What to Know Before Getting into eCommerce

As we weather the coronavirus pandemic, most of us are stuck at home right now, and eCommerce has become the most accessible platform for consumers. Because we live in economically uncertain times, though, the eCommerce landscape might seem more overwhelming now than ever before. At IgnitePOST, we’re here to help. That’s why we surveyed experienced professionals in the field for tips on how to break into the industry or grow your existing business.

Here at IgnitePOST, we always stress the importance of effective, personalized outreach and hard work, so it came as no surprise when these experts emphasized the same things in their responses to us. Here’s what they had to say.

Invest in Marketing

Deciding where to put money might be the perennial challenge of any business, ever. Budgeting definitely does require making some difficult decisions, but investing in marketing should be a no-brainer.  After all, marketing is how you show your customers that you love the product you’re selling and that they should too. Eyal Dror, CEO and founder of Eyal Dror Consulting Ltd. confirms that marketing should always be a priority, especially for new businesses.

“If your budget is limited, make sure that you allocate as much as possible to marketing, because that is the only item that actually generates revenues. As a rule of thumb: If marketing doesn't consist of 70% or more of your budget for the first year, you will probably face cash flow issues in the near future.”

- Eyal Dror, CEO and founder of Eyal Dror Consulting Ltd.

In short: make sure enough of your budget is allocated towards intelligent and data-backed marketing.  You might be surprised at just how big of a difference a well-funded marketing campaign can be for your business.  

Provide Five-Star Customer Service

It’s no secret that we’re living in difficult times, and it’s important to show your customers that you’re thinking of them, even during a pandemic. While the world is changing rapidly and our needs are evolving constantly, Joe Rozsa, the Chief Digital Officer of Launch Commerce, a digital marketing agency, assures us that one thing is always certain in this industry no matter what’s going on around us: customer service is the key to success.  

“At the core of everything, it has always been about providing a great customer experience. If you can do that one thing right... you will have success in this industry for a long time.”

- Joe Rozsa, the Chief Digital Officer of Launch Commerce

Creating a product is only the first step in building a business. Your customers are looking for a reason to choose you to provide their next product or service. Providing an exceptional experience for your customers is ultimately what will distinguish you from the competitors.

Use Your Website to Personalize Content in Customer Outreach

At IgnitePOST, we believe in the importance of personalization in business. Time and again, customers have shown that they want content to be tailored specifically for them. Gone are the days where simple horizontal recommendations are enough to get customers to make a purchase. In today’s world, the marketing that truly works is one that takes into account how your customers are interacting with your brand. Take it from Dejan Georgiev, a Team Lead at Essence of Email, who says this about maintaining a successful automated email campaign:

“Monitoring your website behavior is crucial for your automated emails, and your content needs to be customized based on how far away users are from the point of conversion. If you see a lot of users just browsing for products or even adding them to the cart, but never purchasing, optimizing the Browse and Cart Abandonment flows will be your top priority. Maybe they just need a small incentive to push them to convert, so introducing a discount or free shipping can turn them from browsers to customers.”

- Dejan Georgiev, a Team Lead at Essence of Email

Still not convinced? We asked Jon MacDonald, CEO and founder of The Good, a company that specifically specializes  in increasing revenue for eCommerce companies via their website, about what he wished he knew before getting into the eCommerce industry. Here’s what he said:

“Researching data on the clicks and movements of the site's visitors from day one, which enables making data-backed decisions about what site experiences to change for increased sales, conversions and average order value.”

- Jon MacDonald, CEO and founder of The Good

The verdict is in and has been for awhile: ensure that whatever marketing strategy you use for your eCommerce business, it’s personalized.

Be Motivated.

Last, but definitely not least, is maintaining your passion for what you are doing. If you’re not excited about your company, then neither are your customers. It’s important to keep up the hard work and to never stop trying to improve your company. Tessa Wuertz, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at efelle creative, a professional website design and development company, says this about their clients:

“One thing that we see continuously with our clients is learning that you have to 100% invest in your business. In order to truly exceed, you need to use your passion and enthusiasm to fuel your hard work. There are so many moving parts and evolving aspects of your business that it's crucial that you are giving your all - meaning eCommerce businesses are hard work.”

- Tessa Wuertz, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at efelle creative

The moral of the story: know your customers and give it your all. Investing time and resources in creating a unique customer experience pays off and will ensure the continued success of your eCommerce business. When you understand your customers and are excited about your product, they will be, too!

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