Step 07 of 07

After the purchase

Everything after the order is placed.

The sale isn’t the end of the experience: what happens between order and delivery, and what happens when something goes wrong, shapes whether a customer returns. These 29 principles cover confirmation, delivery updates, returns, reviews and referrals.

Emotion and memory Anticipation and savouring People get pleasure from looking forward to something good, so a wait can add value if it is framed as anticipation. Mainly Post-purchase, also Product, CheckoutMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Motivation and commitment Communication frequency ideal point Post-purchase contact helps up to an ideal volume, then triggers pushback and lower repurchase. Mainly Post-purchase, also SitewideMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Emotion and memory Consumption rituals (unboxing) Performing a small structured ritual before consuming something increases involvement and enjoyment. Mainly Post-purchase, also ProductMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Emotion and memory Customer delight (surprise) An unexpectedly positive experience produces delight, which is distinct from satisfaction. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, CheckoutMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Emotion and memory Customer gratitude When customers see a seller investing in them out of goodwill, the gratitude drives reciprocal buying beyond what trust alone explains. Mainly Post-purchase, also SitewideMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Emotion and memory Expectation-disconfirmation Satisfaction depends on performance relative to what was promised, so beating a modest promise satisfies more than missing an ambitious one. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, Product, Cart, CheckoutMainly here Tested on real shoppers Strong Motivation and commitment Habit formation Behaviour repeated in a stable context becomes cued by that context and continues with little deliberation. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, Homepage, CartMainly here Tested on real shoppers Framework Emotion and memory Peak-end rule Experiences are judged by their most intense moment and their ending. Mainly Post-purchase, also CheckoutMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Strong Trust and risk reduction Perceived justice in complaint handling Complainants judge a resolution on three things: the outcome, the process, and how they were treated. Mainly Post-purchase, also SitewideMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Strong Motivation and commitment Points pressure and medium maximisation People increase effort to reach a reward threshold and chase the points themselves, even when the points do not improve the outcome. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, Cart, CheckoutMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Trust and risk reduction Post-purchase dissonance After a hard-to-reverse choice people feel doubt, and reduce it by seeking reassurance and rating their choice more highly. Mainly Post-purchase, also Product, Cart, CheckoutMainly here Not tested in shopping Moderate Social influence Prosocial referral rewards People refer more effectively when the reward goes to their friend, because referring then looks generous and the friend has a reason to act. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, HomepageMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Attention and perception Psychology of waiting Waits that are uncertain, unexplained or empty feel longer and anger people more than known, explained or filled waits. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, CheckoutMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Motivation and commitment Question-behaviour effect Asking people about their intentions or satisfaction can change what they later do. Mainly Post-purchase, also SitewideMainly here Tested on real shoppers Contested Trust and risk reduction Return-fee fairness Who pays for a return strongly shapes later spending, because customers treat a return fee as unfair. Mainly Post-purchase, also Product, Cart, CheckoutMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Motivation and commitment Review-request timing and incentives A review request works as a memory cue but can feel like pressure, so asking too soon backfires. Money buys more reviews; social norms buy longer ones. Mainly Post-purchase, also ProductMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Emotion and memory Service recovery paradox A customer whose problem is fixed very well can end up more satisfied than one who never had a problem. Mainly Post-purchase, also SitewideMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Contested Trust and risk reduction Tracking transparency Customers judge fulfilment by the activity they can see, and visible progress late in the wait counts for more than early progress. Mainly Post-purchase, also Product, CheckoutMainly here Tested on real shoppers Moderate Social influence Word-of-mouth triggers Interesting products get talked about straight away; products that are frequently cued and publicly visible keep getting talked about. Mainly Post-purchase, also Sitewide, ProductMainly here Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Loss and scarcity Anticipated regret People choose in ways that avoid regret they expect to feel later. Mainly Product, also Cart, Checkout, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Moderate Motivation and commitment Curiosity gap A gap between what people know and want to know motivates them to close it. Mainly Homepage, also Product, Post-purchase Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Motivation and commitment Endowed progress effect A head start towards a goal makes people more likely to finish. Mainly Checkout, also Cart, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Moderate Loss and scarcity Endowment effect People value things more once they feel they own them. Mainly Product, also Cart, Post-purchase Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate Motivation and commitment Goal-gradient effect Effort increases as people get closer to a goal. Mainly Cart, also Checkout, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Moderate Emotion and memory Mere exposure effect Repeated exposure to something tends to increase liking for it, up to a point. Mainly Sitewide, also Homepage, Post-purchase Tested in shopping-like settings Strong Social influence Reciprocity People feel obliged to return a favour. Mainly Cart, also Homepage, Product, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Moderate Social influence Social identity People favour brands and groups that reflect who they think they are. Mainly Homepage, also Product, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Moderate Choice architecture Status quo bias People prefer things to stay as they are. Mainly Cart, also Product, Checkout, Post-purchase Tested on real shoppers Strong Loss and scarcity Sunk cost effect Having already put money, and less reliably time or effort, into something, people are more likely to carry on with it. Mainly Checkout, also Product, Cart, Post-purchase Tested in shopping-like settings Moderate
Along the route

What came before.

See all seven pages

Some principles apply on every page. See the 38 sitewide principles