Is Personalized Shopping Forthcoming Generation Trend?

“Online shopping” are the words that can excite millions of users as well as scare many. As we all know there are pros and cons of every aspect and so is the case with eCommerce applications. But, in this case the myriad of benefits overshadow comes its scary side. Majority of the world’s population, surrounded by technology all the time, uses smart ways to live life. Online shopping is a smart way to spend money as per their desires, they believe! They are absolutely correct. Modern age shopaholics refer to eCommerce website for product quality and price. They can get better deal for the products as compared to brick and mortar shops.

They get better deal, better price, superfine quality and home delivery. Don’t you think these benefits are enough for one who wishes to buy a product from another country? Well, we all are aware of the scenario in which eCommerce web solutions are replacing bricks and mortar stores gradually.

Personalized Shopping Experience is New eCommerce Tactic!

Getting personalized shopping experience is what every shopper expects from eCommerce giants. Getting too personal with the customers will definitely annoy them. Online stores track customer’s browsing history and sell crucial customer data to the third party. They make the worst use of it by annoying the customers to a great extent.

Buyer like getting store discounts, real-time deals, complimentary items, compare price of the products prior to adding it to their shopping cart. Around 60% of the customers like personalized shopping but majority of them hates getting too personal. But, this percentage ratio may vary for different countries.

Customers avoid visiting online stores tracking their locations, feedbacks for their personal choices. They can even believe to what the store tells not to buy, due to some reasons. For instance an online medical store owner may ask their customers to avoid some drugs that may harm their health and the millennial do consider this as personalized suggestion. They are recommended the items that suit their taste, budget and are beneficial.

Is Personalized Approach Better than Generalized?

Well, if we start comparing both the approaches, we would find more reasons why companies are getting personalized. They use emails to send customers, who are specific about the deals, discounts or recommendation.

Who would not like the attention? Modern eCommerce business marketer uses this fact to improve business strategies. For all the attention seeker online buyers, personalized approach boosts their shopping experiences.

Whereas, this might not be the case with generalized shopping experience where store owners treat every customer equally. They use a generalized marketing strategy that might not work well in the eCommerce era where getting personal means more business!

Verdicts

Personalized shopping experience can be the next eCommerce trend that is set to change the online shopping phase completely. Buyer’s choice and affordability would be the most crucial aspects, eCommerce marketers need to focus in near future.

Tips to Block Hackers Accessing your Online Store!

“Hacking” is the malpractice that the entire world of eCommerce field is scared of. The biggest shopping destination i.e. online market is in the need of reliable security standards to avoid frauds and offensive practices affecting eCommerce websites’ rep. Online shopping trend was developed due to the ease and efficiency offered by online stores to the shopping process. But what if, they are “hacked”? What about all the crucial details of the customers stored in the website database?

Hackers do not care whether it is an eCommerce websites or a blogging site while stealing essential and sensitive details like customer and business data. Ecommerce web solution providers need to take extra care of the security standards infused in the website.

Protecting eCommerce website is smartness more than an art! I have listed few tips that would help saving the website getting hacked or fraud.

Avoid Saving Unnecessary Data

All eCommerce website would ask for sensitive credit/debit card details while a customer makes the payment in the checkout process, but not all of them save all the details received from the customers. It is better not to save the details that are not required whenever a customer returns to the store. Details like expiry date of the credit/debit card, registered name, CVV number etc. must not be stored.

Saving the unnecessary customer data that is not required is strictly prohibited by PCI standards. It might be inconvenient for the customers, as they need to repeat the data filling process. Explain them the reason of not saving their data. Saving crucial details increases the chances of data theft. “If you don’t have any secrets within you, no can reveal it even”!

Test Your Online Store

Ecommerce websites are required to test their security standards on a regular basis. It is one of the most crucial prerequisites of a successful ecommerce website. This will keep the hackers away by making your web store highly secure. It is important for online stores to adhere to PCI DSS compliance prior to initiate retailing.

