Customer needs analysis in ecommerce starts with asking the right questions at the right moments—whether that's understanding purchase drivers before checkout or uncovering barriers after cart abandonment.
Conversational AI surveys transform basic questions into deeper conversations that reveal what truly motivates shoppers—helping ecommerce teams discover the hidden reasons behind both their purchases and hesitations.
Essential questions to uncover what drives purchases
Getting to the root of why customers buy isn’t about guesswork; it’s about asking the right questions. When we truly understand purchase drivers, we can optimize everything from product selection to messaging and experience. This matters, especially since 81% of shoppers conduct online research before making a purchase—meaning your store has only moments to make the right impression. [1]
“What made you decide to purchase today?”
This question opens the door for honest feedback on what’s working. Shoppers reveal product features, offers, or messaging that tipped them into buying. With this, we can double down on what encourages action.
“Was there anything that almost stopped you from buying?”
A favorite for surfacing near-missed sales. By flipping the focus, we surface subtle friction while the experience is still fresh, and act on potential drop-off points early.
“How did you first hear about us, and what stood out?”
Pinpoints which marketing channels build trust, and why. With 79% of consumers saying user-generated content (UGC) strongly impacts their buying decisions, this helps connect source and motivation. [1]“Did any reviews or recommendations influence your decision?”
As 87% of shoppers consider product reviews when buying, hearing what worked about your UGC or lack thereof can directly improve your strategy. [2]
Great surveys go beyond initial answers. With AI-powered tools, each response can trigger follow-up prompts that get specific, clarify context, and probe deeper into shopper psychology. See how automatic follow-up questions work for better insights.
“What was it about our product description or images that gave you confidence to buy?”
“Which review or testimonial influenced you the most, and why?”
“You mentioned price was a key factor—can you share how our pricing compared to others you considered?”
Questions that reveal shopping barriers and friction
Understanding what makes customers hesitate—or abandon their carts—can unlock huge growth opportunities. If we miss these signals, they’ll quietly cost us sales. For instance, 70% of consumers abandon carts because of high costs like shipping or taxes. [3]
“What made you hesitate during your shopping experience?”
Zeroes in on doubts or obstacles at any stage. Maybe it’s confusing product info, slow site performance, or unclear delivery options.
“Was anything confusing or hard to find?”
Helps surface UX blockers you might miss in analytics.
“If you left before purchasing, what stopped you?”
Makes it safe for shoppers to share honest, sometimes hard-to-hear, reasons for walking away.
“Did you consider alternatives? What influenced your comparison?”
Reveals which competitors you’re up against and what matters most in comparison.
Cart abandonment questions: If a shopper abandons cart, it’s critical to ask direct but friendly follow-ups: “What was missing, or what would have encouraged you to complete your purchase?” For many, it’s the last detail—shipping cost, delivery date, or even a single unclear policy. Follow-ups like “How did our shipping options impact your decision?” can make the difference.
Post-purchase friction questions: After a transaction, asking “Was anything frustrating or unexpected about the checkout process?” or “Did you have to reach out to customer service?” will surface pain points that only show up after the sale. This is essential since 73% say customer service is as important as price or product features. [4]
Traditional survey question | Conversational survey approach |
|---|---|
Did you experience any problems? | Can you walk me through anything that felt confusing or frustrating while shopping? |
Why didn’t you complete your order? | Something held you back from purchasing—mind sharing what it was? |
When surveys feel conversational, customers open up and share real feedback—especially about barriers. This is how I get the kind of actionable insights that optimize the full experience.
How conversational surveys transform customer feedback
If you want to turn browsing customers into buyers, the delivery of your questions matters as much as the questions themselves. Conversational surveys capture feedback in a way that feels like a real chat, not another impersonal form. That’s why Specific uses AI to adapt surveys to each shopper’s journey, asking tailored follow-ups to dig up what actually matters.
With conversational survey pages, you can share a unique link via email, SMS, or social, driving shoppers into an interactive Q&A. The survey morphs to their responses, uncovering attitudes you’d never reach with static forms.
Pre-purchase surveys: These land before (or during) the buying process—think: “What almost made you leave today?” or “What convinced you to add this to your cart?” The conversational angle gently probes motivations, without disrupting their flow or sounding accusatory.
Post-purchase surveys: After checkout, these capture everything from moments of delight to pain points. “Was there anything that could have improved your experience today?” gets better answers when it feels like you’re chatting with a product expert, not clicking through a list of boxes.
Follow-ups make these interactions feel less like a test, more like a genuine dialogue. For example:
“You mentioned being unsure about shipping options—what details would help you feel more confident?”
“What prompted you to add this product to your cart today—was it a need, a recommendation, or something else?”
“If you compared us to other stores, what factors influenced your final choice?”
Turn shopper insights into actionable improvements
Getting feedback is just the first step; making it count is where we win. After collecting responses, I like to segment by first-time buyers vs. repeat customers, or by which products were viewed—so we can act on trends specific to each group. This is where AI survey response analysis can supercharge understanding: it automatically surfaces common themes, priority issues, and language patterns across hundreds (or thousands) of replies. See how conversational analysis works for survey data if you want to dig into patterns instantly, without hours of manual tagging.
If you’re not asking great, open-ended questions, you’re missing out on the “why” behind purchase behavior and the root causes of friction—both of which represent your biggest opportunities for conversion lifts and customer loyalty. Here’s how to analyze responses for actionable value:
Segment by purchase stage (cart abandoners vs. converters)
Group by product category to find what’s unique or shared across SKUs
Tag by sentiment (delight, confusion, frustration) to spot emotional triggers
“Summarize the top reasons shoppers gave for abandoning their carts, and point out any patterns relating to extra costs or unclear policies.”
By structuring questions and analysis this way, your customer needs analysis doesn’t just collect feedback—it turns every response into an actionable insight.
Start understanding your customers better
Great ecommerce starts with listening—and conversational surveys are the tool for uncovering what buyers actually think, need, and wish for. Make it easy for your shoppers to tell you the truth, and use their feedback to transform everything from product selection to messaging. Create your own survey and start hearing the real drivers and friction points behind every purchase decision.