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08/27/2016
The latest study on Teens and Technology was posted today in a
Pew Report showing that two in every five teenagers (12-17) now own smartphones. Almost doubling in size since 2011, this group of generation Xers are relying on their phone for internet more than ever before.
Even though teens have continuously been the highest percentage of internet users since 2004, their presence online on tablets and smartphones is still on the rise.
For web developers and ad agencies, this may cause clients to invest more on tablet and mobile sites, as well as on app advertising.
Even though teens have continuously been the highest percentage of internet users since 2004, their presence online on tablets and smartphones is still on the rise.
For web developers and ad agencies, this may cause clients to invest more on tablet and mobile sites, as well as on app advertising.
07/08/2016
eCommerce doesn't always mean there is a credit card on file or that you have to decide between priority and ground shipping. The purpose of B2B commerce is enabling other businesses or your partners to access inventory, past orders, credit terms, or any other kind of electronic transaction that may occur between your company and another.
Oracle White Paper survey on B2B eCommerce showed that there is 50 percent more revenue in B2B commerce than B2C, and that's with only 25 percent of B2B companies having online commerce sites.
DreamingCode recently launched an eCommerce site for Sukesha All-Nutrient Hair Color, but not so the public can order hair color tools from the company. This B2B site allows approved salons and partners to have access to inventory and other services.
Sukesha wanted to put in place online commerce to provide an Apple or Amazon like experience for salons and partners to make any transaction easier and more accessible to other businesses. But B2B eCommerce also makes things easier for the distributor.
Sukesha used DreamingCode to create their own personalized B2B eCommerce platform to specifically cater to the statistics, consumer portfolio information, and order information that they need in their industry.
B2B eCommerce can be utilized by any service or product provider. The new trend is to make the platform customized for your industry, like Sukesha has.
07/04/2016
On my personal Twitter account, I get an idea of how many of my friends appreciate my tweets or how many they relate to by how many time the tweet is retweeted. Thousands of Twitter Analytic Tools have told me what Tweets have been retweeted the most this week, where my biggest following is located on the globe, and what hashtags are working in my favor.
Instead of finding out how many followers I gained this week or what platform is the best to tweet from, HubSpot, a Boston-based marketing software company, released a new kind of analytic tool this week.
The Retweet Lab tool looks at about a thousand of old tweets, runs them through some algorithms, and tells helps you understand why your tweets are being retweeted so you can get an idea of how to maximize your online impressions and influence.
I'm usually not one for graphs or numbers, but the Retweet Lab shows percentages, graphs, and gives me a conclusion about the information.
The information specifically tells me that on Wednesdays I get the most retweets around 2 PM, and that my followers usually don't retweet my tweets that are under 200 characters.
This information shows up on one page, using one tool instead of using Twitter Map for location, then logging into Tweetstats to check out what days I'm getting the most replies.
Other tools like The Archivist can still be helpful in showing you what the top URLs and words you've used are, but I think I'll be taking advantage of Retweet Lab to come up with a new Twitter marketing strategy.
Instead of finding out how many followers I gained this week or what platform is the best to tweet from, HubSpot, a Boston-based marketing software company, released a new kind of analytic tool this week.
The Retweet Lab tool looks at about a thousand of old tweets, runs them through some algorithms, and tells helps you understand why your tweets are being retweeted so you can get an idea of how to maximize your online impressions and influence.
I'm usually not one for graphs or numbers, but the Retweet Lab shows percentages, graphs, and gives me a conclusion about the information.
The information specifically tells me that on Wednesdays I get the most retweets around 2 PM, and that my followers usually don't retweet my tweets that are under 200 characters.
This information shows up on one page, using one tool instead of using Twitter Map for location, then logging into Tweetstats to check out what days I'm getting the most replies.
Other tools like The Archivist can still be helpful in showing you what the top URLs and words you've used are, but I think I'll be taking advantage of Retweet Lab to come up with a new Twitter marketing strategy.
07/01/2016
It wasn't even a decade ago that we carried around novels, textbooks, and other chunky pieces of literature to provide us with entertainment during commutes or in waiting rooms. With the end of each adventure, we closed the cover and passed it on to a friend, coworker, or family member to embark upon the same great read.With the invention of Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders, the landscape of reading and boring books has evolved. We are all aware of their pros: portability, accessibility, and also their biggest con: PRICE. With the introduction of the eBook, we lost the ability to borrow, share, and lend books as was previously done for generations. But, it was only a matter of time before technology caught up the consumer's desires, and the libraries of the world caught up to the new technology.
