2. WHY E-COMMERCE IMPORTANT
In today's competitive business world, having an online presence is more important
than ever. This is particularly true if businesses wish to grow, extend their sales, and
reach customers they might not have reached before. Ecommerce sites enables
businesses of all sizes to reach their target range of customers without being physically
present.
Since the rise of the Internet in the mid to late 1990s, companies have listed their
products and services for sale online. People have caught on, and many enjoy the
benefits and ease of being able to browse for products on e-commerce marketplaces
from the comfort of their own homes. In effect, ecommerce marketing has become
more important than ever for businesses to stay afloat. In fact, businesses can lose
customers or revenue by not maintaining an online presence
5. FACTS ON WHY ONLINE SHOPPING IS
GROWING
Throughout the world online buying has grown exponentially. The money spend
online is projected to increase by about $10 billion within the next five years.
IBIS World research forecasts an 8.6% per year increase in online revenues over the
next five years.
In the U.S., Forrester Research shows that $257.7 billion online sales are expected by
2014. A compounded growth of 10% is forecast for the next five years.
In Western Europe sales are expected to reach 14 billion euros ($155.7 billion), a
growth of 11% percent annually.
Apparel, computers and consumer electronics will continue to be dominant
purchases; these three areas make up 40% of the current online sales which won't
change in the near future.
On average, retailers that have both a physical (store) and online presence have
reported an average of 23% growth. Online only retailers (including catalogue sales)
however have seen only 9% yearly growth. Online shoppers are beginning to think
that the best deals are available online (71%) and that they get better prices there
(66%).
6. SIMPLE STRATEGY FOR GETTING THE CUSTOMER
TO YOUR PRODUCTS
BROWSE
SHOP
BUY
PURCHASE FUNNEL
Promote Online Presence.
Create Customer
Confidence.
Enhance Product Visibility.
Keep Registration Short &
Optional.
Rationalize Checkout
Process.
ECOMMERCE BUYING EXPERIENCE
7. Ecommerce is often considered completely separately from offline retail due to the
logistics of both channels. However, if you have worked in the offline retail world as I
have, you will know that many selling strategies that work offline to increase sales
and increase average transaction values can work online
LINE OF SIGHT MERCHANDISING TECHNIQUES
GIFT MARKETING.
CHANGE YOUR ‘YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE’ PRODUCTS.
DONT FORGET ABOUT ADVERTISING AT
ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE PAGE.
8. LINE OF SIGHT MERCHANDISING
TECHNIQUES
In many offline retail stores, the layout of the shop floor is governed by the line of
sight from the entrance of the store. Line of sight is the natural or common focus
points for a consumers eye to be drawn to as they enter a shop. It is within these focal
points that stores will place their top selling and highest turnover categories for the
season to help increase sales on these items.
This line of sight merchandising theory can achieved online using a number of simple
options:
Promote top selling categories using banners or carousels on entry pages .
Change your navigation structure to ensure that most popular categories feature
prominently on top level navigation automatically by monitoring top selling
categories and changing the navigation to reflect this.
9. GIFT MARKETING
In offline retail we have known for years that people tend to shop with budgets in
mind, particularly when shopping for kids in an effort to ensure that everyone is equal.
Think about the gifts sections in apparels which begin to pop up dripping with gifts
and stocking fillers.
With this in mind, consider introducing not only a Gifting Category, This will ensure
that the e-commerce shoppers who are on a mission to get in, get gifts and get out
very quickly with fixed mindset of purchase on a particular product on there preferred
ecommerce store on targeted category during the festive season.
10. CHANGE YOUR ‘YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE’
PRODUCTS
Most good ecommerce site platforms provide site owners with the option of
including related or recommended products along the side or on the bottom of
product pages users are viewing.
This is loosely based on an offline merchandising technique that is often used to
increase average transaction values (ATV). In offline retail you will often notice that
matching accessories or complementary items are placed.
This technique increases in importance. To maximise on opportunities here, ensure
that you review your “you might also like” options across your site. For example if
you sell a Laptop ensure that some of your recommended products on that page
are Laptop Accessories or Hard Drives. Or if you don’t have a match to complete
the look, think about pushing your stocking filler type gifts for your Ecommerce
shoppers.
12. DONT FORGET ABOUT ADVERTISING AT
ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE PAGE
Ideal way to promote sales at the check out If your website provides a quick view/
quick add to cart option, placing the list of product which may also interest you can be
listed on the check out page similar to the products or a product which can also be
needful with that products may interest the customer to buy and additional set of
products from the ecommerce stores and this options at checkout review could help
you increase your ATV (Average Trading Value)
Tescos are achieving the ‘last minute purchase’ at checkout both offline and online
( Example in the next slide)
14. FUTURE OF ONLINE SHOPPING
IN-STORE PICKUP.
PICKUP DEPOTS.
MOBILE APPS.
LESS FLASH MORE FUNCTIONS.
VIDEOS.
SOCIAL NETWORKING.
DAILY DEALS & FLASH SALES.
DEAL AGGREGATORS.
RETAIL BASED SOCIAL NETWORKS..
15. E-COMMERCE WEBSITE BEST PRACTICES
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
HAVE QUALITY PICTURES OF YOUR PRODUCTS.
USE MORE THAN ONE IMAGE FOR EACH PRODUCT.
GIVE DETAILS ABOUT THE PRODUCT.
MAKE YOUR ADD TO CART PAGE LOOK GOOD.
HAVE A NEWSLETTER.
MAKE YOUR URLS SEARCH-ENGINE FRIENDLY.
INCLUDE POPULAR SEARCHES URLS IN YOUR GOOGLE SITEMAP.
HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF PAYMENT OPTIONS.
LET THE USERS COMPARE PRODUCTS.
HAVE A SIMPLE SHIPPING FORM.
OFFER SHIPMENT TRACKING.
GIVE THE USER SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.