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What are the benefits of AI to eCommerce businesses?eCommerce sales in the United States are projected to surpass $740 billion by 2023. To keep pace with the increase in digital sales over the next year, more and more e-tailers are investing in technologies that will help them streamline processes and serve customers better. One of these technologies is artificial intelligence (AI), which brings […]

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What are the benefits of AI to eCommerce businesses?

eCommerce sales in the United States are projected to surpass $740 billion by 2023. To keep pace with the increase in digital sales over the next year, more and more e-tailers are investing in technologies that will help them streamline processes and serve customers better. One of these technologies is artificial intelligence (AI), which brings a host of benefits to eCommerce businesses, including the following.

Personalized recommendations

Machine learning (ML) is a branch of AI that enables software applications to more accurately predict outcomes using data and algorithms. In eCommerce, ML can be used to identify customer habits and interests based on search histories (both inside and outside a specific eCommerce business’s site).

With proper configuration, ML can be used to analyze shopping behaviors to customize the online shopping experience to specific users. This enables e-tailers to make product recommendations, pairings, and promotions that target individual customers. As a result, customers’ overall experience improves and, in turn, businesses’ sales significantly increase.

Improved search capabilities

Voice and image searches in eCommerce are gaining widespread popularity. By integrating voice and image search tools into eCommerce sites, e-tailers make it easier, faster, and more convenient for consumers — especially those using mobile devices — to find the products they are looking for.

To start a voice search, customers can simply click on the microphone icon on an eCommerce site. Using AI voice recognition and natural language processing, the website will identify what the user said and display all products relevant to their search query. On the other hand, to initiate a visual search, all a user has to do is upload a photo of the item they are looking for or something similar to it. AI will then make suggestions based on the data from the uploaded image.

More efficient inventory and warehouse management

AI-powered demand forecasting solutions can help e-tailers better keep track of their supplies, ensuring that they don’t run out of or overstock particular items. Such solutions enable this by leveraging sales trends and consumer behaviors, projected increases or decreases in demand, or possible supply chain issues that could affect inventory levels.

Many eCommerce businesses are also deploying AI robots in their warehouses. These robots can be programmed to retrieve products once an order has been placed or to store items once they’ve been delivered to the warehouse. This facilitates product dispatch and delivery, so customers receive their orders on time.

Better customer service

eCommerce businesses can leverage AI chatbots to deliver more efficient customer support. These bots can be programmed to facilitate simple transactions that simulate conversations with a live agent, such as questions about when orders will be delivered or the availability of an item. This frees up customer service representatives to focus on addressing higher-level or more complex issues.

Learn more about AI and how it can foster your business’s growth by getting in touch with us today. We’ll tell you all about AI and other innovative technologies that will enhance your operations and improve your profitability.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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6 Ways to enhance your website’s designMaking an outstanding website is not just about aesthetics. It’s also about giving site visitors and customers a great user experience while they browse your products and services. Having a good website is especially important now that people spend way more time browsing and shopping online than ever. To keep your site aesthetically appealing and […]

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6 Ways to enhance your website’s design

Making an outstanding website is not just about aesthetics. It’s also about giving site visitors and customers a great user experience while they browse your products and services. Having a good website is especially important now that people spend way more time browsing and shopping online than ever. To keep your site aesthetically appealing and easy to use, consider enhancing the following elements.

Photos

From product shots to team photos, high-quality images are arguably the most attention-grabbing element you can have on your website. Blurry, outdated, or irrelevant pictures tell site visitors that you don’t care about their browsing experience. In-house photos are the best option, but stock images shouldn’t cause any problems as long as they are optimized for mobile viewing and relevant to your content.

Navigation

Aside from having subpar images, linking to nonexistent pages is one of the best ways to turn site visitors away. Make sure site navigation is a breeze, and remove outdated or irrelevant pages. You can’t sell 404 pages to customers, and if that’s all visitors can find, your chances of making a sale will be close to nil.

Copywriting

It’s important to keep all of your product or service descriptions as straightforward as possible — the last thing you want to do is to confuse your customers. If what you’re selling has detailed information such as dimensions or technical requirements, make sure that the item descriptions are clear and concise. They should also be easy to find but not obtrusive.

Promises to site visitors

Any website that ships products should make its returns policy as visible as possible. This establishes trust early on in the buyer’s journey. Explicitly stating terms of return is also important because some online shoppers make purchase decisions based solely on the clarity of a return policy.

Even if you don’t run an eCommerce site, you still need to prominently display privacy commitments, such as those mandated by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

About Us page

To further create a connection with your site visitors, your brand needs a relatable story behind it. Every company website should have an About Us page that describes its team, culture, and what sets the business apart from the competition. Some customers buy products and services based on a business’s mission or vision, and some make decisions according to their impression of the people behind the business. Whatever your story is, make sure your About Us page is accessible from any page on your site.

The bottom line

With more revenue coming in from online channels, small- and medium-sized business owners can’t afford to overlook the importance of creating a fully functional, aesthetically pleasing, and easy-to-navigate website. If your budget is tight, there are DIY site builders specifically geared toward small businesses. With a relatively low monthly expenditure, you can also hire a managed website provider who will design and maintain your site for you.

Your website’s overall look and design can make or break a sale. For more information on building a modern website, call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businessesCloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS. First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system […]

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How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businesses

Cloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS.

