Peak selling days Black Friday and Cyber Monday are here. Here is a practical guide addressing common challenges throughout the entire Cyber 5 period (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), based on real-time pain points from online retailers and brands.

1. Manage your inventory and product organization throughout Cyber 5.

• Audit your stock: You’ve made sure your warehouse or fulfillment partner is prepared for high demand. Make sure you have clear processes in place to switch distribution centers as demand increases.
• Product organization: Confirm that single, bundle and variation SKU assortment is in place. This is not the time to test anything new in a live environment.
• Backorder and restocks: Have a backorder system ready if you are not already prepared for fast restocks for items that sell out quickly. Amazon does not allow inventory replenishment until the new year. Make sure you have backup with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) should you run out of inventory.

Assign responsibilities to the inventory management and logistics/operations team.

• Inventory manager: Perform the inventory audit and set up alerts for low stock and immediate communication to front-facing e-commerce channel managers.
• Logistics/operations team: Coordinate with fulfillment partners to confirm stock levels and restock procedures and open lines of communication for delays.

2. Finalize discounts, promotions and bundles.

• Advertising and retail media strategy: Ensure your campaigns are optimized to the most profitable target audience, prioritize products for the holiday sales season and ensure product listing data, images, video and content are recently updated. This is not the time to have your campaign hit their daily spend cap. Increase your bid ceilings or run uncapped and ensure your ads are visible the entire week.
• Discount Strategy: Set up Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) promotions, including sitewide sales, category-specific discounts and flash deals. Clearly define the terms and conditions for each.
• Communication Strategy: Finalize days/times – down to the minute – for when email, text and social communication will be sent out.
• Bundle Deals: Consider offering product bundles at discounted prices to increase average order value (AOV).

Assign responsibilities to the marketing team, e-commerce manager and creative team.

• Marketing: Finalize and schedule promotional campaigns, including discounts and bundles. Have promotional banners and visuals ready for launch. Ensure you have a clear, by the hour breakout of when communication will occur across customer outreach channels.
• E-commerce manager: Ensure discount codes are properly implemented and working on the site. Update product pages with the correct pricing and offers.
• Creative: Design banners, pop-ups and other assets that highlight discounts and promotions.

3. Double-check automated reporting and dashboard report set ups.

• Key metrics: Monitor conversion rate, traffic and AOV. Set up automated email alerts for stock levels, sales performance and ad spend ROI. During peak selling periods, search trends can fluctuate. Ensure someone is checking auto campaigns to capitalize on trends and move those to manual campaigns to maximize opportunity during Cyber 5.
• Monitor ad spend: Set up integrations between your ad platforms and e-commerce store to track ROI on paid campaigns (Google Ads, Facebook, etc.). Ensure someone is watching this in real-time to adjust spend, monitor competitive threats and be able to adjust. This includes tapping into a larger bucket of spending if a clear opportunity presents itself.

Assign responsibilities to data analyst/business intelligence teams, marketing and e-commerce manager.

• Data analyst/business intelligence: Set up and monitor dashboards to ensure key KPIs are automatically tracked and actionable insights delivered.
• Marketing: Keep a close eye on paid ad performance and adjust budgets, targeting and creatives as needed. Paid marketing managers or agency managers are available, real time.
• E-commerce manager: Monitor sales performance and pivot promotions if certain products or categories are underperforming and communicate this to marketing. Make sure ads across your website are relevant to the page and experience. Irrelevant ads reduce the likelihood that a shopper will purchase a product.

4. Prepare customer support systems and FAQs.

• Expand support channels: Ensure live chat, helpdesk, and other support channels are active and capable of handling increased volume.
• Proactively answer questions: Update the FAQ section with anticipated BFCM-related queries like shipping times, returns, or promotions.

Assign responsibilities to customer support, marketing and e-commerce manager.

• Customer support team: Ensure enough customer support employees are available to handle high-volume inquiries. Prepare scripts for common BFCM issues (order status, shipping, returns).
• Marketing: Update the FAQ section on the website with clear, concise answers to common questions.
• E-commerce manager: Ensure clear communication with fulfillment and shipping partners so customer support can give accurate updates on delivery times.

How to organize your team for Black Friday and Cyber Monday peak holiday selling events

Conduct daily briefings to check in and review metrics, discuss any roadblocks and realign priorities. Ensure all teams are aware of their specific responsibilities during Cyber 5.

