Brooks Robinson posted a blog post
Retail Trends and Four eCommerce Stores Breaking Boundaries Online
The best retailers are the ones that are breaking boundaries online in today’s market – offering the best innovation, creativity, and technology in one easy to navigate site. At Springbot, we wanted to recognize a few of those online stores who are breaking the mold and transforming the world of online shopping, eCommerce marketing and beyond.Here’s a look at four retail trends and the eCommerce stores that are breaking boundaries in those areas:Embracing Big Data ConceptsLarge enterprise retailers like Amazon and Walmart have long since embraced the concept of big data – using it to adopt a personalized shopping experience for their customers. Whether you are big, small or somewhere in between, retailers of all sizes, have the ability to harness the power of big data with technology solutions like Springbot.Bella Bag, a Springbot customer, uses the platform to combine big data, predictive analytics, channel integration and marketing mix optimization to grow their online and brick and mortar stores. Access to big data gives Bella Bag a competitive edge. Leveraging their demographic, purchase and social data, Bella Bag is able to personalize marketing content that drives traffic and product conversions. It also helps them better understand which marketing actions like social posts or email brings them the best return on their investments.To find out more about Bella Bag, check them out at www.bellabag.com. In Atlanta? Visit their showroom. For directions and store hours, please go to http://bellabag.com/about_location.Welcoming Mobile Trends with Exceptional M-Commerce SitesConsumers are increasingly shopping with their smartphones, with some predicting that mobile internet will surpass desktop use in 2014. Savvy retailers have risen to the occasion, delivering exceptional m-commerce sites that maintain brand consistency, keep usability top of mind, provide store locators, and more.The good news is that adapting your site for mobile is more accessible than ever with the availability of affordable predesigned eCommerce site templates or design firms that specialize in responsive design.Sites like Outnet.com, a chic eCommerce retailer that offers luxury labels at steep discounts, offer a great mobile optimized buying experience and continually revamp to keep up with changing trends. A personal favorite of Springbot, Uber.com, offers on-demand transportation services that enable users to request transportation from an easy to use (and highly intuitive) mobile app.Today, building and maintaining a successful online business means offering an exceptional m-commerce experience. Did you know that 43% of all phones are smartphones, and 87% of them use it to access the internet? If you’re not sure your site is responsive, test it out on http://validator.w3.org/mobile/.Cross-Channel eCommerce Marketing Tactics PrevailThe old adage, ‘first impressions count’ is especially true in the highly competitive world of eCommerce. Every online interaction counts as more and more eCommerce stores are investing in and understanding the importance of cross-channel marketing tactics. Online retailers around the world understand the importance of delivering a quality user experience that offers unique and personalized messaging to the right person at just the right time.Online retailer Country Club Prep has embraced the trend with a continued focus on breaking down the boundaries of online shopping, allowing their customers a more personalized relationship by launching targeted emails based on customer demographics (instead of the batch and blast approach). Country Club Prep also uses trackable links to know which products on social sites generate both traffic and dollars (to understand what content resonates with their social followers) and sending targeted emails automatically to customers that abandon their shopping cart during the checkout process.While the ultimate goal is to increase product conversions, and get people who visit their site to make a purchase instead of just browsing, Country Club Prep also acknowledges the importance of simply building their brand – and giving customers an in-depth look into the brands they sell, their stellar customer service and their rewards club for frequent shoppers.To find out more about Country Club Prep, check them out at www.countryclubprep.com. To learn more about their rewards program, visit http://www.countryclubprep.com/rewards.Convenience Reigns Supreme in the Checkout ProcessPutting any unnecessary obstructions in between the online shopper and the final stages of checkout is a big eCommerce no-no. Consumers don’t have the time or patience to fill out long forms and may not want to create an account with your store. Being forced to fill out these kinds of forms will prevent many consumers from finishing the checkout process. Offering multiple payment options, like e-Wallets, credit cards, gift cards and cash-on-delivery, during checkout is a must in today’s market in order to stay competitive and reach as many customers as possible. Companies like PayPal continue to dominate the e-wallet market – offering the ability to accept payments from all major debit and credit cards while giving a fast and secure way for customers to checkout. And since customers don’t even need a PayPal account to pay with PayPal, both you and your customers can get extra convenience without extra effort. Plus, offering PayPal gives your store a level of trust and credibility during the checkout process. And in support of the growing mobile trend, PayPal is a great option to offer for the mobile shopper.ProbioticSmart.com, a pet based customer-focused online retailer, nails the checkout process for both convenience and speed by providingoptions to check out as a guest or become a registered user. As a registered user, you have the benefits of fast and easy check out with access to your order history, status and earn “Reward Points.” Even better, ProbiticSmart.com offers customers the option to pay using a variety of payment methods, including PayPal and cash on delivery.To find out more about ProbioticSmart.com, check them out at www.probioticsmart.com and learn all about the variety of high quality natural products they have for your pets.Brooks Robinson is co-founder and CEO of Springbot.See More