Tag Archives: Blayzer Digital

23 Aug 2024

The Future of Ecommerce: Innovate Intelligently or Get Left Behind – Advice from Blayzer Digital

Brad Goldenberg and Jeremy Gryder from Blayzer are speaking at Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2024. Learn more about Blayzer’s innovative approach to design, development, and digital strategy here. Follow Blayzer on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay in the know on all things ecommerce web and marketing.

Stay Ahead in Ecommerce: Embrace Intelligent Innovation

In the rapidly evolving world of ecommerce, standing still is not an option. Blayzer Digital emphasizes the importance of intelligent innovation, urging merchants to look beyond the success of past strategies and embrace new technologies, partnerships, and strategic foresight. This blog post explores how to navigate the complexities of modern ecommerce, from personalized customer experiences to optimizing operations for efficiency and growth. Discover why strategic partnerships are essential for staying ahead of the competition and how Blayzer Digital can help you innovate intelligently to secure long-term success.

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Innovative strategies to get and stay ahead online
20 Aug 2024

8 Trends in Intelligent Ecommerce: What to Expect & How to Prepare

As autumn approaches, ecommerce businesses of all kinds are gearing up for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday/end-of-year sales rush. For both B2C and B2B merchants, adapting to the latest ecommerce trends is crucial for maximizing success during this pivotal period. The ecommerce landscape is evolving quickly, with new technologies and strategies reshaping how businesses engage with customers and streamline their operations.

To help you stay ahead, we’ve pinpointed the top 8 trends in intelligent ecommerce for 2024. Whether you’re focusing on direct-to-consumer sales or optimizing B2B transactions, these trends offer valuable insights. From cutting-edge digital showrooms that enhance customer engagement to sophisticated automation solutions that simplify complex tasks, these innovations are set to transform your approach to online retail.

Explore our comprehensive guide to discover how these trends can elevate your ecommerce strategy and position your business for success this holiday season and beyond.

Don’t miss the chance to delve deeper into these trends and network with industry experts. Join us at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit in St. Louis this September for a chance to gain hands-on insights and strategies. Register Now to secure your spot and stay ahead of the curve!

1. Digital Showrooms: A New Era of Immersive Shopping

Trend Overview:

Digital showrooms are transforming how consumers interact with products online. They provide an immersive, interactive experience that mirrors or even surpasses traditional brick-and-mortar stores. According to a report by Deloitte, 80% of shoppers say that the ability to visualize products in a virtual setting influences their purchase decisions.

How to Prepare:

To stay ahead in this evolving landscape, adopt an ecommerce platform that offers robust B2B components and functionalities. This will ensure that your digital showroom can cater to both B2B and B2C customers, providing a seamless and interactive experience. Features such as advanced product visualization, personalized virtual tours, and comprehensive product catalogs will enhance engagement and support complex B2B transactions.

Partner Spotlight

Shopware is pioneering digital showroom technology with its innovative solutions. Their platform not only excels in creating engaging virtual environments but also offers strong B2B functionalities. Shopware’s tools help businesses deliver a seamless and immersive shopping experience that drives engagement and supports both B2B and B2C growth.

2. Automating Sales Tax Management

Trend Overview:

Sales tax management across multiple states is complex and error-prone. A study by the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy found that businesses spend an average of 60 hours per month managing sales tax. Automation can drastically reduce this burden, with 64% of businesses reporting significant time savings and reduced errors when using automated tax solutions.

How to Prepare:

Implement automated sales tax solutions that integrate with your ecommerce system. These solutions should handle tax calculations, reporting, and compliance automatically.

Partner Spotlight

Zamp offers advanced automation solutions for managing sales tax. Their technology ensures accurate and timely tax calculations, helping businesses navigate the complexities of multi-state tax regulations with ease. Automate your sales tax processes with Zamp to improve accuracy and efficiency.

3. Strategic Agency Collaborations

Trend Overview:

Collaborations with specialized agencies are becoming essential for ecommerce success. A survey by Forrester Research found that companies leveraging agency partnerships experience up to 50% faster growth compared to those that do not. Agencies provide expertise in design, technology, and marketing, leading to more innovative and effective strategies.