Cross-functional collaboration is key between marketing, customer support, logistics and the e-commerce team. Regularly share performance data, stock levels and customer feedback to stay on the same page.

Finally, plan for pre- and post-BFCM analysis. Schedule a debrief now. Schedule another after the peak sales event. Share a pre-read summary from each department containing what worked and what needs to be improved. There is limited time to enact changes to ensure a successful December selling period. Learn how Rithum can help your business here.

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Walmart Marketplace is a go-to destination for holiday shoppers. On our recent webinar hosted by Drew Lichvar, Channel Partnerships Manager, Walmart Marketplace, we explored key insights from Walmart about customer activity during the holiday season and shared strategies for sellers to thrive on Walmart.com.

This holiday season, sellers must prepare strategically for key selling windows to reach more consumers across various categories, including toys, apparel, beauty and tech.

“Holiday selling can seem daunting but with strong strategy and preparation, you can really optimize your results.”

– Drew Lichvar, Walmart Marketplaces

Lichvar emphasized three critical components for success on Walmart Marketplace:

• Prepare your marketplace promotional planning: Craft a strong promotional plan that includes competitive pricing. Holiday deals are typically at least 20% off or $50 below comparison prices, with shipping that is fast and free. Sellers should aim for a minimum 3-star rating on products.
• Sellers are encouraged to use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS): WFS allows sellers to meet customer expectations for quick shipping during peak times. By following Walmart’s routing guidelines and sending inventory early, sellers can ensure their products are ready for sale.
• Reach more consumers through effective marketing: Increase visibility through Walmart Connect (WMC) advertising and search engine marketing (SEM). Three out of four top Marketplace sellers utilize WMC, which has proven effective for growth, according to Walmart.

Reach shoppers during peak shopping moments

Lichvar noted that understanding customer shopping habits is crucial. Segment each month by focus, including promoting certain categories as early as October.

“Understanding how customers’ needs change from month to month during the holidays can help you position your products and promotions effectively,” Lichvar said.

• October: Focus on early holiday deals (toys, electronics, beauty).
• November: Target Black Friday events (clothing, tools, outdoor goods).
• December: Highlight last-minute gifts and holiday decor.

Focus on an always-on approach: Use Walmart’s Seller Center to set up flash deals

Sellers are encouraged to consistently submit high converting deals each week and leverage the “Always On” opportunity by submitting to Flash Deals every Sunday, with items going live two days later.

Walmart continues to be a popular holiday destination during the peak shopping season. By bringing high-quality items at competitive prices, utilizing WFS and implementing strong marketing strategies, sellers can position themselves for success this holiday season. Keep an eye on important submission dates and participate in Walmart’s resources, including the Deals Management dashboard, to maximize your sales potential.

For ongoing insights and updates, look out for future webinars and communication from Walmart Marketplace. Learn more how Rithum can help.

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The go-to-market strategy for retailers and brands is changing. Data shows that third-party (3P) commerce is a significant driver of revenue and businesses are rethinking their strategies to compete. Three out of five surveyed global retailer and brand executives said they plan to increase the use of 3P commerce over the next year, according to “The State of 3P Commerce Report,” by Rithum and Wakefield Research.

Sales are growing for global retailers and brands selling through a 3P commerce business model, according to the report. Consumers are engaging and purchasing across multiple sales channels.

3P commerce the ‘most flexible’ business model to weather economic volatility

Selling through multiple channels profitably can be challenging. Online retailers and brands are facing increased competition for consumers’ attention while navigating complicated integrations and compliance requirements while also meeting fulfillment demands. Despite this, nearly every surveyed retailer and brand agreed that 3P commerce is the best sales model to manage economic volatility.

Regionally, 62% of UK respondents agree that 3P commerce is the best model to withstand market instability, followed by 48% of US and 36% of German executives, respectively.

Retailers and brands are choosing 3P commerce because it allows them to reach more shoppers. However, managing a multichannel selling strategy manually can be costly, requiring specialized expertise and resources. Nearly every surveyed executive (97%) said selling through a single tool would be a “game-changer” for their company.

Rithum simplifies the process by helping minimize product cannibalization, protecting brand perception and offering retailers and brands an opportunity to gain market share in a competitive retail landscape. By leveraging a network of more than 40,000 retailers and brands, more than 420 marketplaces and retail sites, Rithum can help retailers and brands to achieve profitability at scale and speed.

Download the full report to learn more about the other reasons retailers and brands are turning to 3P commerce to grow profitably here.

