Customer Journey

The path a person takes from first becoming aware of a business to making a purchase and beyond. It includes every interaction along the way, from discovering a product to using it and deciding whether to return.

Why it matters
Understanding the customer journey helps you see your business from the customer’s perspective. It reveals where people get confused, drop off, or lose trust, and where small improvements can make a big difference.

What the customer journey is not
The customer journey is not a straight line. People don’t move neatly from interest to purchase, and they don’t all follow the same path. Assumptions about “ideal” behavior often miss what actually happens.

Where this shows up

• Ecommerce websites and online stores
• Marketing and content strategy
• Website design and navigation
• Customer support and retention efforts

Related terms

• Ecommerce (where many journeys take place end-to-end)
• Conversion Rate (how many people take action along the journey)
• User Experience (UX) (how the journey feels at each step)