Must-Do’s in E-Commerce for 2015

The line between brick-and-mortar business and online retail is getting thinner, almost seems to vanish in 2015. But the retail industry is far from being dead. To survive, it must integrate the digital world into its daily business. Why? More and more consumers drift into the digital. Out there, they are looking for the best product at the best price, they compare recommendations, check the availability of a product, and demand fast shipping, preferably for free and overnight.

Here are the top 4 Must-Do’s in E-Commerce for 2015

1. Mobile Commerce
2. Personalization
3. Digital POS
4. New Shipping Options

1. Mobile Commerce

Customers do not only operate via one channel but are likely to switch between several devices often: They start gathering information about a product online using their laptop, then seeking competent advice in the store, just to order via their tablet in the end. In order to combine the physical and digital shopping experience, retailers have to focus on mobile devices. The magic word is connected commerce. Therefore, secure and simple mobile payment methods are the essential base. As you are re-constructing your mobile payment, please also do the responsive web design in the same process. The adaption of the website’s content to the respective terminal device and the optimization of the usability is the essential thing in mobile commerce.

Facts & Figures:

• 72% of German online-stores use a mobile website
• 16% of all online payments in Germany are effected by mobile devices
• but only 43% of the customers are pleased with the mobile shopping experience

Pleasing a Rolemodel?

• Bonprix – With its new tablet store, the fashion company starts doing couch commerce. Visitors using a tablet will be redirected automatically to t.bonprix.de and thus sense an adjusted and ideal shopping experience. This is possible due to slider options and big touch surfaces instead of textlinks.

2. Personalization

Mass communication and mishmash are out, but too much personalized content encounters discomfort. For sure is: The line between user value and skepticism is thin. Nevertheless, it is worth it to meet customer’s needs. First step: smart data. Use the data of your clients to understand their buying behavior and create personality profiles. Second step: one-to-one-marketing. Develop costumized offers matching demands and lifeworlds of each consumer. Third step: socializing. Customers use social media to share their favorite products, to write references or to voice criticism. Get involved and give your brand an identity.

Facts & Figures:

• A profit of 13 billions euro did brick-and-mortar shops make through their online-stores in 2013
• 34% of online buyers like individualized product recommendations
• 54% feel uncomfortable and observed in personalized webshops

Pleasing a Rolemodel?

• eBay-Collection – Some kind of Pinterest just for E-Commerce. Customers schedule their favorite eBay-items in individual „collections“. Terms and conditions of social media apply: share, follow, and get inspired.

3. Digital POS

Afraid of showrooming and migrating clients? Then create a digital adventure area that meets the demands of the „connected customer“. How this works? By the help of touchpoint strategies. By using digital elements as creation and consulting tools, online and offline can be merged directly in the store. See our three suggestions: „Assistive Retailer Technology“ (ART, for example product presentations on the tablet) supports retailers with the individual selling. „Assistive Consumer Technology“ (ACT, for example digital helping desks) helps clients to make smart purchasing decisions. For staging the brand experience at the POS, digital entertainment elements can be used (retailtainment, for example interactive walls). And do not forget about beacons as one important tool for digitalizing the POS.

Facts & Figures:

• 70% of German customers wish for online-availability-checks
• Every 2nd customer is interested in loyality card apps with coupons as well as digital receipts
• 50% of brick-and-mortar retailers have an omnichannel-team, of these, 94% complain of problems in implementation

Pleasing a Rolemodel?

• weShop – Initiated by Serviceplan and Vitrashop Group, the project Shopping2020 shows the POS of tomorrow. In the Munich flagship store, Bogner is being used as a an example to show how brands can be staged audiovisually. RFID-chips inside garments project videos and price quotes onto the mirror. Style counseling happens via videoconference.

4. New Shipping Options

With the growth of E-Commerce, demands on the logistics also becoming more complex. Hereby, it is not only about secure and fast shipping, but foremost about service, flexibility, and live tracking in real-time. As a special service, customers can make a purchase in the store but have their goods delivered to their homes. Conversely, click & collect is a service that allows customers to buy goods online and have them delivered to the shop. With same-day-delivery customers do not even need to leave the house anymore: click, buy, and receive immediately. What is important for all three alternatives: the use of third-party logistics providers such as tiramizoo.

Facts & Figures:

• 65% of Germans want to check the current delivery status of their parcel online
• 4 out of 10 online buyers welcome a same-day-delivery-offer when it comes to last minute presents
• 92% rather wait for their delivery a few days than pay higher delivery charges

Pleasing a Rolemodel?

• Media-Saturn – In 22 German cities, customers of Media Markt and Saturn can have their order delivered within three hours or to a desired time. A surcharge is charged.

Mobile commerce, personlization, digital POS, and new shopping options – at first sight our four must-do’s might not come as a big surprise. In theory. Just one short glance in the field shows: Only a few retailers venture the step into E-Commerce. Thus, the retail industry has good reasons to fear losing its customers to the low-priced online-marketplace. But we at hmmh know: As soon as the four basic ideas of connected commerce have been understood and integrated successfully, these sorrows are for no reason. As experts on the field of digital commerce, we are happy to show you what is possible within the E-Commerce – just take a look at our service offer. And with that, hmmh wishes you a carefree retail-year 2015.