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We are proud to share that Rithum has been awarded a 2024 Silver Davey Award for Creative Innovation-AI Utility for AI Magic Mapper. The Davey Award is the latest recognition highlighting Rithum’s dedication to innovation in artificial intelligence technology.

AI Magic Mapper allows brands to upload a product catalog fast. It achieved 99% accuracy in category recommendations for a clothing and apparel company with approximately 14,000 products in minutes, compared to the hours it took previously.

The Davey Awards is an international competition that recognizes creative and marketing work from leading businesses. It is inspired by the story of David defeating “the giant Goliath with a big idea and little rock. The annual International Davey Awards honors the achievements of the ‘Creative Davids’ who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than stratospheric budgets,” according to the Davey Awards.

This year, the Davey Awards received thousands of entries from ad agencies, interactive agencies, production firms, in-house creative teams, graphic designers and public relations agencies.

The Davey Awards is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA). It is an invitation-only body consisting of professionals in media, advertising and marketing firms. AIVA members include executives from organizations such as Condé Nast, Disney, GE, Keller Crescent, Microsoft, Monster.com, MTV, Push., Publicis, Sesame Workshops, The Marketing Store, Worktank, Yahoo! and others, according to the Davey Awards.

“Receiving this Davey Award for AI Magic Mapper highlights the quality and innovation of the work we’re achieving. I’m proud of the Rithum team and excited for our continued progress in AI-driven solutions.”

Lou Camassa, Director of Product Management, Rithum

AI Magic Mapper uses technology to give brands flexibility and speed to increase sales

AI Magic Mapper uses artificial intelligence to help brands automate critical processes and quickly expand marketplace onboarding.

The tool allows sellers to:

• Expand to new channels and sell through marketplaces faster. Brands can use the tool to select their target channels and associate product assortments using predefined labels. AI automatically categorizes products, reducing hours of spreadsheet tasks into a minutes-long process.
• Process and validate catalogs efficiently, ranging from thousands to millions of SKUs.
• Receive detailed views of recommended categories. This allows brands to conduct quick spot-checks and refinements when needed. Brands can quickly make adjustments based on seasonal trends or promotional strategy.

Learn more about how the Rithum for Brands suite of tools can help your business grow profitably. Schedule a personal demo today.

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Retailers and brands are ramping up their use of third-party (3P) commerce as part of their e-commerce selling strategy. According to “The State of 3P Commerce Report” by Rithum and Wakefield Research, 51% of global retailer and brand executives said they have used a 3P business model for less than a year. There are several underlying factors why retailers and brands are including 3P commerce as part of their multichannel selling strategy. Here, we share three key drivers identified in the report: 

1. Retailers and brands want to reach more consumers online. 

Today’s consumers are shopping online. Retailers and brands need to be present where shoppers already are – they can’t decide for consumers where they should shop. 40% of executives surveyed said reaching a larger consumer base is a top reason why they’re selling using a 3P commerce business model.  

2. Expand your access to more digital marketing opportunities. 

Retail media advertising allows retailers and brands to reach – and target – consumers as they shop online. 36% of surveyed executives said they use 3P commerce to have access to broader digital marketing opportunities, such as retail media advertising. 

3. Increase cross-border e-commerce selling opportunities. 

It can be difficult to manage product inventory, product information and catalog translations at scale when selling internationally. So it’s not surprising that 96% of executives agree that selling cross-border would not be possible without 3P commerce. Retailers and brands must consider how to navigate cross-border payments, currency valuations, global logistics, international legal requirements and other factors when selling cross-border. 36% of surveyed executives said that a primary motivation for using a 3P commerce business model is so they can add or expand their cross-border opportunities.  

How Rithum can help sellers grow profitably on marketplaces 

Today’s consumer is comparison shopping. Through its access to hundreds of channels, Rithum can help retailers and brands with their efforts to maximize growth. Expanding into global marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Zalando and others, requires managing and updating product catalogs. This manual process takes time and costs resources. By automating the process through Rithum, retailers and brands can make updates in real time through one platform. 

Rithum’s platform helps sellers optimize their retail media advertising strategy on marketplaces by adjusting bidding, targeting and budgeting in real-time. By using sponsored product listings, banner ads and video ads, sellers can increase visibility and engagement directly with retail platforms. 

Selling cross-border requires managing multiple languages, legal requirements, logistics and other factors. Rithum partners with a network of the world’s leading fulfillment and logistics companies to facilitate cross-border e-commerce expansion. Features like Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper uses artificial intelligence to help brands reduce time-to-site and can reduce the time it takes sellers to onboard to new global marketplaces. 

