Category: Retail Insights

In the bustling world of online commerce, turning browsers into buyers is the ultimate goal for any e-commerce business. While attracting visitors to your website is important, the real magic happens when those visitors convert into paying customers. But how exactly can you transform casual browsers into enthusiastic buyers? It’s often said that we only have an 8-second window to capture your attention. So, if we still have your focus, let’s dive into how we suggest brands can effectively convert more browsers into buyers.

Understanding the Customer Journey

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of boosting your e-commerce conversions, let’s take a step back and recognize the pivotal role the customer journey plays in your online success. From the initial click on your website to the final checkout, every interaction holds the potential to turn a casual browser into a loyal customer. By meticulously mapping out this journey, pinpointing potential pain points, and identifying obstacles, you can fine-tune your strategies to create a seamless and captivating experience that drives conversions and fosters customer satisfaction.

•  Leverage the Power of Personalization

Personalization is key to capturing the attention of potential buyers and encouraging them to make a purchase. By tailoring your offerings to meet individual needs and preferences, you show that you value their unique requirements.

  1.  Data-Driven Insights: 

Utilize advanced data analytics tools to gather valuable insights into your customers’ behavior, preferences, and purchase history. By analyzing this data, gain a deeper understanding of their preferences, browsing patterns, and past interactions with your website. 

2. Personalized Product Recommendations: Leverage the analyzed data to deliver personalized product recommendations that resonate with each shopper. Utilize algorithms to suggest products based on their demographic information. By presenting relevant products that align with their interests and needs, you can enhance the shopping experience and increase the likelihood of conversion. 

 3. Customized Promotions and Offers: Further segment your customer base and tailor promotions and offers to cater to their specific interests and preferences. For example, offer exclusive discounts or promotions on products that align with their past transactions and online activity. By delivering targeted promotions that speak directly to their needs, you can entice customers to make a purchase and foster loyalty. 

4. Targeted Messaging: Craft personalized messaging that speaks directly to the individual customer. Use dynamic content to address them by name, acknowledge their past interactions with your brand, and highlight products or promotions that are relevant to their interests. By making customers feel valued and understood, you can create a more meaningful connection and increase their likelihood of converting. 

5. Optimize Across Channels: Extend personalization beyond your website to other touchpoints, such as email marketing, social media, and mobile apps. Ensure consistency in messaging and offers across channels, providing a seamless and cohesive experience for customers regardless of where they interact with your brand.

•  Enhance Product Pages for Conversions

Product pages play a pivotal role in the success of e-commerce platforms, so it’s imperative to fine-tune them for optimal conversion rates. They serve as the digital storefront, where potential customers form their first impressions and make crucial purchasing decisions.

1. High-Resolution Images: Visual appeal is paramount in the online shopping experience. Utilize high-resolution images that provide clear views of your products from multiple angles. This allows customers to get a detailed look at what they’re purchasing, enhancing their confidence and desire to buy.

2. Detailed Product Descriptions: Beyond just images, provide comprehensive product descriptions that highlight key features, benefits, and specifications. Anticipate the questions customers might have and address them proactively in your descriptions. The goal is to provide all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision without any ambiguity.

3. Customer Reviews: Incorporating customer reviews and ratings encourages peer engagement on your product pages, affirming potential buyers of the quality and satisfaction experienced by others. Encourage satisfied customers to share their feedback and prominently showcase it to bolster trust and credibility.

4. Persuasive Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Guide visitors towards conversion with clear and compelling CTAs. Use action-oriented language that prompts them to take the next step, whether it’s adding the item to their cart, starting the checkout process, or signing up for updates. Make sure CTAs stand out visually and are strategically placed throughout the page.

5. Scarcity Tactics: Create a sense of urgency by highlighting limited-time offers, low-stock notifications, or countdown timers to convey the idea that the product is in high demand or may not be available for long. This motivates visitors to act quickly to secure their purchase before it’s too late.

6. Leveraging Data Analysis for Enhanced Website Optimization: In the digital marketplace, leveraging data analysis is essential for optimizing website performance and enhancing the overall customer experience. By systematically analyzing user behavior, engagement metrics, and transactional data, businesses can gain valuable insights to refine their marketing strategies, and product offerings. This involves tracking user behavior using tools like Google Analytics, conducting A/B testing experiments to compare different website elements, personalizing the user experience based on customer segmentation, optimizing product offerings using sales data, and monitoring website performance metrics to identify and address technical issues. By utilizing the power of data analysis, ecommerce businesses can make informed decisions to improve online marketplaces, increase conversion rates, and drive sustainable growth. 

