omnichannel

44% Increase in US Ecommerce Sales in 2020

2020 turned out to be an amazing growth year for retail sales with total sales increasing 6.9% to $4.04 trillion up from $3.78 trillion in 2019 according to the US Department of Commerce figures.

Despite the coronavirus having a negative impact on in-store shopping, online shopping increased and was responsible for the total overall gain in retail sales, the first time that the total gain in retail sales has been due to ecommerce sales alone.

While Amazon remained the number one retailer in North America, other retailers continued with their push into the online sales arena. Amazon accounted for 31.4% of all US retail sales in 2020 and while this is a huge part of total overall sales, their percentage lead was down from 2019 when they accounted for 43.8% of total online sales. However, it was still other large stores that made more headway in online retail sales. Those that made gains included Walmart, Best Buy and Target.

So it comes as no surprise that the majority of retailers whether large or small are looking to increase their spending on technology and technology related products during 2021.

Whether they are looking to move to a different ecommerce platform, improve website functionality or automate processes, there is no question that the pandemic has caused a major shift in the way online shopping is viewed by both retailers and more importantly, consumers. No longer an afterthought but a major consideration for any serious retailer, online sales are now viewed as an integral part of any retail business.

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Creating Trust through Transparency with Online Sales

As more people have shopped online during 2020 than at any other time, consumers’ trust in online retailers has become more important than ever.  However, if a retailer fails to recognize the widening gap between customer expectations and the service and product they deliver, this can lead to disappointed customers, who will ultimately shop somewhere else.

Research has shown that there have been more online shoppers due to the pandemic during 2020 with a growing number of e-tailers to choose from, however the quality of service has varied greatly among retailers.

Some of the problems consumers have encountered include late or non-delivery,  purchasing a product that is available during the online shopping process only to find it is unavailable at the checkout, and difficult or impossible follow-up with the merchant after delivery or tracking down a product that has not been delivered.

The reliance on online shopping is expected to continue and increase during 2021, placing more pressure on supply chain, inventory management and customer support and retailers will be required to take ownership of the end-to-end customer experience.  Once a customer gains trust in an online brand and the service and products they offer, they will not only shop at that store again, but happily refer the retailer to friends and family.

Implementing tools to manage operational complexities and improve customer communications in order to provide a transparent transaction from the buy button right through to product delivery is sure to set the savvy retailer apart from the competition.

Retailers who are looking at ways to improve upon their customer support and product delivery service levels of 2020 are sure to be the winners in 2021.

xocbox provices retailers with the tools to manage their online and retail operations, including order and inventory management, and customer communication tools.  Contact xocbox to learn more.

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Retail Trends for 2021

There is no question that whatever we predicted would happen to retail in 2020 was quickly changed with the onslaught of the pandemic.

2020 forced bricks and mortar stores to expand their online presence and offer curbside pickup in order to survive.  Customer behavior also changed due to working from home, home-schooling and the desire to shop online for essentials such as groceries and health products.  Professional work attire was no longer needed, and sweats and athletic gear became the norm for virtual meetings.

Online stores not only had to deal with more competition, but some also had to look at different ways of attracting customers as marketplaces such as Amazon gave priority to essential product sellers.

As the pandemic continues to influence how we live and shop, many of these trends are predicted to continue throughout much of 2021. So what are the things that retailers need to do to arm themselves with the tools to attract shoppers and outstrip the competition?

In 2020 we learned that the retail supply chain was pushed to its limits by the pandemic, and this trend is likely to continue.  Retailers should expand their supply chain partners in order to be able to respond to unpredictable demand and be able to step in where the competition fails, either on product supply or ability to deliver in a timely manner.  Optimization of omnichannel fulfillment to customers and analysis of shopper behavior data will also be invaluable.

Last year’s experience has shown that technology to give you real-time inventory visibility and the ability to source products from the closest possible warehouse or supplier should be a top priority for 2021!

If you are struggling with inventory management, contact xocbox to learn how we can help.

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More Online Stores add Bricks and Mortar Presence

 

All through 2017 and even into the beginning of this year we are learning of bricks and mortar stores closing.  Household names like Sears and Macy’s have seen many store closures and you could be forgiven for thinking that the long talked about demise of the bricks and mortar store is finally here.  Will 2018 be it?  No.

The numbers reported by Forrester and the National Retail Federation show a different picture, with more brands planning to open stores rather than close them this year. The best examples of these are stores that used to be ecommerce pure-play stores such as Warby Parker and Amazon.  These stores have realized that a physical presence helps to build their brand and increase market share both online and offline.

As retailers continue to evolve they are looking for ways to integrate both the digital and physical world and new ideas keep showing up in our in-store shopping experiences.  Self-checkout is becoming more and more common, and buy online and pick up in store is a great way to get people into the store to browse for more products.

Landlords are also taking notice, and realizing that many of the online stores that are just testing the waters in the bricks and mortar world will not want to sign a 10-year lease until they know they’ve got the selling formula right, have started to offer short-term leases or even pop-up store locations and the concept of the “anchor” tenant is probably long gone.

The list of etailers who have made the decision to go brick-and-mortar continues to grow – look out for these at your local mall – Bonobos, Casper, Untuckit… if they are not already  there, it’s just a matter of time.

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Do You Need Omnichannel Retailing?

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Most retailers know that being able to offer their products online is an essential part of their marketing strategy, rather than an option.

However, a recent report by comScore revealed that 173 million people in the US now own a smart phone, and are using this device to check emails and text messages all day long.

They are also using it to shop.

As retailers, whether we like it or not, omnichannel retailing is here to stay, and marketing-savvy retailers have been making sure their websites are mobile-optimized, and ready to offer features and services to customers during the holiday season, so they don’t miss out to the shopping giants and big-box stores.

So what can you do to get your store up to speed?  Omnichannel retailing really means that all the places where your customers can buy … physical store, online via desktop, smartphone, ipad or tablet … work together seamlessly for your customers.

Put yourself in the position of your customer and try to buy something from your own store through all the channels that you offer.  How was the experience?  Did you get smoothly to checkout?  Were there frustrating delays or screens that didn’t display correctly, or not at all?  Once you have pinpointed the sticking points, get your tech team and staff to iron out the issues.

You have probably already figured out your holiday marketing campaign, but research is showing that email is still a favorite by many retailers.  In the study mentioned above,  it was found that 42 percent of emails sent were opened on smartphones, and an additional 17 percent opened on tablet devices.  So definitely make sure your site is mobile optimized.

Follow the lead of large bricks and mortar stores, such as Staples,  who are aggressively using email campaigns to drive customers into their stores, and tempting them with a series of coupons and special offers.

Keeping in close contact with your customers through all devices will be key this holiday season, and those who don’t will lose out on precious holiday sales to retailers who have planned their omni-channel strategy to create an excellent customer experience at all of their store touchpoints.

If you would like information on omichannel retailing for your online or bricks and mortar store, contact info@xocbox.com.

 

 

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