Download the full report to learn more about the other reasons retailers and brands are turning to 3P commerce to grow profitably here. 

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Retailers and brands may be feeling the heat as they grapple with rising operational costs and a highly competitive market that has caused major margin constraints. Traditional playbooks are no longer as effective, and businesses must rethink their strategies to survive in the marketplace. A majority of retailers, brands and suppliers believe margin constraints require adapting their business model for e-commerce.

Today, Rithum, a leader in third-party (3P) commerce, has released its first annual “The State of 3P Commerce” report, conducted by Wakefield Research*. With 3P commerce growing globally, this report surveyed 550 executives at retailers and brands using 3P in the US, UK and Germany to identify growth opportunities through this e-commerce model.

“What we’re seeing is a significant shift in the way brands and retailers go to market. Our research shows that 3P commerce provides the most business value and opportunity for retailers, brands and suppliers in today’s complex e-commerce landscape. Businesses are embracing the agility that the 3P model provides to meet consumer demands and grow in ways that traditional models simply can’t match.”

Lou Keyes, CEO, Rithum

In fact, 99% of retailers and brands globally say that 3P selling is the best model for weathering economic volatility, according to the report.

He adds, “Today, retailers and brands are feeling the pressures of the e-commerce market from all sides. What may feel like a crisis is actually a turning point filled with opportunity. As the industry evolves, it’s great to see how businesses are not just surviving but thriving when they adopt the 3P commerce model.”

What is 3P commerce?

3P commerce is different for retailers compared with brands. For retailers, 3P commerce helps them access unowned inventory. This is a business model where brands sell products directly to consumers through a retailer’s storefront, typically through a dropship or marketplace approach. This model shifts inventory risk away from retailers, who instead act as facilitators between brands and consumers. For brands, 3P commerce helps them extend their owned inventory to unowned channels. This allows brands to reach more consumers through a multichannel selling strategy.

Key Findings:

3P commerce is a significant growth opportunity for retailers and brands

• The report found that 70% of global executives say that up to half of their total revenue comes through 3P selling. Nearly one-third (29%) say it’s more than 50% of their total revenue.
• The report highlights the 3P model growth opportunity with 3 in 4 executives globally deeming 3P sales to be vital to their company’s ability to grow with 59% planning to increase use of 3P selling in the next year.

What’s driving demand for 3P commerce?

Consumers are shopping across more sites and social apps than ever before. That’s why reaching more consumers where they shop is a top reason retailers and brands adopt a 3P selling model.

• 40% of retailers and brands say they sell through 3P commerce models to reach a larger consumer audience.

AI and integrated technology will accelerate 3P commerce

While generative AI is all the hype in the technology industry, its more practical use for automating supply chain operations will likely be the most transformational for the retail and e-commerce industry. AI already allows retailers to reduce transportation costs, improve shipping speed and optimize inventory placement and restocking speed.

• Nearly all executives (96%) believe their company will never be able to meet growth expectations if they cannot get a handle on their supply chain challenges.
• What’s more, 91% of respondents indicated that AI is very important to their ability to successfully manage their e-commerce operations, including 1 in 5 who feel AI is critical for this.

Technology is transformational to nearly every industry, but for 3P commerce technology, the options for retailers and brands are fragmented.

• On average, retailers and brands use four platforms to manage their 3P selling, noting this complexity makes it harder to measure performance and ROI for the business.
• That’s why 97% of retailers and brands believe a unified solution for 3P selling is a ‘game-changer’ for their company.

Retailers and brands recognize the value of 3P commerce and believe it contributes to profitable growth for their company; however, technology solutions need to make it easier for them to sell and measure the ROI of these e-commerce models.

Read and download the full report here.

*Methodology: The State of 3P Commerce Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 550 executives at retailers offering 3P models and brands selling via 3P models, with 200 respondents in the U.S. and UK and 150 in Germany, between August 20th and August 29th, 2024, using an email invitation and an online survey.

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Rithum has won the w3 Silver Award for Creative Innovation-AI Utility Integration for AI Magic Mapper. The award recognizes Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper as the “Most Innovative Use of AI as a Tool in a Project.”

The w3 Awards celebrate digital excellence by honoring outstanding work across websites, marketing, video, mobile sites and apps, social, podcasts, and emerging tech. It is sanctioned by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only body consisting of leading digital marketing and creative experts.