• Streamlining the Path to Purchase 

1. Simplify the Checkout Process: A complicated or lengthy checkout process is a surefire way to lose potential buyers. Streamline the checkout process as much as possible, reducing the number of steps required and offering multiple payment options for convenience. Implement guest checkout functionality to eliminate the need for account creation and reduce friction for first-time buyers.

2. Utilize Lead Capture Forms: Capture valuable leads by implementing lead capture forms strategically throughout your website. Only ask for essential information and offer gated content or exclusive offers in exchange for visitors’ contact details. This allows you to nurture leads over time and guide them towards making a purchase.

3. Implementing Effective Loyalty Programs: Ecommerce websites employ a variety of strategies to enhance customer engagement and increase sales. Loyalty programs are a vital component of this strategy, effortlessly integrated into the customer journey to foster a proactive community around the brand and its offerings. These programs come in various forms, ranging from simple points-based systems to more complex mechanisms incorporating gamification and achievements. Understanding the different types of loyalty programs enables businesses to choose the most suitable option based on their target audience, industry, and objectives.

4.  Offer Incentives, Rewards, and Loyalty Benefits: Everyone loves a good deal, so why not sweeten the pot with incentives and rewards? Offer discounts, free shipping, or exclusive promotions to incentivize purchases and reward loyal customers, while also providing additional perks for members of your loyalty program. 

5.  Provide Exceptional Customer Service: Exceptional customer service can make all the difference when it comes to converting browsers into buyers. Be responsive to customer inquiries and provide timely assistance throughout the purchasing process. Offer live chat support, easy returns and exchanges, and proactive communication to instill trust and confidence in your brand.

6.  Follow Up with Abandoned Carts: Don’t let abandoned carts go to waste! Follow up with customers who have abandoned their carts with personalized emails or retargeting ads reminding them of the items they left behind. Offer incentives or discounts to incentivize them to complete their purchase and turn those abandoned carts into successful conversions.

7.  Tap into the Strength of Social Proof: Social proof is a powerful tool for building credibility and trust with potential buyers. Incorporate reviews, testimonials, and logos from satisfied customers prominently on your website to showcase your brand’s track record of success. Seeing positive feedback from others can reassure hesitant buyers and nudge them towards making a purchase. [seems some repeat]

8. Implement Retargeting Campaigns: Don’t let potential customers slip through the cracks! Implement retargeting campaigns to re-engage visitors who left your site without converting. By serving targeted ads to these individuals based on their previous interactions with your website, you can remind them of products they were interested in and encourage them to return and complete their purchase.

Conclusion: Let’s Turn Those Browsers into Buyers!

By prioritizing a smooth and personalized experience, we resonate with customers and foster stronger engagement that translates into increased brand loyalty and higher customer retention rates. Partner with Tenovia today to implement these strategies and elevate your e-commerce success.

The e-commerce landscape is dynamic and constantly changing driven by the constantly evolving consumer preferences, technological advancements, and upcoming market trends. To stay ahead of the plethora of choices available in the industry, brands find the need to constantly innovate and differentiate themselves from the crowd. 

From sustainable choices that appeal to eco-conscious consumers to personalized experiences that attract the trend-conscious, the opportunities for growth and differentiation are immense. 

In this blog, we’ll be exploring unique strategies that are tailored toward the footwear industry, exploring everything from product customization to community engagement initiatives. Read on to know more.

Setting the path to growth for footwear brands in E-commerce

1: Cookie cutter solutions don’t cut it anymore!

Customization is everywhere, so how does one use this word to attract more traffic to your website? Adding convenience and detailing. Offer real-time customizations using virtual fitting tools for your customers to see how your product will look on them. This provides a personalized approach for every customer while also solving for the most common decision breaker – the perfect fit for every unique foot.

2: The only footprints left are of the wearer!

In the world of consumerism, the one constant thing is the evolution of trends. One such trend that is ever-evolving but is here to stay is sustainability. Sustainable brands are high in demand and are on top priority for brands that are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Footwear brands can invest in sustainable material innovation to introduce more eco-friendly alternatives like bio-based leathers, and recycled plastics. This will help brands appeal to eco-conscious consumers without compromising on quality or style while contributing to a greener future.

3: Time to think inside the box!

Movies? Subscribe. Skincare? Subscribe. Custom clothes? Subscribe.
In an era where everything can be subscribed to, why not bring in subscription boxes for Footwear? Combining convenience, curation, and customization bring new styles and trends to your customers with subscription boxes. To reduce packaging costs, brands can introduce an option to return the boxes after delivery. Subscription boxes can offer personalized selections tailored to preferences, lifestyles, seasons, and geo-locations using data analytics. You can also provide subscription services for professional shoe care products, such as cleaning kits, polishes, and protectants, directly to customers’ doorsteps regularly.

