What You Need to Know
The intersection of advertising and social media evolved quickly, as major platforms found a need to monetize. Ad revenues are the preferred avenue to user subscription models, which are notoriously unreliable. Though a creeping presence of commercial advertisements on Facebook once was an issue, Zuckerberg’s company managed to ward off a mass exodus several times; now his users are now accustomed to ads appearing in their feeds. But not so for San Francisco-based Twitter, Facebook’s closest rival, which is now in everyone’s crosshairs. A recent change of ownership has elevated the Twitter platform to a revenue-generating situation that may mirror what occurred when daily print newspapers went the way of the dinosaur, and it’s raising questions about the fitness of advertising there. And it’s driven mostly by politics. Unlike the simple fiscal elements that led to a decline in print media readership, Twitter is suffering from an ideological free-fall, leading top industry leaders who advise corporations to say stay away for the time being. IPG, one of the biggest worldwide ad companies, issued an official recommendation to pause ad buys with Twitter in light of new owner Elon Musk and the uncertainty surrounding not just moderation policies, but a brewing fiscal crisis after his purchase left him owing a great deal of money to lenders. Musk dropped fully one-half of his workforce, leaving grave concerns about its ability to stay abreast of technology and to expand as needed. Will it work? Musk attempts to rein in fears by assuring advertisers they will be “safe” on his platform, but that appears to be insufficient. Twitter’s moderation policies have long been a source of contention – and with a change in ownership, they appear headed toward a veritable reversal, leading to an anticipated spike in hate speech from both high-profile users and everyday users. Corporate giants are loathe to associate with a toxic environment, which is why many either bolt or slowly sneak away from sponsorships and ad placements. General Mills and Audi are among the latest to jump ship. They are just the tip of the iceberg. High-profile celebrities and athletes are following en masse. Given the inherent fiscal struggles Musk will face, compounded by fleeing advertisers and an uncertain central corporate model, it may be best to shift gears until the quagmire sorts out. Online guru space G2 has a list of other ways to advertise on platforms besides Twitter, with a generous reach. Keep in mind that small e-commerce merchants may not have the luxury of picking and choosing ad destinations based on whether or not they are en vogue or conflict-free. If the price is right, and your product appeals to users, you should feel free to try your luck on any social media platform. But it’s always useful to understand the general trend of where the internet and ideology cross paths, and commit yourself to following these patterns closely. Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash
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The Art and Science of Color Choices in Home Design
Realtors are accustomed to prospective home buyers who bristle at an otherwise perfect property with wall colors that turn them off, and it’s a constant source of amusement for those of us who watch home buying shows. Color indeed reflects the personality and design strategy of interior décor, and thankfully, it’s a snap to change when it comes to walls. To make a home eminently livable, pay attention to tips from the experts and decide which shades are most suitable and productive for which types of living. It’s a fun pursuit for design gurus and a fabulous way to narrow down paint selection pursuits, and it may just add everyday living from peaceful relaxation to energetic productivity. Here are some ideas for customizing via color:
Any questions on sourcing the full range of spectacular shades? Hit the mothership of all things colorful: Pantone. They will blow your mind with an endless array of blended tones and the nuanced science of color. Photo by Andrew Ridley on Unsplash
One way to get ahead of the game is to encourage your customers to shop early. Nothing beats a long window of opportunity when it comes to shipping. Campaigns, incentives, and bonuses will light the fire under the feet of gift-givers eager to put shopping behind them and to ensure their selections arrive at least on time, if not early. Obviously pricing incentives offer enticing opportunities. Discounts, two-for-ones, reduced shipping costs, and any of the traditional ways to ease pain in the wallet are a great place to start. Using the “Black Friday” tradition – which has morphed into a multi-week or even multi-month strategy – is one way to pull in customers. Processing early orders with a clearly defined shipping date range into the future instills confidence. The upside of 2022 is its distance from the pandemic-plagued 2020 and 2021. The downside? Pricing. Expect higher shipping rates from virtually every service, for a variety of reasons including an increase in the price of fuel. Earlier this year, FedEx bumped up package and freight rates by a whopping 5.9 percent on average. Are you the type of e-commerce retailer who can use gig drivers? If so, consider contacting Uber or Lyft and ask about competitive pricing. Especially great for last-minute or later purchases, they offer customized delivery without the red tape of larger shipping companies and, especially, the Post Office. It’s important to begin this partnership as soon as possible to reserve services as well as calculate a cost-savings assessment. Conventional mail through USPS and/or FedEx and UPS are probably a default shipping method, but for purchases that may be more suitable for these up-and-coming services. Note that the ecommerce giant Amazon increasingly relies on private carriers, with great success. Need a few reminders and ideas for a hassle-free season? Listen up:
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