With the introduction of eBook services such as Overdrive, who works with Public Libraries, and eBookFling, who lets individuals share and borrow their personal collections, eReading is finally coming up to speed with the natural way reading has been forever.
We are going to break down three popular services to rent and/or share books, and provide you with all the features, and pros and cons.
Who are the service providers?
Overdrive
What you need to get started:
1. A valid local library ID
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
Overdrive is the number one supplier of eBooks for loan for Public Libraries worldwide. You can access Overdrive through any web browser to find your local library. Once you pull up your library's specific page, you can input your ID number in order to rent from their collection of eBooks. Once your rental has been selected, your book will download directly to you Kindle, Kindle app or other eReader by accessing your eReader account information.
Features
- Currently hosts more than 1 million digital titles from more than 1,000 digital publishers
- Digital distribution services used in more than 19,000 libraries, schools, and colleges worldwide
Availability
- Support for iPod®, iPhone®, iPad™, Android™, Sony® Reader, Kindle® (US libraries only), and thousands of other mobile devices
- Largest collection of premium audiobooks, eBooks, music, and video for the library – all available on a single website for browsing, checking out, and downloading.
ebookfling
What you need to get started:
1. An ebookfling account (free to sign up)
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
eBook fling is a book sharing program that allows users to lend their eBooks, and borrow from other lenders throughout America. For each book lent, the user receives a credit to borrow any book of their choice. When a book is delivered, you'll receive an email indicating this, with a link to right to the download page at Amazon or at Barnes & Noble for your reading device.
Features
- 14-day lending
- 100% safe with books automatically returned within 14 days
- Tens of thousands of books available
- Earn a free rental by lending one of your eBooks
- Pay anywhere from $1.49 (for bulk orders) to $2.99 for rental credits
- Works with Kindle and Nook eReaders
- An owner of a book can only lend it one at a time
Not only do these options open the pages of many great adventures right on your eReader, but they also bring back the thrifty tradition of passing on a great read. Overdrive and eBook fling are cost effective, have thousands of great reads, and are convenient.
Check out more about sharing audio books and magazines later this week!
06/08/2016
Companies like Kindle and Nook have used their platforms on Amazon and Barnes & Noble to promote daily deals on books for 24 hours for as low as $1.99. As a result, they have seen instant sales boosts and wider exposure for the author.
However, other online stores have remained skeptical. Recently, the New York Times, Social Media Examiner and Warc have researched this subject with the wider marketing community, finding that these 24-hour sales make the product "almost irresistible."
While these low prices make it difficult to make a large profit from the sales, this marketing tactic introduces new products to the consumer without making them feel like they are investing in something they might have not really been looking for.
In recent studies social media marketers have indicated that social media tools like Groupon and LivingSocial were at the bottom of their marketing mix for the near future.
For new online products or products that have been low in sales, your eCommerce store may benefit from these short sales if marketed correctly.
Information about the sale should be announced via email blast as well as social media.
For the consumer, it's a low risk buy. Make it cool. Make it new. And, make it interesting.
However, other online stores have remained skeptical. Recently, the New York Times, Social Media Examiner and Warc have researched this subject with the wider marketing community, finding that these 24-hour sales make the product "almost irresistible."
While these low prices make it difficult to make a large profit from the sales, this marketing tactic introduces new products to the consumer without making them feel like they are investing in something they might have not really been looking for.
In recent studies social media marketers have indicated that social media tools like Groupon and LivingSocial were at the bottom of their marketing mix for the near future.
For new online products or products that have been low in sales, your eCommerce store may benefit from these short sales if marketed correctly.
Information about the sale should be announced via email blast as well as social media.
For the consumer, it's a low risk buy. Make it cool. Make it new. And, make it interesting.
06/06/2016
The recent updates to the Pinterest search engine have SEO analysts and techies debating over the better search engine. While I do still often use Google to search for images when I'm making PowerPoint presentations and Photoshop images, the question comes down to: what are you looking for?
If you want stylish images and infographics, Pinterest has you covered, but when searching for literal brands, I think Google takes the cake. Let's look at some comparisons.
