Omnichannel Ecommerce: Brick-and-Mortar Not Required
Remote working, Zoom classes These digital opportunities are now part of our everyday existence. Humanity is more connected than ever before and is beginning to grasp the possibilities of what that means. Doing things online doesn't feel "weird." It's normal. And it's no different when it comes to retail. Enter the concept of omnichannel online shopping.
You don't need a brick-and-mortar shopfront to run a successful enterprise. If you've got a great concept for a new product or service, all you require is a strong attitude and determination, the ability to change, and an internet connection.
What is omnichannel ecommerce?
Omnichannel Ecommerce is a multi-pronged marketing plan that is focused on creating customers with a consistent experience regardless of whether the place of purchase is via mobile devices, a laptop, or even a physical shop. This experience needs to be the same across all channels including your store's online and even Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, Etsy as well as other.
There are many people who shop at one place. Also, wherever they're there, it is important to be accessible.
Although the goal of the selling is the ultimate of the line, it is also important be aware of what the buyer's journey looks like on the way to purchase. What can you do to be participant in that journey?
The Harvard Business Review reports that 73% of customers use multiple channels during their purchase journey. This means that when a person chooses to purchase something, it's likely that they've done a tremendous amount of study to make sure they've made the right decision.
Your business can't just be the provider of the product your customer is looking for, but also provide context and information?
Focus on the entire customers' experience. It's not only the moment they put something in their carts or make a purchase order. Instead, you should be thinking about how do you make your business a source of information as well as goods, products, or services? How can you accomplish it everywhere you do business online?
The more channels your customer utilizes, the better the customer is to your company with an average of 23% more returns purchases and up to 13% more mean order value.
Omnichannel eCommerce works.
What is the reason it's important for online stores to utilize channels other than their own websites?
Let's do an experiment. Have a look at your feed whenever you log on to social media. How many different brands and stores are shown to you?
There are probably too numerous to list. Modern algorithms are so sophisticated that your feed might remind you of things you didn't realize you were interested in. You may not remember when you looked up the latest skincare trends while waiting to be called at the doctor however, your feed will. It will let you know who's offering the best prices for skincare items right now.
Imagine that you are the aforementioned skincare company. Perhaps you post a link to Facebook for a blog entry detailing the best skincare products in 2023. Someone who's interested might follow the link and take a look at the blog post and proceed to the next page. However, later on, they might come across an advertisement to purchase your cream for eczema, and then click the link to purchase it from Amazon. The next time they are looking to purchase something, they visit your site directly and sign up to receive a monthly subscription.
That's three different channels customers have accessed: Facebook, your website as well as Amazon. But they all work together to create an effective omnichannel ecommerce strategy.
Is it harder to create an effective omnichannel plan when you don't have the luxury of a physical store?
There's a difference between yes and no. As we've outlined, the world lives online, so retailers aren't needed to offer customers purchasing options at a range of locations.
There are numerous advantages to a physical location - even if it does come at a fairly hefty cost and commitment.
The point is you shouldn't think that the absence of a physical store means you can't be omnichannel focused. Even if you possess a physical presence with an online store You shouldn't simply say it's a good day. There are plenty of places to meet your customers to make sure you're present on the platform that they prefer when they're ready to make purchases.
The advantages of having the benefit of having a storefront
There are a few distinct benefits to having a physical location. For example, you can connect more personally with customers through having a space that they can get to know your staff and your product.
If the store you own is located at a place that has lots of pedestrians, you can persuade people to come in and purchase something. You can physically reach people while they're already in a shopping mentality. You can demonstrate products and respond to questions right there and there.
Furthermore, there is a possibility to market your product, for example in-person events and product demonstrations. Hosting an in-person reception could be an excellent opportunity to announce a brand new product.
However, this has simply become an option of many possible avenues for people to buy. There are many advantages of having an actual location, the same way there are benefits to having presence on another marketplace. But this option comes with many disadvantages and expenses.
There are advantages to the absence of a storefront
Actually, there are a number of advantages to the absence ofhaving the luxury of a physical store. There's no expense associated with rent or utilities or any of the headaches that come with a physical space. There's no need to worry with the additional staffing and scheduling.
It is possible to narrow your search and budget down to channels that have already been proven. And, you can remain flexible, so that if anything changes and you need to adjust quickly. The physical space is expensive and you can't usually pick up and move on the fly.
We will come right back to the initial question Yes and No! Retail locations (or absence of it) can be both beneficial and challenging for your omnichannel ecommerce strategy. All it depends on is the product and customer.
Ideas for an effective Omnichannel strategy
Now that you understand why omnichannel ecommerce is important and necessary, let's take a look at the strategies that are effective. This isn't necessarily a step-by-step instruction, but more of guidelines to develop an omnichannel strategy that is the most efficient possible.
Keep your brand identity and tone consistent across every channel
Imagine a brand that is as iconic as Coca-Cola. It doesn't matter if it's a commercial with Polar bears, vending machines in an intersection, or a sign in a diner, that glimmering white and red says one thing: Coca-Cola.
Develop a brand identity and voice guide to your company, which includes items like specific colors, images, fonts, logos, and the language. As your company grows and you're faced with millions of more things to consider and plan for, your future self will appreciate it.
Carefully select selling channels
There are a variety of channels for marketing that provide diverse types of viewers. They'll require varying approaches for success, however it is important to select the ones that fit your business and give each one the attention the it deserves.
There are a variety of options you should explore, but don't be scared to turn down some that aren't suited to your brand or your target market.
Social shopping
Marketplaces
Tapping into a marketplace like Amazon can also provide the opportunity to gain access to more sources. Amazon's service called Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is able to take care of all processes that are involved in warehousing the shipment, as well as providing customers with customer support for purchases.
Search
There's a good chance you're doing a considerable amount of effort into SEO. If everything goes as planned that someone searches for something that you offer the site you sell - and only your site will be displayed in a flash.
However, in actuality, users typically conduct broad searches and navigating a variety of options looking to find the right match. Google Shopping presents searchers with the options which is easy to scan and compare.
Check that your site is mobile-friendly
Even though every person and their dog or dog has a smartphone and a plethora sites don't seem to be focusing on having mobile compatibility.
Seriously. More than 50% of internet traffic is mobile.
It's a shame to not cater for all those customers! This is a quarter of the web!
Customers expect a smooth mobile experience on their mobile. Providing this can provide a quick leap ahead of some competitors and will improve people's perception of your brand.
You'll also want to take an examination of your website across all devices such as phones, desktops and even tablets. Software such as BrowserStack will help you accomplish this digitally, without requiring that you have access to all sorts of devices.
Make sure that images aren't cut off, buttons and links can be easily clicked, navigation menus are easy to access, etc. You want the user experience to be stellar regardless of what gadget your visitors have in their pockets.
Use customer journey mapping
The customer journey map outlines the actions that a customer takes when they interact when they interact with your company or product. This begins when they start interacting with your brand - perhaps through an Instagram advert, a blog post, or an influencer until they make a purchase or decide to stop paying attention.
There are many reasons why the customer journey map is a crucial element in designing an omnichannel ecommerce strategy. It lets you:
- Get a better understanding of what, when and the way customers interact in your business
- Identify investment opportunities for different marketing points
- Know the strengths and weaknesses of the buying process.
- Offer information that will help future marketing decisions
Customer journey mapping also gives you knowledge of your audience's habits, how they're purchasing your goods and the reasons they're buying from the brand you. These details are crucial for continued growth and success within the world of online shopping and will help you determine your future strategies in omnichannel eCommerce.
Learn how to create the customer journey maps.
Offer seamless customer support across all channels
A good customer experience is an investment into the future of your business. Happy customers write great reviews, tell their friends they are happy, and also make purchases repeatedly. In addition, the positive vibe helps keep morale good. It's all part of a longer-term plan for a happy, healthy business.
However, when selling through multiple channels, it can be challenging to provide high-quality assistance to every client. It is essential to respond quickly to inquiries, messages and requests for refunds via your website, your other selling platforms from third parties as well as social media platforms, and more.
Improve the experience of checkout
People prefer certain markets or platforms as they are familiar and user-friendly. It's often because they don't need to navigate to an additional web page or an app. In other instances, it's due to the fact that the payment method they use is saved or the checkout process is simple.
A successful an omnichannel experience, it is essential to allow the payment methods customers prefer and making the payment process as simple as is possible.
It is possible to boost conversions during checkout by doing couple of items:
Organize your email marketing into a single, smart tool
Regardless of where someone purchased a product or learned about your company, as long as they're on your email list it is possible to follow up with your customers. Invite them with greeting emails, send out with discounts, and ask for reviews that can aid in generating greater sales.
MailPoet is an excellent tool for retailers. You can create and modify emails, automate offers based on past purchase history, email abandoned cart customers in order to recover lost sales and many more. In addition, as with payments, MailPoet lets you integrate everything directly into the WordPress dashboard. It's time-saving and a clever email marketing tool.
Always review and update the omnichannel strategies you have in place
What does a successful business have in the common? They're always striving on improving. Not every platform is going to be a perfect fit. Some strategies that don't work for some will be a huge boost for your business. Do not be scared of changing and try not to be obsessed with particular aspect.
On top of that, look into the data available on your platform and learn how analytics tools operate. It's a worthwhile investment for your future.
And remember, long-term growth requires patience. Don't spend too much time looking at other sellers. Sure, you should understand how others do it and then improve your own efforts. Continue to improve and revise so that you can get a lot further.
Omnichanneling without physical place
A good omnichannel ecommerce strategy requires no retail space. There's an array of other platforms you can sell on, from your store up to Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Facebook, Google Shopping and many other.
Create an unifying presence on each selling channel, connect to your clients, make sure they feel supported by your company, and do your marketing efforts and you'll be on your way to Omnichannel sales!