The surprising benefits of ecommerce contestsIf you’ve been in business for any length of time, you’ll agree that going above and beyond to find sales strategies is a standard operating procedure. Pouring your heart and soul (and dollars) into marketing should naturally include gratuities, which – if done right – can be an impressively effective tool for customer acquisition and retention. Straight, uncomplicated advertising is the mainstay of gaining recognition for an online store competing with millions of others. Though it’s a necessary expense, it may fall flat in results. Smart merchants sweeten the pot with giveaways aimed at both existing and potential buyers, and most are discovering the increasingly positive net gain they bring.
A strong marketing campaign consists of multiple parts, not the least of which is a social media presence. More and more merchants solicit contact information via email addresses, but when only a nominal product discount is offered, weary consumers may shy away. The trick is to boost up your efforts with a legitimately free product. Few enticements are more intriguing than a no-cost way to try something they’re already interested in. Engage with just the right approach, and you may wonder why you hadn’t thought of this in the first place. How does it work? Giveaway campaigns take many forms, some less of a sacrifice for you, the merchant. If your sales are strong and your brand is familiar, a straight giveaway without the contest angle is your best shot. Pitched correctly, your existing fans will be thrilled – thrilled enough to share the good news, hooking new customers and establishing a reputation of being an out-of-the-box vendor. If straight gifting is a bridge too far, the random drawing strategy is also a winner. Whether requiring a purchase to enter or merely setting up a campaign, the model looks something like this: Your web site, your social media posts, and your outreach emails make a big splash with an obvious notification advertising the freebie contest. When consumers know they have an opportunity to win a prize without making a purchase, they become interested. Experts advise you collect their contact e-mail with a promise to not make future contacts there, or (especially) not to sell or trade the address. Here is how a beauty products seller waged a wildly successful giveaway campaign. Melted Soapery jumped onto Instagram to wave free full-sized products as a tempting contest prize. Intrigued customers faced non-committal requirements including following the company on social media; sharing the post on their own accounts; tagging a friend (a trusted endorsement is often successful), or multiple friends, since each tag counts as one contest entry. Within a few days, one winner is announced. Should you choose this model over an occasional bonus gift with a purchase by regular customers, be sure to embrace the industry-standard requirements of high-quality graphics of the exact product(s) with well-written content about the gifts and the offer itself. Visual impact and captivating text are key when it comes to an online campaign, and whether an individual decides to enter your contest, you have passively gained informed future customers. Want ideas on the various way online sellers have hit a home run with giveaways? RafflePress is happy to share.
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Exploring consumer demand for quick delivery Instant gratification is not exactly a new phenomenon. Impulse shopping is a mainstay among consumers, and it accounts for a decent percentage of all buying in brick-and-mortar stores. The challenge for retailers is to never minimize its impact, whether you sell from a physical location accessible to customers, or operate exclusively online, joining hundreds of thousands of e-commerce merchants. Supply chain issues reared their ugly heads following the start of the global Covid-19 pandemic, but they did not resolve themselves quickly. In fact. Four years after the initial business and personal trauma related to shutdowns and global disruptions, there are still elements needing ironing out. Brick-and-mortar stores are not receiving timely deliveries, due in part to inventory shortages and to backlogs and glitches at international ports. For e-commerce sellers, this is a double whammy. Acquiring inventory takes longer, even if your delivery to consumers is handled by a third party or shipped direct from distributors. And if you manage your own shipping duties, you’ve noticed the dramatic increase in costs spread among all entities (USPS, UPS, FedEx, and more). At the same time, shipping services continue to stretch out delivery dates. It’s a genuine problem. Your business model is based on the rapid turnaround time consumers expect. So what do you do? Analysts have a few pieces of advice, though no quick fixes. Consider these options:
Finally, the emergence of AS (Anticipatory Shipping) has been a lifesaver for mid- to higher-volume merchants taking advantage of tools that evaluate and project consumer purchases. These will streamline choices of delivery agents. techDetector explains this masterfully. Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
