If virtual stores are here to stay, the same can be said of marketplaces, considered internet shopping malls, as they include several virtual stores on the same platform.
In this context, a virtual administrator who joins a marketplace begins to be called a seller. However, by doing so, they have to manage their own virtual store and an additional sales channel within the marketplace. This is where the challenges begin, which can include:
1- Manage the points of sale
The manager who already manages a virtual store will also have to manage a marketplace which, in some cases, may be more than one. If the platforms are different, he will have to deal with conflicts.
2- Implement dynamic pricing
One of the challenges is dynamic pricing . The administrator will have to find a way to automatically and simultaneously adjust product prices across different platforms.
3- Manage logistics
Different sales points can lead to inventory conflicts. If the online store and the marketplace sell the last pair of sneakers in the warehouse, for example, there will be problems. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate logistics.
4- Develop promotions
Conflicts similar to those in logistics can occur with promotions, where the manager will need to deal with pricing, layout, and sales pitches for different platforms, but with the same organizational culture.
5- Achieve prominence for the products
The greater the number of sellers within a marketplace, the greater the difficulty for the administrator to make their product stand out to the point of being viewed by the consumer.
Solutions to Marketplace Challenges
All five marketplace challenges presented in this article can be solved by integrating platforms with applications capable of aggregating all information and favoring decision making in a single interface.
The SkyHub platform, for example, offers numerous solutions that enable the integration of multiple marketplaces. The Vtex e-commerce platform , in turn, has the Bridge module, which allows for the centralization of products from all channels and the synchronization of inventory, promotions, prices, etc.
