The year 2020, as well as the current year 2021, are and will remain a great challenge for manufacturers, brands and retailers. More than ever before, it is a matter of responding as promptly and continuously as possible to the constantly changing online shopping habits of consumers.
The aim is to satisfy the growing demand in the e-commerce sector and to successfully expand its own business model. These developments require manufacturers and providers to rapidly build and expand new digital business models, while the question remains: “What’s next and what do I need to do to be successful?”
The good news is that a straightforward and intelligent entry into this digital, post-pandemic world of e-commerce is not that difficult. Companies can select suitable marketplace platforms in just a few steps and thus open up new e-commerce markets.
We will provide you with five tips for entering existing marketplaces and successfully positioning products:
1. Choose the right marketplace
Not all marketplaces are the same. Online retailers should take a closer look at a few things with regard to their marketplace strategy: First and foremost, it is important to find out which marketplace platform is right for their business. This depends mainly on the products and the preferences of actual and potential customers.
2. Find a reliable fulfilment partner
Order processing is one of the most important factors in e-commerce when it comes to customer satisfaction. It is an all-important criterion in the question of whether customers want to buy again, recommend a company to others or – quite the opposite – advise against a purchase or even recommend a competitor.
Customer satisfaction in terms of shipping time, the right product and the perfect condition of the delivered goods, the type and size of the packaging, as well as a simple returns service are becoming increasingly important in this respect. The demands are high and it is important to meet these expectations in all respects.
For this, companies need a flexible, experienced partner who has warehouse space that is specialised in different sectors and with whom they can grow across Europe without any problems and with a secure future. Promptness is the key: in order to be able to deliver at any time, there should always be enough products in stock ready for dispatch.
3. Use suitable payment methods
Another asset is the right choice of payment method. This is because the payment methods offered also play a central role in the purchase decision. Digital marketplaces offer various payment options such as credit card, PayPal or direct bank transfers. Experience shows that retailers who rely on the wrong payment method mix lose customers.
But how can you find the right payment method? Here too, it depends on the target groups and, of course, on the needs of the company. An analysis of the existing payment options and conversion optimisation help to find out which payment methods your customers prefer to use.
4. Optimise contents
On marketplaces, not only the products offered play a role, but also how they are presented: Product titles, categories, photos, size tables, descriptions as well as the right keywords are very important for the purchase decision. But not only that: product descriptions also influence the position in which products appear in keyword searches. The keyword is search engine optimisation (SEO). With the right keywords, products are displayed high up and thus visible to interested parties at first glance. Therefore, companies should carefully plan and optimise their content strategy.
5. Keep an eye on the performance of the marketing campaigns
Once the content strategy is in place, it makes sense to launch customised marketing campaigns for different target groups and products. The success of these campaigns should be measured and optimised regularly. Not only to attract new customers, but also to retain existing ones. For example, with promotions in which current products or seasonal articles are advertised. Suitable analysis methods can also be used to measure the success of these activities and optimise future campaigns in a targeted manner.
Estefania ist seit 2021 als Online Marketing Managerin bei PVS tätig. Sie erstellt Inhalte für Blog-Beiträge, die sich rund um das Thema E-Commerce und Fulfillment drehen. Händler und E-Commerce-Brands können von Tipps, Trends und Herausforderungen in der Branche profitieren.
