Unified Commerce Platform is a software aimed at developing, connecting and managing online and offline sales channels. It aims to surround consumers with integrated solutions and thus provide them with better shopping experiences.
This type of software simplifies, synchronizes, and improves customer service, inventory management, and work processes, among other procedures, in online retail spaces (virtual stores, marketplaces, multi-stores , microsites, email, etc.) and in physical retail spaces (traditional stores, guide shops , pop-up stores , etc.).
In addition to B2C retail where companies like yours market directly to the end consumer, a unified commerce platform is also useful for wholesale and B2B e-commerce (where business sells to business).
In any case, a unified commerce platform goes against the first commandment of e-commerce , which is precisely the focus on the consumer/customer. If in the past it was the customer who took the initiative to go shopping, now it is you, the entrepreneur, who has to bring the purchases to them via connected online and offline channels.
Well then, I invite you to learn about some of the features of a unified commerce platform below. Find out how this system can improve consumers' shopping experience and generate more loyalty. Discover several advantages of implementing this in your company.
- As soon as you can, also click on “What is omnichannel” and read a companion post.
MAIN TOOLS OF A UNIFIED TRADE PLATFORM
As the name implies, a unified commerce platform is a system that connects, integrates, unifies sales channels. And nowadays this is done in the offline and online wards, physically and virtually.
For example, VTEX and Linx are two such platforms. They have features such as:
WHO system:
An Order Management System (OMS) is software that integrates inventory from different sales channels. In this way, it creates an endless aisle , reduces stockouts , and generates more sales.
Integrated Checkouts:
Data from consumers who buy in e-commerce is integrated with those from physical stores and other sales channels. This allows you to work with promotions that start in one channel and end in another, depending on the customer's preference.
Waiters
Consumers can subscribe to your content and thus know when their favorite products will be on sale. In addition, they will be able to modify their orders, change delivery addresses, among other actions. Empower consumers and they will buy more!
Shareable shopping carts:
A customer enters your physical store and places an order, but says they'll think about whether they'll actually buy it. In this case, the salesperson can put the products in a shareable cart and send it to the customer via email, who can then complete the purchase at home.
Integrated logistics:
Shipping companies integrated into the platform through freight gateways allow consumers to receive purchased products from any sales channel at the address of their choice. Furthermore, they can track their order at any time via the internet.
Application integration:
A unified commerce platform integrates with different applications such as those for payment, logistics, customer service, feedback, analytics, and security, among others. This empowers your business and, above all, your consumers.
Software integration:
In addition to applications, a commerce platform also integrates with management software such as ERPs, CRMs, WMSs, etc. This allows you to control virtually your entire business with much greater ease.
UNIFIED TRADE PLATFORM EMPOWERS CONSUMERS
All the tools mentioned and others that were not mentioned generate an effect that is essential to commerce today: consumer empowerment. Consumers who have power buy more. And whoever can give them that comes out ahead and wins the game.
Because by using a unified commerce platform you will open your doors to empowering experiences like:
Ship from store:
Enables each physical store to become a Distribution Center (DC). Therefore, consumers will be able to buy in one store and pick up in another or buy in e-commerce and pick up in a physical store, for example;
Ship to home:
Allows the physical store customer to choose any delivery address. In other words, you can buy offline and have it delivered anywhere you want, just like an e-commerce purchase.
Ship to store:
One store ships the product to another to satisfy a local customer. If a consumer cannot find a product in a particular store, then the nearest store can send that product to the store where it is.
Pick up in store:
Pick up in store is a concept in which the customer buys in any channel, online or offline, but picks up the product in a physical store.
Return in store:
Customer exchanges a product purchased in the virtual store in the physical store.
Note that with these options, consumers can have a much richer shopping experience. They can, for example, start a purchase in a physical store and complete it online, and vice versa. It's possible to start researching on a price comparison site and then search for information on an online store. Then, they can buy in the physical store and have it delivered to their home, among other shopping scenarios. In short: more power, more shopping.
ADVANTAGES OF A UNIFIED TRADE PLATFORM
The advantages of a unified commerce platform are:
- Updated and unified inventories, which avoids out of stock and allows the consumer to find the product they want in any sales channel of your company;
- The global view of the business from a system;
- Practical customer service at all stages of their shopping journeys. And also in any part of your itineraries or shopping routes. That is, a personalized and complete experience;
- Ability to provide more autonomy to customers, who can buy where, when and how they want;
- Power to analyze and predict customer behavior to offer them an increasingly better shopping experience;
- Adjust product and service prices across all channels more accurately. Thus, you avoid cart abandonments due to consumer frustration;
- Ability to organize the movement of your stock based on the consumption demand of each region;
- Exchange or return products more quickly and efficiently. In this way, it is avoided that the consumer gives up buying with you in the future.
In addition, a unified commerce platform makes it easier for you to train your employees. After all, it's easier to teach how one system works than ten or more of them. This means less end-of-month costs for your business.
- Visit and also read our article “omnichannel tools”. Discover 5 resources that will help you integrate physical stores with e-commerce.
