What Higher Education Can Learn from Online Retailers

INSERT IMAGE HERE

Today’s non-traditional students are savvy shoppers. They know how to find what they need on the Internet and expect all sites to deliver an intuitive and personalized experience that matches what they are given on top e-commerce sites. Higher education institutions that fail to provide an enhanced online experience to their students will lose out on enrollment and retention as a bevy of online-savvy competitors take the market.

Most adult students expect to be able to perform vital tasks like enrolling and paying tuition on their institution’s website. Unfortunately, not all institutions are up to speed and able to process these requirements online. As Kenneth Green, Founder of The Campus Computing Project, says in his paper “Campus Computing 2007”, “For today’s colleges students—only one-fifth of whom are “traditional” students ... Web-based services are best represented by their off-campus online experiences … Campus Websites and online campus services continue to lag the consumer sector by as much as two years.”

Higher education institutions stand to gain numerous benefits by treating their students as consumers and offering them a dynamic online experience. Below are some of the key strategies leading online retailers employ to improve their customer’s experience.

1. They offer something unique to differentiate themselves from competitors

There are numerous players in any e-commerce industry, but those that stand out are the ones who can offer their customers a unique experience. Whether it is world-renowned customer support, member giveaways or personalized messaging, the winning brands provide an experience that is highly appealing to their customers.

What it means for Higher Ed: In an increasingly competitive market, institutions need to be able to differentiate themselves, and one way they can do this is by providing their students with a personalized online experience based on the entire relationship context.

2. They are easy to find online

Leading e-commerce sites know that to stay top-of-mind with their customers, they must appear high up in the search rankings. By configuring their content to meet Search Engine Optimization (SEO) requirements, they stand to increase their business and retain their customer-base.

What it means for Higher Ed: Adult students are increasingly using search engines as a first step in their research for a prospective institution. Since the majority of non-traditional learners only click on results within the first search page, it is vital for institutions to properly optimize their website according to SEO best practices.

3. Their website is easy to navigate

Customers do not have the time or the desire to click through multiple pages to find the information they want. The most effective e-commerce sites have visible tabs, FAQ pages or other features to help their customers find the information they need as fast as possible.

What it means for Higher Ed: Important course and program resources are often hidden in other campus systems, meaning that students cannot access information from one place. Institutions should look for technological solutions that integrate the e-commerce system into the campus computing environment.

4. They process payments easily and securely

E-commerce websites lose a substantial amount of trust and revenue if their system is breached and their customer’s personal and financial information falls into the wrong hands. Leading sites carry high security certifications to reassure their customers when processing online payments.

What it means for Higher Ed: Higher education is especially prone to data breaches. This means that institutions must seek out the highest security certifications in order to safeguard student data and maintain students’ trust.

To learn more about how institutions can increase their e-commerce capabilities, download this whitepaper.

Enrollment Growth Student Lifecycle Management

Last updated: February 1, 2021