The world of eCommerce is an ever-changing landscape that continues to expand and grow daily. For those in the eCommerce industry whether they are a merchant, a business owner, developer or digital marketer, keeping up with eCommerce trends is crucial. For many, spending precious time on classes, networking, or attending events is difficult to work into busy schedules.

Most eCommerce professionals are running short on time and are merely doing the necessary work required to keep the machine running. For busy professionals, a great way to stay in the know on industry updates is by subscribing to newsletters. Some of the top thought-leaders in eCommerce are cranking out fantastic content at an astounding rate. One of the best – and quickest – ways to brush up on eCommerce trends and learn new tips is to follow the best in the business.

Below is a list of some of the top newsletters available for keeping up with eCommerce trends.

1. Practical eCommerce

A favorite source for all things eCommerce, Practical eCommerce is an excellent resource for all types of online merchants. Practical eCommerce offers articles on analysis and strategy for online merchants. Their favorite topics include Amazon news, SEO tips, advice on reading analytics, marketing help, design trends, payment options, social media, and more.

Sign up here for the Practical eCommerce Monthly Newsletter.

2. The Moz Blog

The Moz blog is arguably the best resource for staying in the know on Search Engine Optimization. The blog and newsletter offer advice and how-tos on everything from simple SEO fixes to Google update announcements and even content strategy. A notable highlight is their WhiteBoard Friday feature. Usually, in the form of a video, Moz offers excellent explainer videos that are beyond helpful. Also, Moz focuses on inbound marketing and SEO tips, tricks, and advice for improving websites and tips for optimizing search, social, content, and brand marketing.

Sign up here for the Moz Blog and Newsletter.

3. Commerce Hero

For merchants and developers in the Magento community, Commerce Hero offers excellent insight into Magento Developer trends and news. Commerce Hero is also an excellent resource for finding and hiring Magento Developers. Founded by Kalen Jordan, a well-known developer in the Magento community, the thought-leader provides plenty of videos featuring other Magento community members on relevant topics such as building a team, re-platforming in eCommerce, and freelancing tips.

Sign up here for the Commerce Hero Newsletter.

4. Magento Monday

A Magento Community Digest, Magento Monday is a news roundup of all things Magento and community-related. Created by Sherrie Rhode, Magento Community Manager, the digest is published every Monday and cultivated from content posted the previous week from developers and agencies around the world. The weekly digest is a great way to read about Magento tips, news, events, from the entire Magento community.

Sign up here for the Magento Monday Community Digest.

5. Skubana

For merchants selling via 3rd party sources, Skubana offers valuable content on everything for multi-channel eCommerce businesses. Skubana is as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system with the goal being to act as the “central nervous system” of operations and to unify all the tools needed to run an eCommerce business. The content they produce truly does offer help and assistance with streamlining all aspects of an eCommerce business. Notably, the Skubana team has an eye for multi-channel and 3rd party integration and provides excellent resources for selling on Amazon.

Sign up here for the Skubana Blog and Newsletter.

6. Dotmailer

Dotmailer is an eMail automation platform built for small and medium-sized eCommerce merchants. One of Dotmailer’s selling points is that it was created by marketers, for marketers. Through their content, it’s clear that it is cultivated by talented marketers. Dotmailer discusses all topics and strategy relevant for eCommerce eMail marketing. Notably, Dotmailer delivers valuable benchmark reports. The reports are a great way to evaluate performance against others in the industry.

Sign up here for the Dotmailer blog and newsletter.

7. Hubspot

As one of the most popular inbound marketing and marketing automation platform, Hubspot is a proven resource for all things marketing related. Hubspot offers e-books, guides, free templates, and reports with an endless supply of information. Covering all aspects of inbound marketing to general productivity help, Hubspot is an excellent resource for the eCommerce industry.

Sign up here for the Hubspot blog and newsletter.

8. SEMrush

The robust online marketing intelligence tool, SEMrush creates valuable content on the technical aspects of SEO and PPC. Offering content on SERP updates, PPC best practices, link building, technical fix how-to’s and more SEMrush is an excellent blog and newsletter worth subscribing.

Sign up here for the SEMrush blog and newsletter.

