• My Account / Register
  • My Tickets

  • Home
  • Events
  • Articles
  • Case Studies
  • Company Directory
  • Jobs
  • Videos
  • Contributors
  • Magazine

Articles

Now Is the Time for Retailers to Deliver a True Ecommerce Experience

by Vidatec Published on 07/04/21
Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK’s high street will be felt for decades to come. While consumer appetite for slick online shopping experiences was already growing, the high street still dominated the pre-pandemic retail landscape. That’s now changed. With the government all but mandating people to shop online by asking them to stay at home and closing non-essential stores, eCommerce made up a staggering 30 per cent of total retail sales in 2020. That’s the first time the eCommerce market has reached this milestone, and the only way is up.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) puts the figure at 36 per cent as of February 2021. And according to Gartner’s latest predictions report, organisations that embrace an omnichannel digital experience will outperform traditional brick-and-mortar businesses by more than 30 per cent in sales growth. By now it’s pretty clear that if you don’t have a digital presence as a retailer, you’re going to fall behind fast.

Most retailers are getting that message, responding to the pandemic by pushing their operations online. But how effective can rapid digital transformation be for the average retailer? Online shopping is more than just a function for consumers – it’s a whole experience. Today, it’s easier and more affordable than ever for retailers to offer an incredible user experience – one that will put them on a level playing field with some of the biggest brands in the world. Vidatec tells us how.

Tapping into mobile and the app ecosystem

According to analytics firm, App Annie, the average amount of time consumers spend on their smartphones skyrocketed by 27 per cent in 2020 alone. The same research concluded that time spent shopping on mobile apps increased by 45 per cent, and will only keep increasing in 2021 and beyond. While much of this might be linked to the pandemic and the closure of the UK’s high street, users that tap into the convenience of shopping on their smartphones are unlikely to revert back to traditional ways of doing things. Far from being an obstacle to overcome, it’s actually good news for retailers.

Setting up a business online with an excellent user experience isn’t nearly as tough as it used to be. Tapping into new platforms and technologies like mobile and web apps is incredibly affordable and can offer a huge boost to profit margins if implemented correctly. Adopting an app-first approach and getting your live store into people’s palms will keep you at pace with even the toughest competitors, then all that’s left to do is perfect the brand experience.

The rise of social shopping

You might think that a user experience begins and ends with an app, but that’s not the case. Your entire digital strategy should be geared toward creating a unified and joined-up experience for your customers at each and every touchpoint. That means putting effort into how you market your products and services outside of the mobile or web app itself, creating a “bond” with consumers. Social shopping presents a unique opportunity in this regard, allowing retailers to secure sales through social media channels like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

By 2024, the social shopping market is expected to be worth more than $2 trillion thanks to innovations like Facebook Shop and Snapchat’s “The Drop”, which basically serves as an interactive digital shopping channel. Google and Starbucks have even joined forces to create a new social shopping platform called Tuli which is centred around the restaurant trade.

Making inroads into eCommerce

The incredible thing about the eCommerce landscape in 2021 is that, with the right kind of implementation and digital strategy, it’s basically a level playing field. To get a nice position on the high street with plenty of footfall, you usually have to pay over the odds. Online real estate, on the other hand, is unlimited. Your prominence online isn’t dictated by how much you pay for your app, but how great your experience is and how well-rounded your digital strategy is.

That’s where Vidatec comes in. With our team of in-house experts in UX, mobile, web, eCommerce development and all things digital, we can help your business make the transition from the high street to eCommerce with minimum risk and maximum gain. We can create a mobile or web app from the ground up that’s built for your business and engineered to serve your customers, wherever they are. For all the disruption the pandemic has caused, the small silver lining is that it’s connecting consumers with services and products that they may otherwise have missed. There’s never been a better time to join the eCommerce revolution.

To find out more about how Vidatec can support your business see their services.

More from my site

  • What Blocks Innovation?What Blocks Innovation?
  • Five Important Soft Skills To Look For In Entry Level HiresFive Important Soft Skills To Look For In Entry Level Hires
  • 10 Principles Of Ethical Marketing10 Principles Of Ethical Marketing
  • Time For A Change?Time For A Change?
  • Four Ways To Engage Customers On A Mobile DeviceFour Ways To Engage Customers On A Mobile Device
  • Email Marketing & CRM Seminar Round-UpEmail Marketing & CRM Seminar Round-Up

Topics

Apps Customer Experience Design & Build Digital Marketing Digital transformation Ecommerce Mobile Apps Retail Social Media UX Web build

Editorial

editorial@figarodigital.co.uk

Advertising

neil.argent@figarodigital.co.uk

Speaking & Sponsorship

sponsorship@figarodigital.co.uk

Subscriptions

hello@figarodigital.co.uk

Events

paul.nichols@figarodigital.co.uk
Interested in our newsletters?
Sign Up Here
  • Submit a Brief
  • Press Releases
  • Privacy Policy

VHeaven Ltd, 4th Floor, 6 Aztec Row, Berners Road, London, N1 0PW

Upcoming

Digital Marketing Summit
Digital Marketing Summit 21-22 April 2021

Wed 21st Apr — Thu 22nd Apr

UK

Seminars
Web Build, CRO, CMS, and Personalisation Seminar 27 May 2021

Thu 27th May

UK

Seminars
Not-for-Profit: Digital Marketing Spotlight 20 May 2021

Thu 20th May

UK

Seminars
Social, Influencer & Video Marketing Seminar 6 May 2021

Thu 6th May

UK

© 2014–21 Figaro Digital
Feedback
x

    Your Name

    Your Email (required)

    Your Feedback

    x

      Full Name (required)

      Job Title (required)

      Company (required)

      Email (required)

      Phone