There are likely 365 things you could do right now to help grow your business. In addition to having a stellar product line, a user-centric online or in-store experience, and a way to measure it all, you must meet customer demand and increased exposure to create a sea of happy customers.
The last two are right up my alley: customer demand and increased exposure. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Question 1: What does every customer want?
The answer: ‘The thing’ they want is the thing they went online to buy 10 seconds before.
Seems obvious, right. To a business making 200 sales a month (or more!), it can be hard to meet these simple customer expectations.
Why?
Sales order data (customer name, product ID, SKU, shipping address, etc) need to be typed from the eCommerce store into your accounting package, manually. But… if an error is made (humans make errors), the order could be rejected, or the item could be shipped to an incorrect address. Or even worse, the order could be made and no inventory is left to fulfill it!
A few unhappy customers = a handful of 1 star reviews on your brand.
It goes without saying, when someone shops online, they want their item to be ready to ship right away. If you have manual processes for managing inventory levels between online stores, or even brick-and-mortar stores, it can get messy. Really messy.
Question 2: How do you get your product in front of your customer?
The answer: Sell where your customers buys.
Another obvious one, right? Having one online store is often not enough. Many retailers sell on their own website, plus push their products to marketplaces, and even onto in-store retailers. All to be sure that when their customer is ready to buy, their product is ready too.
If your product is not available, or it is not on the shelf, then it’s a win for your competitor.
Selling on more channels is the key. Doing business with large retailers, or large marketplaces, requires just short of a song and dance, but it is worth it. Find smart vendors that can help you get connected directly to eCommerce platforms, webstores, marketplaces and even with EDI requirements, and get the exposure your product deserves. Your brand grows with each channel you add.
Both of these questions above are tightly tied to one final question: how are your systems integrated?
And what business system integrations can you grow as a direct result from?
What is integration anyways?
Integration is simple. It means enabling the flow of order data to and from your BigCommerce or Magento store, into your accounting package or ERP. No more order pile up and delayed inventory updates. Real, live data across all of your business systems, connected. Ah, it means freedom.
The benefits?
- Fast orders
- Correct inventory
- Multi-channel
- Fast shipping / tracking info to your customer
- Fast invoicing
- Up to date product description and catalogues
- Happy, returning customers
Build your own eCommerce integration plan quickly, and for free.
Use eBridge Connections’ integration BluePrint Builder.
About the blogger
Lindsay Hampson, Senior Marketing Manager at eBridge Connections, lives and breathes sales order data efficiency. Her company works hard for the likes of Coleman, Everlast and Lush Cosmetics to integrate their eCommerce, CRM and retailer trading partners (EDI) with their accounting package or ERP. Why? To enable faster sales, products available in more places, and happier customers. eBridge is a proud partner of 121eCommerce. Learn more about eBridge today.
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