Stephan Millies, Principal Product Manager of eCommerce, WP Engine will discuss recent market shifts, which segments are thriving, and how WP Engine eCommerce clients are successfully navigating these uncharted times by adopting a data-driven strategy to activate new channels, promotions and products. What’s worked, what hasn’t and how to apply the insights.

1. PRODUCT OPTIMIZE BREAKOUT

2. Experience Driven
eCommerce
RISE TO THE OCCASION
Principal Product Manager of eCommerce
WP Engine
Stephan Millies
PRODUCT OPTIMIZE BREAKOUT

3. Stephan Millies
Principal Product Manager of eCommerce
WP Engine

4. During the last months, consumer behaviors shifted in
unprecedented ways.
WPE takes a look at what happened, how business owners
navigated through times of complexity, urgency and
uncertainty?
Rise to the occasion.
In anticipation of restaurants reopening, Kim Shapiro, co-
owner of Twisted Citrus in Canton, Ohio, hung clear
plastic shower curtains between tables for protection.
Scott Heckel/Canton Repository

5. Agenda.
RISE TO THE
OCCASION
The disruption
The reaction
The tactics and tools
The metrics
Which verticals spiked, tanked?
Examples how SMBs reacted.
And strategies the “best grocery in the U.S.”
used to prepare and pivot
Applicable recipes for every store - adding new
SKUs, communication, policies, new product
lines, helpful plugins and policies.
How you know you solved the problem. The
right problem to solve.

6. The disruption.
WHICH VERTICALS SPIKED, TANKED?

7. The
disruption.
SPENDING
Radical shift from brick-and-
mortar towards online
shopping, well above the long
standing 10% YOY trend.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/13/technology/online-shopping-buying-sales-coronavirus
Change in consumer spending

8. Winners and
losers.
Global transactions by vertical,
first week of May 2020 versus
Jan.
https://contentsquare.com/covid-19-ecommerce-impact-data-hub/cosmetics-deep-dive/
Evolution
by industry
Compared to
pre-Covid

9. Start with
data.
Global transactions in cosmetics
segment, by type, Feb - May
2020.
https://contentsquare.com/covid-19-ecommerce-impact-data-hub/cosmetics-deep-dive/
Breakdown industry — Transaction evolution

10. Cosmetics
companies
launched
sanitizers as
skin-care.
WP Engine client Biosilk:
§ Started making sanitizers
§ Turned them into a skincare
product
§ Used them in promos, as order
starter etc.
§ Collected reviews to get credibility
for this new product type
biosilk.com

11. Sports
superstore
sourced
masks.
smashitsports.com

12. Retailers
connected
with suppliers
to keep stock
flowing.
§ Don’t be afraid to copy what works
§ Jump at opportunities as they
arise
§ Focus and simplify
§ Ready for 20x traffic?
AND LEARNED - UPSTREAM
AND DOWNSTREAM
https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/heb-prepared-coronavirus-pandemic/
“We did not see runs
on toilet paper as one
of the first things to
go out of stock. That
was something we
still kind of have a
hard time
understanding.”
Craig Boyan, President, H-E-B

13. Understanding
shoppers’
mind—or
instincts, is
key.
§ Two instincts coincided:
- the strong urge to regain a sense
of control over “something” - as
trivial as TP is. A displacement
activity.
-Urgency/ fear of missing out as
others hoarded.
§ Similar mechanisms are used in
close-out sales
§ How to utilize “urgency” in
eCommerce?
AND NOT ALWAYS EASY
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/heres-why-people-are-panic-buying-and-stockpiling-toilet-paper.html
“It’s about ‘taking
back control’ in a
world where you
feel out of
control.”
Paul Marsden, a consumer
psychologist at the University
of the Arts London

14. Urgency as a
traffic/
conversion
tool.
WPE Client “Mike’s Organic” sells
only once a week, a “flash sale”
that aligns with his stock flow and
his brands’ core: freshness
https://mikesorganicdelivery.com/
Adding a “virtual waiting room”
helps to protect site, brand
integrity and helps to manage
demand

15. Communication
is key.
● Saw 60% increase in store sales
YOY
● Shoppers were concerned store
would close.
→ Hours changed to 7 days a
week to spread traffic out.
→ Launched communication on
site, newsletters, social media
→ Went to curbside pickup
model
JUST FRUITS AND EXOTICS
justfruitsandexotics.com

