In the competitive world of e-commerce, providing an exceptional user experience is key to retaining customers and boosting sales. One effective feature that can enhance user engagement is a ‘Recently Viewed’ section. This feature allows visitors to quickly revisit products they have previously checked out, increasing the chances of conversion. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of a ‘Recently Viewed’ section and provide a step-by-step guide on how to implement it on your e-commerce website.
Why Implement a ‘Recently Viewed’ Section?
1. Enhanced User Experience
A ‘Recently Viewed’ section provides users with easy access to products they have shown interest in, reducing the effort needed to find them again. This can lead to increased time spent on your site and a smoother shopping experience.
2. Increased Conversion Rates
By enabling customers to quickly return to items they were considering, you create more opportunities for conversion. If a visitor returns to a product they previously viewed, they might be more likely to make a purchase.
3. Encouragement for Exploration
A ‘Recently Viewed’ section can also encourage users to explore similar products. By reminding them of their previous interests, you can facilitate further browsing and shopping.
4. Personalization
Displaying recently viewed items adds a personalized touch to the shopping experience, making users feel recognized and catered to, which can foster brand loyalty.
How to Add a ‘Recently Viewed’ Section to Your E-commerce Website
1: Choose the Right Technology
Before diving into implementation, determine how you will track and store recently viewed products. This typically involves using a combination of cookies, session storage, or a database. The choice depends on your website’s architecture and whether you want the feature to persist across sessions.
2: Track User Interactions
To implement the ‘Recently Viewed’ feature, you need to track the products a user views:
- Using Cookies or Local Storage: This method saves the product IDs in a cookie or local storage on the user’s device. For example, each time a user views a product, you can push that product ID into an array and store it.
// Example of adding a product ID to local storage
function addToRecentlyViewed(productId) {
let viewedProducts = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('recentlyViewed')) || [];if (!viewedProducts.includes(productId)) {
viewedProducts.push(productId);
if (viewedProducts.length > 5) {
viewedProducts.shift(); // Remove the oldest product
}
}
}
- Using a Database: For logged-in users, you can track recently viewed products in a database associated with their user account. This method allows users to see their viewed products across multiple devices.
Step 3: Display Recently Viewed Products
Once you’ve collected the data on recently viewed products, it’s time to display them:
- Create a ‘Recently Viewed’ Section: Add a dedicated section on your product pages, or on the homepage, to showcase these products.
- Fetch Product Information: Use the stored product IDs to fetch the corresponding product details (images, names, prices) from your database.
- Display the Products: Use a grid or carousel format to display the recently viewed products in an attractive and user-friendly manner.
<div class="recently-viewed">
<h2>Recently Viewed Products</h2>
<div class="product-grid">
<!-- Loop through the product IDs and display them -->
<div class="product" id="product-{id}">
<img src="{image_url}" alt="{product_name}">
<h3>{product_name}</h3>
<p>{price}</p>
<a href="/product/{id}" class="btn">View Product</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Step 4: Optimize for Mobile and Desktop
Ensure that your ‘Recently Viewed’ section is responsive and works seamlessly across devices. Test the layout on various screen sizes to ensure a consistent and user-friendly experience.
Step 5: Add Analytics Tracking
To measure the effectiveness of the ‘Recently Viewed’ section, incorporate analytics tracking. Monitor how often users click on recently viewed products and track the conversion rate for these items. This data will help you assess the feature’s impact and make necessary adjustments.
Step 6: Regularly Update and Refine
Once implemented, regularly review the performance of your ‘Recently Viewed’ section. Collect user feedback and analyze engagement metrics to refine and improve the feature. Consider adding functionality, such as:
- Clear All Viewed Products: Allow users to clear their recently viewed items if they choose.
- Personalized Recommendations: Based on the recently viewed products, recommend similar or complementary items to further engage users.
Conclusion
Adding a ‘Recently Viewed’ section to your e-commerce website can significantly enhance the shopping experience, increase engagement, and boost conversion rates. By implementing this feature thoughtfully, you provide your visitors with easy access to their interests while personalizing their shopping journey.