How to Prepare

Identify agency partners with a proven track record in your industry. Evaluate their capabilities, case studies, and client testimonials to ensure they align with your business goals.

Partner Spotlight

Blayzer Digital exemplifies the benefits of strategic agency partnerships. Their expertise in design, development, and marketing helps businesses build robust and innovative ecommerce strategies. By partnering with Blayzer Digital, you can leverage their knowledge and experience to drive growth and success.

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4. Enhanced Customer Feedback and Reviews

Trend Overview:

Customer feedback and reviews are critical for building trust and driving sales. According to BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 79% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Advanced review management systems are crucial for gathering and analyzing this feedback.

How to Prepare:

Utilize review management platforms that offer comprehensive analytics and integration with your ecommerce system. Use insights from customer reviews to improve products and services.

Partner Spotlight

Reviews.io provides a powerful platform for managing and analyzing customer feedback. Their tools help businesses gather, monitor, and leverage reviews to enhance customer experience and drive continuous improvement. Explore how Reviews.io can help you harness the power of customer feedback.

5. Integrated Commerce Solutions

Trend Overview:

Integration across various systems and platforms is essential for streamlining operations and improving efficiency. According to a report by Aberdeen Group, companies with integrated systems experience 20% higher revenue growth and 16% higher profit margins compared to those with disparate systems.

How to Prepare:

Invest in integration solutions that connect your ecommerce platform with ERP, CRM, and other business systems. This will enable seamless data flow and more efficient operations.

Partner Spotlight

iPaaS.com offers advanced integration solutions that connect various business systems, ensuring smooth data management and improved operational efficiency. With iPaaS.com’s technology, you can achieve a unified approach to your ecommerce operations.

6. Smart Advertising, Marketing Automation, and Data-Driven Insights

Trend Overview:

Marketing automation, smart advertising, and data-driven insights are crucial for optimizing your marketing strategies and enhancing customer engagement. A study by eMarketer found that 75% of marketers use automation tools to manage their campaigns, leading to a 14.5% increase in sales productivity and a 12.2% reduction in marketing overhead. Additionally, data-driven companies are 23 times more likely to acquire customers and 6 times more likely to retain them, according to McKinsey & Company.

How to Prepare:

Implement marketing automation tools that allow for personalized campaigns and detailed performance analytics. Invest in data analytics tools that provide comprehensive insights into customer behavior and market trends. Use these tools to optimize your advertising strategies and improve ROI.

Partner Spotlight

dotdigital offers a sophisticated marketing automation platform that leverages data to enhance customer engagement and campaign performance. With dotdigital’s solutions, you can harness the power of data to make informed decisions and achieve better results.

7. Holistic Business Integration

Trend Overview:

As ecommerce businesses scale, connecting all aspects of operations in a cohesive system becomes essential. Integrated ERP solutions enable businesses to see and manage every part of their operations in the cloud, enhancing visibility and decision-making. According to a report by Nucleus Research, companies using ERP systems see an average 22% increase in operational efficiency and a 20% reduction in costs.

How to Prepare:

Invest in a comprehensive ERP system that integrates with your ecommerce platform to provide a unified view of your business operations. This will streamline processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency.

Partner Spotlight

AdCirrus specializes in Acumatica Cloud ERP integration, helping businesses connect and manage every aspect of their operations in the cloud. Their solutions provide a holistic view of your business, improving visibility and operational efficiency. Discover how AdCirrus’s ERP integration can support your ecommerce growth and streamline your business processes.

8. Effective Public Relations and Brand Communication

Trend Overview:

Effective public relations (PR) and brand communication are crucial for building a positive brand image and engaging with your target audience. According to a report by the Public Relations Society of America, businesses with strong PR strategies see a 25% higher engagement rate and improved brand reputation.

How to Prepare:

Develop a comprehensive PR strategy that includes media relations, content creation, and crisis management. Focus on building relationships with key media outlets and influencers to enhance your brand’s visibility and credibility.

Partner Spotlight

Black Twig Marketing & Communications specializes in strategic public relations and brand communication. Their expertise helps businesses craft compelling narratives, manage their public image, and engage effectively with their audience. Discover how Black Twig’s PR strategies can elevate your brand and drive impactful communication.