16. Communicate
changes. And
clarify what
doesn’t.
● Newsletter: Open rate increased
from 20% to 27%
● Facebook ads signaled “we are
open”. Overall lock-down
decreased costs → more value,
less noise to cut through
● Shoppers understand changes
and appreciate transparency -
even if it’s a negative change.
JUST FRUITS AND EXOTICS
justfruitsandexotics.com

17. Be the rock in the surf in
“crazy times.”
SHOW CONFIDENCE IN YOUR PRODUCTS
said they’d buy again from a store
based on a good returns
experience
eCommerce shoppers are
deterred from purchasing if they
have to pay for shipping (69%) or
restocking fees are charged
(67%)*. 33% also won’t buy if the
policy is hard to find.
96% 2 of 3
View returns as 2nd chance
to get it right
41%* replace from same retailer
Design a policy and process
that is easy for shoppers,
competitive and prominently
visible throughout the store
funnel.
Look for a shipping solution
with a Branded Returns Portal,
e.g. ShipStation in the
WooCommerce Ext. store
Track:
Cart abandonment, conversion,
return rate, return costs vs. increased
sales, most returned SKUs.
*All data https://see.narvar.com/rs/249-TEC-877/images/Consumer-Report-Returns-2018-4.3.pdf

18. Gift (card) sales going through
the roof.
Offer and promote gift cards, e-gift-cards,
gift wrapping, baskets etc.
Cover gifts in returns policy
Offer reliable delivery options
for last minute gift shoppers such
as 2nd day
Ensure your shop ranks
when shoppers search for “gifts”
Use social media channels
to promote your gift ideas and how they
were received.
Great way to win new customers
add a special offer, flyer, fridge magnet etc.
to the box.
Track:
Percentage of orders with gift
options.
Gift card sales
*https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-look-to-gift-cards-amidst-the-crisis-301038079.html?tc=eml_cleartime
**https://samsonmedia.net/pay-per-click-ad-rates-plummet-while-audiences-are-up/
YOY increase in e-gift
sales, gift
card sales - bought
online - even 54%
Google searches
convert higher: for
cards, greetings +15%,
gift baskets +30%,
flowers +43%**
44%
While people can’t
even meet to
celebrate birthdays or
anniversaries, they
still want to send gifts
and show
appreciation

19. Gift cards.
A MUST FOR ALMOST EVERY STORE
Several plugins offer gift card
functionalities, some focuses,
some broader...
Gift cards can also help “flatten the
curve” of lost sales and improve
cash-flow.
A good guide through available
options for WooCommerce is:
https://helpiewp.com/woocommerce-gift-cards/

20. Concrete steps to be
considered a good
source for gifting.
● Gifting = presentation, availability, delivery:
Present gift wrap options throughout the shop.
● Offer 2nd day and other express options to ship.
● Consider “gifts” as its’ own nav item (SEO!) to make
browsing easy
● WooCommerce Checkout Add-ons can be used for
any additional options, incl. gifts.
● Gift Wrapper for WooCommerce (r. ) allows gift wrap
options on the product page level
justfruitsandexotics.com

21. Toolbox.
SUMMARY
Get the right ideas Shadow customer calls. Track support topics.
Shop at your competition.
Get the right data Google Analytics, industry trends, competitor analysis.
Solve the right
problem
“First things first”, yes. But does it help in the log run, too?
“Is there a plugin”? Often there - is and the free 30 days for WooCommerce
extensions should help test them.
Track the entire
funnel
… and look for the weakest link. Often, it’s the checkout.
Site performance is
(almost) everything
Most eCom KPIs are directly - and heavily - impacted by it.
0.1 sec in load time can cost 7% conversion*. It also affects
bounce rate, PIs and loyalty.

22. What we do.
+ + =
Content Strategy
Site Design & Dev
Marketing
You provide
ENTERPRISE
PERFORMANCE
ECOSYSTEM
INTEGRATION
ACTIONABLE
INTELLIGENCE
CREATIVE
AGILITY
WORDPRESS
EXPERTISE
Together we create
high performance
digital experiences.
CMS

23. Thank you.
Principal Product Manager of eCommerce
WP Engine
Stephan Millies