9. CMO.com

CMO by Adobe offers marketing insights, expertise, and strategies aimed at helping CMOs, senior marketers, and their teams deliver standout digital experiences. CMO offers excellent content and examples for managing teams and building successful marketing departments. The marketing resource giant also conducts interviews with marketing leaders across many industries, providing an outlook and insight into other company challenges and successes.

Sign up here for the CMO blog and newsletter.

10. inVision

A creative design resource tool focused on helping to provide better user experiences, inVision is also an excellent resource for keeping up with app and website design trends. For those with an interest in digital design for all types of mediums, inVision provides plenty of creative and helpful content on UX/UI, research, interviews, and business.

Sign up here for the inVision blog and newsletter.

11. Shopify

The popular eCommerce platform, Shopify, is also a fantastic resource for all things eCommerce. Their blog tagline states “Free Business Lessons,” and the team at Shopify provides just that. The blog discusses all types of topics relevant to eCommerce merchants including tips on customer service, entrepreneurial advice, digital marketing, accounting, merchant case studies, strategy for selling online, product layout tips and so much more. Shopify truly delivers when it comes to useful content that isn’t just about their platform.

Sign up here for the Shopify blog and newsletter.

12. Orange Report

For those who are currently not subscribed to our blog and newsletter, the Orange Report, they’re missing out! Our content is curated to assist eCommerce merchants with all aspects of eCommerce from advice on building an in-house eCommerce team to digital marketing strategy tips and even development tricks and news for Magento.

As eCommerce continues to grow, discovering new ways to stand out to potential customers is more critical now than ever before. In the process of generating new customers, an age-old marketing truth continues to ring true; never compete on price alone. Some merchants tend to believe that price is the determining factor. In some cases, that probably is true. However, consumer research shows that when comparing products customers rate price as the third-most important factor. So if the price tag is only a small piece of the puzzle, what matters more?

Adobe CEO, Shantanu Narayen provides an answer for what matters more than price to customers: “Consumers are seeking phenomenal experiences. Successful companies recognize that customer experience rises above everything else.” At first, Narayen’s answer might sound counterintuitive. Most people shop online for convenience, and price plays a crucial role in product search and accessibility. However, don’t underestimate the importance of excellent user experience. For example, online retailer, Zappos focused on customer experience above all else which led to a billion-dollar acquisition by Amazon. Business schools around the world teach Zappos case as an example of good business.

It’s clear that delivering a superior customer experience is the best way to stand out and sustain growth even in a competitive environment. But, that may be easier said than done. How can merchants construct a plan to create a digital presence that inspires meaningful customer experiences for eCommerce?

To help answer that question, below are eight ways to create meaningful customer experiences in eCommerce.

1. Build Comprehensive and Interactive Product Page Content

Hopefully, merchants are already aware of the importance of a quality product page. But good means more than just a simple description of product descriptions, price, and product add-on opportunities. Good product pages engage customers and help them build a connection with products.

Merchants can add engagement elements in many ways:

• Exceptional photography that showcases the product from many angles.
• Product videos which by the way, are known to increase conversions by up to 85%.
• User reviews and testimonials that highlight other customers’ positive experiences.

The elements listed above are essential for building a product page designed not just to convert, but engage customers. With the right resources, merchants can even take engagement a step farther. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR and VR), for example, can help create an immersive shopping experience that is sure to outpace the competition.

2. Optimize The Path to Purchase Process for All Types of Customers

Focusing on the full path to purchase user experience is an opportunity to maximize the impact on all customers. One aspect to take into account is accessibility. Never underestimate, or neglect, customers with disabilities. For example, 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide. Providing an equal shopping opportunity to customers shouldn’t be ignored. Target learned an eye-opening lesson when they settled a $6 million class-action lawsuit by blind customers who’d struggled to use the website. Target then agreed to have the site compliant within six months. As is so often the case, merchants end up spending more to modify a website – and in Target’s case, deal with the financial consequences and PR nightmare of a lawsuit – than they would have paid to design it to be accessible from the beginning.

Also, it’s important to note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) now applies to eCommerce too. The National Law Review issued a warning that “website accessibility lawsuits under ADA are on the rise.” It would be prudent for eCommerce merchants to begin a plan for ADA compliance not only to create a happy user experience for everyone but to avoid painful lawsuits and brand damage.