3 Features Google Doesn't Have
1. Categorized Browsing Pages: If you don't know exactly what you want to look at, you can get general without pulling up literal images of film or music notes.
2, Pinterest will show you what popular so you can see what people are talking about.
3. The home newfeed shows you what the people you follow are interested in so you don't miss photos about subjects you're interested in.
3 Features Pinterest Doesn't Have
1. Search for other images using an image.
2. Search for gifs right from the images tab.
3. Google helps you find related searches so you can find exactly what you're looking for.
Search Results:
Polka Dots
Robot
Little Mermaid
If you want stylish images and infographics, Pinterest has you covered, but when searching for literal brands, I think Google takes the cake. Let's look at some comparisons.
3 Features Google Doesn't Have
1. Categorized Browsing Pages: If you don't know exactly what you want to look at, you can get general without pulling up literal images of film or music notes.
2, Pinterest will show you what popular so you can see what people are talking about.
3. The home newfeed shows you what the people you follow are interested in so you don't miss photos about subjects you're interested in.
3 Features Pinterest Doesn't Have
1. Search for other images using an image.
2. Search for gifs right from the images tab.
3. Google helps you find related searches so you can find exactly what you're looking for.
Search Results:
Polka Dots
Robot
Little Mermaid
06/03/2016
It's true. Businesses are spending more of their budgets making online purchases, but is it possible that they would be interested in spending even more online?
Acquity's "2013 State of B-to-B Procurement Study" conducted in March and April has found that B2B buyers would be even more likely to make purchases online if the search technology and purchasing process were easier to navigate.
According to the report, 37% of those surveyed plan to increase their spending online in the next year, including on technology.
"B2B suppliers have a significant opportunity to increase their revenue from e-commerce," said Robert Barr, senior VP at Acquity Group according to B to B Online. "Our study revealed corporate buyers are comfortable and willing to make major purchases online—and many are already doing this—but not on suppliers' websites."
Other major factors to encourage purchases of $5,000 or more online are increased security, free delivery, available customer service reps by phone, customer service online chat features, faster delivery, friendlier design, and better online research sources.
In addition to these features, 28% of those surveyed said that they would make purchases on their mobile devices if suppliers offered easier to use, mobile optimized sites.
If your B2B eCommerce site doesn't have the capability to make some of these changes, It might be time for a eCommerce platform facelift according to these findings.
Acquity's "2013 State of B-to-B Procurement Study" conducted in March and April has found that B2B buyers would be even more likely to make purchases online if the search technology and purchasing process were easier to navigate.
According to the report, 37% of those surveyed plan to increase their spending online in the next year, including on technology.
"B2B suppliers have a significant opportunity to increase their revenue from e-commerce," said Robert Barr, senior VP at Acquity Group according to B to B Online. "Our study revealed corporate buyers are comfortable and willing to make major purchases online—and many are already doing this—but not on suppliers' websites."
Other major factors to encourage purchases of $5,000 or more online are increased security, free delivery, available customer service reps by phone, customer service online chat features, faster delivery, friendlier design, and better online research sources.
In addition to these features, 28% of those surveyed said that they would make purchases on their mobile devices if suppliers offered easier to use, mobile optimized sites.
If your B2B eCommerce site doesn't have the capability to make some of these changes, It might be time for a eCommerce platform facelift according to these findings.
05/24/2016
Retail companies with aggressive e-commerce strategies are growing at a rapid rate. While Internet retailing only accounted for 11% of total apparel sales in North America during 2014, this will soon change as e-commerce, S-commerce (social media commerce) and M-commerce (mobile-commerce) explode.
Let's define e-commerce as somewhere where data meets marketing to achieve customer acquisition and satisfaction. Nowadays, consumers want to find what they want in a matter of seconds, and a company that knows how to reach them effectively through e-commerce is way above every other.
How should an e-commerce team be composed?
E-commerce selling tactics: Lessons from successful companies
1. Personalization/Data-driven selling
Amazon, Netflix, and Nordstrom
Amazon and Netflix are the forerunners of personalization. They can use data to know what customers like, dislike, track their cookies to identify what a customer has searched for, bought in the past, cart abandonment rate, where they are located, when and where they're connecting to the internet, whether they use Windows or MAC, how often they purchase online and a complete history of their purchases. Based on this, they personalize customers' experience and Up-sell. The magic with this tactic is being able to change the algorithm and do AB testing until you acquire the customer. For example, if a customer searched for a specific shoe model, he or she will probably be interested in seeing a similar model. This also occurs when a customer searches for a movie on Netflix, and is more inclined to continue watching when provided with all of the movie options from that genre.