Seize the Future: Harnessing Intelligent Ecommerce Trends for Unmatched Growth

The trends shaping ecommerce in 2024 are set to transform the industry, offering both challenges and opportunities. By understanding these trends and leveraging the expertise and solutions provided by our partners, you can position your business for success in the rapidly evolving ecommerce landscape.

To gain deeper insights into these trends and discover how to implement them effectively, join us at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit this September in St. Louis. Returning for its 5th year, this conference is a premier opportunity to connect with industry leaders, explore cutting-edge technologies, and engage in transformative discussions.

Don’t miss out on this chance to stay ahead of the curve. Register now to secure your spot and immerse yourself in the future of ecommerce. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Don’t miss the Midwest’s best ecommerce conference!
15 Jul 2024

Intelligent Ecommerce: The Future of Online Sales Is Here

What Is Intelligent Ecommerce?

Forget endless scrolling and generic product suggestions. The future of online shopping is here, and it’s intelligent. “Intelligent Ecommerce” isn’t just a catchy buzzword; it’s a revolution in how businesses leverage data and technology.

Intelligent Ecommerce is about using all the tools at your disposal – data, AI, automation – to streamline your back office, personalize the shopping experience, and ultimately create a more profitable online store. It’s about working smarter, not harder, to deliver a winning solution for both your customers and your business.

How to Achieve Intelligent Ecommerce

Imagine a world where your online store anticipates your needs, recommends products you’ll actually love, and streamlines the checkout process – all while maximizing your sales and streamlining operations. That’s the power of Intelligent Ecommerce, and it’s about to unlock a new era of online success. To achieve this Intelligent Ecommerce utopia, businesses need to embrace several key strategies:

  • Data-driven Decisions: It’s about using customer data and website analytics to understand your audience better. This allows you to personalize product recommendations, target marketing campaigns more effectively, and optimize your product pages for better conversion rates. Basically, it’s about going beyond gut instinct and leveraging the power of data to make smarter business decisions.
  • AI-powered Assistance: This means using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like chatbots or virtual assistants to provide 24/7 customer support and answer product inquiries. It also involves using AI for digital merchandising, product recommendations and search functionality, making it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. The goal is to create a seamless and frictionless shopping experience.
  • Streamlined Operations: Intelligent ecommerce isn’t just about the customer experience. It’s also about using automation and intelligent systems to streamline back-end operations. This could involve features like smart inventory management, automated order fulfillment, and dynamic pricing strategies. By automating back office tasks, store owners free up time and resources to focus on growing the business.
  • Predictive Analytics: Predictive analytics are the crystal ball of ecommerce, using data to predict customer behavior and trends. It’s essentially about getting ahead of the curve and understanding what products will be hot and what customers will crave before they even know it. This foresight allows you to anticipate demand, personalize product recommendations, target marketing campaigns with irresistible promotions, and optimize inventory to avoid stockouts. Happier customers and a booming bottom line? As the old Magic 8 Ball used to say – “Without a doubt.”

AI in Ecommerce: The Future of Online Sales

Among all these intelligent ecommerce strategies, AI emerges as an exciting game-changer, unlocking a treasure trove of possibilities for boosting efficiency and revenue. From streamlining operations to personalizing the customer journey, AI empowers data-driven decisions that translate into significant growth. Let’s explore how store owners can leverage AI’s vast capabilities to transform their online stores and propel their businesses to new heights.

  • Smart Automation: Repetitive tasks like order fulfillment, email marketing, and customer service can be automated using AI-powered tools. This frees up your team’s time to focus on strategic initiatives and growth.
  • Personalized Customer Experiences: AI analyzes customer data to understand preferences and recommend relevant products. This personalization leads to happier customers, increased conversion rates, and higher order values.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: Chatbots powered by AI can answer basic questions, troubleshoot issues, and even handle simple transactions, providing around-the-clock customer support and improving satisfaction.
  • Dynamic Pricing and Promotions: AI can analyze market trends and competitor pricing to optimize your pricing strategy. It can also personalize promotions and discounts for individual customers, maximizing revenue.
  • Predictive Inventory Management: AI forecasts future demand based on historical data and trends. This helps you maintain optimal stock levels, preventing lost sales due to stockouts and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
  • Fraud Detection and Prevention: AI can analyze purchase patterns to identify suspicious activity and flag potential fraudulent transactions, protecting your business from financial losses.