There are possibilities that modern hackers might have infused vulnerability through advertisements or third party content. Consult ethical hacker to check the website and identify harmful elements, if any. Integrate security apps in your online store that helps scanning and identifying malfunctioning of the web store that might harm customer’s essential details.

Use a Secure eCommerce Platform

Ecommerce platform, used for the online identity of your business, is very crucial. Today, the trend of using open source eCommerce platforms is ignited by the web development companies. But, professional developers need to consider the intense requirements of the eCommerce website and choose the development platform accordingly.

Magento is the leading eCommerce development platform used by millions of web developers around the world. It can easily be configured with the SSL. This platform is highly secure and takes care of various factors affecting the security of the website.

Upgrade the System

Keeping the system up-to-date is the best method to keep the system away from becoming a victim to cyber-theft . As soon as the updated version is released, web development companies ensure the eCommerce websites get upgraded for better performance. Online stores using the latest version of the web development platform, reduce the risk of developing security loopholes. No matter which platform you choose, it needs to be regularly updated!

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) of the eCommerce website reduces the hacking risk. Thus, its upgradation is mandatory for discarding the hacking possibilities.

Encrypt the Website Data

It is significant to clear up or encrypt all the communication done through eCommerce website as hackers might get the crucial details from the transaction related communication. Of course no one would like their conversations getting public. Emails, chat or any other communicational means should be encrypted to maintain privacy.

Even the passwords prior to storing in the database should undergo the encryption process. Encrypt the hard disk of the system to avoid the data loss when the storage devices are misplaced or stolen.

Train Your Employees and Customers

Being an eCommerce business owner, educating your employees and your customers is the best practice to save your online store from security malpractices. Train your employees for the worst situation that can happen along with the security measures that saves user data. Make your customers aware about various possible methods used by hackers to capture intense details like credit card details, passwords etc. and save them from becoming cyber victims. Teach them to differentiate a suspicious behavior against the friendly one.

Incorporate security laws and policies to avoid the situations such as website being hacked or data being affected through unauthorized factors.

Modern customers consider cyber security as the highest priority in the eCommerce websites. Online stores lacking security standards aren’t considered reliable. No online business owner would get happy if his business revenue generation is affected due to insecure online system and cyber theft. A robust security ecosystem can save online store owners by increasing their store popularity over the internet!

Analyze your Website: Is it Modernized?

Remember: “Website represents business to the internet users!” This sentence is no more just a belief, but a reality. There are several businesses that totally depend on their website and online customers. eCommerce websites is the biggest example that proves online business website is as crucial as bricks and mortar store. The changing world aims to make internet as their prime requirement after food and shelter.

Internet users are coming across several types of websites active over World Wide Web. These websites are said to be modern not because it is packed with attractive images and creative fonts, but because they contain all the latest features and functionalities simplifying users’ requirements.

What it takes to Modern Website Design?

Enticing Appearance

You can make your website design highly attractive and this is one of the crucial must have factors for your website. Does that mean you need to consider website design trends of 2015? Of course, considering on the latest design trends will offer your website an astounding and unmatched look and feel.

Today’s website needs to be responsive by nature. This is the ultimate requirement for the world going mobile. If you’re up to making an excellently attractive website packed with reliable features and enticing visual content and if it does not fit the mobile device screen when accessed through smartphones or tablets, it would be hard for visitors to stay on the website for more time.

It is also advisable to keep the design matching the category of the website. For instance, if you own a music website, infuse the theme with dark color shades and suiting visual elements, the same way if you own a website that retails apparels for females, infusing the theme with eye-catchy colors and attractive theme elements would be the best idea. Well, appearance of the website design is equally important as its speed and performance.

Optimized Content

You might be thinking that the visitors arriving to the website will get attracted towards the website design; it is true, but this does not mean your website content should be dull. To avail great visibility, the content of the website must be optimized. This will help your website get good ranking among popular search engines.

It’s the era where even images used in the website need to be optimized for better visibility. Visual content is the latest trend igniting the website popularity. Giving creative website designer, a reason to innovate with the visual content trend, websites are adapting modernized approach.