How to use customers' information? Once the user's cookies have been tracked, the company could send him/her recommendations of similar products, if a customer abandons the purchase for a specific product, the retail company could send him/her a personalized coupon to complete the purchase, or propose complements and gear that would go well with that last purchase. There are thousands of ways to play with filters and to do AB testing to keep the customer engaged.
Nordstrom is a company that has taken personalization above and beyond. They personalize a customer's page, which means my Nordstrom page will look completely different from my neighbor's page. They track customer's cookies and every time the customer goes to the site they get smarter and the process is much more personalized.
2. Subscription model
STITCH FIX and BIRCHBOX
Stitch Fix and Birchbox are 2 companies that are constantly trying to drive repeat visits to their site. Stitch Fix offers a free consultation service with the creation of a subscription. The process begins by asking women for every detail from their measurements, to dress size, occupation and most common outfits. The key is the form is quick and easy to complete. Stitch Fix offers fixed style options where customers' only task is to grade from like to dislike, or select among 4 dress occasions such as casual/night out/business or cocktail. This way customers have closed options, they don't have to spend lots of time filling the subscription, and Stitch Fix can retrieve valuable customer information in a matter of seconds.
After the subscription is created, the stylist chooses different styles of clothing based on the aforementioned categories and the products are shipped to the customer's door. She can go through everything and return whatever she doesn't like. The process allows Stitch Fix to learn a customer's likes and dislikes and offer more accurate recommendations every time.
Birchbox is another company that has taken subscriptions to another level. Similar to Stitch Fix, they offer a subscription for customers to test the latest beauty products, with the option to buy the retailer size. What's to love about Birchbox? It's similar to Sephora's culture of offering women the advantage of trying products in store before they buy, except Birchbox delivers 4-5 monthly samples to the customer's home. Like Stich Fix, Birchbox is based on the customer's preferences; it gets smarter every time and offers better and more accurate recommendations to their customers while offering the possibility to try beforehand.
So how could a company create effective subscription models and recommend personalized products for its brands? An idea for shoe brands could involve tracking the amount of miles a user has put on his/her shoes, and contact the customer when it's time to purchase a new model, sending that specific customer a brochure with coupons for the next top model and the option to order it online. As Boston is well known for the Boston Marathon, another option would be putting together personalized packages for runners with recommendations and giving them the advantage of trying products.
3. Experts/personal shopping:
Backcountry
Having a celebrity endorse your brand may be a good idea if you have the right person to do it. However, a more economical way and even more engaging way to go is having different experts blog about real experiences they've had while using the brand's products, and offering a forum where these experts can connect with your customers to offer them advice and recommendations.
Backcountry, the online specialty retailer, sells gear for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing and other outdoor activities. What they've done is create advocates for their brand and allow their customers to engage and chat with these advocates. Every customer can follow his/her own Gearhead depending on their interests (hiking, running, golfing, skiing, etc). The Gearhead is a real person that writes about his/her experiences as a blogger and gives his/her honest opinion regarding different products. A customer can chat with a Gearhead, ask about products and ask for advice. Also, the Gearhead will get to know the customer and what type of products he/she likes.
The new thing about this is Backcountry is allowing customers to interact in real time with pros who are actually using these products to go on adventures and offering honest opinions.
Some of the Gearheads of Backcountry. Source: Backcountry's web site
J CREW is another company that succeeds at personal shopping. A customer can book an appointment with a personal shopper who will show him products, ideas to create outfits, and what they're doing is developing a personal relationship with customers.
4. Content
Lululemon
One of the main problems about shopping online is customers are unsure whether the product will look the same in real life, or maybe they're concerned the sizes are different and may not fit. Here is where the brand has to make it as easy as possible so customers complete purchases.
Lululemon has done a great job showing the features of their products and ensuring customers know the value of the product they are purchasing. Let's say a customer goes online and sees a $150 bag. They always show specifications, high quality photos of the product, every detail that convinces the customer the product is worth it. They also show why they made that product, fabric and features, fit and function and extra features to help convert customers.
