Online operations are the backbone for thousands of businesses both large and small in the UK, especially around the holiday season, with online spending predicted to hit £24.1 billion between 1st November and 31st December, according to the Adobe Digital Economy Index.
Internet Retailing, Omnichannel Retailing
Internet retailing, also known as e-tailing, is the sale of goods and services through the internet. It can include business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) sales of products and services. Online shopping or e-shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. Internet retailers can be purely digital, meaning there is no physical store for a customer to enter. However, an e-retail business can also be a brick-and-mortar shop with an online presence. Omnichannel retailing is a retail strategy that integrates multiple channels, such as brick-and-mortar stores, online stores, and mobile apps, to create a seamless shopping experience for customers.
The price of slow websites: businesses could be missing out on up to £28.4 billion this Christmas
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Artificial intelligence brings online shops sales increases of 11 percent and more
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A study by FactFinder shows the importance of AI in European e-commerce in 2023. In the areas of search, merchandising and personalisation, the use of the new technology leads to the largest increases in sales for webshops on average.
Whistl recognised a Logistics UK Van Excellence Operator
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Whistl, the UK logistics specialist in e-fulfilment, mail and parcels, has been recognised as a Logistics UK Van Excellence Operator.
The dark side of the boom – the rise of e-commerce consumer fraud
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Over a third of all internet shoppers (40%) committed fraud within the past 12 months.
This is one of the shocking central findings of new research commissioned by fraud prevention provider Ravelin, exploring the attitudes, motivations, values, and backgrounds of a growing number of consumers who are turning to e-commerce crime.
One in four consumers have lost trust in smaller brands after buying ‘dupes’ online, Trustpilot study reveals
Nov 15, 2023
New research by global review platform Trustpilot reveals that three in 10 consumers have bought ‘dupes’ through social media, only to find they weren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
Moving from generalised discounting to personalised experiences this Black Friday
Nov 15, 2023
By Harry Hanson-Smith, RVP at Dynamic Yield, a Mastercard company.
Many see Black Friday as the first real leap into holiday shopping, and with research showing that anticipation for the day starts in the UK as early as three months prior, it’s vital to understand the behavioural needs of different consumers.
UK Shoppers have the lowest tolerance for bad e-commerce experiences compared to consumers globally, according to new study
Nov 15, 2023
More than one third of UK shoppers say they have a higher likelihood than the global average to find a different site when encountering checkout frustrations or barriers, according to new consumer research by e-commerce technology company Rokt and Harris Poll.
SPAR presents MrBeast Feastables campaign winners with grand prizes
Nov 14, 2023
Spinner Winner, an online consumer competition campaign launched during the summer to support the convenience partnership between MrBeast Feastables chocolates and SPAR, has proven to be a success with SPAR shoppers.
Europe braces for parcel deluge: Online stores anticipate 79.4% surge in parcels
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For retailers, the busiest season of the year is just around the corner. Online stores are gearing up for peak weeks, with a parcel volume surge of up to +79.4 percent.
Smart Retail: Innovative Tech Solutions For Streamlined System Operations And Issue Resolution
Nov 07, 2023
By Andrew James, freelance writer.
The contemporary retail sector stands at the intersection of innovation and customer experience. In a landscape where real-time responses and seamless operations are no longer just desired but expected, retailers are seeking groundbreaking technological solutions to meet these demands.
Internet Retailing
Internet retailing, also known as e-tailing or online retailing, is the sale of goods and services over the internet. It is a type of electronic commerce (e-commerce) that allows consumers to purchase products and services directly from retailers without having to visit a physical store.
Internet retailers can sell a wide variety of products, including clothing, electronics, books, home goods, and more. They can also offer a variety of services, such as online payments, shipping, and returns.
There are many different types of internet retailers, including:
- Pure-play retailers: These retailers only sell products online. They do not have any physical stores.
- Multichannel retailers: These retailers sell products both online and in physical stores.
- Marketplaces: These retailers provide a platform for other retailers to sell their products.
Internet retailing has become increasingly popular in recent years. In 2022, global e-commerce sales were estimated to be $4.9 trillion. This number is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.
There are many reasons for the growth of internet retailing. Some of the reasons include:
- The convenience of shopping online.
- The wider selection of products available online.
- The lower prices that can often be found online.
- The ability to shop from anywhere in the world.
Internet retailing has a number of advantages for both consumers and retailers. For consumers, it offers the convenience of shopping from home, the ability to compare prices from different retailers, and the opportunity to find products that are not available in physical stores. For retailers, it offers the opportunity to reach a wider audience, reduce costs, and improve customer service.
However, there are also some challenges associated with internet retailing. Some of the challenges include:
- The need to protect customer data.
- The need to ensure that products are delivered on time and in good condition.
- The need to provide effective customer service.
Omnichannel retailing
Omni-Channel Retailing is the evolution of Multi-Channel Retailing, but is concentrated more on a seamless approach to the consumer experience through all available shopping channels, i.e. mobile internet devices, computers, brick-and-mortar, television, radio, direct mail, catalog and so on. Retailers are meeting the new customer demands by deploying specialized supply chain strategy software. To use all channels simultaneously, retailers using an omni- channel approach will track customers across all channels, not just one or two.
Omnichannel retailing is a retail strategy that integrates multiple channels, such as brick-and-mortar stores, online stores, and mobile apps, to create a seamless shopping experience for customers. This means that customers can start their shopping journey on one channel and seamlessly transition to another channel without having to start over.
For example, a customer might start by browsing for products on a retailer's website, then use the retailer's mobile app to compare prices, and finally visit a brick-and-mortar store to make a purchase. The retailer would track the customer's journey across all channels and make sure that the customer's information is consistent across all channels.
Omnichannel retailing is becoming increasingly important as more and more customers are using multiple channels to shop. A study by Salesforce found that 73% of customers use multiple channels during their shopping journey.
There are many benefits to omnichannel retailing, including:
- Increased customer satisfaction: Customers appreciate being able to shop however they want, and they are more likely to be satisfied with their shopping experience if they can seamlessly transition between channels.
- Increased sales: Omnichannel retailers are able to reach more customers and sell more products by offering their products and services across multiple channels.
- Improved customer loyalty: Omnichannel retailers are able to build stronger relationships with their customers by providing them with a more personalized and convenient shopping experience.
