Thursday, December 14

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🚨 In today’s newsletter 🚨

• How to deal with Black Friday’s massive traffic

• Best e-commerce platforms to leverage in 2023

• How to improve customer experience on your e-commerce site

Let’s get into it👇

#1 - 🛍️ Coping with massive Black Friday traffic

📰 TL;DR - Online shopping frenzies aren't just confined to days like Black Friday anymore. With 68% of customers now going digital for deals, a year-round e-commerce boom is straining retailer sites unprepared for the spike in traffic. Buyers have little patience for slow carts these days - over 90% abandon ones taking more than three seconds to load. Rather than break the bank beefing up temporary infrastructure each holiday season, smart retailers can implement some commonsense software fixes.

Balancing personalization with speed, shielding against cyber scrooges, and flexing to fit the variety of devices shoppers use are attainable ways to keep revenue ringing. Do that and retailers can sustain momentum from the holiday hustle into long-term success.

💡 Insight - The digital stampede of Black Friday and Cyber Monday brings huge opportunities, but can crush unprepared retailers. Maintaining stellar website performance should be a year-round priority, not just during the holidays. Site reliability builds loyalty just like good content builds trust.

Instead of bolting on infrastructure in November, retailers should first optimize existing systems with intelligent load balancing, efficient caching, and security layers. The key is striking the right balance between personalization and speed using flexible software. This allows retailers to handle shifting consumer devices and trends without vendor lock-in.

➡️ You can read the article here...

#2 - 📧 Close More Deals with Campaigner's High-Converting Email

Campaigner provides all the tools you need to build email campaigns using its intuitive visual email builder and simple-to-navigate dashboard.

You can choose from hundreds of responsive templates to create attractive emails. On top of that, you can also build SMS campaigns - either standalone ones or incorporate them into your email automation workflows.  

Interestingly, Campaigner’s website states that SMS campaigns have a 98% read rate. In addition, instead of just relying on generic email drip campaigns, Campaigner’s customers see 6x more conversions when using multi-channel automation workflows.

Customizable features: Email automation, reports, personalization and experimentation are just a few of the customizable features Campaigner offers. For example, you can automate responses, test your subject lines, and segment your contacts to send a foolproof email that's fine-tuned to capture the attention of your target customer.

Automated workflows: Campaigner helps you devote your time to where your business needs it the most. Built-in marketing automation manages the exact emails sent to a certain group and at what time without you monitoring every stage.

Social media integration: You can embed your company's social media feeds directly into your emails, which can boost your engagement through a multichannel marketing strategy.

#3 - 💻 Top e-commerce platforms for 2023

📰 TL;DR - Starting an online business is easier than ever thanks to e-commerce platforms that help you create a professional storefront with minimal hassle. But with so many options, how do you choose? This article explores the top e-commerce platforms of 2023 based on features, value, and ease of use.

Shopify leads for its balance of simplicity and customization, while BigCommerce shines for B2B sales. Ecwid enables seamless selling across channels. And Square Online makes online retail a breeze for physical stores. Whichever you choose, the key is finding the platform that aligns with your business needs and budget. The article breaks down top picks based on strengths to help you decide. But the common thread is that e-commerce tools now empower entrepreneurs to turn side hustles into thriving web stores.

💡 Insight - e-commerce platforms are essential for any online business, but you've also got to think about what comes after launch. Getting up and running with a slick site is just the beginning. You'll want to focus on driving traffic, converting visitors, and building loyalty with existing customers. This is a prime time to use re-targeting to bring previous visitors back with special deals.

Quick order fulfillment also becomes key, so highlight any faster shipping options to encourage impulse buys. I'd love to see a banner that says "order by X date to receive your items by the holidays!"

There's always more you can do to engage customers beyond the initial website setup. Use every tool these platforms provide for marketing, analytics and beyond to maximize success. Treat your site as a living, breathing ecosystem that requires care and feeding, not a "set it and forget it" project. The work has only just begun once that launch button is pressed.

➡️ You can read the article here...

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#4 - 🛠️ Things worth checking out

😎 AI - Here’s a piece that talks about how e-commerce companies can use AI for detecting fraud.

🤔 NICHES - How AI is redefining trend forecasting in the fashion industry.

🎨 CONTENT - Mastering e-commerce market research techniques

💵 GROWTH - Specialist online marketplaces representing 60% of the global e-commerce spend.

📈 STOCKS - What is next for Shopify stock?

#5 - 📦 Improving your e-commerce site’s CX

📰 TL;DR - Ecommerce is booming, but brands face rising customer churn as shoppers demand more convenient, engaging online experiences. Research shows focusing on customer experience (CX) is key to revenue and loyalty. This article shares 10 CX tips to turn the tide. For example, optimizing for mobile when purchases have doubled from $360B in 2021 to a projected $710B in the US by 2025. Or simplifying checkout since 26% ditch carts over complexity.

Savvy merchants will create intuitive journeys spanning discovery to post-purchase, building online communities and personalizing through promotions. Shopping should satisfy, not overwhelm. Customers who find value in seamless websites that understand their needs will happily return for more.

💡 Insight - Creating a smooth, personalized e-commerce experience across devices is the foundation for growing an online business, not just a one-time initiative. Optimizing navigation, securing customer data, displaying relevant offers - these ongoing improvements may not drive immediate sales, but they earn trust and loyalty over time.

Keep finding ways to delight customers with helpful service and valuable interactions. When you consistently strengthen these relationships, happy shoppers become advocates. While promotions come and go, improving the experience is how you turn more browsers into loyal buyers who drive revenue not just during big sales but all year long.

➡️ You can read the article here...