First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system is not the same as an order management system. The former is a solution for analyzing sales history and forecasting demand for product and raw materials. On the other hand, the latter is all about the here and now, as it tackles transactions as they happen.

What does an OMS do?

A cloud-based OMS enables eCommerce businesses to track orders for goods and services via a centralized dashboard, which your staff can access anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device. In general, it can help you organize orders into a coherent and manageable workflow by:

  • Updating your website to reflect when certain items are out of stock
  • Automating payment authorizations and integrating these with your shipping services
  • Providing reports to customers about their order’s shipping status
  • Automatically restocking products and materials once they dip below a certain level
  • Automatically processing refunds and returns
  • Monitoring your business on mobile/on the go
  • Storing data in a more efficient and less costly manner
  • Ensuring your data is protected in the event of a disaster

There are dozens of OMS platforms with niche functionalities that may be better for specific business models regardless of the industry. The important thing is that you find a solution that reduces the most tedious organizational tasks for tracking your store’s orders.

What are the benefits of an OMS?

Below are five key advantages of using an OMS:

Fewer errors
Since an OMS allows you to automate various stages of order processing, it eliminates the need to manually enter and update order details. This reduces the risk of error, increasing your eCommerce business’s operational efficiency.

Lower costs
With fewer errors, you can avoid having to rework inaccurate order information, saving you time and effort. This means your business also saves on labor. And because a cloud-based OMS requires virtually no hardware, you can eliminate installation, maintenance, repair, and other associated costs as well.

Better visibility
A cloud-based OMS offers a consolidated view of your orders and inventory in real time, which allows you to stay on top of the entire fulfillment process so you never miss a sale. This also enables you to optimize inventory levels while minimizing surplus.

Not only that, but an OMS gives you better visibility into your business’s processes, so you can easily identify issues and make the necessary adjustments to achieve operational efficiency.

Faster delivery
When a customer places an order, your OMS will choose the warehouse or fulfillment center closest to them as well as the method of fulfillment. A fulfillment request will then be sent automatically to the warehouse so the item can be prepared and shipped out immediately.

Enhanced decision-making
With an OMS, you have all the information you need to make smarter business decisions at the tip of your fingers, from consumer behavior to market trends to product performance.

Improve your eCommerce business’s workflows and profitability with an OMS. If you need help choosing the right OMS platform for your company, give our experts a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Here’s how you can wow website visitorsMuch like how we’re turned off by professionals who look disheveled, we leave websites that look ugly and messy. Follow our tips to get your website cleaned up nicely and make it ready to convert customers. Make a statement with professional photographs Before site visitors read what’s on your website, they assess it by checking […]

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Here’s how you can wow website visitors

Much like how we’re turned off by professionals who look disheveled, we leave websites that look ugly and messy. Follow our tips to get your website cleaned up nicely and make it ready to convert customers.

Make a statement with professional photographs

Before site visitors read what’s on your website, they assess it by checking out your images. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words, but are those words truly what you want to convey to your audience?

Blurry, outdated, or irrelevant pictures tell your site visitors that you don’t care about their browsing experience. In-house photos are the best option, but stock images shouldn’t cause any problems as long as they are optimized for mobile viewing and relevant to your content.

Help visitors find what they want with search tools

If your set of offerings is not expansive, a simple navigation menu ought to help visitors find what they need. However, the deeper your catalog gets, the more you’ll need additional tools. One way is to affix a search bar in your header so that people can use keywords to scour your site. Another way is to engage visitors via chat. You can preprogram a chatbot to ask questions that narrow down a visitor’s intention, or you can have a live agent address a visitor’s concerns in real time.

The more helpful your website is, the more it will foster trust in your brand and make visitors more likely to do business with you.

Extra tip:
Reduce the number of clicks a visitor has to make to achieve their objectives. For instance, eschew using the “Read more” link on product descriptions on product details pages. Visitors dive into a product page because they’re interested in fully learning more about the product, and the “Read more” link just hinders them from doing so.

Present your case clearly with good copywriting

The last thing you want to do is to confuse and frustrate your customers, so it’s important to keep all of your product or service descriptions as straightforward and simple as possible. If what you’re selling has detailed information, such as dimensions or technical requirements, make sure that they’re easy to read and are typed out.

Don’t use screenshots of information tables because web visitors compare offerings by collating information from different sellers. If your information is displayed in the form of an image, you’ll force users to type the info themselves. You’ll immediately lose the ones who don’t want that sort of hassle.

Let visitors get to know your company better in the About Us page

Your brand needs a story behind it that customers can relate to. Every company website should have an About Us page that describes your team, your company culture, and what sets you apart from the competition. Whatever your story is, make sure it’s accessible from any page on your site.

Hire a professional web designer

If your budget is tight, there are DIY site builders specifically geared toward small businesses. Or for a relatively low monthly fee, you can hire a managed website provider. A website provider will take care of:

  • Form – They’ll make your site look impressive on any screen size.
  • Function – The provider will ensure that your site is easy to use and works as expected, whether you’re using a keypad and mouse or just your finger or stylus.
  • Fixes – If something in your site is broken or you want to make changes to it (such as integrating an appointment scheduling app), they will handle it for you.

With more revenue originating online, small- and medium-sized business owners can’t afford to overlook the importance of creating a fully functional website. For more information on building a modern website, call us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Here’s how you can wow website visitors appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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