To browse seamlessly, with all the info they need to make an informed purchase decision at their fingertips. From product description and specifications to price and shipping terms, everything should be easy to find and understand. And it needs to look nice – professional, seamless – we keep going back to that word for a reason – and both easy to navigate and trustworthy. So what are some solutions you can implement now? There are a number that will depend on your business and good direct and indirect research is necessary on that front. (Think post-sale surveys, social media engagement, and consultation with your customer service team.) Beyond that, here are a few places you can make immediate improvements to customer experience:
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
2024 Color of the Year Makes Waves |
The numbers 13-1023 may not mean much to you, but to Pantone® – the aficionado of all things color – it’s a designation paying tribute to their annual Color of the Year. Pantone® is a go-to source for pure, legitimate color in the eyes of interior designers, graphic designers, and anyone in search of pigment for projects and palettes. “Peach Fuzz” connotes a bevy of heart-warming sentiments, and now it’s a springboard for how to weave in a blush of sensual color to interior décor. In keeping with its eagle-eye ability to spot the best, Pantone® recognizes the power of peach, with an even more earthy embellishment. Reminiscent of a tropical cocktail, “Peach Fuzz” already enjoys an extra-dimensional appeal. The objective this year is to internalize and customize it for aesthetical ends. |
One of the first qualities following this hue’s name is obvious. Pantone® asks us to immerse ourselves in the living extravagance of texture, feeling for what is sensory while still soaking up the solace of a beautiful tone. With warmth; with harmony. A natural shade with lush color infuses mood changes in art, rugs, lamps, and furnishings.
Beyond that, “Peach Fuzz” provides inspiration for stepping out of the box and welcoming the pastel-ish hue on walls and even floors. Suitable for a host of style motifs. Texture helps, whether it’s subtle, gritty, fluffy, or flamboyant. And blending to create a mish-mash of hues, or accent the warmth of “Peach Fuzz” with stark bold shades -- or earthy, rich tones -- yields a surprising dominance in the color that represents one of our all-time favorite fruits.
The passion of peach rekindles nostalgic charm of yesteryear as an iconic retro shade. “Peach Fuzz” is as much about the heavenly texture as it is about the softened rich tone. It expounds on a retro flavor with contemporary texture, hue, and ethereal warmth. Pantone® invites you to make it your own.
Take a bite.
The decades-old platform known mostly for music and video content has figured out there are dollars to be made by leveraging their assets and inviting sellers to show off their wares. YouTube Vice President for Shopping (yes, there is such a title) put it succinctly: “YouTube has an enormous shopping opportunity.”
He may be right, and you may be interested. The trendy site once catering to a younger set was acquired by Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google, in 2006, and since then has explored opportunities for maximizing its reach. At one time YouTube’s sole source of revenues came from advertisements, but that is no longer the case. Offering subscription services, live television content, and much more, YouTube is gaming the system. Now they’re targeting commerce. The Covid-19 pandemic left no corner untouched, and it certainly drove YouTube to consider entering the shopping scene.
YouTube is focused on dipping its toe into the water of being a full-fledged shopping platform, connecting with merchants and even delivery systems. YouTube channels already represent a nicely partitioned set of subsets, making the foray much easier. Relying on Google’s commerce system, they are ahead of the game.
Another no-brainer for this expansion? Google’s existing online retail presence. Newly partnered with big players such as Shopify and Square, YouTube’s parent company has created a path for success. And because YouTube regulars with massive channels are already entering into commercial agreements, the conversion could be seamless.
Shoppers who become interested in products pitched over YouTube have been moving to physical stores to purchase, which may quickly become a thing of the past once this newfangled approach gets up and running.
Look for social media rivals such as Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat to explore ways to join in this new video-driven commerce scene. Competition is almost always a positive, so soon you may find yourself with new marketing opportunities you’d never anticipated.
Today’s consumers are savvy about eco-friendliness, and often they will expect it from those with whom they do business. That includes ecommerce entities, and the ways you can make that happen may surprise you.
Just as coal-based fuels, water, and quality soils are not infinite, the availability of digital resources are limited; they take a toll on bandwidth, compromise delivery speed, and overall are a commodity to conserve. If your customers—especially the younger set—reflect a general trend, they will be most comfortable patronizing green-centric companies. They want to know that your desire to fill their needs may also translate to saving their future.