4: Look for the right ‘market’ fit!

By identifying niche markets that are exclusive to you, you can establish yourself as an industry leader and carve out a unique position within the competitive landscape. For example, audiences with specific needs and interests, such as footwear for specific orthopedic purposes like a flat foot. With the help of the right data analytics tools, you can identify these niche gaps in the market and also keep a close monitor of what your competitors are up to.

5: Not just another product up for sale

Think beyond just making another sale and delivering it to the doorstep of your customer. Offer services that can be clubbed with your products to assure brand loyalty. For example, offering services like restoration, cleaning, and reconditioning can help customers revive their beloved footwear and feel a sense of attachment to your brand. Stay connected with your customers through ORM and innovate with services that go beyond just the product.

6: Be the ‘Tech’ of the town

Technology is your best friend. Bring in innovation, functionality, and trends through tech integration of smart sensors, augmented reality (AR), and 3D printing. From personalized fit adjustments to personalized experiences, use tech to enhance the utility and value of footwear products, catering to tech-savvy consumers seeking cutting-edge features.

In conclusion, tailoring unique strategies that are aligned with the needs and interests of your audience can help your brand differentiate and stand out from the competition. From custom shoe fit experiences to shoe subscriptions, the possibilities for innovation are endless. In the face of an ever-evolving eCommerce landscape, it’s important to push the boundaries of creativity, sustainability, and technology to make your mark in the industry.

With the pandemic, ecommerce is seeing an unstoppable boom across all regions and sectors. In India, B2C ecommerce is already a success. For the organized market, it accounts for 20-25% of the business. However, when you look at the total retail market in India, ecommerce only occupies about 8% of market share. The digitization of this massive 92% of offline businesses is what we’re referring to as B2B ecommerce. 

Retailers in B2B marketplaces have changed habits over the last three years. Today, many retailers are looking at the deals being provided by brands in these B2B marketplaces. They’re going to these marketplaces for the following reasons:

• Offers: Obviously an attraction for retailers, offers are beneficial to all parties involved.
  
• Faster servicing: Adopting methods from B2C ecommerce – such as faster and cheaper delivery, being open to accepting smaller minimum order quantities, and easy tracking – are a big benefit to retailers.
  
• Wider range: Brands are given the opportunity to showcase an entire range of collections.
  
• More brands: Retailers can sign up with more distributors and brands, even those who might have been beyond their reach because of their location or size.
  
• Same pricing and credit as offline channels: Retailers and distributors love offline channels because they get better margins from brands for more volumes, showcasing loyalty to the brand. They also get credit based on their long trusted relationship with the brands. With B2B ecommerce, which is integrated to the ERP of the brand, the same feature set is available. 

While B2B commerce is still in its nascent stages, it continues to show great promise. And when you consider the above five factors, the proposition of B2B Ecommerce becomes very compelling. In fact, one of the leading B2B marketplaces touched almost ₹6,000 Cr of annual revenue in FY21.

How B2B ecommerce has grown in India

When high-speed internet and smartphones became ubiquitous, demands for online business transactions increased. With that, came a flurry of B2B opportunities that connected businesses from urban and rural regions all over India. To gain some perspective on the potential scale of this ecommerce market, consider IAMAI-Kantar ICUBE’s report, which projected that India will be home to 900 million active internet users by 2025. Thus began India’s slow transition from physical brick-and-mortar stores to virtual storefronts. 

To grow in B2B ecommerce, companies need fair pricing, large consignments, dependable supply, and efficient execution. What’s more, B2B ecommerce companies operate on much larger order values and volumes so they approach their decision making, customer engagement, solutions, as well as product and marketing strategies differently. 

Thanks to the increased penetration of high-speed internet and smartphones, greater willingness to adopt newer tech, changing business processes due to the pandemic, regulatory steps (GST/CST), etc., the benefits of B2B ecommerce are becoming more and more visible each passing year. Today, the B2B ecommerce market size is seeing a massive explosion in the country, with MarketWatch reporting that 72% of manufacturers are boosting their budget for B2B ecommerce operations.       

How should B2B ecommerce companies recalibrate in FY23?

When working on enhancing B2B ecommerce business, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that a majority of B2B buyers today are millennials. This tech-savvy generation expects quick, seamless, and convenient transactions. B2B companies should focus on enhancing the UI/UX of their B2B ecommerce platform for online dealers and distributors and add rich, relevant, and easy-to-use features to boost adoption.