S&P Global predicted that 2022 ecommerce trends would steer toward a more comprehensive digital outreach. So far, the predictions are mostly true. Let’s take a look at some of the many ecommerce trends in furniture that have succeeded in the past year. 1. 3D and AR Product VisualizationWithout stepping foot in a brick and more store, consumers needed a better way to view furniture and home decor. Images of a sofa from multiple angles demonstrate the overall style, but it only goes so far. Consumers need help to visualize furniture – especially larger pieces – in their personal space to capture how it works in an interior setting. It offers a more accurate representation, which gives consumers more confidence to make an online order. Luckily, one of the growing ecommerce trends in furniture retail is 3D and AR (augmented reality) visualization. This helpful visualization also does double-duty with product customization and tailored preferences. Seeing a furniture piece at its correct dimensions to scale within a space and in a preferred fabric or finish is a lot more useful than even visiting a showroom. You can experience it instantly and it makes shopping online a lot more fun! According to some statistics, 61% or consumers prefer to shop at ecommerce furniture stores that offer AR, and 40% are willing to pay a bit more for the convenience. 2. Site Search OptimizationHaving a well-optimized website is something all businesses need to draw in customers. At Cennos, we offer search engine optimization that includes alluring romance copy and long-tail keywords for all your decor and furniture products – and that’s a great start! However, additional site search-related optimization with the help of AI can help customers find precisely what they’re hunting. Automated spelling corrections and autosuggestions can assist buyers discover the right words and descriptions they may not even realize they need to hone in on the perfect piece of furniture or decor. This is why site search bars and site organization is just as important in making online sales. 3. SMS MarketingText messaging offers customers a more personable and direct notification of furniture sales and other updates. Instead of them glazing over the countless ads, customers can sign up for direct SMS to be notified of last-minute flash sales and when their order has shipped or has even arrived at their door. The best part is that this ecommerce trend has been proven to work better than other social media channels and other marketing tactics. With lots of advantages, SMS might be here to stay. Customers provide their direct consent, opting in and out with the push of a button, making it much more straightforward for furniture suppliers and brands to avoid regulations that are often tricky to navigate and stay on top of. 4. Easier Payment OptionsAnother trend in ecommerce is making payments easier. From seamless checkouts to a “Buy now, Pay Later” system, consumers will hit that purchase button when it's more convenient. Seamless checkouts ensure a clean and fluid experience, keeping buyers on a path to purchase, instead of hitting hiccups or getting distracted. Cart abandonment is often the result of a disorganized or unaccommodating checkout experience. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) options also offer customers a way to finance furniture over time, even interest-free. Dividing payments over several weeks or months gives customers more flexibility, making their purchases more appealing and easier to manage financially. Allowing them to get approved for a BNPL program at checkout is just one way to make ecommerce payments easier. 5. Recommerce and Sustainable OptionsWith the increase in online sales comes the increase in returns. Even with 3D and AR visualization, once an item arrives, some customers simply want something else or have a change in heart. So what happens to large returned furniture pieces? That’s the eco-conscious question on many customers' minds as they consider before purchasing these types of items. Offsetting or reducing the carbon footprint of your business and offering a more eco-friendly process overall is a first step to reducing waste. And being transparent goes a long way to create loyal sustainably-focused customers. However, one of the newer growing ecommerce trends in furniture is to also resell used or previously owned furniture. Offering recommerce, or reverse commerce, means that consumers will be more willing to purchase a larger furniture item and feel guilt-free if it doesn't work out in their home. A recommerce solution is essentially a promise to customers that you won’t send their returned item to a landfill. Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
As a small- to mid-sized merchant, you might want to tap into the increasing number of alternative financing options available to entice purchases, also called “afterpay” services. Each has a slightly different interface and set of options, but all are predicated on the ability to soften the blow of large (and even modest) consumer purchases. Fixed transaction fees represent the revenue stream for these entities. To that end, it’s not altogether different from a bank installment loan. Collecting is key, but experts say the dollar amount of these purchases is unlikely to cause customer defaults. Klarna is a high-profile consumer payment portal allowing for payment-splitting, and there are others – with still others springing onto the scene. Here’s how it works: Your customer sees a product on your site they can’t live without, but has no ability to front the cash or use a credit card. The afterpay model steps in as a third party, allowing participating merchants to process payments through them as the customer provides billing information not to you, but to them. Any guilt over adding to the spiraling debt crisis may be relieved to know that the most common option for consumers is to divide their payments over four months only, avoiding the seemingly endless cycle of drowning in interest over a period of years. Like a mortgage, but in micro mode Klarna and its doppelgangers facilitate semi-major purchases such as computers, cameras, and even riding lawnmowers. But they also devise payment plans for tennis shoes, cosmetics, and less expensive home goods. This makes for an attractive option as customers face a real need to acquire something; to buy a graduation gift, cover a window, or acquire a printer. There is nothing new or radical about this model. Back when there were only a handful of TV channels available, home shopping networks were in full swing. In-house financing (underwritten between the merchant and its bank) greatly limited defaults. Revenues for after-pay services can be substantial as long as customers behave and do not overspend or close accounts. And payments are not usually monthly, but rather take place every two weeks. In some cases, the merchandise is not delivered until the first (second) payment is made. (In other words, at the time a customer enters into a payment arrangement, the first installment is due immediately.) Among companies offering these tempting third-party payment services are Affirm, Sezzle, SplitIt, Zip, and GoCardless. Even cash-flush mainstream players such as Amazon and PayPal are seizing the opportunity for proprietary plans that eliminate third parties. Check out the various options and chat with their reps to see if offering an after-payment service will escalate your business. Depending on your volume, you may discover it’s an affordable way to greatly expand sales. They include: Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash
,Amazon is accused of artificially high price-setting, which is no small problem – for them, and for vendors.
Tempting as it seems, having products show up in a quick search on Amazon’s site appears as an unbelievable opportunity. With exposure as an ever-growing challenge, sales platforms such as Amazon have catered to online merchants and offered a venue with unprecedented visibility. Selling on Amazon seems like a dream come true, until the dark side of the Seattle-based behemoth emerges. Now here’s that dark side. Amazon controls your pricing. Yes, that’s correct. If you want to change what you charge for your products, Amazon can punish you by reducing exposure through search functions. Worse, they can compel sellers to raise pricing on identical products if they also sell on competing sites such as Walmart. An antitrust analyst has made a compelling case for federal review, and the Federal Trade Commission is paying attention. They have signaled an interest in investigation. The State of Washington already obtained a legal victory that partially prohibits the non-competitive feature, but the platform is finding ways around that. It disposed of the “Sold by Amazon” program name, but in name only will not end other variations of the practice. Amazon paid a $2.25 million fine in January 2022, but in relative terms, that is a pittance. California has also zeroed in on Amazon for its monopolistic policies, filing a federal antitrust suit in September 2022 challenging merchant agreements. The company has not publicly responded to California’s lawsuit, and it will be interesting to see if this one puts teeth into the Washington action. The problem unfolds in a way that sellers have virtually no control. Obviously, it’s a boon to have access to the expansive reach of the largest e-commerce site in the world. But if the offset is to be locked into pricing policies or face relative invisibility, you have lost the benefits of using Amazon. The Catch-22 is a persistent issue facing both smaller and mid-sized retailers who are struggling to find market share. Surely there is a way to find middle ground. Will high-profile platforms ease up on small sellers and institute a more fair way to accommodate them? Stay tuned. And look for independent marketing strategies in the meantime. the Two-Way Street of Influencer MarketingA continuous stream of developments makes running an e-commerce business more and more palatable, with opportunities for fine-tuning, diving into a niche, and expanding your reach in the galaxy of online sales. One of the newest arrives courtesy of Shopify, a premier, multi-faceted platform designed to cater to mid- and low-volume sellers whose dreams are much bigger. Shopify offers integration through a subscription-based app, delivering a grand suite of tools to design a website, process payments, track inventory, and source products, among other offerings. Along comes a nouveau offshoot called “Shopify Collabs,” and its name somewhat gives away its purpose. The ability for smaller online merchants to expand their reach by collaborating and building connections that once took several years to achieve is intriguing, and in the influencer era, it’s even more promising. Collabs connects creators with merchants and tosses in a new way to make money for both. From the creator’s perspective, this real-time matching adds a head start with far less effort required. They may peruse brands and choose those that look appealing, ultimately striking up a promotions partnership by playing up products on social media sites. A proprietary Shopify tool records sales generated by creators, who then receive a pre-negotiated incentive reward. The inherent benefits fall equally to both parties, as creators beef up their existing influencer statuses with a streamlined way to profit, and sellers gain a new method of essentially free, targeted marketing and advertising. Shopify emphasizes the gem of passive discovery, meaning there is no effort required on the part of sellers. Creators/influencers drive their own search for products to pitch by using plug-ins to zero in on a worthy choice that fits their brand. It’s a time-saver for them, and an energized source of fuel for vendors whose focus is mainly on the daily business of selling. Rather than hit-and-miss attempts to attract attention from someone who will introduce your store and products to large swaths of potential customers, Collabs allows those who are most likely to sing your praises to reach out first and initiate an agreement. Building a relationship with as much closeness as both parties desire, it could generate a surprising revenue jump. Here are other functions and perks associated with using Shopify’s Collabs:
Shopify Collabs is not yet fully in gear, but most features are up and running, so hop on and begin testing a new version of a growing trend in selling products on the vast online market. Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
Whether enjoying a lazy day at home or finding another adventure, we wish you all a wonderful, refreshing Labor Day and hope you'll take a moment to appreciate the hard work of Americans past and present. Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash
Part 2: The Disadvantages and Limitations of Shopify |
Wondering why Shopify might not be right for your online store? In the first part of this series, The Advantages of Using Shopify, we covered the pluses. Now, let’s talk more about the minuses. Shopify is not without its disadvantages and even limitations. You may find that there’s a better solution out there for your business. Let’s get started. |
Shopify takes a cut.