Another implementation point should be simplicity. Make sure that the website allows customers to find what they’re looking for quickly. Throughout the path to purchase process, subtle design choices from whitespace to call to action buttons should nudge the customer toward the final “complete purchase“ button.

3. Go Beyond the Product Page For In-Depth Content

Don’t assume that the customer’s interest begins or ends with just the product pages. Instead, ensure that the entire website is built to help customers delight in the brand experience, and imagine themselves using the products.

That might include an active company blog to show real-life cases of products. The same space could also be useful for behind-the-scenes footage that lets customers share in the product creation process. The emphasis should be on storytelling, building an emotional connection with customers that will ultimately pay off in more purchases.

4. Create a Feeling of Authenticity

The goal is to generate sales. In the interest of that goal, it’s tempting to cross the line between authentic brand experience and naked salesmanship. Avoid that temptation by emphasizing authenticity as a core brand value. Above all, consistent communication is critical. From the moment customers first hear the brand name to and even after the first conversion, focus on the same brand mantra and message pillars. Relate each message point back to the customer, and their needs and pain points.

The product page optimization tactics mentioned above, such as product stories and testimonials, can build authenticity by creating a consistent account that allows customers to imagine themselves becoming part of it.

5. Streamline the Checkout Process

The checkout process plays a crucial role in offering a superior customer experience. Here, merchants can either make or break a long-term relationship with potential buyers. Customers have noted abandoning carts for many reasons and according to Baynard, “28% of US online shoppers have abandoned an order in the past solely due to a “too long/complicated checkout process.” A study conducted by Barilliance concluded that over 3/4 of shoppers choose to leave the site without completing a purchase. High cart abandonment rates show just how difficult it is to keep customers engaged.

Fortunately, there are ways to combat cart abandonment. With the right steps, merchants can make sure that the checkout process becomes a positive part of the customer experience by implementing the following shopping cart options:

• Integrate easy payment options, such as Amazon Pay and Klarna delayed payments.
• Include instant tax calculations based on zip codes, which avoid confusion and dissatisfaction over pricing.
• Offer a range of shipping options that allow the customer to choose between speed and value.
• Build a fast-loading shopping cart that loads quickly, without long wait times on mobile or desktop devices.

6. Personalize Communications

Personalization is key to a superior online shopping experience. Almost 90% of consumers say they’re more likely to shop with retailers that deliver personalized experiences. Less than 10% of top-tier retailers say they effectively provide that type of experience.

That doesn’t have to be the case. All communications should be both segmented and customized. As soon as customer information is available, use it to build a more relevant message. That might be as simple as including a first name, or as complex as sending a customized email specifically to a customer segment who has recently purchased a specific product or from a product category.

It’s also advisable to look for ways to go beyond the norm. For example, Zappos regularly upgrades customers from regular to priority shipping. That upgrade is built into the Zappos budget but creates loyalty among consumers who feel like VIPs rather than a number in a CRM.

7. Build a Post-Purchase Relationship

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that when a customer makes a purchase, the end goal has been met. The reality is that the customer journey is really just beginning. The majority of revenue likely comes from repeat customers, which means they deserve special treatment. When merchants deliver excellent post-purchase communications, they optimize their customer loyalty.

Customer relationships should begin when the customer creates an account. After that, customize everything available to fit the customers’ likes and preferences. Custom content allows merchants to greet customers by name, offer personalized promotions, and recommend products based on past purchases.

Put effort into building a relationship, and revenue will begin to maximize. Consider creating custom content such as blog post and tutorials, available only to current customers. The more merchants do to bind customers to their brand emotionally, the more customers will delight in their experience when shopping.

8. Measure Expectations – Then Surpass Them

Finally, never underestimate the power of useful data. Always measure efforts, especially as it relates to creating meaningful relationships. Set a baseline before implementing the measures above to understand the current customer’s expectations.

The key, of course, is not just meeting these expectations but surpassing them. Anytime that merchants can create a wow moment in which they deliver exceptional value for a customer, it is almost a guarantee to build a relationship that ultimately leads to a sale. By exceeding expectations, merchants set themselves apart from the competition.