The Key Role of the Digital Agency in Intelligent Ecommerce

In the age of Intelligent Ecommerce, where data, AI, and automation reign supreme, a digital agency can be your secret weapon. Acting as your Intelligent Ecommerce partner, we bring the expertise, resources, and ongoing support you need to navigate the complexities of this new era of online commerce. Here’s how we can add immense value to your Intelligent Ecommerce strategy:

  • Data Gurus: Digital agencies house experts who can help you unlock the power of your customer data. They can design data collection strategies, analyze customer behavior, and translate insights into actionable recommendations for personalization, marketing, and product development.
  • AI Matchmakers: The world of AI is vast and ever-evolving. A digital agency can help you navigate and identify the right AI tools for your needs. They can integrate chatbots for 24/7 customer support, implement AI-powered product recommendations, and optimize search functionality to create a seamless user experience.
  • Automation Architects: Streamlining operations is a cornerstone of Intelligent Ecommerce. Digital agencies can design and implement automation solutions for tasks like inventory management, order fulfillment, and email marketing. This frees up your team’s time to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Tech Implementation Ninjas: Integrating new technologies can be a complex process. Digital agencies have the expertise to handle the technical aspects, ensuring seamless integration of AI, automation tools, and analytics platforms into your existing ecommerce infrastructure.
  • Creative Powerhouses: Intelligent Ecommerce isn’t just about data and tech; it’s about creating an engaging user experience. A digital agency can help you design a user-friendly website, craft compelling content, and develop targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience.
  • Performance Trackers: Data analysis is crucial for measuring the success of your Intelligent
  • Ecommerce strategy. A digital agency can help you set up key performance indicators (KPIs) and track the impact of your initiatives on conversion rates, customer engagement, and sales growth.

The Midwest Ecommerce Summit: Your Gateway to Intelligent Ecommerce Success

The future of online commerce is intelligent, and the Midwest Ecommerce Summit is your key to unlocking its potential. By embracing data-driven strategies, leveraging AI’s transformative power, and partnering with a digital agency, you can create a seamless and personalized shopping experience that drives customer satisfaction and propels your business to new heights. Join us at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit and discover how Intelligent Ecommerce can become your gateway to online success!

REGISTER NOW

Don’t miss the Midwest’s best ecommerce conference!
09 Aug 2023

Join Blayzer Digital on September 29 at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2023

The countdown to the highly anticipated Midwest Ecommerce Summit has begun. Scheduled to speak on September 29, 2023, the Blayzer team is ready to share their expertise and insights on the latest trends and strategies in the ever-evolving world of ecommerce. With a reputation for staying ahead of the curve and delivering exceptional results for their clients, the Blayzer team’s presence at the summit promises to deliver real-world insights for businesses seeking to excel in the competitive world of omnichannel ecommerce.

Blayzer is ready to share their valuable Insights

Blayzer is ready to delve into a wide-array of cutting-edge strategies that are shaping the ecommerce landscape. Topics like data-driven marketing, optimizing content and user experiences, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping customer interactions are likely to be at the forefront of their presentations. Attendees will gain valuable insights into harnessing the power of product data to drive targeted traffic, fuel effective marketing campaigns, and craft personalized customer journeys to enhance brand loyalty, lifetime value, and conversion rates. Blayzer’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve will undoubtedly inspire businesses to explore new and innovative ways to engage with their audiences and drive success in the digital era.

Join Blayzer Digital at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit

The Midwest Ecommerce Summit provides an exceptional platform for professionals and entrepreneurs to network, learn, and engage with industry experts and like-minded peers. Blayzer Digital’s headlining appearance ensures that this year’s event will be an incredible opportunity for attendees to gain insights from the best in the business. There are many benefits to attending the Summit, whether you’re seeking to optimize your ecommerce strategies, enhance your online presence, or boost your conversion rates. Prepare to be inspired by Blayzer Digital’s wealth of knowledge and expertise at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit.

