The online marketplace is buzzing with new store owners, and saturated with huge players that have been perfecting their offering for decades. Many store owners were forced to shift to online sales to survive, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such a competitive landscape, how can stores and brands stand out and capture a bigger market share? Ecomz shares expert insights to create an optimized online store and help online stores grow their sales locally and beyond borders.
The features that every ecommerce store should have
According to Ecomz, SEO, analytics and reporting should be at the top of mind of every ecommerce store owner.
Over the years, Ecomz has developed and maintained an SEO booster checklist that helps every merchant reach their maximum online potential, focusing on the following:
- Keyword & content review, research and optimization
- Integrations with Google platforms such as Google Search, Google Analytics, Google My Business, Google Ads, Merchant Center and Google Shopping.
- Integrations with Facebook platforms such as Facebook shop, Instagram shop, WhatsApp for business, Facebook Business Extension, Facebook Business Manager for ads, Facebook Pixel…
- Chat features, WhatsApp…
- Accurate and up to date content, inventory and pricing
How can ecommerce businesses grow their sales beyond borders?
“Growing sales beyond borders is not magic, they simply offer the best of themselves, and they compete,” shares the Ecomz team.
- Merchants should always start by understanding their market through a market study, and ensure that their website is localized to the target market. For example, you need to display the products in the same currencies of your target market. Show them the right marketing headlines and captions in their own language. Make sure to minimize friction and confusion and make their shopping experience as pleasant as possible.
- Merchants should also focus on content, it is crucial in order to sell online, they should have good and detailed product descriptions. Be very clear in policies such as shipping and return terms and conditions, cross border terms, etc.
- Choose the right partners for shipping and payment. Make sure the shipping rates are reasonable and delivery time is acceptable. Consider also having a local partner as a facilitator in case of needs, it can be a local warehouse, a local branch, etc.
- Once you have the right positioning, it is time to generate traffic. Advertising is essential as you are selling in new markets. Don’t go global, instead start one country at a time. You should also utilize social media to reach and engage with your followers.
- Pay attention to pricing sensitivity – get it right.
How will the ecommerce market change in the coming years?
Ecomz foresees many exciting changes happening in the realm of ecommerce. They include:
- The user experience will become more flexible and enjoyable, and merchants will set up their stores more easily and quickly with a focus on the end-user. We are currently building the next generation of themes to help merchants have a brandable website that is fully customizable, modern and user-friendly to create engaging online stores. We are also creating live product customizations to increase sales and enhance user experience.
- Order fulfillment will receive a push in the coming years, especially in the areas of logistics and return management with the ability to provide warehousing solutions built-in to the platform. Ex: merchants can have their business in one country and many warehouse fulfillment locations across the region without the complexity of having to run numerous warehouses. This will drastically reduce shipping costs and delivery times.
- Finally, one of the most exciting developments is the ability to purchase products directly from videos streams shared on different social media platforms. For example, merchants can click on links and get redirected to the online store to shop from videos on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube, and many others. This will bring merchants closer to their customers allowing them to sell their products through video content and live streaming for a more realistic experience.
For more on Ecomz, a BDD Community member, or to set up your ecommerce store, visit www.ecomz.com