Naturally, the methodology for marketing will also look vastly different than it did previously. B2B customers now expect the same kind of service as B2C. They prefer personalized interactions, live chats, and other technology-forward channels that can help cement a stronger connection. So it is vital to redirect some spends from physical marketing to digital marketing. 

The big focus on B2B ecommerce going forward

• India’s largest B2B marketplace: It crossed ₹5,800 Cr of sales in FY21 and looked to double it in FY22. Today, it boasts over 30,000 B2B sellers and over 3 million users across industries. These numbers are large, too large for brands to not have their own B2B ecommerce play in place.
  
• ONDC: The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a government-backed non-profit company that hopes to democratize India’s ecommerce market for buyers and sellers of all scales and segments. With this platform, smaller B2B ecommerce businesses in India can now get access to digital platforms and push growth. Although it is still in its pilot stages, active in just five cities, it is expected to accommodate 10 million merchants and 30 million sellers across 100 cities by October 2022. 

Let your B2B ecommerce business take flight

If there’s one thing B2B marketplaces have done, it is proving the importance of having a direct connection with retailers. That’s why at Tenovia, we’re helping you bridge the gap by allowing your B2B customers to purchase from you across platforms, be it your website, your app, or your WhatsApp business account. 

Our B2B ecommerce solution – 10Commerce – is an integrated solution that covers all stakeholders including retailers, dealers, distributors, and brands. We’re also integrated with fintech companies and multi-tier transport providers to give you a well-rounded solution that mirrors your offline B2B processes. If you’re interested in exploring 10Commerce for your B2B ecommerce business and bettering your reach to trade customers, connect with us today!

As the dawn of reality sets in and businesses embrace the new normal, the fear of COVID-19 remains intact. The government has eased restrictions and allowed for businesses to operate, however, with the condition that stern rules and regulations are to be followed. For businesses of any scale, streamlining flows to reopen warehouses may be a challenge given the complexity of the problem that lies ahead. 

Challenges that need immediate addressing

• Is there a disaster management plan in place?
• How will the business work with suppliers?
• How will the business maintain the workforce and ensure strict adherence to regulations?
• How will the business tackle problems like in warding and movement of goods within the warehouse with minimal contact?
• How will the logistics hand-off take place?
• How will deliveries and returns be handled?

Some sectors have seen unprecedented growth in the past; with ‘essentials’ skyrocketing in demand, the need for the hour is uninterrupted supply. Fulfilling demand, however, does not come at the cost of safety. Every business today, whether in the essential or non-essential space needs to have an action plan to ensure the safety of the workers and consumers while keeping the risk of contracting the virus as minimal as possible. 

How to streamline warehouse operations for safety

1. 360 Sanitization: As many studies suggest, the virus can live on inanimate objects for close to 72 hours and eliminating chances of contracting the virus through surfaces is the first step towards curbing the spread. Thorough sanitization of peripherals, doors, knobs, racks, trolleys, and other objects can cut down any potential risks. Sanitization has to be a mandatory practice and carried out on a regular basis for efficacy.

2. Monitor floor staff: Educating the workforce is the foremost responsibility of businesses. The seriousness of the situation needs to be communicated to the workforce and the steps to curb the spread also need to be addressed. Monitoring the workforce before entering the premises should be made mandatory. As per the government regulations, anyone who is running a temperature over 37.4 needs to be reported to the manager and sent home for a period of self-quarantine. Also, masks and gloves must be distributed for safety. Hand sanitization every 2 hours has to be made mandatory and this is also to be monitored.

3. Social distancing norms: A minimum distance of 6 feet is to be maintained between workers at any given time. At workstations, packing stations, and even leisure time, the norms of social distancing are to be adhered to. 

4. In warding procedure: While sanitization, social distancing, and other mandatory procedures can easily be put in place, the real challenge arises when inwarding products with zero contact. Mandatory temperature checks for drivers bringing in the goods via trucks and a contactless handover of the required documentation, followed by 

5. No-contact racking, packing, and hand-offs: The ideal way to move things around the warehouse while maintaining minimal contact is to assign two people and set paths to carry out tasks. While racking, ensure the GRN entries are made and aisles are sanitized well. Social distancing norms are to be maintained while packing with a minimum of 6 feet between each worker. Packed goods are to be left at designated spots from where assigned personnel can pick them and a hand-off to logistics will be done.

6. No-contacts returns processing: In the case of returns, the package is to be dropped off at the return pay. As a safety measure, the package is to be left at the returns dock for 24 hours and inwarded the next day. Post-pick-up, sanitization, and quality check is to be carried out and the product should be then docked on the respective rack.

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