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Join us at the T-REX conference center on September 29 for a day filled with inspiration, innovation, and actionable strategies that can transform your business.
28 Jul 2023

Join us at T-REX on September 29 for the Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2023

Featured photo and logo GIF sourced from T-REX website

Mark your calendars for September 29, 2023, because the Midwest Ecommerce Summit is back and better than ever! Join us at the iconic T-REX venue for a day filled with insights, networking opportunities, and cutting-edge discussions on the future of ecommerce. Whether you’re an established industry expert or a budding entrepreneur, this summit promises to be a game-changer for your business. Don’t miss out on this exclusive event that brings together the brightest minds in ecommerce at T-REX on September 29!

Why T-Rex is the ideal venue for the 2023 Midwest Ecommerce Summit

Join us at T-REX, the non-profit innovation and entrepreneur development center in St. Louis, for the Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2023 on Friday, September 29. T-REX is committed to bolstering the economic vitality of the city, making it the ideal venue for this year’s event. Located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, T-REX has created an environment that serves as a network of creativity & support that fosters a collaborative ecosystem where ideas thrive. T-REX is home to a growing community of well over 400 founders, developers, designers, mentors, educators, and more. This year’s Midwest Ecommerce Summit promises to be a gathering of ambitious ecommerce business professionals in a space dedicated to innovation and excellence. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this network of creativity and support.

How to attend Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2023

Ready to take your ecommerce venture to the next level? Secure your spot at the Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2023 today! Tickets are now available at midwestecommercesummit.com.  Join us at the T-REX conference center on September 29 for a day filled with inspiration, innovation, and actionable strategies that can transform your business. Whether you’re a seasoned ecommerce pro or just starting your digital journey, this summit is the ultimate destination for unlocking growth and success in the ever-evolving world of ecommerce. See you there!

REGISTER NOW

Join us at the T-REX conference center on September 29 for a day filled with inspiration, innovation, and actionable strategies that can transform your business.
19 Jul 2022

Date & Venue Announced for 2022 Midwest Ecommerce Summit

Conference to Draw Manufacturing, Retail & Ecommerce Leaders to the Gateway City This Fall

ST. LOUIS (July 19, 2022) – The third annual Midwest Ecommerce Summit (MES) will be taking place on September 29, 2022, at City Museum. This one-day conference features more than a dozen presenters and sponsors, including St. Louis-based Blayzer Digital. Ecommerce experts will provide industry success stories, powerful solution demos, and strategies for Midwestern manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

“MES is an exceptional opportunity to learn from ecommerce experts and gain insight into the latest industry trends and technologies,” said Brad Goldenberg, CEO at Blayzer Digital. “We are so excited to learn, connect, and integrate ideas and solutions at this year’s conference, and to play a part in bringing an event like this to the Midwest right here in St. Louis.”

The Midwest Ecommerce Summit welcomes executives and ecommerce professionals from all sectors of manufacturing, distribution, and retail business. Leaders from sales and marketing, IT, operations, fulfillment, and more are to learn about enhancing ecommerce through strategy, integration, and process.

2022 marks MES’s first year as an in-person event. Its first two years were done virtually. Since its inception in 2020, MES has virtually drawn participation from some of the biggest players in ecommerce technology, including BigCommerce, ShipStation, Square and Trustpilot. Timely themes in years prior have included “Accelerating Ecommerce Through COVID-19 & Beyond” in 2020, and in 2021, the event celebrated the new “Roaring 20s of Ecommerce”. The central theme of MES this year will be “Opportunities in Omnichannel Ecommerce”.

This year’s speaker lineup includes experts from BigCommerce, Feedonomics, Brightpearl, Klevu, ShipStation, Rewind, Gorgias, Vertex, Blayzer Digital, Swip Systems, and Phat Buddha Vision. The conference will also feature a guest speaker and a discussion panel about Omnichannel Ecommerce.

“We are so excited to finally bring MES to the ecommerce community live and in-person, in St. Louis, like we’ve always wanted,” says Blayzer Digital’s President and MES 2022 Emcee, Mike Landau. “Access to this level of expertise is something we’ve never seen here before. We’re really rolling out the red carpet for the ecommerce community this year and can’t wait to celebrate our first in-person event.”

