Internet Retailing

eSpares, the UK online parts store for home appliances, has entered into a new partnership with technology provider ConferWith. The partnership will provide customers with real time advice from experts over live video as they browse online.

By Jeff Broth, freelance writer

Exciting times! You’re getting your eCommerce site up and running and the possibilities seem nearly endless. You might not know exactly how your site is going to perform, but you probably know by now that it's always going to be evolving.

On the 12th of April, retailers in England and Wales will breathe a collective sigh of relief as all non-essential shops hope to open up once again. After a turbulent year, the government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions promises much-needed stability for retailers. However, the pandemic has led to marked changes in consumer behaviour, which retailers will need to adapt to.

JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., has seen impressive growth in virtual spending with European retailers from its Asian cardmember base, with online sales growing by more than 300% across the continent between 2016 and 2019.

By Will Carder, Automation Sales Engineer at Quadient.

Automation offers a route forward for hard-pressed e-fulfilment operations – particularly, when it comes to packaging processes. But how do you build in operational resilience? What are the secrets to maximising uptime?

The international delivery expert ParcelHero says the refloating of the ‘Ever Given’ is welcome news, but the blockage of the vital Suez Canal will cost £4.35 billion and delay many Amazon and other e-commerce orders for weeks.

It’s not just video calls that boomed over the pandemic. Online sales have exploded with physical shopping being restricted and social contact curtailed. 

The way consumers behave has shifted almost beyond recognition – and there are indications that the change could be permanent. Companies which were already operating on a technology-first basis have been able to adapt and thrive over the last year, while others are still playing catch-up and some have unfortunately not survived the transition – as evidenced by Debenhams and the Arcadia Group.

New apps are giving shoppers the power to buy direct from manufacturers and group together to reduce prices. C2M is a £4.33bn market that could drive the final nail into the High Street’s coffin, says ParcelHero.

A growing number of internet retailers are struggling to fulfil orders as a result of a shortage of cardboard packaging brought about by the boom in online sales during the pandemic.