The holiday selling season is a flurry of activity. Retailers and brands must forecast the products consumers want – and allocate stock – well ahead of Q4. By using artificial intelligence, retailers and suppliers can list products faster while also ensuring that sellers are not left with unsellable stock after the holiday rush. Below are three AI-powered e-commerce strategies that retailers and brands should adopt to stay competitive this holiday season.

“Agility is key to staying competitive in retail e-commerce. With AI-powered tools like Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper, we’re empowering brands to become more efficient, reduce time-to-market, and enhance the customer experience. This holiday season, it’s not just about keeping up, it’s about leading the way in innovation and efficiency with real results,” said Lou Camassa, Director of Product Management at Rithum.

1. Use AI-powered smart inventory management

Sellers must balance meeting increased consumer demand while avoiding an overstock of items that may not sell. Using AI, smart inventory management can be the solution to this problem.

Rithum’s Advanced Catalog Services helps retailers automate item setup and management. This reduces the time it takes to get products from suppliers to consumers. AI-driven predictive analytics can enhance demand forecasting by identifying potential best-sellers, reducing the risk of overstocking.

AI Magic Mapper also supports channel expansion with smart inventory management. It automates the process of aligning products with marketplace categories. AI Magic Mapper can significantly reduce the time it takes to get products from the supplier to the consumer.

Technologies like near-field communication (NFC) and radio frequency identification (RFID) also play a crucial role in tracking and managing stock levels in real-time, allowing retailers to respond quickly to shifts in consumer demand.

With AI-powered tools like Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper, we’re empowering brands to become more efficient, reduce time-to-market, and enhance the customer experience. This holiday season, it’s not just about keeping up, it’s about leading the way in innovation and efficiency with real results.

– Lou Camassa, Director of Product Management at Rithum

2. Optimize multichannel selling strategies for speed and scale

AI is crucial for retailers and brands that want to optimize their online marketplace presence and accelerate time-to-market during peak shopping periods. These technologies help streamline product onboarding as well as enhance search and discovery capabilities. Using AI-powered tools, sellers can quickly identify and onboard new suppliers. This allows sellers to expand their virtual inventory with similar products and reach a broader audience through a multichannel selling strategy.

Rithum’s Unified Commerce Solution offers tools that help retailers map products across multiple selling channels automatically. This is particularly valuable during peak shopping season when consumers are likely to browse multiple websites before making a purchase.

3. Enhance customer experience from sale through returns process using AI

AI and machine learning can be used to enhance the customer experience from initial sale to the returns process. Retailers can use AI to dynamically adjust pricing, create strategic promotions, and bundle relevant products together. These capabilities not only improve the shopping experience but also give sellers a competitive edge.

Using AI Magic Mapper, sellers can analyze key metrics including SKU performance, average order value (AOV), and return reasons. By understanding these metrics, retailers can better forecast return rates and adjust their strategies accordingly throughout the holiday season.

With tools like ACS and AI Magic Mapper, sellers can better manage inventory, optimize multichannel selling strategies, and enhance the overall customer shopping experience. Schedule a demo today.

The post Three AI Strategies to Prepare for the Holiday Selling Season appeared first on Rithum.

Growth opportunities abound for brands and retailers expanding their e-commerce businesses internationally. However, there are challenges to navigate such as managing inventory across multiple countries. Cross-border e-commerce entails managing complex logistical and regulatory requirements that differ from country to country.

Here are five ways brands, retailers, and suppliers can optimize selling to consumers globally.

1. Use automation to manage inventory, product information and catalog translations at scale.
   It can be challenging to manage inventory across diverse markets. Ensuring your product information such as product sizes, weight, and category are accurate can significantly impact shipping costs and compliance with local regulations. Translating product catalogs to suit local languages may also be necessary.
2. Optimize cross-border payments: Understand currency valuations and pricing in local currencies.
   As part of a seller’s pricing strategy, you should understand how currency valuations compare from country to country. Setting product prices in the target country’s currency ensures competitiveness and market relevance.
3. Track global logistics and shipping paths through one platform.
   It is necessary to accurately track inventory once the customer makes a purchase until they receive it.
4. Understand international legal entity, taxation and logistics requirements.
   Each country has its own tax and entity requirements that must be met to avoid legal complications.
5. Use technology to compete in cross-border e-commerce.
   Sellers must assess and analyze competitors in each market they are selling in. Consumer preferences can differ greatly from country to country. There is no blanket strategy to stand out against competitors.

“Selling cross-border is a strong growth opportunity for retailers and brands but it’s not without challenges. One of the biggest obstacles for businesses is converting local currencies. Each country has unique taxation and entity requirements. Businesses need a unified solution to help streamline their operations across geographies. Rithum can help sellers convert cross-border payments in real-time,” said Christian Gees, director, sales, EMEA at Rithum.

How to prepare for the global peak shopping season

The holiday season kicks off as early as October worldwide. By preparing early, brands, retailers, and suppliers can optimize their online retail and digital marketing strategies. The demand is there – 44% of global shoppers are willing to purchase an item from a retail site or online marketplace in a different country from where they reside, according to the 2023 Online Consumer Behavior Global Report by Rithum and Dynata.

Rithum partners with a network of the world’s leading fulfillment and logistics companies to facilitate seamless cross-border e-commerce expansion. The majority of Rithum’s brands in EMEA sell cross border e-commerce. These partnerships ensure that sellers’ products are efficiently tracked from purchase to fulfillment and delivery. Rithum’s network gives sellers the ability to leverage localized expertise to manage the complexities of selling internationally.

Localize product content

Selling cross border involves localizing content. Rithum’s features like Business Rules and Look Up List, can help brands ensure they are using the most searchable keywords for product titles and descriptions. For example, when an EU brand is selling into a US market or vice versa, Rithum must account for different keywords for items such as trousers vs. pants, or sneakers vs. trainers, etc. Rithum’s Replace Word List function also adapts translations to be more search friendly.

Using artificial intelligence, Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper feature helps brands reduce time-to-site by automating categorization. This helps reduce the time for sellers to onboard onto new global marketplaces.

Other ways Rithum can help include:

• Use Rithum’s team of experts. Experts with more than 20 years of experience in global e-commerce provide invaluable insights and guidance. For example, Rithum can help EMEA sellers and suppliers navigate complexities with VAT, local entity requirements, and picking the right channels to sell through. These also are hurdles for sellers selling from the UK into EMEA as well as US and APAC sellers.
• Receive extensive support by country. Rithum supports sales in numerous countries with platform support in local languages and currencies. Rithum’s conversion function is accurate, which is helpful for seller and supplier finance teams in reconciliation.
• Take advantage of strategic partnerships. Extensive collaborations with major global shipping carriers and third-party logistics companies enhance the efficiency and reliability of your international distribution.
• Receive marketplace guidance. Determine the potential and fit of various marketplace channels for your products.
• Use automated system logic. Thousands of automated rules ensure that products are listed appropriately based on compliance and profitability.

By automating inventory management, using global logistics networks, and providing expert guidance, Rithum helps you overcome challenges while unlocking new growth opportunities in the international marketplace. Learn how Rithum can empower your business to manage the intricacies of cross-border e-commerce here.

The post Five Tips to Grow Your Cross-Border E-Commerce appeared first on Rithum.

Rithum research confirms what you may have known for awhile: Marketplaces are hot right now and will continue to grow. We dare say they’ve become an essential avenue to grow profits significantly. 

But it’s not as simple as flipping a switch and reaping the rewards.

Launching new marketplace channels takes work — and includes several fees you may not have considered. Could they be eating into your profits? It’s important to know what fees you’re paying, why you’re paying them and how they’ll impact your success long term.

Types of Marketplace Fees

There are different types of marketplace fees — and each channel has its own mix. In general, fees fall under the following categories:

Membership fees

Membership or subscription fees are those required to simply join the marketplace. Marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy and Target Plus (through invite-only) all offer free seller accounts, but they’ll only get you so far. If you want to add services like bulk listing or customization tools, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid account.

Listing fees

Listing (or insertion) fees are charges for every product you post on the marketplace’s site, regardless of whether or not it sells. These fees are pretty low per SKU but can add up to a significant amount depending on how many you list. Walmart Marketplace does not charge listing fees and Amazon is free to list up to a certain volume, but the marketplaces that do charge them often boast more selective, high quality catalogs.  

Commission Fees

Referral (or commission) fees are in addition to any listing fees and are assessed when an item sells. It is generally a percentage of the product price instead of a flat fee. Etsy charges a 6.5% “transaction fee” (assessed at checkout) across all items, while Amazon, Walmart, Target and eBay take a referral or “final value fee” that varies by product category. 

Payment processing fees

Some marketplaces charge sellers to use their payment processing services. These may vary based on the merchant’s location (domestic or international) or buyer’s credit card type, but is usually a percentage of the subtotal. Whereas sellers and payment processors (e.g., Visa, Mastercard or American Express) usually work directly with each other, some marketplaces choose to handle the processing for their vendors for a fee instead. 

Shipping fees 

Most marketplaces allow you to set your own shipping rates. You may opt to pass your exact shipping expenses on to the buyer, or encourage more sales by offering free shipping. This is different on Amazon, where standard sellers must abide by the marketplace’s category-specific shipping rates unless they upgrade to a professional account.

Fulfillment fees

Fulfillment is up to each individual seller, but there are pros and cons to each strategy. In-house fulfillment can save you from paying an outside service, but it also means spending more time (and money) in processing and employee resources. Third-party fulfillment services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Walmart Fulfillment Services or other third-party logistics providers (3PL) handle it all for you, but they charge fees — and not always as a lump sum either. This may include long-term storage fees, removal order fees or even unplanned service fees.

Rithum Helps You Balance Fees with Marketplace Success

No one likes fees, but they do serve a purpose. They allow marketplaces to offer you channel-specific perks, increase convenience and even bring more sales your way. The trick is choosing the channels with fee structures that best suit your needs.

Rithum supports more than 400 channels. Our experts know the ins and outs of every marketplace and which ones are the best fit for your brand. If you’re looking for a way to expand beyond your own website, store or sole marketplace, we can ensure your successful expansion in 2023. 

Want to explore on your own? Our Commerce Network makes channel discovery and onboarding easy by connecting sellers and marketplaces in one platform. The offering is free to Rithum customers and gives you the information you need up front to make informed decisions about a marketplace’s selling categories, fees, marketing content and more. Contact us to learn more or request a demo with our team of e-commerce experts today to get started.

The post Understanding the Most Common E-Commerce Marketplace Fees appeared first on Rithum.

On the heels of the completion of the acquisition of ChannelAdvisor by CommerceHub, the two companies (now known as Rithum) were ranked as the No. 1 and No. 2 channel management providers in the 2023 Digital Commerce 360 Leading Vendors to the Top 1000 Retailers Report. This marks the 11th consecutive year at the top of the list for Rithum.

In addition, Rithum is ranked No. 5 in fulfillment software and in the top 4 for search engine marketing and the top 10 in online advertising services.

We couldn’t be more proud and thankful for the privilege to serve more than 18,000 companies transacting across more than 400 marketplace and retail channels, leveraging digital advertising campaigns and efficiently managing delivery operations. The combined solutions make it easier for customers to reach and convert more shoppers, grow margins and enhance consumer experiences. 

“In today’s uncertain economy, it’s more challenging than ever for brands and retailers to keep up with the competition and the changing behavior of consumers,” said Pete Elmgren, Rithum CRO. “Rithum solutions help customers expand to new channels, increase product selection, enhance the fulfillment and delivery experience and grow sales and profitability. This recognition from Digital Commerce 360 speaks to our effort and motivates us to keep equipping customers with what they need to be successful.”

Digital Commerce 360’s annual Top 1000 Retailers Report is a powerful tool for anyone looking to understand — and profit from — the e-commerce technology landscape. It lists the most trusted vendors supporting top brands and retailers across 24 e-commerce categories, including global marketplaces, search engines, shopping sites, social media platforms and more. 

Read the full 2023 Leading Vendors to the Top 1000 Retailers report for more details, news and statistics on the state of e-commerce. Download it now.

The post ChannelAdvisor and CommerceHub Named Top Channel Management Providers by Digital Commerce 360 appeared first on Rithum.

You’re online browsing for a shirt and find a few options. You decide to look into one option and decide it’s not the right one for you and abandon the cart. Soon after, you start to see display and social media ads featuring that shirt until finally you decide to make the purchase.

For consumers, buying items online is as simple as viewing an item, adding it to your cart and making a purchase. However, this is not the case for brands connecting with consumers. There are stages to the consumer journey, and it’s important to create a strategy for each because consumers not only purchase from you but will come back to your brand.

The 5 Stages of the Consumer Journey

There are five distinct stages:

• Awareness. At this stage, the consumer discovers products and starts to get interested in making a potential purchase. 
• Consideration. consumers are not quite ready to make a purchase at this stage. They take time to evaluate the product by looking at prices, reviews and delivery time.
• Motivation. This can really be the moment to help lead into the next stage of conversion. Specific conditions could encourage a decision to make the  purchase, such as low stock notifications.
• Conversion. It’s self-explanatory, but this is the stage where the consumer makes the purchase. 
• Loyalty. While businesses may consider conversion to be the end of the journey, it’s important to remember that these consumers can become lifelong buyers of your brand and might even become ardent supporters.

Tips for the Consumer Journey Stages

Awareness

There are two types of awareness: pre-awareness and product awareness. With pre-awareness, consumers are not looking for any specific product and are “window shopping” online. Product awareness is the time period when the consumer has a broad idea of what type of item they want to purchase. Intentional strategies can help you reach consumers during this stage. 

A great place to start is marketplace advertising such as Amazon Advertising. In fact, our recent global survey showed 89% of shoppers browse items on online marketplaces like Amazon or eBay without the intention to purchase. This is a great opportunity to bring your products or brand to their attention as they search for products.

Strong social media presence is a must in this day and age. Forty-seven percent of 18- to 25-year old consumers discovered products they purchased through social media feeds such as Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok. Create social channels on these platforms and target audiences with paid social ads like Facebook Ads or Stories Ads. Find influencers to work with who use and love your brand too.  

Don’t underestimate TikTok, in particular. Forty-eight percent of Gen Z is on TikTok, and millennials, Gen X and baby boomers make up 51% of the user base. This is a channel you don’t want to miss out on when it comes to advertising. From In-Feed Ads to Brand Takeover Ads, the platform offers plenty of ways to get in front of potential consumers. 

Consideration

In this stage, the consumer has found the product they are looking for, but they are not quite ready to hit purchase. They want to do some more research and take a look at reviews, return policies and prices. 

Price is something a lot of consumers consider when making a purchase. The vast majority (83%) of consumers in our online consumer behavior survey said they usually compare prices before making a purchase. Provide ways for consumers to consider the best deal such as signing up for a newsletter or giving discount codes. 

Aside from price, consumers want to know everything they can about the product they are purchasing online. A robust and detailed product description will help to sway consumers to purchase. Amazon is a great example as 50% of consumers trust the marketplace giant to have the most accurate product information. Add high resolution photos, videos and item specific details on the page. Be consistent across all channels on which you list the product. consumers are more likely to shop where they find accurate product information.  

Motivation

Motivation can be tied closely to the consideration phase. At this point, the consumer is really on the fence about purchasing the product. They can be swayed one way or another at this stage. 

You want to find ways to encourage and entice them to make the purchase. Think about retargeting efforts. Retargeting ads can be a good place to start. Keep your brand in front of these consumers by splitting retargeting efforts based on visitor behavior. It could target those who clicked through your site and pages and showed interest in your product or brand.

Think about cart abandonment emails. consumers may add products to their cart and decide to sit on whether they should or should not follow through with their purchase. Sending staggered, personalized emails will help bring these products back to their attention. Providing an incentive with discounts like 10%-15% off their first purchase can really make the difference here with over 75% of consumers stating that price is very important when choosing products.

A pro tip for this phase is to remember that finding the right motivators to entice consumers to complete a purchase may take some trial and error. You may need to create A/B test emails with different messaging or content — but remember to only change one element when executing the test emails (for example, change the subject line or the images used).

Conversion

If your consumer has reached this stage, they are ready to complete their purchase, so what could possibly go wrong? Well, cart abandonment remains a possibility. According to our online consumer behavior survey, over 50% of consumers have completely abandoned their cart due to an out-of-stock product. More than 40% suspected the product price could be better or be lower in the future. 

Make the checkout process as easy and seamless as possible to avoid hesitation during the conversion. Think about whether your checkout experience is mobile friendly as consumers browse and purchase from their phones.

Other ways to make the experience simple is to allow consumers to check out as a guest to bypass the tedious process of creating an account. Provide multiple payment options and remove surprise fees or shipping costs. 

Give consumers multiple options for how and where they complete their purchase, such as the ability to “click and collect” (buy online, pick up in-store). In the US, fifty-seven percent of consumers have used the “buy online, pick up in-store” option when shopping online. If it’s possible, give them this option.

Loyalty

Finally, the consumer makes the purchase. Your work is done, right? Think again. Even after the purchase, you want to foster loyalty with your consumers, so they will come back to your brand when they think about purchasing again.

Send them clear post-checkout communications such as a “thank you” confirmation email and keep them updated on the progress of their shipped package. You’ll want to reply to any questions consumers send quickly, and ask them for feedback on their experience with your brand and the product. Respond to the good and the bad. 

Stay regularly engaged with these consumers in the long run through newsletters or exclusive discounts. Using your brand’s social presence, you can maintain consistent connection by creating a social experience for your followers through giveaways or rewards. 

Consumers want to feel appreciated and part of something unique, so having loyalty clubs only consumers can join or providing unique advantages to existing consumers will help encourage them to continue considering the brand and keep coming back.

Learn more about the latest online consumer shopping habits and trends from our 2022 Online Consumer Behavior Global report, infographic and on-demand webinar.

The post How to Successfully Manage the 5 Stages of the Consumer Journey appeared first on Rithum.

Holiday decor is now on the shelves, people are making plans for gathering and some even have their shopping well underway. That means it’s too late to make adjustments to your Q4 tactics or holiday e-commerce campaigns…right?

Not exactly. There’s still plenty you can do to manage the holiday rush and ensure a smooth season. Our Rithum Managed Services experts put together a list of “quick hits” to help you tie a bow around your 2022 holiday efforts. 

10 Last-Minute Holiday Planning Tips

You may have gotten a head start this year in anticipation of holiday challenges like supply constraints and economic pressures. Or maybe this holiday season got ahead of you and now your team is scrambling for holiday e-commerce best practices. Regardless, we recommend these quick tips to help you tie up loose ends as the holiday season approaches.

Ensure Stock for Fulfillment Services

If you work with a third-party fulfillment service like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), you should be in the process of stocking them with plenty of your top-selling items for the holiday. Ensure adequate supply now so you don’t have to spend money or increase stress rushing later.

Identify and Publicize Your Last Ship Date

Calculate your last possible ship date to ensure delivery by December 25. Pair this with your shipping carrier’s last send dates and make it clear to customers so there are no surprises.

Account for Lead Times

Review your on-time delivery metrics, and assess whether or not you need to adjust lead times for fulfillment and delivery.

Prevent Overselling

Keep tabs on inventory and listings to prevent overselling, especially on Amazon, resulting in frustrated customers. Implement a “supply buffer” so you always have some stock on hand.

Avoid Big Changes

Now is not the time to be trying something new. Avoid big changes in your e-commerce setup, including pricing strategies and product description page setups. Instead, adopt an “all hands on deck” approach that highlights your biggest strengths and doubles down on advertising and promotions. 

Know Your Deadlines

Anticipate marketplace cutoffs for adding new products to the site. Adjust accordingly and list all your items as soon as possible. 

Set Up Critical Data Monitoring

Make sure reliable monitoring is in place for your feeds, quantity/price updates, orders, listing errors and top-selling items. That way, you can stay focused on urgent needs and the bigger seasonal picture when you’re in the thick of holiday selling. 

Double-Check Promotional Pricing

Double- and triple-check any promotional pricing you have scheduled through a deal planner or promotional fields. Check pricing is correct and dates are formatted correctly. Make sure to allot extra time for your feeds on marketplaces that have longer processing times.

Boost Last-Minute Advertising

Go big! Plan to boost your advertising and retail media spend in the final weeks before Cyber 5 and Christmas. This is also an appropriate time to increase your budget caps. 

Watch Marketplace KPIs

Keep a sharp eye on your marketplace KPIs to avoid suspension during Q4. 

The Time Is Now

This is what you’ve been waiting all year to execute. Make sure your program is all buttoned up to not only put your best foot forward among digital shoppers, but also ensure the best turnout at the end of the 2022 holiday season. 

Need help? Rithum Managed Services leans on decades of holiday planning expertise to help e-commerce brands and retailers get ready for the biggest selling season of the year. Contact us for guidance and a more confident approach to your Q4 sales.

The post Scrambling Before the Holidays? Try These 10 E-Commerce Tips appeared first on Rithum.

The US and Europe are two of the largest markets in the world. But they are not identical. Differences in culture, language and legislation make it difficult to compare these two markets.

In August 2022, Rithum surveyed 1,000 shoppers in the US and 3,000 shoppers in the three biggest European e-commerce markets: the UK, Germany and France. We asked the same questions every time, so now it’s time to take a closer look at the responses and examine what they reveal, especially to those with a global e-commerce presence.

By the end of this article, you’ll see clearly what differentiates shoppers in Europe and the US. And you’ll gain tips to adjust your sales and marketing strategy, including identifying new customers, understanding what makes them tick and maximizing customer acquisition and satisfaction.

1. Popularity of e-commerce categories can vary widely

Europeans and Americans have different preferences when it comes to buying things online. The two regions have different shopping habits and cultures. And those different preferences can make or break your business.

Different e-commerce categories of products do not have the same popularity in the US compared to Europe.

We asked our respondents about which types of products they had purchased online in the last 12 months, and we found a few notable differences.

• Europeans are less likely than Americans to make purchases in these categories online:
  • General Merchandise/Department Stores (40.0% less likely)
  • Automotive/Motors/Marine (-39.5%)
  • Grocery/Gourmet Food (-13.8%)
• However, Europeans were more likely to have purchased within these categories:
  • Sports/Outdoor Equipment (27.1% more likely)
  • Office Products (+20.9%)
  • Tools/Hardware /DIY/Lawn & Garden (+17.6%)

2. Inflation is hurting European e-commerce spending more

Inflation has been an issue of late, but it’s not just about price increases: it also affects how consumers spend their money. As of September 2022, the inflation rate in the US on all items except food and energy was 6.6% year-on-year. Over the same period, the average for France, Germany and the UK was lower, at 4.5%.

But when asked how their online spending compares to 12 months ago, 37.7% of US respondents said they were spending more, compared to just 28.6% of Europeans.

For the upcoming holiday season, 32.4% of US respondents said that in light of inflation, they planned to do more of their spending online than they did in 2021, but just 23.0% of Europeans said the same.

In conclusion, it seems that during this period of inflation, US shoppers are more likely to turn to e-commerce to save on their discretionary spendings.

3. British and French shoppers are more loyal to brands

Brands are important e-commerce players, and they have growing importance with the increasing popularity of direct-to-consumer channels. Here are some key differences between US and European shoppers that brands should consider when planning their international e-commerce strategies:

• Many French and British e-commerce shoppers trust brands’ websites most for accurate product information (31.0% and 40.1% respectively). That’s compared to just 23.7% of Americans.
• 32.8% of French and 35.4% of British e-commerce shoppers plan to use brand websites for most of their holiday shopping, compared to 22.2% of Americans.

4. When it comes to pricing, cultural differences matter

US sellers looking to reach European shoppers will have to deal with different currencies. But more specifically, they will have to understand cultural differences relating to prices. Our research shows that European customers are 7.2% less likely than American customers to compare prices on multiple websites before making a purchase. But they were almost twice (1.95 times) as likely to use a price comparison website.

5. Social commerce isn’t as significant

New e-commerce trends are emerging left and right. But adoption varies locally. In recent years, social media product discoveries have been one. We asked our respondents how they had discovered the products they bought in the last 12 months. Nearly a third (31.2%) of American respondents mentioned social media feeds (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), but just 18.5% of Europeans mentioned social media. Similarly, 20.4% of Americans said ads and influencer posts on social media led to product discovery and purchase, but just 12.4% of Europeans did the same.

Europeans were also less likely to have researched products on social media: They were 39.6% less likely to have used Facebook for product research and 26.5% less likely to have used Instagram.

6. Amazon is big in Europe, but not as prominent

Amazon has a very dominant position in the US and is also present in Europe. It has, of course, local versions in France (Amazon.fr), the UK (Amazon.co.uk) and Germany (Amazon.de), but it’s also operating in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Poland.

In the US, an amazing 52.2% of respondents said they usually begin product searches on Amazon when they want to buy. Just 43.4% of shoppers in Europe start on Amazon. 57.0% of Americans have purchased an item on Amazon after seeing an ad for it on Amazon, but seeing an ad on Amazon led just 44.7% of Europeans to purchase.

–

Learn more about shopping behaviors across global marketplaces in our latest report: 2022 Online Consumer Behavior Global Report.

The post The Top 6 Differences Between US and European E-Commerce Shoppers appeared first on Rithum.

Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue. Since the late 20th century, it’s been a household name that’s synonymous with value and extensive inventory. Today, it’s also leading the online retailer pack with marketplaces for countries around the world.

We recently co-hosted a two-part webinar with Walmart on its Canadian and Mexican marketplaces. Ready to expand to new regions? Here’s what you need to know.

All three of Walmart’s North American marketplaces offer zero monthly fees and no setup costs to get started. Unlike Amazon’s subscription, Walmart only requires referral fees based on the product’s category.

Walmart Canada Marketplace

Walmart Canada Marketplace is open to many countries and is experienced with cross-border selling. According to Walmart, it is the second most visited retail website in Canada with more than 17 million unique monthly visitors. Most Canadians live within a few miles of a Walmart Supercenter, but the online marketplace offers more product and brand selection than brick and mortar stores with 35 million additional products online. 

Walmart Canada’s top customer segments include Millennials (41%), families with kids (55%) and the affluent, which includes those with medium-high income (54%) and higher education (83%). In 2021, Canadian consumers spent 60% of their disposable income on US goods and services, particularly in the home office, tools, health and exercise, personal care, special needs, entertainment, toys, and electronics categories.

Walmart.ca is home to featured brands like Lenovo, Dyson, Sealy and Bissell, among others. As part of the marketplace, sellers like these receive benefits such as:

• Store pick-ups and returns. Marketplace customers have a wider array of delivery options and benefit from faster returns at their local Walmart.
• Discounted shipping rates and services. Walmart provides discounted shipping rates and access to partners for domestic as well as cross-border shipping. The Ship with Walmart program offers both U.S. to Canada and China to Canada shipping.  

To sell on Walmart.ca, vendors must meet certain requirements, including:

1. E-commerce experience — Sellers must have a history of marketplace or e-commerce success, as well as a Canada Business Number (CBN) or Non-Resident Importer (NRI), though a Canada warehouse is not mandatory.
2. Compelling product catalog — Walmart.ca favors unique, exciting products with well-defined attributes and competitive prices.
3. Exceptional customer experience — Sellers must be able to provide fast and reliable fulfillment delivered with duties prepaid (DDP).

Ready to get started? Learn more about Ship with Walmart (SWW), referral fees, how to sell on Walmart.ca and more in the on-demand webinar. 

Walmart Marketplace México

Walmart México is the country’s largest retailer with more stores per capita than the U.S. and nearly 27 million monthly unique visitors to its Walmart.com.mx marketplace. Approximately 45% of digital buyers in Mexico make purchases cross-border. The Marketplace is open to U.S. and China sellers who have demonstrated selling excellence on Walmart’s U.S. Marketplace. 

Walmart México sellers enjoy several unique benefits, including:

• Additional physical channels. The México Marketplace is also home to more than 1,100 in-store kiosks to promote findability in multiple channels. 
• Diversified payment options. Because 17% of Mexican consumers prefer to pay in cash, Walmart México offers pay in store options. 
• Spanish language customer service. Walmart México handles customer support in Spanish on the seller’s behalf via email, chat or phone.  
• Cross-platform listings. List once, sell on two sites, including Walmart.com.mx and bodegaaurrera.com.mx, Walmart’s discount store chain.

 To sell on Walmart.com.mx, you must have a(n):

1. Existing Walmart U.S. Marketplace account in good standing
2. Payoneer account for conversion from pesos to their preferred currency
3. Compelling product catalog in Spanish
4. Competitive pricing
5. Ability to ship delivery duty paid (DDP)
6. Mexican returns center or willingness to adopt Walmart’s Estafeta Return Solution

Ready to get started? Learn more about Walmart México selling events, how to write content for a Spanish-speaking audience and more in the on-demand webinar.

If you’re not yet selling on Walmart U.S. Marketplace, apply today to start the process. You’ll hear from one of our Rithum Walmart experts who will help you complete the application and explain the next steps.

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Adopting a multichannel strategy is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. In fact, multichannel selling is expected to exceed $491 billion in the U.S. alone this year. But expanding across channels and geographies is challenging when each one has its own requirements, audience, and tone. Multichannel commerce and fulfillment solutions can help. 

We recently joined Rithum partners, eDesk and Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), for a webinar on How to Provide an Extraordinary Multichannel Customer Experience, featuring:

• Alison Held, Senior Product Manager at Rithum
• Abhi Tiwari, Director of Product Management and Technology at Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment 
• Darren Heaphy, Head of Product at eDesk

Can you add more channels and still provide stellar experiences — without subtracting from the bottom line? These panelists believe it’s possible with the right strategy.

What the Best Sellers Do

“It’s important to listen to your customers and be where they are,” said Heaphy. “Buyers rarely stick to just one channel when shopping, and sellers need to bring their products to where their customers are.”

To effectively scale e-commerce without sacrificing the customer experience, the most successful multichannel sellers:

1. Intentionally assess how their brand is represented online.
Create a unified story across a number of buyer touchpoints. Stay true to your brand, but tailor your presence for each channel, whether it’s your web store or Instagram. 

2. Market a diversified portfolio.
Market products that cover as much of the e-commerce journey as possible. Maximize your brand exposure online by selecting specific products to meet the needs of different audiences across multiple channels. 

3. Grow without forfeiting operational excellence.
Remove friction where possible to allow and support new selling channels, products and geographies. Invest in systems that support your ability to easily update branded content, product data quantities, fulfillment partners and customer service queries so each additional channel you add isn’t incrementally more expensive. 

Rithum’s most successful customers sell on at least five channels on average (and sometimes they’re not even the biggest marketplaces). We’ve even seen an increase in year-over-year growth for what we call “long tail marketplaces” or those that are typically for more niche product verticals or categories. 

“If you’re only in a single channel and not experimenting or understanding where other sources of demand are, you can get left behind or miss some opportunity,” said Held. 

Retailers can even expand with Amazon’s help using Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF). This service provides fast, reliable order fulfillment for any channel. MCF also has features to help manage each channel’s different requirements. 

Multi-channel Selling Challenges

As beneficial as multichannel selling is, it’s not without its challenges. Sellers must address how to:

• Manage inventory across channels
• Adhere to different marketplace requirements
• Provide adequate customer support for different audiences
• Account for lead times in new regions 
• Anticipate demand increases from the new channel
• Prepare for tax implications and business considerations ahead of time

Expanding to new regions and marketplaces also requires consistency in customer experiences. Whereas multichannel merchants sell across multiple platforms, an omni-channel strategy takes it a step further by creating an interconnected ecosystem of touchpoints that all converge to support one consistent shopping journey. 

To scale while sustaining positive customer experiences, provide a unified look and feel across all the channels you market on so consumers immediately recognize the brand style, values, and traits of your shop. Additionally, the right digital infrastructure makes it easy to tie all your channels together and handle the complexities that come with different marketplaces. 

Why Haven’t You Expanded Yet? 

Multichannel expansion is a great growth opportunity for anyone in the e-commerce space. If you haven’t yet launched in one or more new areas, start with a review and identify what areas may be limiting your ability to expand. 

• Don’t have the time or expertise to create new listings on a selling channel?
• Don’t have the warehouse capacity for new demand or sales?
• Previously had a negative experience that distracted your team from your primary selling channel? 
• Don’t know which marketplace is best to start on?

Whatever it is, identifying your hesitations first can help inform your first steps. Centralizing your entire e-commerce strategy is helpful for managing things like quantities, pricing, fulfillment, and compliance across the board. Plus, a multichannel commerce solution allows you to gather data and continually optimize your presence across every channel. 

Rithum now supports more than 300 marketplaces globally. Are you selling everywhere you could be? Request a demo to learn how we help you maintain top-tier customer experiences without sacrificing more resources. 

Check out the full webinar to learn more about what drives customer queries and get tips for scaling without adding additional resources.

The post How to Provide Extraordinary Customer Experiences Across Multiple Channels appeared first on Rithum.