Learn the value of chat interactions for your business

Here’s the first thing to know about chat, and online communication in general: direct, real-time human interaction improves brand engagement. Granted, people who know the exact product or service they want don’t need help. But these people are the minority. Most people either need considerable help or want ‘just in time’ assistance - the answer to a quick question or concern that, once addressed, will increase their confidence and likelihood to buy. A second reason why having chat is essential in an e-commerce context: chat usage lifts conversions and revenues. In my experience consulting on over a dozen mid-sized and larger e-commerce websites that do and don’t offer chat, I’ve found that visitors who chatted converted at roughly 12 - 15%, while visitors didn’t chat converted in the 1.5 - 2.0% range. That’s roughly an 8X increase,…

Ecommerce strategies that will set your business apart from competitors

Traditional retail is dead. Or perhaps it is experiencing a slow death due to the rise of the Ecommerce industry. Many experts will say that the retail apocalypse has been greatly exaggerated but the truth is, more and more brick and mortar stores are gearing towards operating their business online.

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Even big brands such as Macy's, Bebe, Guess and Payless have closed dozens - or even hundreds of stores in 2017. Big names such as KMart, Sears and Toys R Us have also declared bankruptcy…

You can add smarts to your experience in one of two main ways: either by adding human intelligence - and with it, a dose of empathy or by adding an automated form of intelligence

‘Work smarter, not harder’ has always been my mantra. While I haven’t always been able to achieve this, it’s still a noble goal. Thankfully, with the latest technologies and sales techniques, it’s now easier than ever to create smarter - and better converting - e-commerce shopping experiences. You can add smarts to your experience in one of two main ways: either by adding human intelligence - and with it, a dose of empathy, or by adding an automated form of intelligence (empathy not included?). On the human side, I’ll share how to plug in online chat agents, and incorporate some neuromarketing principles into your designs. On the automation side, I’ll discuss…

Successful business communication entails tailoring messages to different types of audiences

Not so long ago, digital marketers and influencers used to make bold statements such as Email marketing is the best communication channel and shall continue to dominate for eternity. Today, the tables have turned and such statements make little business sense. Many businesses are relying on mobile and desktop push notifications to communicate and engage with different types of audiences. And importantly, push messages are agnostic to ad blockers. No wonder ads are playing second fiddle to push messages! Unfortunately, many marketers are not fully aware of using push notification services to their advantage. The express purpose of this article is to throw light on how to drive ecommerce sales with desktop push notifications. If you are looking forward to best practices, read on.

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Those in ecommerce industry tend to consider benchmarks, budgets, and trends to streamline their businesses. Unfortunately, they ignore risks

Every year, around this time, Shopygen publish a post on important risks that cannot be ignored by our readers’ businesses and clients. [si_guide_block id="79186" title="Download FREE Resource – 10 ecommerce mistakes" description="Explore the top 10 ecommerce mistakes and how to avoid them. Ecommerce is a fast-moving environment and we actively keep our mistakes up to date so you’re always making the most of your marketing"/]

Ecommerce Online Security

From a perspective of tackling cyber fraud, stringent security standards should be implemented. For a broader overview of different types of cyber threats, consider the following list: Phishing Hacking Credit card fraud Data errors Unprotected online services Adoption of techniques such as…

How and where to get human input for your web experiences

We live in an age of high online connection, but low interpersonal connection. Even in relatively casual settings, people just don’t chit-chat as much anyone. And this bums me out in my gut. Why? Because, as social animals, we long for human interaction. In fact, recent research shows that people with strong social ties are not just happier, but they live longer.

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It’s the same on the Web; true social interaction - not just posting content and comments - is limited. True, some websites do offer phone and chat support, but it’s often handled by entry-level employees untrained in sales tactics, and sometimes lacking interpersonal empathy. We’re…

An easy, visual guide to help you implement AMP for ecommerce to increase conversions

E-commerce is all about creating an amazing shopping experience online for the visitor with the intention of getting them to click, convert, and become a customer. With changes in consumer shopping behaviors, online brands have had to adjust how they market to prospective customers, as well as the user experience, to ensure an enjoyable experience. The largest change has come from the adoption of mobile technology.   There are more than 4.9 billion people globally utilizing smartphones, representing around 66% of the world’s population. And as of January 2017, mobile phones accounted for 50% of internet traffic. That’s a 30% increase from last year alone. …

Key steps and best practices to win with Amazon - digital advertising

In the previous post in this series (key steps and best practises to win with Amazon - Ecommerce) we looked at the exponential growth of Amazon and the share of mind it has gained globally over the last ten years, surpassing many older, more established brands with an unwavering focus on innovation and the customer experience. [si_guide_block id="5676" title="Download FREE Resource – Digital marketing plan template" description="Our popular marketing planning template built on the Smart Insights RACE planning system."/] Amazon’s drive to become the ‘everything store’ has led the company to move into many new and different areas, including technology, original content and web services (BBC iPlayer and even Netflix run on Amazon!). Whilst Amazon is more widely known as an ecommerce platform, the company’s move into media and its burgeoning advertising business is starting to cause tremors…

Part 1 of 2: How ecommerce can win with Amazon

Amazon is by far one of the biggest and well-known brands in the world and one of the top five largest companies in the world by market capitalization. The business has grown exponentially over the last 10 years and the pace is continuing at a rate of knots: Source: US Stock Market  Amazon has been a growing and dominant force of nature in the world of retailing since its origins in 1994, threatening existing players such as Walmart and Toys R Us, whilst disrupting entire market dynamics and customers expectations of what is expected in terms of quality, service and delivery. *For a detailed run-through of Amazon’s history, business model and strategy check out Dave Chaffey’s in-depth case study analysis. [si_guide_block id="79186" title="Download FREE Resource – 10 ecommerce mistakes" description="Explore the…

How online coupon and comparison site Dealhack have re-established themselves

Dealhack launched back in 2005 and proved popular with users in creative careers.

How have Dealhack marketed themselves?

Through market research and competitor analysis, the company positions itself as the gap between coupon and comparison shopping sites that have thousands of entries and insider blogs like Engadget or Gizmodo. The discount company serves both as a shopping guide and a source for special deals, thus shortening the customer lifecycle as they are able to research and buy on the same site. Dealhack also has regular weekly features that its users enjoy, like Top 10 CDs, Top 5 DVD Sales and Rentals, Top 10 In-Demand Book Titles, and highlighted "Dealhack Favorites."

What Dealhack do?

Today’s shoppers look for value for money when purchasing products as retailers struggle due to brand loyalty and increased competition. Coupon sites have helped to decrease the gap between online retailers and consumers.…