The current pandemic situation has resulted in a disruption in people’s daily live.  This includes mode of keeping in contact with our loved ones and the way we celebrate of special occasions such as birthday.  Gift purchase has also shifted from visiting the brick and mortal shopping malls to surfing gifts websites online.  

The advent of technology and frequent use of smartphones have taken online shopping a step further by making purchases via smart phone a popular one, be it via the online website or mobile shopping app.  This popularity has also risen because of the busy lifestyles people are leading.  People do not have the luxury of setting aside time to sit at their laptop to choose the ideal gift for their recipient.  They would use the in between free time or commuting time to search the gifts websites via the smartphones and conclude the purchase there and then.

In response to this increased change in buyers’ behaviour, many companies have been enhancing their mobile app and making their online website a mobile friendly one, to make searching and purchasing of gifts via their mobile phone a seamless and enjoyable experience.  A person can surf various online websites to search for the suitable gift and complete the purchase all via the smartphone in the comfort of his own home.

One of the important features that a user friendly online gift service website must have is that the list of gifts available in the website is properly categorised by occasion and recipients, for example retirement gifts for dad, birthday gifts for wife, housewarming gifts for men and more. This is an important feature to help the user narrow down his search to find the suitable gift.

Another important feature is to provide the potential customers with more choices and options, recommending them other gifts to consider, based on the gifts that they have searched.  This feature is critical to make the customer feel that they are in control and hence make them more satisfied with the final gift that they purchased.

The ability for customers to quickly find promotional items is also a desirable feature. Having a dedicated section where the latest promotions are displayed together lets bargain hunters search the best deal available efficiently.

Lastly, the checkout feature must be an efficient one as it is an important process where the customer makes the final decision.  Companies must ensure that the user experience in the last and important stage of the buying process is properly addressed.

In conclusion, ensuring the most pleasant customer’s experience when visiting the website or mobile app is a critical company strategy to uphold the gift company’s reputation.  It will also help to conclude sales and to generate repeated business.