Online sales channels is the name retailers use to call their companies' points of contact with consumers on the Internet. At these touchpoints, consumers purchase products, which are then delivered to their home, workplace, or other location they designate.
In the mid-1990s, that is, at the beginning of e-commerce, it was enough to have a sales channel, the e-commerce website, to be successful. But with the evolution of technologies, there are now countless other channels such as social networks, messenger apps and shopping apps, among others, which add several layers of complexity to online retailing.
Due to this complexity, retailers always need to keep an eye on research, as this allows them to know which channels they should allocate more resources to. Therefore, in this article, I present a recent study that points to just that. Check it out!
ONLINE SALES CHANNELS: WHICH CONSUMERS PREFER?
Octadesk, in partnership with Opinion Box, recently conducted the " E-commerce Trends 2023 " study with 2 Brazilian consumers who shop online, with the goal of mapping their behavior and generating insights for retailers. In this study, participants were asked which online sales channels they usually use for purchases and:
- 76% answered that they buy from marketplaces or virtual stores;
- 64% prefer to buy in apps from the store itself;
- 51% like aggregator apps;
- 25% buy directly on social networks;
- 24% go from classifieds sites;
- 18% buy via Whatsapp;
- 2% prefer to buy from other online sales channels.
As can be seen, even today there is a predilection for virtual stores. However, now they rival marketplaces. In addition, other interesting online sales channels have emerged, such as social networks and WhatsApp, for example. So the next challenge for retailers is to unify them.
IMPORTANCE OF UNIFYING ONLINE SALES CHANNELS
Unifying sales channels is extremely urgent and important because in this way retailers can:
- Offer a seamless and therefore more consistent shopping experience to customers, allowing them to search and find what they need in any channel;
- Provide fewer bottlenecks and, therefore, greater operational efficiency in the offer and delivery of products;
- Increase the visibility, reach and awareness of the e-commerce brand in different touchpoints with the public;
- Have a larger database for analysis and insights.
Furthermore, unifying online and physical sales channels allows for the optimization of sales experiences. That is, through this strategy you can create multichannel experiences such as ship from store , pick up in store , and much more, while also benefiting from multichannel marketing.
HOW TO HAVE A UNIFIED TRADE?
To unify your online and physical sales channels, it's necessary to invest in a unified commerce platform. VTEX , for example, is that type of platform. It features the VTEX OMS system , which integrates inventory and allows you to create an endless aisle , preventing stockouts and providing a better shopping experience for customers.
You can implement the VTEX platform and create a unified commerce experience through VTEX partner agencies like e-Plus Agency. e-Plus Agency serves companies in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, among other countries. To discuss your project with us, click the button below and start a conversation via messaging app right now:
