Holiday e-commerce sales this year could reach $90 billion, a 13% boost from 2015. If e-tailers are not perfectly prepared to handle the influx in demand, it could be a long couple of months. Success this holiday season hinges on whether or not businesses have the technology systems in place to handle their consumers’ online shopping activity.
Logistics Challenges of Online Shopping
For businesses of all sizes, we can predict where the challenges will lie if not prepared.
Both online and in-store stock-outs cost retailers more today than ever. In addition to losing out on immediate purchases, 33% of U.S. consumers actually blame the retailer for the issue, eroding long-term sales and diminishing brand loyalty. Furthermore, 44% of online shoppers abandon carts after examining total cost, shipping charges, and delivery timing and determining the retailer’s options are not the most competitive.
Common e-commerce challenges like shopping cart abandonment, increased cost of transportation and stock-outs can make or break a retailer’s success during this busy final quarter of the calendar year.
Infuse your supply chain with Retail APIs
In today’s world, customers need to know that their product is available, and that it can be delivered—often for free—within an acceptable window. Transparency, a hyper-connected supply chain and inventory optimization are three critical components that will drive e-commerce success, or failure, this peak season. These all rely on having the right API technology in place and being able to manage the ever-evolving demands of today’s consumer.
Learn how Retail APIs drive eCommerce success
Check out the full articles by Jett McCandless published by CIO Review, Hit The Button, Chain Store Age and Multichannel Merchant.
“Retail and eCommerce executives will need to understand the impact this technology has on inventory optimization; setting — and meeting — customer delivery expectations; adhering to the demands of today’s always-on consumer and driving real-time visibility across the entire supply chain network. Retail APIs empower retailers to compete in the new on-demand reality by delivering goods in the shortest timeframe possible with the highest level of transparency and operational efficiency.”
Interested in implementing Retail APIs?
Read up on how our specific API products leverage e-commerce sales and operations into an opportunity for retailers, rather than a scramble.