Yep, that’s right. Shopify works off commission. Except, you’re the one setting up the online store and advertising the products. When you spend countless hours promoting and creating an online business, you would hope to pay a one-and-done monthly payment for Shopify to help with the transactional services. But that’s not the case.
Shopify charges a credit card rate, which varies depending on the monthly plan you choose. If you choose Shopify, be sure to account for those commission cuts into your overall business overhead expenses.
Shopify’s help desk becomes less helpful.
As a new customer of Shopify, you might be met with quality support. They want to help you get your business up and running (so they reap commission and continue to see your monthly payment plan).
However, after some time, you’ll be met with less premium support. While they can’t help guide you through it all, it can be frustrating. Have a payment or app glitch? It’s blamed on “app incompatibility.” And instead of support staff helping you through the problem, they might direct you toward self-help articles. So just be aware: They will not hand-hold you through the entire process.
Shopify charges a transaction fee for 3rd-party payment gateways.
You need an encrypted payment gateway service, which Paypal offers freely with Shopify Payments. However, should you choose to go with a third-party payment provider such as PayPal, you will be charged additional transaction fees. These can range from 0.5% to 2%, depending on the Shopify plan you choose.
Shopify analytics cost extra.
Professional reporting and analytics will cost you extra. So if you want to know anything about your buyers, you will need to invest in a more expensive plan like the Shopify or Advanced plan. For any focused businesses, this is a crucial part of marketing. The Basic plan offers basic simple details, so acquiring the professional report is a must. And that means you will need to upgrade your plan.
Shopify lacks multi-level product categories.
When creating an online shop, it must be easy for shoppers to find products. And keeping a well-organized collection of goods is one of the best ways to do so. When building a shop, it’s wise to add the product type, vendor and other tags within WordPress so items come up in a search result.
However, when you’re unsure what kind of decor or product you’re searching for, Shopify doesn’t offer an easy-to-follow map or other deep hierarchies within its system. Grouping items into collections and displaying them as categories is the best organization you get.
For example, this means you can’t do something as simple as organize specific furniture types like so:
Seating > Dining Chairs > Counter Height Stools
Instead, you’re limited to:
Seating > Dining Chairs
Shopify limits items to 3 variations.
One downside to Shopify is that you are limited as to how many product variations you can offer. For example, if you have a sofa that comes in more than three fabric choice options, you might have to get creative or invest and install an extra app to achieve this.
Shopify has an expensive full point of sale option.
If your business needs a POS system, it’s going to cost you. While many businesses can get away with solely an online shop, many brick and mortar stores and small retailers use tablets, credit card readers, and more mobile charging devices when making sales.
For a full point-of-sale system, you will need to invest in the Shopify POS Pro and all the hardware that goes along with it.
When Shopify is the Wrong ChoiceShopify isn’t always the best choice to create the optimal online shopping experience. Nor is it the best choice for your business.
Here are a few reasons why you should skip Shopify:
Your site needs more customization and design.
Shopify themes are well-designed but might require lots of expensive app integrations and additional tools to get it exactly how you want. If this sounds like you, you might want to check out another platform like WordPress and hire a developer to get it just right.
A hosted platform locks you in.
Shopify is a hosted platform, which makes it easy to have everything all in one place. But should you ever decide to move your products to another hosted platform, carrying over the storefront design, copy and product descriptions, and more will take serious effort. You pretty much are back to square one, recreating a store from the ground up.
We hope this two-part guide helps you decide if Shopify is right for you. If not, check out some of these Shopify alternatives.
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