Product line reviews are your chance to prove value to the retailer and show how you can help grow their business.
There are good online resources for those who are new to product line reviews (PLRs), but ultimately, a successful PLR comes down to the end consumer. Merchants want products that will not only help them meet financial targets, but that also provide a customer experience that complements the quality of their products and reflects well on the retail organization as a whole.
How does your product line create a great customer experience that will reflect well on the retailer and help them grow their business?
Customer experience encompasses many stages of the buying journey — from product research, comparison shopping, and product availability — through checkout, delivery, unboxing, set up, and usage.
The BILT app impacts nearly all of these aspects, which is why it’s becoming an important differentiator in line reviews and contract decisions.
What is BILT?
The award-winning BILT app provides official 3D instructions to guide consumers through product assembly and installation voice, text, and animated image prompts. On a touchscreen, users can rotate 3D images 360º, zoom in to see intricate detail, and tap on a part for more information. Users advance to each new step at their own pace.
When set up is complete, BILT asks users for a rating and gives them an opportunity to write a product review. The app is free to consumers and available in more than 200 countries and 10 languages. BILT eliminates the frustrations caused by paper manuals and video instructions and provides a superior customer experience.
How BILT can differentiate your product line
Increase shopper confidence to boost sales: Nothing makes a shopper more wary than fear of the unknown. One manager of a big-box retail store admitted the number one deterrent to sales is customer confidence: that a product can be successfully assembled or installed once the consumer takes it home. In addition, they want assurance the manufacturer or retailer will accept returns, honor warranties, and replace items lost during shipping. Most of all, they want to know they’ll be successful with your product. If shoppers lack confidence about their understanding of the assembly, installation, or operation process, they won’t purchase.
Easy-to-follow BILT instructions can solve this. BILT provides clients with digital assets, including video previews of the 3D instructions. These digital assets along with easy access to 3D instructions on the free BILT app put consumers at ease. One major ecommerce retailer found that advertising BILT instructions on product detail pages increased add-to-cart by 11% and conversions by a whopping 27%. They believe the confidence BILT instills is the key to boosting conversion.
Turn set-up into a competitive advantage: Clear instructions actually highlight quality design and manufacturing, causing customers to value your product more than they would if they didn’t assemble the product themselves. As customers handle each component, they develop a greater appreciation for thoughtful engineering, quality materials, and precision cuts. Psychologically, customers place greater value on products they successfully assemble or install themselves. BILT instructions transform a traditionally weak customer experience into a competitive advantage.
In his article on virtual line reviews, consultant Loren Heinzeroth suggests, “having someone actually installing/using your products, offering comments about the experience” is a “fresh way to present your story.” He cites product assembly as an important differentiator that could provide a competitive edge in product line reviews.
Get more quality reviews than your competitors: BILT not only improves the customer experience, but it also provides users with an opportunity to leave a rating and review when they’re most excited about your product. Studies show BILT improves ratings anywhere from 5-20%. Brands report that users leave not only more reviews in BILT, but that those reviews are more positive. In direct response to client demand, BILT now syndicates those reviews through Bazaarvoice to retail and brand websites. So brands on BILT gather not only more reviews, but also a higher quality of user generated content.
Stay under retailer return allowances & reduce your costs: Reduce your own product costs and keep retailers happy by mitigating returns and calls to customer support. 3D instructions on BILT reduce assembly-related returns and calls to customer support by up to 30%.
Demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement: BILT instructions can be updated in near real time, which means your instructions are never out of date. We monitor user feedback for potential improvements and clarifications to instructions so your customer experience can be perfected over time. You’ll receive assembly time data for each instruction set down to time-in-step analysis, so manufacturers can examine steps to make them more intuitive. This insight helps you to continually improve products and shows retailers your dedication to innovation.
Reduce the likelihood of product recalls: Some major product recalls can be prevented with simple updates to the product instructions. Because BILT instructions can be modified in near real time, you can easily solve issues due to changing requirements. Additionally, if your team doesn’t always have a chance to test every product adjustment made on the factory floor, BILT instruction designers can serve as a vital line of defense against costly recalls. Because the BILT team assembles or installs each item as we create 3D instructions, we routinely identify and flag issues before products reach stores.
BILT has caught and prevented safety issues due to soft screws, short bolts, missing parts, and inaccurate wiring instructions. In 2019, the BILT team identified a product line that was packaged before the paint was dry, preventing millions of ruined items from reaching consumers and preserving our client’s reputation and their relationship with their primary retail partner.
Conclusion
BILT serves to differentiate your product line by demonstrating a commitment to innovation, increasing customer confidence pre-purchase, and by providing a 3D enhanced set-up experience that consumers are beginning to expect. Leveraging BILT in your line review will underscore your product’s maturity and show your retail partners your brand’s dedication to a superior customer experience.
If you have a line review coming up and would like to enhance your customer experience with BILT, please reach out.
