Data Science in E-commerce: Personalization and Recommendation Systems

Most of us have been in a situation where we have wondered, “How does Google know what I am doing?” or how Netflix seems to know the movies we would like to watch and comes up with recommendations, only for us to end up binge-watching everything for the next few hours. Or in another scenario, let us say we were just looking to shop for an item on an online shopping website and the next thing you know, you have shopped for more clothes than you originally intended to buy because the website kept showing items that were too alluring for you to resist the impulse. 

So, the question that arises in our minds is “How does the internet know what I am up to and even seem to know what goes through my mind” or “Is someone watching me secretly from inside my system.” As crazy as all these thoughts may seem, the truth is that neither google nor the internet know what you are thinking, but use algorithms and data analytical methods to predict recommendations or provide services that are based on your browsing history and analysis of your online behavior. In short, all the magic is happening due to the recommendation systems that use artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis to make recommendations online. 

Businesses are using data science tools to enhance the overall quality of customer service and provide better services. A career in data science will help you scale new heights in your career and grab several lucrative opportunities. Therefore, if you are interested in pursuing a  career in this domain, it is recommended that you attend a data science course in India to learn the most fundamental to advanced topics that can help you set up a solid base and help you venture out into the specific domain of your choice.

Role of data science in spearheading E-commerce sector

Data science is transforming every industry and E-commerce is no exception. When it comes to embracing a  customer-centric approach and creating personalized recommendations that are aimed at catering to the customer needs and interests, data science holds the key. Personalization in E-commerce helps in providing innovative shopping and customer experiences that help in attracting customers to your brand, which ultimately helps in brand expansion. According to a 2022 survey conducted by Salesforce, 73% of participants expected businesses to be aware of their needs and expectations, and more than half said that businesses ought to even anticipate them. Hence, brands are trying to gain valuable insights from business data to understand the market trends and are formulating new strategies to give unique personalized experiences to  their customers. What used to take years of research and market study, now takes only a few days or even hours to gain actionable insights from the data collected from the personal profiles of online customers, paving the way for E-commerce development. With the help of data science tools and methods, businesses can create tailor-made recommendations for their customers using recommendation systems. These recommendation systems record a customer’s data each time they make a purchase, or even just browse a product page, and use that information to provide tailored recommendations. Thus, it helps businesses to provide precisely the products that customers are looking for.

Types of recommendation systems

There are several data science methods that are used to implement the recommendation systems, which are:

·      Collaborative filtering

This recommendation system groups customers with similar interests based on their purchase patterns and recommendations are provided on what they might find appealing using collaborative filtering, which is  based on the opinions and ratings of other users with shared interests. The basic method of collaborative filtering involves taking a big group of people and narrowing it down to a smaller subset of people with similar preferences. Therefore, the focus is on the customers and their opinions rather than on product features.

·      Content-based filtering

As the name suggests, in content-based filtering technique, the focus is on the product similarity and not the similar interest between customers. Products are recommended based on which features of the product match most closely with the interests of the user. Content-based filtering is an easy-to-scale data science technique because it does not require much data.

What are the benefits of recommendation systems

Let us take a deep delve into the several important applications of data science and analytical methods in providing personalized product recommendations and tailored services for customers.

·      Personalized Recommendations

It is one of the most well-known big data applications in ecommerce. When we visit online stores, we are constantly confronted with personalized recommendations based on our previous purchases.

Data science in E-commerce helps in uncovering product dependencies that are difficult to detect with traditional marketing research. Recommendations shine brightest when applied to potential customers -new users or visitors who have never purchased before. Businesses can influence their purchasing decisions by analyzing their online behavior in real time and updating ‘recommended’ items based on previously viewed products.

·      Better user experience

Using personalization and recommendation systems, the entire e-commerce shopping experience can be enhanced for users. Using these techniques, you can gain more insight from the business data about the profiles of customers as to who they are, what they want, and what they need. With better knowledge of your audience, you can serve your customers’ needs and provide services accordingly. Data science enables you to provide a customized shopping experience for your customers. You can find out what they like and want, make recommendations that are appropriate, and notify them of promotions that might be of interest to them.

·      Increased customer engagement

You can see an increase in customer engagement along with better shopping and greater brand loyalty when personalized recommendations are used. Customers are more likely to stick with you over the competition when they are satisfied, believe that your business genuinely cares about them, and receive quality recommendations.

·      Higher revenue and better sales

Increasing sales and consequently your revenue is one of the main benefits of implementing personalization in your online store. Personalized recommendations and exclusive discount codes are two features that can boost conversion rates and make it more likely that customers will make repeat purchases from you.

Moreover,  personalization in e-commerce lowers the rate of shopping cart abandonment. There may be several reasons why a customer might leave their cart empty. This problem can be effectively tackled by offering them personalized recommendations during check-out or by sending them emails with discount codes as a reminder, which can help business to retain their customers and increase the number of customers who come back to finish their purchase.

·      Competitive edge

Many customers now consider e-commerce personalization to be necessary; however, some businesses have yet to successfully implement e-commerce personalization. In the market, your company will have a significant advantage if it is already utilizing data science to drive recommendations and personalization for your customers.

Conclusion

Personalization is essential in today’s digital world to deliver better customer experiences, and there is no better way to do this than by utilizing data science to spur creativity and efficiency. This helps in satisfying not only your customers, but also several benefits for businesses as well. With the advancements in technology, businesses are incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to create more complex and accurate systems.

In short, personalization is the future of E-Commerce and it is important for businesses to incorporate such techniques to maintain their relevance and stay ahead of the competition, as enhanced customer experiences lead to brand longevity and business expansion. Discover Data Science Courses.