Registration is now available for the 2022 Midwest Ecommerce Summit. Tickets include access to all in-person and online conference content, plus breakfast, lunch, and a full-on happy hour social soiree. The conference is free for all manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Other guests can purchase a ticket now through September 1st, 2022, for $99 with the Early Bird Special.

About Midwest Ecommerce Summit

Learn, connect, and integrate at MES! This one-day ecommerce conference is packed with insightful speakers, industry success stories, powerful solution demos, and strategies you can use to grow sales, revenue, and efficiency in your online business. Register Here

About Blayzer Digital

Founded in 1998, Blayzer Digital is a full-service ecommerce agency in St. Louis, Missouri. The company is dedicated to helping businesses gain more results, revenue and ROI from their websites, ecommerce stores, custom applications, and online marketing programs. For more information, visit blayzer.com.

20 Oct 2021

Marketing Under Prohibition – Ecommerce Tips from Blayzer Commerce

Brad, Mike, Julie, Kate, and Whitney from the Blayzer Commerce team are presenting at Midwest Ecommerce Summit 2021. You can read more news and articles from Blayzer Commerce here. Follow Blayzer Commerce on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn for the latest ecommerce strategy, design, development, and marketing insights!

Marketing Under Prohibition

Marketing and selling restricted or prohibited products online can be challenging, but taking the right steps to do it legally is something that is important and will benefit your business greatly! Get the rundown of common rules and restrictions, plus tips and advice for your ecommerce strategy.

Read the Article

Tips and advice for marketing and selling prohibited or restricted products online
06 Aug 2020

How COVID-19 Has Affected Ecommerce

The following article was written by Blayzer Commerce for Midwest Ecommerce Summit. You can read more blogs from Blayzer Commerce here. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram for the latest updates from this MES 2020 presenter.

COVID & Ecommerce -
Dangerous Curves Ahead

For many US businesses, COVID-19 was like hitting a curve in the road at full speed. The year was off to an interesting start, but things were picking up with the promise of spring right around the corner. Then…whoosh. We got swept off in an entirely new direction with a new set of challenges and obstacles to face.

Did you see the signs?

Most of us missed them, especially here in the midwest US, where it can take a while for things to make their way across the ocean and deep into the heartland. It was easy to hear news from overseas and not feel the urgency. Even New York and Seattle can feel comfortably distant here in the Midwest.

But this time the effects of globalization, international trade, and travel accelerated everything like we’ve never seen before. COVID got here fast and hit us hard, and it put us on a path we didn’t predict. All we could do is our best to get through it.

The COVID Test -
Is Your Business Passing or Failing?

Because we all found ourselves facing the same situation at the same time, the arrival of COVID was in many ways an equalizer for businesses. This has been a unique point in time unlike anything we’ve seen in our 22 years in business at Blayzer. We made it through the 90s dot com bubble, 9/11, and the financial crisis. We saw the rise of social media, online video, and mobile technology. A lot of very big things have happened over the years, but never before has something essentially brought us all to the same starting line to face a common challenge like this.

Adapting to COVID-19 has been a test. It’s tested your operational flexibility, your communication systems, your technology solutions, and the strength of your strategy.

How is your company doing?

★★★★★  Would you give yourself an A for sailing through the hardships with ease?
★★★★✫  Are you earning a solid B, a little bit challenged but managing to stay ahead?
★★★✫✫  Do you average out a C, earning some wins but taking a few losses along the way?
★★✫✫✫  Are you pulling a D grade, slipping behind but fighting your way through it?
★✫✫✫✫  Or are you sinking fast and in danger of failing?

No Time to Hit the Brakes -
Give Customers What They Want

The first 6 months of COVID were full of twists and turns, but now that we’re further down the road, time is on our side. We’ve had some time to observe, gather data, identify patterns, and learn. As businesses and marketers who exist to serve our customers, we don’t need to know the future to be successful. We just need to be able to predict how our customers will react to change. The customer has spoken. Buyers everywhere, ourselves included, have made it clear what is truly valued and essential.