If the company's product has a price point slightly above competition, showing the extra value a customer is getting is essential. Videos and pictures are 2 great conversion points for consumers, taking great pictures for high-quality and high-price products may be the conversion for the customer. Also, allowing the customer to see every detail of the product, for example, highlight the value added-features, such as the gel arch support of emphasize the domestic manufacturing and craftsmanship dedication of every product.
5. The showroom trend.
Bonobos
Showrooming is a concept U.S. companies haven't quite grasped, but Europe has and they're succeeding at it. A big barrier for shopping online is not being able to try on the product. So either the brand creates an excellent size/fit assistance online tool so women's fear of purchasing online diminishes, or the company creates showrooms offering women the same competitive price and convenience online retailing can offer.
A second reason to start with showrooms is the increase of mobile commerce. In Western Europe, mobile internet retailing increased by a CAGR of 102% from 2011 to 2014, thanks to the showrooming trend. As more customers switch to mobile commerce in the U.S. showrooms may be the answer.
Of course, companies are worried that consumers won't go for this since 73% of consumers are motivated to shop in store by the desire of an instant purchase. However, when it comes to high quality, sports footwear where the customer may want to try the product, feel the quality, evaluate a product they'll use in their everyday roughtine, they'll surely be willing to try it in store.
If the company's products are domestically sold and made in the U.S., they could set a showroom near their facility and deliver to houses, while avoiding costs of sales assistance, huge inventory in every store and a much more personal relationship with the customer. Recreational shopping would continue to exist, since customers will be able to have the products in their hands, the only thing that would be change is where the transaction is being made.
An example of said success is Bonobos, the e-commerce business that is following the showroom trend, and the success is eminent. This company redefined the traditional retail format by venturing offline into physical stores with one difference, nothing to sell in the store. They have showrooms and allow customers to try on items, evaluate the quality, and place orders that will be delivered to their front door, while eliminating the cost of storing huge inventory and freeing sales assistants to focus solely on the customer.
From: Bonobos site.
These 5 tactics can be combined to develop one strong e-commerce strategy.
Mobile commerce and social media commerce are also something to watch. Some companies have started taking action. Myntra, the e-commerce site owned by Flipkart has just announced closing their site and moving exclusively to mobile. Other e-commerce monsters such as Alibaba and TaoBao may follow. Regarding social media commerce, according to Euromonitor, 43% of consumers around the world make purchases through social media, however 11% to 15% of consumers use s-commerce in the US and UK respectively.
Any retail company can use these strategies at the right time to innovate themselves and leave competitors behind in the e-commerce revolution.
Let's define e-commerce as somewhere where data meets marketing to achieve customer acquisition and satisfaction. Nowadays, consumers want to find what they want in a matter of seconds, and a company that knows how to reach them effectively through e-commerce is way above every other.
How should an e-commerce team be composed?
- Finance: A finance team that makes sure e-commerce strategies are generating profits to boost the company's growth and create a positive ROMI.
- Marketing: A brand marketing team that will propose customer acquisition tactics and continuously focus on driving traffic to the site. Specifics include SEO, optimize paid, earned and owned media, retention marketing strategies, creating appealing stories and new possible products for the company.
- Analytics team: Every marketing effort should be measured with marketing analytics tools and KPI's to see which strategy worked best, which products are best-sellers, understanding which factors drive customers to purchase, or how and where to target a specific customer. Some specific metrics the team would deliver: Percentage of sales from Mobile/Social, New Visitor Conversion Rate, Average Order Value, CPC, Churn Rate, Cart Abandonment Rate and Customer Lifetime Value.
- Customer service: Companies that are constantly listening to their customers are extremely successful. It is cheaper to maintain a customer than to acquire one, which is why resolving customers' issues and giving excellent customer service is essential.
- Merchandising/planning: Understanding which of the products will be best sold on the website and knowing when and which new products to launch. Also, teams can use analytics to see which products are the most searched and this could turn into product innovation. If the company is not carrying the product that's being searched for by customers, merchandising could approach the product development team with ideas to develop new ones. This team will not only manage the merchandise on site but will be essential to identify opportunities for the company. They have to manage calendar, product launch, inventory, stories, make sure the content and benefits of each product are visible.
