According to the common sayings of experts in the field of commerce, the importance of a digital presence, in light of the reality we live in, is high.
Does anyone who doesn't offer their wares online really not exist? What makes a shopping experience memorable for the user? And what is the importance of information security and safe online shopping?
We have gathered information for you from leading companies in their field. At this time last year, according to Google providers - there was a record season for e-commerce when global digital sales increased by 50% and amounted to 1.1 trillion dollars. When it comes to consumers, the transition from the status of a surfer on the various websites to becoming a consumer who purchases the product is not easy, and therefore, it is important to take this into account.
"Two years after the global pandemic made businesses realize that anyone who is not online does not really exist, every business must create attractiveness for its online website to make shopping easier and more accessible for customers and to address the customer's experience while browsing. It is important that the stay on the website is pleasant and aesthetic, and it is desirable to avoid a busy design or Full of texts and buttons," points out Guy Fisher, director of commerce operations at the software company Elad.
Fisher adds that: "The pop-ups (the pop-up banners) are annoying to the eye and their appearance should be significantly reduced. The buttons should be clear and large so that they can be easily clicked both from the computer and on mobile." Beyond the technical procedure in which thought and identification with the experience for the customer is evident, businesses in this period understand that innovation is of utmost importance but simplicity is just as important. Fisher recommends highlighting the information relevant to the consumer on the product pages and placing it at the top of the page so that the surfer understands exactly what he is buying and when he is supposed to receive the product. He also emphasizes the importance of the simplicity of the purchase process, which should be short and fast, and include at most, two stages."
Eyal Reich, VP of Marketing and founding partner of StoreYa, which specializes in performance-oriented marketing of online stores: "During the holiday season when the competition increases and every competitor is looking for a better deal to offer, it is important to pay attention to the service you as a business owner provide. As a small/medium business, you have the privilege of providing a more personal and quality service than the big competitors using chat, business WhatsApp or phone. Because you have the passion and understanding of your business, the service you offer will be more successful than the service your larger competitors can offer." the transaction, and 80% testify that it is critical for them to receive free shipping if they spend over a certain amount, so it is important to offer it. Item return policy:
According to Reich, a clear and convenient return policy for the customer, which is written in a sentence on the product pages with the company's policy in a clear way, may be reassuring the customer and provide a feeling of security that will help in completing the transaction.
"It is known that the world's consumer audience is moving to online shopping," explains Verd Levy-Ron, CEO of Syte, a company that develops product location technology with the help of visual artificial intelligence. The end user wants to feel that even if he is now physically alone in front of the screen, the online store provides him with the experience of a sales consultant close to him who takes him through a purchase journey customized to his needs and the style he prefers.
Every purchase is an emotional experience, whether it is clothing details, home decor items or jewelry. "Technology that produces a more intuitive and customized shopping experience will increase the shopping basket and allow the buyer to be excited about the product after the purchase and, naturally, to return to purchase from the same website," concludes Levy-Ron.
Our world is changing in a variety of areas and looking at the world of retail the changes are changing the rules of the game, it is not just about the shopping month when the discourse on the field makes waves, but all year round. Yuval Glauz, entrepreneur and founder of the Augmind company: "The world of physical retail, as we see it, is changing and will change dramatically.
The shopping experience is very important to the consumer, therefore the world of retail and online stores will have to make more of an effort to bring in more customers." "The physical stores will try to integrate various interactive shopping experiences among them: holograms, AR/VR glasses or any other three-dimensional experience. Online shopping will continue to grow and take larger market shares, mainly because of the new technologies with which we can make our purchases in a virtual measurement from home, if it is For jewelry, clothes, shoes or any other clothing item, we will not have to physically go to the stores and we will be able to see the suitability of the products through the mobile devices."
"The distant, but not too distant future of all of us, speaks of a metaverse reality: a virtual reality in which we will live, which will replace the Internet. This reality will allow us to "wander" in stores, and purchase products in a completely virtual way." Augmind's technology makes it possible to create high-quality 3D content for mobile devices without prior knowledge and experience in producing such content for mobile devices, while simplifying and cheapening the work processes that exist today.
The company Riskified, which develops credit fraud prevention solutions on e-commerce sites, published a report ahead of the holiday shopping season, in which it reveals that the online commerce industry in the US is expected to break new records this coming November, with an increase of 11.3% (!) at the rate of online shopping and expected revenues of 206 billion dollars. The year 2021 was a year in which the online shopping boom, as a result of the closures and the fear of infection with Corona, led to changes in global consumption habits and now, trading sites and customers alike, start the shopping period earlier, due to the fear of the ongoing global supply chain crisis.
Riskified's report indicates that in 2021, at least 1 in 140 customer login attempts to their user accounts on online trading sites were exposed to account takeover attacks.