AIVA is an assembly of professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media.

“This award is a testament to the exceptional work we’ve been developing. It sets the stage for many more exciting achievements in AI-driven innovation at Rithum. Congratulations to the entire team for their hard work and dedication.”

– Lou Camassa, Director of Product Management, Rithum

AI Magic Mapper helps brands solve labor-intensive product catalog management by automating categorization on marketplaces

Artificial intelligence allows brands to quickly expand marketplace onboarding through AI Magic Mapper. This innovation is significant because it solves a common problem for brands with large product catalogs consisting of tens of thousands of SKUs. It can be difficult to adapt product listings to meet the varying requirements for each marketplace including Amazon and Walmart.

Each marketplace has its own set of mandatory data fields. These include description, images, weight, and height details; and category classifications. Managing these can be a taxing process requiring employees to manually input data and update entries which can take days to weeks. Products must adhere to marketplace requirements as well as be positioned to appeal to consumers as they shop online.

Instead, brands can automate the category mapping process with AI Magic Mapper to select products to auto-categorize using AI. The tool also gives a review and acceptance of recommended categories. The entire process takes minutes instead of hours. The accuracy of AI-recommended categories are more than 90% in certain use cases, according to Rithum’s data. As a result, brands experience fewer listing errors and faster time to market.

Learn more about how the Rithum for Brands suite of tools can help your business achieve a profitable multichannel selling strategy. Schedule a personal demo today.

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The peak holiday shopping season is here. With the rise of third-party (3P) commerce, the ability to quickly expand and optimize marketplace presence has become crucial for seller success. Artificial technology (AI) gives sellers flexibility and speed during the fast-paced shopping season. Here is how Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper can help brands automate categorization on marketplaces in time to meet increased consumer demand.

In a recent test, AI Magic Mapper achieved up to 99% accuracy in category recommendations for a clothing and apparel brand. The tool processed approximately 14,000 products in minutes, a task that previously took hours.

This level of efficiency could be a game-changer for brands looking to expand their reach during the critical holiday selling period. Other capabilities include:

Fast channel expansion to sell on multiple marketplaces

Brands need to reduce their time-to-site across multiple marketplaces without sacrificing accuracy during increased consumer demand. AI Magic Mapper allows brands to select their target channels and associate product assortments using predefined labels. The AI then automatically categorizes products. This turns hours of spreadsheet work into a minutes-long process.

Efficient processing and validation

While processing times depend on catalog size, ongoing enhancements are focused on expediting this for catalogs ranging from thousands to millions of SKUs. Categories are suggested and reviewed to ensure that each product meets requirements.

Agile refinement

The tool provides a detailed view of recommended categories. This allows brands to conduct quick spot-checks and refinements where needed. This feature ensures that each product is optimally positioned for holiday shoppers. Brands can quickly pivot and adjust based on seasonal trends or promotional strategies.

AI Magic Mapper allows brands to approach the peak holiday selling season with speed and efficiency. By automating critical processes and providing intelligent insights, this tool empowers e-commerce businesses to diversify their marketplace strategy and increase their speed to site.

Schedule a discovery call today.

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How to overcome multichannel selling challenges

Walmart also highlighted overcoming multichannel selling challenges. This includes managing orders, inventory, and fulfillment. Managing a multichannel selling strategy can be complex. Walmart is addressing challenges by providing a more efficient fulfillment process through a unified inventory pool and professional shipping services – all within a single integration and user interface.

Key benefits for sellers on Walmart Marketplace:

• Cost savings: Reduced shipping costs and lower storage fees to help improve seller bottom lines.
• Operational efficiency and scalability: Consolidate inventory for multiple channels, reducing the risk of errors and enabling easier operations scalability.
• Expanded reach: Focus on growing your market presence with the support of Walmart’s expansive infrastructure.
• Improved customer service: Faster, more reliable shipping leads to a better customer experience and potential repeat business.

For sellers using Rithum’s platform, these benefits are amplified. Rithum helps Walmart Marketplace sellers streamline operations through a central dashboard that synchronizes fulfillment and inventory across multiple channels. This integration saves time and reduces overall errors, allowing for a positive customer experience.

Sellers using Rithum can also leverage products like Rithum’s new AI Magic Mapper to automate the process of aligning products with marketplace categories. This significantly reduces the time and effort required to manage listings across different platforms. AI Magic Mapper ensures products are accurately categorized and optimized for visibility, which can lead to better sales performance.