- Development: A team of coders to bring all ideas to life is always necessary. Having in-house coders would allow constant innovation of the site. If marketing wants to launch a video carousel or interactive visuals, coders can help with the task.
- User experience: A team that creates the path and the structure to navigate through the page. When customers go online they should be able to find what they want in a matter of seconds. The customer decision journey should be smooth and comprehensible in order for the customer to complete the purchase and return. This team may perform AB testing to select the best user experience. For example: show customers 2 different paths and allow them them to select the one they prefer.
- Creative: When customers land on the company web page they should immediately feel related to the brand. This team makes sure imagery, fonts, videos and the entire look represent the company culture.
E-commerce selling tactics: Lessons from successful companies
1. Personalization/Data-driven selling
Amazon, Netflix, and Nordstrom
Amazon and Netflix are the forerunners of personalization. They can use data to know what customers like, dislike, track their cookies to identify what a customer has searched for, bought in the past, cart abandonment rate, where they are located, when and where they're connecting to the internet, whether they use Windows or MAC, how often they purchase online and a complete history of their purchases. Based on this, they personalize customers' experience and Up-sell. The magic with this tactic is being able to change the algorithm and do AB testing until you acquire the customer. For example, if a customer searched for a specific shoe model, he or she will probably be interested in seeing a similar model. This also occurs when a customer searches for a movie on Netflix, and is more inclined to continue watching when provided with all of the movie options from that genre.
How to use customers' information? Once the user's cookies have been tracked, the company could send him/her recommendations of similar products, if a customer abandons the purchase for a specific product, the retail company could send him/her a personalized coupon to complete the purchase, or propose complements and gear that would go well with that last purchase. There are thousands of ways to play with filters and to do AB testing to keep the customer engaged.
Nordstrom is a company that has taken personalization above and beyond. They personalize a customer's page, which means my Nordstrom page will look completely different from my neighbor's page. They track customer's cookies and every time the customer goes to the site they get smarter and the process is much more personalized.
2. Subscription model
STITCH FIX and BIRCHBOX
Stitch Fix and Birchbox are 2 companies that are constantly trying to drive repeat visits to their site. Stitch Fix offers a free consultation service with the creation of a subscription. The process begins by asking women for every detail from their measurements, to dress size, occupation and most common outfits. The key is the form is quick and easy to complete. Stitch Fix offers fixed style options where customers' only task is to grade from like to dislike, or select among 4 dress occasions such as casual/night out/business or cocktail. This way customers have closed options, they don't have to spend lots of time filling the subscription, and Stitch Fix can retrieve valuable customer information in a matter of seconds.
After the subscription is created, the stylist chooses different styles of clothing based on the aforementioned categories and the products are shipped to the customer's door. She can go through everything and return whatever she doesn't like. The process allows Stitch Fix to learn a customer's likes and dislikes and offer more accurate recommendations every time.
Birchbox is another company that has taken subscriptions to another level. Similar to Stitch Fix, they offer a subscription for customers to test the latest beauty products, with the option to buy the retailer size. What's to love about Birchbox? It's similar to Sephora's culture of offering women the advantage of trying products in store before they buy, except Birchbox delivers 4-5 monthly samples to the customer's home. Like Stich Fix, Birchbox is based on the customer's preferences; it gets smarter every time and offers better and more accurate recommendations to their customers while offering the possibility to try beforehand.
So how could a company create effective subscription models and recommend personalized products for its brands? An idea for shoe brands could involve tracking the amount of miles a user has put on his/her shoes, and contact the customer when it's time to purchase a new model, sending that specific customer a brochure with coupons for the next top model and the option to order it online. As Boston is well known for the Boston Marathon, another option would be putting together personalized packages for runners with recommendations and giving them the advantage of trying products.
3. Experts/personal shopping:
Backcountry
Having a celebrity endorse your brand may be a good idea if you have the right person to do it. However, a more economical way and even more engaging way to go is having different experts blog about real experiences they've had while using the brand's products, and offering a forum where these experts can connect with your customers to offer them advice and recommendations.
Backcountry, the online specialty retailer, sells gear for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing and other outdoor activities. What they've done is create advocates for their brand and allow their customers to engage and chat with these advocates. Every customer can follow his/her own Gearhead depending on their interests (hiking, running, golfing, skiing, etc). The Gearhead is a real person that writes about his/her experiences as a blogger and gives his/her honest opinion regarding different products. A customer can chat with a Gearhead, ask about products and ask for advice. Also, the Gearhead will get to know the customer and what type of products he/she likes.