How do you make that happen? There are a number of ways.
- Optimize. Go green by incorporating digital efficiency into your visual content. Faster page speeds result from compressed images uploaded at correct scale values; modern format fonts consume far less digital energy than uncompressed typefaces.
- Hosting. Use a data center that runs on renewable energy. Providers will, or should, be willing to disclose that information. It makes a difference.
- Speed up transactions. Paring down the steps customers take to complete a purchase is a fabulous way to observe eco-friendly ecommerce practices. Not only will you avoid annoying good clients, but you will cut down significantly on bandwidth.
- Smaller is better. Uploading large, grand, colorful images is tempting. We know that. But reconsider, as they are slower to load, they hog bandwidth, and they present an unnatural rhythm for consumers hoping to speed along through sales. Think minimalism when it comes to digital content of any sort.
- Code Read. Cleaning up the coding on your business website is a must. Whether you administer it yourself or have a web guru do it for you, make sure you use only what you need. Replicated coding and content and superfluous plug-ins sound fun to use, but they muddy the waters and become first-rate energy sucks.
The cultural and environmental movement toward clean energy and conversation is underway, with average citizens embracing its benefits. If you can demonstrate a commitment to doing your part, you will become more attractive to an important class of consumers.
Amazon.com faces a landmark anti-trust lawsuit that could alter the landscape of Internet commerce If you take advantage of the massive power Amazon.com offers to ecommerce merchants, take note. This blockbuster news may or may not impact you. Regardless, you should pay attention to the twists and turns of a civil anti-trust claim filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Amazon, alleging monopolistic practices. |
Amazon.com is light years from its humble roots as an online bookseller. Founded nearly 30 years ago by Seattle’s Jeff Bezos, it garnered negative press along with disapproval from fans of brick-and-mortar book stores alike. In what turned out to be a fait accompli, Amazon essentially led the charge of a burgeoning presence of ecommerce vendors weaving their way into the new normal for shopping in the 21st century.
Only Amazon went much farther. Discovering the power of Internet commerce, the company grew in unfathomable scope and began selling a wide variety of products. Fast forward to 2023, when there are few items consumers can’t locate on Amazon, thanks to a complex strategy that has increasingly involved third-party sellers.
Bezos goes Prime Time
Billionaire Jeff Bezos is mostly mum on the government’s lawsuit. After success with the Amazon platform, he’s branched out (bought the Washington Post newspaper) and is a mere figurehead of the Seattle ecommerce entity.
Once the iconic Amazon Prime program launched, a star was born, and the ability for sellers to get goods faster (even same-day delivery in some markets) and to take advantage of other benefits (digital content, streaming, music, and discounts at the other Amazon-owned ingenue, Whole Foods). Prime has spurred its own headaches, but that’s another story. A lucrative contract with the US Postal Service and UPS haven’t kept up with demand, and now Amazon uses contracted delivery drivers to pick up the slack. The result is mixed; delivery reliability is suffering in many cases, and some customers cite a reduction in product quality and difficult return policies from third-party sellers.
In what the FTC and states are characterizing as a “self-reinforcing cycle of dominance and harm,” the business model of Amazon does raise eyebrows. It’s no secret that the big players tend to apply pressure to stay on top, Amazon is accused of luring both sellers and buyers to its kingdom with underhanded and monopolistic techniques. Once sellers hop aboard the Amazon train to tap into a vast universe of eager buyers, the governments allege, it locks in contractual stipulations that set and raise fees, even punishing sellers who offer their inventory in other venues for a lower price.
The Pushback
Again, Amazon vehemently defends itself against these claims. It believes it serves both consumers and merchants by allowing them to tap into a massive marketplace where nearly limitless goods are available for mostly free shipping and quick delivery, and ecommerce sellers enjoy an audience reach it could only dream of in the past.
As Amazon suggests that regulators seem to misunderstand the nature of retailing, plaintiffs stand strong, citing negative impacts on other giants such as Walmart, Target, and the iconic Internet star, eBay.