Getting Started on the Road to Better eCommerce Experiences

In isolation, all of the above are effective tactics for creating meaningful experiences in eCommerce. But to surpass customer expectations and create a superior experience, consider building a combination of them.  In-depth, interactive product pages work great with a streamlined checkout process. Add conscious efforts to build a post-purchase relationship, and build strong emotional connections with customers.

Of course, these efforts requires both a strategic approach and the right tools. We can help in both areas. Our experience in designing beautiful and successful eCommerce websites is perfect for building more meaningful customer relationships. Contact us to start talking about a potential partnership.

Blogs work for businesses of all kinds, mainly when they contain valuable information which helps customers make more informed buying decisions. When done right, blogs increase customer engagement, build trust, and generate leads by driving more traffic to the merchant website. In fact, in a recent post from HubSpot, it was found that businesses that blog 16 or more times a month generate 3.5 times more traffic than those which post 4 or fewer blogs.

The uptick in traffic for B2C businesses is even higher. Specifically, B2C companies that blog 11 or more times a month generate four times as many leads as those that blog 4 or fewer times. Blogs are also a great way to engage with customers beyond the selling and buying relationship. In the same post from HubSpot, almost half of customers say they read blog posts from companies they frequently visited.

An eCommerce Blog Helps Customers Make Critical Purchasing Decisions

A common misconception is that customers do not care about a company blogs. However, a well-constructed blog will humanize a business, engage customers and give them valuable information they need to make a purchase. For example, Inc. points out the perks of an eCommerce blog:

“It is no secret that business blogs do a lot for increasing online traffic to standard website platforms, but they also have several other benefits that specifically benefit e-commerce sites. What is even better is the fact that because many e-commerce sites are not taking advantage of having a business blog, this can be the one aspect that sets a site away from the rest.”

A blog gets the attention of search engines and then by new customers. A new blog might even catch the attention of competitors. If competing merchants haven’t caught on to the value of blogging, now’s a good time to get ahead and create a new valuable space for customers.

An eCommerce blog, that delivers valuable information, helps eCommerce businesses to increase sales in four ways.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engines like Google rank websites based on the value those sites provide to internet users. Because blogs typically contain useful information, they tend to rank well in search engines and therefore improve organic search rankings. Search engines also base rank on the number of pages they can index on a site.  A blog, because it adds more pages, attracts the attention of search engines which results in higher rankings and more site traffic.

Build trust with customers  

Product descriptions and reviews help shoppers decide what products to buy.  However, a blog, goes one step further, by providing valuable information to help customers make more prudent buying decisions.  Because a well-crafted blog emphasizes help rather than sales, it increases the trust customers feel about a company. In other words, the more merchants help customers, the more customers trust companies, and the more likely they’ll be to make purchases.

Be the go-to site to solve problems

Once customers start to realize the value in an eCommerce blog, they’ll be more likely to go back to it the next time they need help. Engagement increases the so-called “stickiness” of a website. The more blog posts, the more problems solved or questions answered will continually attract new and repeat customers. When blogs are well-organized, customers quickly learn they can use it to get the answers they need. That means more repeat traffic and more sales.

Humanize Business

Customers are noting more that they don’t like to buy from businesses. Instead, they want to buy from people.  The more an eCommerce site resembles a trusted friend, the more likely it is that customers will trust a company and want to do business with them. A blog is an excellent way to build trust and humanize a business. Blogs are a great way to create an alternative platform to be creative and add personality to a brand. For example, when companies write in a colloquial, conversational style that customers can easily relate to, the tone can humanize a company. However, the tone of voice will, of course, differ slightly depending on the nature of a business and brand. Simply put, blogs increase the “human factor” by telling relatable stories, offering advice, and bringing customers into the site.

A Blog Shows Companies Care about Their Customers

Lastly, a thoughtful blog shows customers that companies care about more than just profits. With helpful content, companies show they care enough to help customers solve their most pressing problems, save money, and make informed buying decisions. For the merchant, an eCommerce blog drives more site traffic, increases consumer trust, builds loyalty and repeat traffic, and puts a human face on a business.

To learn more about integrating a blog into Magento or more about how SEO marketing services can help boost sales and grow business, contact us today.