Preparing for the holiday selling season with Walmart

As sellers prepare for the peak shopping season, Walmart is releasing several new tools to help. These include:

• Waved peak season storage fees: Sellers who send inventory to Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) by September 30 will have waived storage fees, helping tighten margins.
• Marketplace capital expansion: Walmart Marketplace Capital is offering qualified sellers cash advances of up to $5 million.
• Deals dashboard: The new dashboard simplifies the process of enrolling products in holiday deals and offers valuable insights to optimize seller listings.

Rithum is offering a free Walmart launch for new sellers that sign up with up to a 12-month contract. This and other supportive measures allow sellers to leverage expanded categories, Walmart’s omnichannel opportunities, and fulfillment solutions.

Through Rithum, sellers can improve profitability, streamline operations, and grow their businesses globally. Sellers can also configure multichannel solutions by adding Walmart Marketplace as a channel on their dashboard, prioritize Walmart MCS (Walmart Multichannel Solutions), and make items WFS eligible. Request a demo today.

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The share of US retail e-commerce sales transacted via marketplaces continues to rise and will surpass $698 billion by 2028. That’s nearly 40% of e-commerce in the U.S., according to eMarketer. That’s why brands and wholesalers are diversifying their selling models and rethinking their direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy. A growing number are transitioning from first-party to third-party business models. This change is driven by several key factors:  

1. Amazon, Walmart and other marketplaces may not carry your entire product line. 
2. A new product line isn’t getting picked up by retail networks. 
3. Unsuccessful pricing negotiations. 
4. Relying solely on retailers is no longer profitable. 
5. Third-party merchants do not properly represent your products and brands. 
6. Selling seasonal products requires more control over purchasing. 
7. Inconsistency in retailer purchase orders is causing strain on cash flow. 
8. Increased reseller minimum advertised price (MAP) requests or inconstant pricing across multi-channel impacting the brand performance and reputation 

How to get started with marketplaces

Now is the right time to explore third-party marketplaces. Rithum works with a network of 40,000 sellers across more than 400 marketplaces. Here’s a guide to help you transform your wholesale business into a marketplace business. 

Preparation is key

Successfully selling as a third-party on marketplaces demands careful planning and attention to detail. When done right, this approach can result in significant revenue growth, making the investment of time and effort highly worthwhile. Customers have been shopping on platforms like Amazon, Facebook, Walmart, and Target for years, and they’ve developed high expectations for purchasing directly from their favorite brands. Understanding their needs and the stakes involved is crucial.  

Start Early

Take the time to thoroughly evaluate your options and gain a clear understanding of the strategies that will work best for your brand. Be prepared to adjust along the way. Remember, your current wholesale relationships with marketplaces can shift unexpectedly, often with little to no notice, so staying agile and responsive to these changes is essential. 

Think strategically and commit to a marketplace strategy

This isn’t the time for a trial run. While it may be tempting to just “test the waters,” failing to invest in key areas—such as a robust marketing strategy, product placement, advertising, free shipping, and fast handling times—will make it difficult to compete with your established sales channels. Gaining early market share for products, meeting SEO demands all matter as the marketplace channels quickly rank your performance in the first 30 days after your products go live.

Mastering the best practices of each marketplace and develop new internal processes to support them will take time. Businesses not only have to plan for potentially a first channel launch, but popular channels that do well within your category thereafter. The process and plan must be built with a short term, and long-term vision in mind. Not only through the lenses of brand protection, but scalable infrastructure. 

Plan for the future

Unlike the immediate revenue gains from wholesale relationships, D2C selling on marketplaces is a long-term process. Success doesn’t happen overnight. 

From high-quality product content to a well-rounded marketing and advertising strategy, competitive pricing, customer service, and fulfillment logistics—staying ahead of all these factors is crucial. Have a plan in place to keep up with marketplace changes, e-commerce trends, and evolving consumer expectations. 

How Rithum can help

The benefits of expanding into marketplaces are significant. However, attempting to do so in-house can be cost prohibitive. Businesses needed a single platform allowing them to expand to new markets and help them effectively manage their growing omnichannel presences. According to “The Total Economic Impact of Rithum Managed Marketplaces” study, published in February 2024, Rithum helps organizations to improve speed to market by 50%. 

Request a demo to learn more about our products and services. 

Kellie Martin is VP, Global Sales Engineering and Renewals at Rithum. Aaron Holler is Marketplaces Strategy Director, Rithum.

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