As individuals or businesses, we all look to improve. In e-Commerce, this could mean making business processes more efficient or improving customer experience in various ways, from simplifying product search to providing even more relevant information. However, sometimes efforts to improve could be taken for granted by the customer; the more above and beyond customer expectations we go, the more it becomes the new standard. While improving by adding more features and options to the online shopping experience to meet high expectations is something we should always do, decreasing problems may have a bigger and longer lasting impact. Read More
Build It and They Will Come…or Will They?
Did you know that “Build it and they will come” is one of the most misquoted movie lines?
This quote is from the movie “Field of Dreams” and should actually be: “If you build it, he will come”. This quote is often used to describe a certain mentality regarding dreams and achieving an incredible feat. It’s an approach that says “if we create this one really great thing, good things will automatically follow.” Instead of building baseball diamonds in a cornfield, however, we’re building webshops.
In e-Commerce, there is sometimes a set-it-and-forget-it notion where building a website to sell stuff is good enough. Just get it done and watch the customers roll in with credit cards in hand.
This could not be farther from the truth. Read More
Top 10 E-Commerce Concerns
10 key concerns about e-Commerce – Are they holding you back?
E-Commerce is a very broad industry, touted as the future of retail. There are lots of benefits to e-Commerce; you expand your sales channel, you increase customers and therefore your sales, you are capable of business 24/7, there are lots of automated processes saving you time and money, and the list goes on. Yes, there are many benefits to incorporate e-commerce platforms as a part of your business systems, but that’s not to say it doesn’t come with some concerns. These are valid concerns and are not meant to discourage you. This is just a way to cover all your bases because venturing into e-Commerce requires you to do your research.
The solution to ease these pain points is in the e-Commerce platform. Make sure it solves your problems and eases your stress instead of adding to it. Read More
Amazon Might be Goliath, But Your Online Business Can Be David
Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is a fascinating look at how the underdog can win in business. Gladwell challenges us to think of different ways to battle the Giant.
The story of David and Goliath is an example of fighting your opponent in a different way than they are expecting. For example, Goliath is a 6 foot nine warrior covered in heavy armor that he expects will protect him in close combat. David, on the other hand, is not playing by Goliath’s rules. He dresses lightly for agility, is small of stature, and notices that there is one vulnerable spot on Goliath’s forehead not covered by armor.
David’s prior experience as a Shepherd helped him hone skills in slinging stones to protect his sheep from fierce predators like lions and bears. Gladwell states, “David and Goliath is a book about what happens when ordinary people confront giants.”
Courageous David slings his stones straight at Goliath’s one vulnerability, his forehead, and slays the Giant because Goliath didn’t expect it.
The book is packed with stories of people who faced huge challenges and were forced to respond. Their stories are similar to the fierce challenges that online retailers face when competing with Amazon.
PIVOT – E-Commerce Lessons from a ‘Friends Episode’
Starting an e-Commerce business can be very satisfying and financially enriching. It’s certainly a worthwhile project for many reasons, but it can be a long and hard process. It starts with lots of planning, shopping around, and involves the input from executives, IT, marketing, retail, finance, etc. It’s a huge decision that affects people across the business. You have to define requirements, design the process and experience, think about the technology involved, logistics, marketing, and sales. There needs to be a change in mindset to succeed in the e-Commerce space.
The right solution may have been found; it’s the “dream website”. But then there’s the investment of actually implementing such a solution with all the customizations you want and having it integrated with the ERP system. You’re investing in new technologies and people to provide the services to maintain it. Read More
Going International – Is Your B2B E-Commerce Solution Ready?
Globalization is an on-going challenge for businesses in international markets and e-Commerce adds another layer of complexity and more factors to consider. There is increased reach with the digitalization of the shopping experience, but customers still expect a consistent, though not identical, experience no matter where they are in the world and no matter what device they use. Adapting to different cultures, audiences, trends, local currencies, and holidays takes some finesse, experience, and technical expertise to pull it off gracefully and seamlessly. Read More
How to Save Time with a Dedicated B2B Web Ordering Portal
In business planning and strategy, we are witnessing a shift in mentality. With technology and e-Commerce progressing at its current pace, we cannot stay still or we will fall behind. In order to increase our sales, we know it’s about the experience instead of just one element. It is more than just look and feel but also the speed, smoothness, and the amount of information available at the fingertips of the customer. A dedicated B2B e-Commerce website meets customer and business needs in a very specific way that saves you precious time and effort. Read More
Does “Out of Stock” mean Out of Luck for Customers?
It doesn’t have to be! This is a very frustrating situation for e-Commerce merchants or retailers of any kind. You managed to get the customer all the way through the hoops, they want the product, but alas, it’s out of stock. You may have lost another customer. Sometimes the “out of stock” situation is dealt with taking the customer’s order regardless. However, as not all e-Commerce solutions have reliable integration, it’s not immediately seen that the item is out of stock. This ends up disappointing the customer when orders are ultimately left unfulfilled. If you do nothing and send it to them when it comes back in stock with no communications whatsoever, you can still end up with unhappy customers because deliveries are incredibly delayed. What are ways to salvage this sale when you have “out of stock” items on your website?
Let’s Talk About e-Commerce Solution Security
When looking for an e-Commerce solution, we often think about how we want the website to look, sales features, and tools for simple website management. We tend to focus on how to make customers happy and how to serve them better via an e-Commerce website. These are important things to look for as your business is to serve your customers while looking out for the bottom line. What we tend to forget to think about in e-Commerce is security. Solution security is responsible for more than you realize and can affect the ideal e-Commerce experience we are all trying to achieve; both in the front end (your customers) and the back end (your business), as well as the overall brand and reputation.
We had a conversation with Brett Robins, the general manager of Digital Vantage Point, to learn more about solution security. Read More
Help Me Help You – “Self-Service” Features in e-Commerce
If you want it done right, do it yourself. Some of us feel duty bound to that philosophy as it gives us a sense of control; we know exactly what is needed, our own personal preferences and motivations, and how to get to where we want. Before the days of e-Commerce websites, having the customer do things themselves was generally considered to be bad. Why? With their lack of resources, knowledge, and tools, there are things customers can’t readily manage; there are so many roadblocks in the overall process. It’s also probably implies you’re not doing a good job in anticipating the needs of customers to help them. It is always in the company’s best interest to help customers.
Now with technology and e-Commerce changing how things are bought, sold, and managed, there is so much that can be done. There is now a large amount of information at the customer’s fingertips. In order to do “self-service” successfully, there needs to be an element of control. From the small details that a customer wants to manage in the front end to the boundaries that the company set ups by managing the roles and permissions and guidelines in the back end. Read More