Yet to be determined is whether the FTC and states envision a breakup of Amazon, separating its currently bundled functions to relieve the monopolistic impact they believe is continuing to the detriment of practically everyone. The lawsuit sits in a Seattle Federal courthouse, awaiting the arduous trail of motions and responses – or perhaps a settlement. Stay tuned.
Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash |
Without a doubt, online sellers have heard and read about tips and tricks they would love to implement, if only. The “if only” often means having resources, time, and access. Totally understandable; doing business on the Internet brings challenges unanticipated by most. Enter AI, or Artificial Intelligence – a term you’ve likely heard repeatedly. There are misconceptions with respect to its applications. No, it is not all about robotic text creation. AI can be an amazing tool for aiding your business operations. More than half of all ecommerce entities use some form of AI to date, and that number will grow exponentially once the benefits are understood. |
Do you want to increase sales? Are you aiming toward better understanding your customer base? Of course you are. So take some time to explore the possibilities afforded by Artificial Intelligence.
For online merchants, AI is particular useful in the following ways:
- Inventory Management
The ability to predict future demand for your product mix, help with re-stocking items likely to sell, and avoid the dreaded “stockouts,” or inability to fill orders in time. - Merchandising
The stellar proficiency and accuracy of AI can empower configuration of images, for example, as vendors choose diversity in gender, race, image backgrounds, and anything that personalizes and improves your image presentation. - Data Collection
Acquiring analytic tools is more seamless and accurate with AI, allowing merchants to drill down to specifics about customers’ habits in browsing, buying, and even returning merchandise. Personalized inquiries enable customers to answer simple questions and locate the ideal product. - Customer Service
Efficiencies with communication save an enormous amount of time through Chatbots, which have become preferable than phone support. Key factors include response time, limitations, and NLP (Natural Language Processing) to ensure clear communications.
As time goes on, the full range of possibilities AI presents will avail themselves to those who are interested. Choosing to transact business online proves you’re already amenable to all of the options digital innovation has to offer. Harnessing those that best fit your business is as easy as a web search and a bit of time to better understand how AI will fit your commerce model. For more information on AI and its reach into ecommerce, hit up this tutorial from Hostinger.
Time to put away the hot weather gear and come to terms with the beginning of Fall. With this seasonal transition comes a realization that holiday shopping, which begins earlier every year, is sneaking up on your ecommerce store. Have you given it any thought? We come prepared with ideas on how to maximize the commerce-heavy autumn months and use the increasing habit of online shopping to your benefit. Much of it doesn’t involve pressuring for sales; merely planting ideas into customers’ heads will give you a foot forward if you manage to brand and personalize. Let’s face it, some well-meaning givers need help. With a litany of gift options, the desire to be unique and heartfelt remains strong. Try it with an organized method of categorizing your inventory, and maybe even introducing a new line if you’re so inclined. |
- Creature comforts. An example? How about animal-oriented gear? Experts continue to stress the exploding commercial trend of not only buying for pets, but for pet lovers. Customize an entire collection of fabulous choices for four-leggeds and their people. If apparel is your thing, look for ways to add animal themes. Jewelry? Just as good. Home goods have become a hot category for personalizing with animal themes. Consider license plate frames, cell phone cases, shopping bags. Anything people buy for daily use, for décor purposes, or to wear on occasion is a great target for capturing the all-too-popular love affair people have with their pets.
- Themed adventures. Is your e-store geared toward recreational or sporting-related pursuits? Think about subtly transitioning into the holidays by customizing images with Christmas or Hanukkah themes. Present a backpack as a gift opening scene. Add Santa to a bike-riding video or photo. Or illustrate a pre- or post-holiday trek with your merchandise involved. Travel increasingly is a gift for those anxious to escape dreary winter days.
- Joint E-Retailing. This concept is new only to ecommerce and has enjoyed huge success among like-minded merchants understanding that it’s better to join them than lose to them. Find another ecommerce merchant whose product mix is complementary to yours, and create a team campaign to plug a comprehensive gift-giving experience, adding incentive with an incentive for buying from both (or all) of you.
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