Ángela de la Vieja
The conscious consumer is committed to the environment and sustainable development. It is a growing profile and one which businesses need to understand. Generally, the conscious consumer tackles purchases with a more critical eye. Before purchasing, these consumers ensure that they are informed about each item’s quality and production process, delivery chain, carbon footprint, and the ethics and values of the brand or e-commerce business. Their main aim is to contribute to protecting the environment and supporting businesses that commit to the same aims. From Minderest, we explain their characteristics and how to adapt your pricing and sales strategy to win over the trust of conscious consumers.
Characteristics of conscious consumers
- They choose to buy solely from companies aligned with their values.
- They want their consumption to be as responsible as possible: products with limited packaging and sourced from local suppliers.
- They consume when they need new products or services. They avoid impulse purchases.
- They make themselves heard. They publicly position themselves against companies with low levels of sustainability.
Together, they are conscious users whose choices influence their environmental and social surroundings.
How to align your e-commerce business with the conscious consumer’s viewpoint
A growing number of businesses are changing their production and delivery protocols to attract these new consumers, and align themselves with sustainable development objectives. It is not enough to announce that a company aims to be “greener”, a practice criticised by many. Businesses need to implement initiatives that truly drive forward changes.
Products and waste
As an e-commerce business, you can review your product catalogue to assess the need to change articles that do not respect the environment. You can also include new products that promote increased sustainability. It would also be an excellent time to review your list of suppliers. Try to opt for local suppliers whose carbon footprint is less and bring more significant benefits to the communities where your e-commerce business is based.
At the same time, reduce the amount of packaging in the warehouse and in customer deliveries to avoid creating so much waste, especially plastic waste. A conscious consumer will really appreciate simple, personalised packaging.
Energy efficiency
In addition to reducing the carbon footprint throughout the logistics chain, in every office, production facility, or brick and mortar store, you can set in motion small initiatives to reduce spending on energy. For example, you can choose low energy light bulbs, or limit the number of hours the heating is on. Many larger stores are already starting to transition to renewable energy sources. This is a winning model with governments and consumers.
Sustainable pricing
Another model that has also seen significant growth is the implementation of sustainable pricing. These are retail prices that include an extra percentage to offset the environmental and social impact of the business with every transaction.
The challenge with this pricing strategy is that prices need to remain competitive to maintain demand so that the e-commerce business can commit this income to tackle the consequences of their activity. You can use a competitor price monitoring tool to help you analyse the prices of each product at any moment in e-commerce businesses, B2B portals, price comparison sites and marketplaces.
Finally, these actions need to be communicated to consumers to make them aware of your e-commerce’s values and commitments. Include detailed information on your website about products, new production processes and the sustainable initiatives you have implemented. Be transparent and honest.
Find out how Minderest can take your business to the next level.
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