Convenience

We’ll start with the obvious one: convenience. People want companies to make convenience easy for them. They want curbside pickup, home delivery, and digital communication. They want a seamless transition between in-person and online services. They believe that technology is capable of solving many of our current problems. They are correct.

Safety & Security

People also want to feel safe, secure, and cared for. They want products and services to help keep themselves and their families healthy. They want to buy those things with ease from companies that care enough for their customers and employees to make efforts to keep them safe and served. They want companies to communicate with them and be transparent about these efforts, so that they can make their choices and spend their dollars in alignment with their values.

Social Connection

Speaking of communication, COVID has shown us how much people value social connection in the customer experience. Whether it’s personal communication with a business representative or a way to connect with other customers online, people want and need social interaction. Customer communication should be a two-way street. Customers want brands to communicate new, important, and relevant information, and they also want convenient and fulfilling ways to ask questions, get assistance, and share feedback.

Certainty

Another important thing customers crave right now is certainty. If there has been one overarching theme to COVID-19 and 2020 as a whole, it would be Uncertainty. We’re all facing new challenges, strange situations, and unclear futures without prior experience or a plan to guide us. Any source of certainty right now is welcome and appreciated, even down to little things like a website showing accurate inventory and delivering on-time according to its shipping estimates. Be confident, be clear, and keep your promises.

Leadership

As businesses, we have a unique opportunity to help provide leadership and direction in uncertain times. We have an audience. We have a platform. We have both responsibility and incentive to rise to the occasion and lead by example. We can innovate, adapt, and give our customers what they want and need. And then we can accelerate.

Accelerating Ecommerce With Strategy, Technology & Marketing

No matter how well or not well you’ve made it through the early months of COVID, it is now time to take your foot off the brakes and accelerate ahead. That means investing in the areas of business that are going to get you through this and position you well for the future.

For manufacturing, retail, wholesale, and distribution companies, ecommerce has ascended from being a cool convenience or secondary sales channel to a primary and essential source of not just revenue, but business continuity. COVID has confirmed it. When your customers and buyers can’t do business with you “as usual”, you need to offer them a way to do business with you online. And you need that experience to be every bit as good, if not better than your in-store, in-person customer experience.

Ecommerce Strategy

First up, you need to define your ecommerce strategy. This is where you plan out what your store is and does, what your goals are, and what you need to develop and do in order to go after those goals. A strategy can’t stop COVID or the next curveball that comes your way, but it can help you find your way around challenges and get back on track faster. It makes it easier to be agile and adapt. A lot of companies learned the hard way this year that a little bit of planning and documentation of your goals and strategy can go a very long way.

Ecommerce Technology

Next there is your ecommerce technology. You need to organize your catalog well and present your information properly online in a way that attracts and impresses your customers. There’s a lot more to a store than just what’s on the shelf. You need a solid stack of software solutions that will keep your back office and fulfillment operations running smoothly. Quality technology and data systems are how you can deliver the certainty and dependability that customers really want and need from their vendors right now.

We tend to think about consumers and B2C a lot when we talk about ecommerce, but this is an area where B2B really stands out. If you’re selling to other businesses who are relying on your products to operate and serve their customers, then your speed, accuracy, and reliability are that much more important – especially if you are or serve “essential” businesses.

Ecommerce Marketing

Now is also time to evolve your ecommerce marketing strategy. This might mean different things depending on your business. It could mean shifting from traditional marketing or things like trade shows and expos to doing more marketing online like ads, email and social media. It could also mean advancing your existing digital marketing plan with more modern strategies like marketplaces and feeds, customer reviews, SEO enhancements, marketing automation, chatbots, and data-driven marketing. No matter what your specific mix includes, creating an integrated strategy for all your marketing will help keep your efforts efficient, effective, and aligned with your business goals.

Get the Help You Need to Succeed with Blayzer Commerce

Putting all the pieces together is easier with the guiding hand of an experienced and proven agency partner like Blayzer Commerce in St. Louis, MO. As a certified BigCommerce Partner and longtime custom web and marketing agency, we have the capabilities, creativity, and connections to deliver everything your shop needs. Learn why Blayzer Commerce clients love their solutions at blayzercommerce.com

MEET BLAYZER COMMERCE,

THE digital agency with solutions for your ecommerce site.