The new thing about this is Backcountry is allowing customers to interact in real time with pros who are actually using these products to go on adventures and offering honest opinions.
Some of the Gearheads of Backcountry. Source: Backcountry's web site
J CREW is another company that succeeds at personal shopping. A customer can book an appointment with a personal shopper who will show him products, ideas to create outfits, and what they're doing is developing a personal relationship with customers.
4. Content
Lululemon
One of the main problems about shopping online is customers are unsure whether the product will look the same in real life, or maybe they're concerned the sizes are different and may not fit. Here is where the brand has to make it as easy as possible so customers complete purchases.
Lululemon has done a great job showing the features of their products and ensuring customers know the value of the product they are purchasing. Let's say a customer goes online and sees a $150 bag. They always show specifications, high quality photos of the product, every detail that convinces the customer the product is worth it. They also show why they made that product, fabric and features, fit and function and extra features to help convert customers.
If the company's product has a price point slightly above competition, showing the extra value a customer is getting is essential. Videos and pictures are 2 great conversion points for consumers, taking great pictures for high-quality and high-price products may be the conversion for the customer. Also, allowing the customer to see every detail of the product, for example, highlight the value added-features, such as the gel arch support of emphasize the domestic manufacturing and craftsmanship dedication of every product.
5. The showroom trend.
Bonobos
Showrooming is a concept U.S. companies haven't quite grasped, but Europe has and they're succeeding at it. A big barrier for shopping online is not being able to try on the product. So either the brand creates an excellent size/fit assistance online tool so women's fear of purchasing online diminishes, or the company creates showrooms offering women the same competitive price and convenience online retailing can offer.
A second reason to start with showrooms is the increase of mobile commerce. In Western Europe, mobile internet retailing increased by a CAGR of 102% from 2011 to 2014, thanks to the showrooming trend. As more customers switch to mobile commerce in the U.S. showrooms may be the answer.
Of course, companies are worried that consumers won't go for this since 73% of consumers are motivated to shop in store by the desire of an instant purchase. However, when it comes to high quality, sports footwear where the customer may want to try the product, feel the quality, evaluate a product they'll use in their everyday roughtine, they'll surely be willing to try it in store.
If the company's products are domestically sold and made in the U.S., they could set a showroom near their facility and deliver to houses, while avoiding costs of sales assistance, huge inventory in every store and a much more personal relationship with the customer. Recreational shopping would continue to exist, since customers will be able to have the products in their hands, the only thing that would be change is where the transaction is being made.
An example of said success is Bonobos, the e-commerce business that is following the showroom trend, and the success is eminent. This company redefined the traditional retail format by venturing offline into physical stores with one difference, nothing to sell in the store. They have showrooms and allow customers to try on items, evaluate the quality, and place orders that will be delivered to their front door, while eliminating the cost of storing huge inventory and freeing sales assistants to focus solely on the customer.
From: Bonobos site.
These 5 tactics can be combined to develop one strong e-commerce strategy.
Mobile commerce and social media commerce are also something to watch. Some companies have started taking action. Myntra, the e-commerce site owned by Flipkart has just announced closing their site and moving exclusively to mobile. Other e-commerce monsters such as Alibaba and TaoBao may follow. Regarding social media commerce, according to Euromonitor, 43% of consumers around the world make purchases through social media, however 11% to 15% of consumers use s-commerce in the US and UK respectively.
Any retail company can use these strategies at the right time to innovate themselves and leave competitors behind in the e-commerce revolution.
05/16/2016
The most recent "Pew Internet & American Life Project" report was recently released measuring social media use as of May. While online adults using social networking sites have grown 9% (from 61% to 72%), are you surprised to hear that U.S. adults now using Twitter has grown 10% (from 8% to 18%)?
Personally, I wasn't. However, the demographic using Twitter was shocking. Males and high-income earners have taken to twitter causing this large boost in the population roaming the 'Twittersphere'. On the other hand, women and low-income earners are more numerous in the social media user demographic in general.
In June, a study by the Harvard Business School found that Twitter has changed the previous social network user trend by being dominated by men.
