Page 13 - HGR March + April 2019

NEWSLINE 11

Creating standout digital
shopping experiences

While there has always online shoppers, 26% of online consumers Bluegrass Digital CEO Nick Durrant
been a natural uptick in currently shop online at least weekly. This
how often people shop is just a small increase from last year’s at the principles to achieve standout,
online, consumers’ digital report, which found that 23 percent of experience-driven commerce that converts
habits have started to online consumers shop online at this consumers into customers and buyers
frequency. into brand advocates. “According to the
stabilise. survey, final purchases require guidance
Bluegrass Digital CEO Nick Durrant because only 20% of online consumers
Digital commerce will reach critical mass points to the report and says the say all of their online purchases are pre-
in 2019. This is according to Episerver’s plateau effect in digital commerce leaves planned.”
Reimagining Commerce report, an companies with a clear mandate to
in-depth look at the trends, tactics and improve or get left behind. “The quality Although seamless transactional
technologies guiding brands and retailers and diversity of digital commerce experiences are the standard, online
in the age of experience-driven commerce. experiences play an even greater role shoppers say the top three capabilities
in the struggle to stand out and earn or features brands and retailers should
In a survey of more than 4500 global customer loyalty.” support include free shipping, shipping
tracking and information about returns.
Durrant says “To understand just how valuable
retailers need innovative online shopping experiences “Even though 88% of online shoppers
to look at the are, consider today’s commerce say it is the same or higher priority for
principles to environment. Leaders like Amazon have brands and retailers to offer personalised
achieve standout, perfected seamless transactions, leaving
experience- fewer opportunities for differentiation via PAGE 134
driven commerce investments in this area,” he explains.
that converts
consumers into At the same time, traditional retailers
customers and are using technology to improve the
buyers into brand customer experience and deliver new
advocates... perks through sophisticated loyalty
programs, bridging the online, in-store
gap. The average shopper’s path to
purchase is more complex than ever, filled
with a wide variety of capabilities and
attractions popularised by digital native
brands.

Vying for consumers’ attention and
wallet share will only grow more difficult
as additional players enter the fray, further
congesting an already crowded digital
shopping ecosystem.

To get ahead, brands and retailers must
implement dynamic, integrated content
marketing and customer experience
strategies that forge personal, emotional
connections with shoppers beyond
transactions.

Durrant says retailers need to look

MARCH / APRIL 2019 | HOME GOODS RETAILER