According to Emily Greenzweig, Director of fraud insights at Riskified: "It is always important to use with different passwords for different websites, monitor credit card charges frequently and do not buy through unsecured links and websites." "On the merchant's side, maintaining a customer experience during busy periods requires investing in building long-term trust with customers while preventing fraud, offering a smooth shopping experience on smartphones and facilitating the shopping experience of new buyers while creating loyalty programs for returning customers," Greenzweig adds.
The cyber company GeoEdge specializes in protection against the dangers related to online and mobile advertisements. The company's goal is to protect users from dangerous ads, containing viruses, harmful, scams of various types or those that contain pornographic or illegal content - thus ensuring a clean and safe user experience. "We work with the largest advertising platforms in the world and with publishers to prevent such ads from targeting surfers"
Says Amnon Ziv, CEO of GeoEdge: "In many cases, the ad itself may seem innocent, but an analysis of the landing page shows that there is a scam here. The tendency of surfers on respectable and legitimate websites is to trust and trust the ads that are on the page. What they don't understand is that these are often ads that are displayed automatically and the website owners have no control over the type of ads and their quality."
Loads, problems with shipping and lack of personnel, are expected to be an integral part of the conversation, like every year. However, businesses that know how to make the ultimate preparation, starting from the consumer's experience to thinking about the day after, will come out profitable both financially and in terms of brand reputation." "At the end of the day, consumers will choose those who will provide them with the ideal overall envelope for them.
According to data from the Statista website, in 2020 global sales in online stores totaled $4.28 trillion, with next year (2022) expected to grow to $5.4 trillion. This is a dizzying pace that places online commerce as having the upper hand.
Michal Gaito Elbaz, entrepreneur, founder and owner of the leading beauty site in Israel, GUILTY, also gives tips to business owners on how to stand out from the competition.
Line. Exchange service - evaluations for the exchange service available in the Hebrew language (the local advantage) Critical mass - technologically preparing the site for a critical mass of users in a short time.
Product inventory - preparation of product inventory adjusted for the months of November, including inventory of gifts for buyers.
Diversity in promotions - it is recommended to change the promotions during the month in order to generate interest and encourage new arrivals and purchases.
Logistical estimates - Logistical estimates are extremely important, both at the level of the wrapping paper, stickers for deliveries, the case or the amount of crackers.
Courier arrangement - the delivery conditions must be updated for the months of November, in order to avoid unnecessary disappointment, and at the same time try to shorten the waiting time.
High priority for free shipping Content creation - that the content on the site is more interesting and the site is designed in a clear and friendly way, so the customer will stay on the site longer.
Customer experience - in recent years, one of the elements that has gained great importance in the world of commerce has become the customer experience. The added value the customer receives, the experience, the convenience of the site and the service. In the bottom line, it is the customer experience that will determine whether the customer will return for another purchase or not.
Online promotion - preparing a budget for sponsored online advertising, including cooperation with influencers relevant to the target audience.
Hadas Emily Lieberman and Barak Ben Shimon, senior lecturers at the IL Shopping Academy on behalf of the Elevation company, have put together, especially for small and medium-sized business owners, 5 key insights that will save a lot of time and money: networking and peer learning - will take you and your business very far. Far beyond the practical training, the personal connections that are formed between the various business owners are worth nothing less than gold. Business owners face difficulty in making decisions and designing their business and marketing plan.
A meeting between business owners from all over the country, from different business sectors, with different and diverse clientele enables social learning, receiving inspiration and creating commercial partners.
Flexibility and calculated risks - a business that adapts itself to changes is a business that stands up in times of crisis and overcomes challenges. Businesses with an open mind come For achievements that would not have been achieved without the desire to learn and develop. Online professionalization requires flexibility and significant risk-taking, such as targeting new market shares, changing the nature of the product, or expanding to additional products. The need is particularly evident among older business owners or from traditional professions.
Marketing according to needs Accurate - the supply of professionals who offer promotion and digital marketing services for small and medium-sized businesses alongside the many options in the world of digital marketing is enormous and often confusing.
The difficulty begins with the selection of the external factors to the difficulty in managing them, which is sometimes reflected in the difficulty in understanding concepts that are foreign to the business owners. It is important to understand exactly the needs of the business in digital, and look for a good and reliable provider that specializes in them. It is important to remember that not every business has the same marketing needs.
Engagement agreement with marketing people - it is important that the business owners sign a contract with the marketing people, an agreement that includes the advertising volumes even if they are low that will ensure continuous work in the long term.
In addition, it is recommended to anchor in the contract a trial period with a nearby exit station if you are not satisfied with the service up to that point. It is worthwhile to examine the provider beyond an introductory conversation. Examine works, raise questions, ask to hear recommendations, coordinate expectations and note that you receive professional answers.
Digital budget planning - Many businesses that until the Corona crisis only sold offline realize that today they must establish an online trade website with automatic purchase processes and create a sales channel that does not depend on a physical space. At the same time, they must be supported by marketing and promotion budgets that will be invested in campaigns that aim to increase the exposure of the business among the target audience. An amount of about NIS 5,000 per month is a recommended starting point in order to see results that will return the investment in the first stage.