According to the study:
1. Men have more followers than women
2. Men are almost twice as likely to follow other men than they are women
3. Women are also more likely to follow men
Some have observed that this is because of the short and to the point nature of Twitter posts. Women are more likely to post pictures and videos that start conversations and in turn, encourage more men as followers on other sites. On Twitter, social behavior almost goes the opposite direction.
Personally, I wasn't. However, the demographic using Twitter was shocking. Males and high-income earners have taken to twitter causing this large boost in the population roaming the 'Twittersphere'. On the other hand, women and low-income earners are more numerous in the social media user demographic in general.
In June, a study by the Harvard Business School found that Twitter has changed the previous social network user trend by being dominated by men.
According to the study:
1. Men have more followers than women
2. Men are almost twice as likely to follow other men than they are women
3. Women are also more likely to follow men
Some have observed that this is because of the short and to the point nature of Twitter posts. Women are more likely to post pictures and videos that start conversations and in turn, encourage more men as followers on other sites. On Twitter, social behavior almost goes the opposite direction.
05/09/2016
New studies have shown a jump in strong users of B2B eCommerce from 2012's 25% to 31% this year. It is estimated that in 2014, 40% of B2B marketers will be committed to eCommerce.
However, there are still 15% avoiding eCommerce all together.
So, why the growth? Almost half of the B2B marketers said that they really didn't have another choice because of constraints put on the marketing departments. Marketers also indicated that an eCommerce platform is imperative to reach new buyers and leads.
Other marketing plans for B2B companies include social media, B2B networks, industry directories, and e-marketplaces like BuyZone.
The last trend that was mentioned in "The Emerging Role of B-to-B E-commerce" is user portals. Portals provide an easy way for returning customers to login and manage their orders, place new orders, view bids or quotes, and manage billing. For companies that are offering services rather than products, this can be a beneficial way to offer a great user experience that is hassle free for customers.
However, there are still 15% avoiding eCommerce all together.
So, why the growth? Almost half of the B2B marketers said that they really didn't have another choice because of constraints put on the marketing departments. Marketers also indicated that an eCommerce platform is imperative to reach new buyers and leads.
Other marketing plans for B2B companies include social media, B2B networks, industry directories, and e-marketplaces like BuyZone.
The last trend that was mentioned in "The Emerging Role of B-to-B E-commerce" is user portals. Portals provide an easy way for returning customers to login and manage their orders, place new orders, view bids or quotes, and manage billing. For companies that are offering services rather than products, this can be a beneficial way to offer a great user experience that is hassle free for customers.
03/09/2016
Sales & Marketing
Everyone can agree that Instagram is quickly becoming the most popular form of social media, maybe even replacing facebook. I personally love Instagram because of the notion that a picture says a thousand words really holds true. You can follow someone's life through a series of photos and get a whole new perspective. Of course I also use it to stay up to date on all my favorite celebrities. But it isn't just for the individual anymore. Instagram has provided brands with a creative new outlet to share their stories and engage with their customers. How are brands using Instagram as a marketing channel? In particular how are e-commerce businesses using the photo sharing service?
Believe it or not, Instagram is still relatively new but many large companies are already embracing this new free form of marketing. Many larger brands are using Instagram for brand reinforcement. Brands like Dunkin Donuts (746,000 followers) use it to tell a behind-the-scenes story of how the coffee is made. Social brands like The Chive (847,000 followers)Puma (1.9 million followers) and Wayfair (118,000 followers) all have carved out their strategy in Instagram as well. But like I mentioned, these are all mostly brand reinforcement. The trick is turning the photos into online sales.
In the Mashable article, How 3 Entrepreneurs Used Instagram for Business, they talk to Haylee Winard, owner of ShopExcessBaggage.com (20,000 followers). Winard said, "Every image we post is like a virtual billboard in Times Square". Haylee said that they regularly sell out of merchandise they post on Instagram and that Instagram has significantly boosted their revenues. She goes on to say that "I've used all the social media tools out there to help support my business but none have had the direct impact on sales that Instagram has had."
Its important for ecommerce sites and companies to use all the tools at their disposal. Facebook and Linkedin are important, but it's equally important to engage in the newer forms of social media that are coming out of the wood works. Instagram is a quick and easy way to post pictures of your products, get brand recognition, and engage with your customers. Whats better than free marketing?
