-52 or frame size 52-55.

Instead of endlessly scrolling through technical specifications and trying to understand details that may be confusing (with a high risk of giving up in the process), guided selling can easily recommend the right e-bike tailored to your preferences.

For example, guided selling might ask you: ‘What will you primarily use your e-bike for? Are you looking to use the bike for daily commutes? Or are you more interested in long rides during your vacation? Do you prefer a sporty bike or one that offers maximum comfort?’

 

 

You answer a few questions that focus on your specific needs. Based on your answers, only the models that best match your requirements are recommended. This makes choosing much easier and ensures that you can find the right e-bike more quickly. The product advice also explains why a particular e-bike is the best fit for what you're looking for, and the most relevant product recommendation can always be shown. Even if the product doesn’t match your situation exactly. For example, if the product is just a few euros above your budget but otherwise fits perfectly. In that case, you still want to receive relevant product advice. This way, as a company, you avoid saying 'no' to a sale, and as a website visitor, you can still view the most suitable product that matches your situation...

 

 

Why Guided Selling?

As a consumer, there are several reasons why you would want to use guided selling. 

1. You want product advice that is tailored to your needs. 
2. It builds more trust because you receive immediate confirmation that you are about to purchase the right product for your situation. 
3. You save time by finding the right product faster, allowing you to finally complete that 10,000-piece puzzle that has been sitting under your bed for years.

And for a company planning to implement guided selling? Well, it’s all of the above. Additionally, it leads to more conversions, increased revenue, a higher average order value, happier customers, less manual contact, and fewer product returns. Be sure to check out these cases as well.

 

 

But why does it work so well? Guided selling helps you overcome the paradox of choice, which simply means that having many (product) options makes it harder to make a (product) decision. This may sound strange, but think about it: imagine you're looking for a new laptop. When you scroll through Amazon.nl, you have over 9,500 laptops to choose from. Each has different specifications: RAM, processors, storage capacity, screen sizes...

 

 

But how do you know which laptop is right for you? Do you need just an entry-level model for word processing and browsing the internet, or do you require a powerful laptop for graphic design or gaming? It can be challenging to know exactly what you need, and without clear guidance, you risk not making a choice at all. This phenomenon is called choice paralysis. The result? Customers drop off or end up buying nothing.

However, you can easily assist potential customers and recommend the right laptop by engaging with them. For example, with guided selling, you could indicate that you're looking for a laptop for video editing. In that case, you would receive recommendations for models with a powerful processor, sufficient RAM, and a good graphics card. Another example: if you often work on the go, guided selling might point you to lightweight laptops with long battery life and a compact size, making it easy to carry in your bag.

 

 

Who is Guided Selling suitable for?

Guided selling is actually perfect for all webshops with a large assortment or complex products. The goal is to assist your customers in finding the right product, especially those who are unsure about which product suits them best. This uncertainty can stem from a lack of product knowledge (especially with complex items), being overwhelmed by too many options, or a combination of both. With guided selling, you can help them step-by-step in finding the right product.

Guided selling is also beneficial in the fashion industry. Customers often struggle to find the right size or style. With a product advisor that takes personal preferences like body shape and style into account, they can quickly find the right items. This makes shopping easier and reduces the risk of returns since they find exactly what they're looking for. With Qonfi, it is possible to store user input in a variable. Using numerical inputs (like height or width), you can then perform calculations to automatically determine the correct size, as demonstrated in the example below.

 

 

Examples of Guided Selling

Feel free to check out how these clients utilize guided selling. Below are a few examples:

1. Traphekjes.nl

Traphekjes.nl has been a leading specialist in safety gates, clamp gates, and screw gates for over 30 years. They faced a common issue: customers found it challenging to choose the right safety gate from their extensive selection of more than 200 options. This led to many inquiries and decision fatigue among customers, putting pressure on customer service and affecting customer satisfaction.

With Qonfi's product advisor, the purchasing process became easier. Customers answered a few simple questions about their type of staircase, interior, and preferences, receiving immediate personalized advice for the most suitable safety gate. This way, they no longer had to search through dozens of options and could find the right product more quickly.

The result? A +56% increase in conversion rates, a +21% rise in average order value, and a noticeable decrease in customer inquiries. Additionally, the product advisor provided valuable insights, enabling Traphekjes.nl to better tailor their product range to customer needs.

2. Vehikit

Vehikit, a B2B company specializing in converting commercial vehicles, dealt with a wide array of products, over 26,000 items. This caused customers to lose track and often not know which product to choose. This resulted in many customer inquiries and put significant strain on customer service.

By integrating guided selling, Vehikit was able to advise customers more quickly and efficiently. Customers provided their specific requirements and usage situations, after which they received immediate relevant product recommendations. This not only saved time but also created a smoother customer experience.

The results were impressive: a +264% increase in conversions, a +51% higher average order value, and a substantial decrease in customer inquiries. Customer satisfaction increased as Vehikit further optimized their product offerings and customer journey, contributing to a more efficient and profitable operation.

3. Qub.nl

Qub.nl, a specialist in rail lighting, faced the same issue: customers struggled to make choices. This led to many interactions with customer service, reducing efficiency and complicating the customer journey. Customers found it difficult to select the right product, especially since lighting can be technically complex and customers often lacked the necessary knowledge.

With guided selling, it became easier: customers were guided through a series of questions regarding their lighting needs, such as for which room or situation they were seeking lighting. Based on those answers, they received immediate product recommendations without needing extensive product knowledge.

What was the result? A +255% increase in conversions, a +23% higher average order value, and significantly less customer contact. Customers could even customize products, further enhancing their satisfaction. All of this contributed to a smoother customer journey and a more effective sales process.

 

 

Implementing Guided Selling on your website

Implementing guided selling on your website can significantly increase your conversion rates. Qonfi's guided selling software can be used on any e-commerce platform, which is convenient. Follow these simple steps to effectively integrate and optimize your product advisor.

1. Place Guided Selling in strategic locations
Guided selling is only effective if potential customers can easily access it. Ensure you place the product advisor in prominent locations, such as on your homepage, category pages, or product pages. This makes it much easier for customers to use it, helping them find the right product faster.

Also, check out this article on the 10 best places for guided selling on your website.

2. Implement Guided Selling
This can be done easily by adding a JavaScript snippet to your webpage. The great thing is that you don’t need a developer for this step—it can be done yourself with this how-to guide.

3. Monitor and optimize
Once you start using guided selling, it's important to regularly monitor its performance. Analyze how many customers are using guided selling and how it affects their purchasing decisions. Discover your customers' preferences and use these insights to optimize your product range, for example. Optimize as necessary based on the zero-party data you collect. This ensures that guided selling always performs optimally and provides your customers with the best possible experience.

Want to Get Started with Guided Selling?

Is guided selling right for you? At Qonfi, we create guided selling software. Feel free to create an account and start a free trial. Discover for yourself how simple and effective it can be to assist your customers in making the right choice.