From the birth of the Internet in the 1980s to where we stand today, eCommerce has gone through some dramatic changes, and some people are still struggling to catch up. So what does it really take to transform from traditional sales to an eCommerce approach?
On the latest episode of The eCommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives podcast, host Kailin Noivo is joined by Taylor Becker, Head of DTC & eCommerce in North America at Polar Electro Oy and Founder of Tailored Approach.
Together, they discuss how to transition a company from a traditional sales mindset to an eCommerce mindset, why customer experience is so important, and how challenging the misconceptions around eCommerce are for leaders in the space.
Transitioning to The eCommerce Mindset
eCommerce has transformed the sales landscape. Although initially considered to be a small sales channel to dabble in, it has quickly started to take over. The key to transitioning from across to eCommerce? Mindset. In traditional sales, there are silos, but eCommerce is an ecosystem across the organization:
There are no walls or cubicles in the digital world, so your entire team needs to be working together, collaborating across departments to ensure no angle is missed.
But as we know, eCommerce is constantly changing, you can no longer just stick to what you know and hope that it works. You need to instead be constantly aware of the industry’s landscape, using a creative approach to tackle any new challenges that crop up.
Don’t Neglect the Customer Experience
One of the biggest changes in the eCommerce sphere is competition.
When the industry first started, you could get away with just throwing everything online. After all, the Internet was shiny and new, so consumers were just curious about what everything was.
Now, customers are more particular. They want an experience to remember. So, eCommerce leaders need to be consumer-centric, making sure they listen to and learn from their customers to curate the best possible experience. It’s also important to make sure that you are aligned with retail partners, creating a feedback loop to ensure that absolutely everything is cohesive and customized towards your customers:
How to Benchmark an eCommerce Transformation
With any large business transformation, benchmarking is crucial.
While sales rate may seem like the obvious metric to pay attention to, Taylor explains that this is more of a symptom of your efforts, and so different KPIs should be tracked.
She recommends observing return rates and reviews, looking at both the qualitative and quantitative data behind them. This way, you’ll see exactly what your customers are thinking and doing when it comes to your eCommerce offering.
You also want to look at your operation metrics, such as your inventory data and conversion gaps. All of these are what drive revenue. So, if these metrics are healthy, you will see growth.
eCommerce is Here to Stay
With a rapid change from ‘just another sales channel’ to the industry it is now, you might wonder if eCommerce could disappear as suddenly as it grew. That is far from the case.
While the industry is constantly changing, eCommerce is here to stay. But, not everyone has yet understood it, and eCommerce leaders are still having to fight the good fight, demonstrating that it is a worthy investment for every organization.
Listen to the Full Episode Below!
Tune in to this episode of The eCommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives with Taylor Becker to learn more about transforming the sales mindset into an eCommerce one.
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3HOkgjB
👉 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42tuqj6
Taylor Becker is a thought leader and transformative operator in the world of eCommerce. She is currently Head of DTC & eCommerce in North America for Polar Electro Oy, a Finnish sports technology company. She further is the Founder of Tailored Approach, helping small and medium-sized businesses build formal digital, eCommerce, and brand strategies.