Seamless integration

Integration is the term referring to syncing of any module or website element with the website architecture. Easy integration is the must have feature of any modern websites serving across the industry verticals. The need for new modules or features is irrespective of time. You need to develop flexible websites to match the requirement of integration.

Elements of Current Trends that your Website should Contain

Visual Content

“What you see is what you get.” Visualized content, like images with content, video and audio content is trending nowadays. Build websites having visual content and increase its popularity over internet.

Content Management System

Adding or removing content to and from the website is an easy task if the content management system used is packed with latest features and functionalities. Choose the web development platform that offers an excellent CMS solution for simplified content management.

Build a business website that impacts the visitors strongly. Feature-packed attractive website is what will change the forthcoming design trends.

Can Mobile App Marketing Budget Crash your Company Finances?

Mobile apps are the next big thing responsible to bring the revolution after the arrival of smartphone devices in the market. There are many factors liable for success or failure of any mobile app. As internet is getting responsive, mobile apps of businesses are the flexible alternatives to stay connected and updated with the latest happening.

In the era of mobile-first m-commerce store, apps play crucial role in promoting the business. Mobile app marketing budget is one of the factors that affect its performance. Budget has always been a matter of concern for companies, be it a growing enterprise or a heavy-weight empire. A budget of mobile app development also includes pricing plan for branding and marketing strategies created for app promotion. Competing with millions of other apps existing in the market is really a tough task. Either your app needs to be unique and unmatched or your marketing strategy needs to be very powerful to sustain in the completion.

Advertising campaign includes information, like the market to be targeted, budget for the campaign, strategies and more, out of which, budget needs to be designed very intensely as, one mistake can toss the company finances.

Wise marketers often research the market prior to building unbeatable strategies. The next step would include starting the campaign with existing budget, which can later be modified, if required.

10 Big Questions Affecting App Promotion Budget:

1.Do you want your app to be in the top lists of app store?
2.Is your company financially strong to take big risks?
3.Is your team of marketers highly creative?
4.What makes your app stand out in the competition?
5.Is your app technically tested?
6.Do you use social media platform for campaigning ?
7.Is your app highly optimized?
8.Are you planning to promote only on niche app store?
9.Are you dividing the marketing campaign into pre-launch and post-launch strategies?
10.Are you willing to implement video marketing?

It is not always correct that “if you spend more on app promotion you can avail better exposure.” There are several cost-effective tricks that can be used for brand marketing through native apps.

I would place the cost-effective marketing strategies at the top of the list. Thus, by doing this, company’s financial planning won’t be affected severely.

Will Mobile Advertising Join the Race of eCommerce Trends in 2015?

What is Mobile Advertising? It is a term that refers to advertising through mobile or smartphone devices. It is a way of mobile marketing. There are several methods used by top brands for mobile advertising like text messages, promotional ads within the apps, ads within the mobile browsers, image ads, video ads etc. This is the newest marketing trend adopted by the organizations nowadays. By considering the mobile using habits of individuals, mobile advertising has received remarkable response too.

Start a mobile first ad campaign to boost ROI exceptionally. Mobile advertising is expected to join the bandwagon of eCommerce trends 2015. It is the next big thing affecting branding and promotional campaigns conducted by top brands.

Factors Fueling Mobile Advertisement

• Smartphones are being used by every age group of individuals.
• Mobile software upgradations have made mobile devices highly convenient.
• Shopping is done through smartphones.
• Mobile generations are being updated.
• Secure and reliable payment gateways fulfill customer requirements.
• Crucial data are protected.
• Mobile app development companies create and offer exciting apps.
• Mobile hardware manufacturing companies have refined their strategies.
• M-commerce is the future next.

Working Principle of the Mobile Advertisement Process

Not only attractive images and enticing content, mobile marketing has much more to explore. Studying your customer’s likes, requirements, wants, desires etc. can make the mobile marketing campaign much easier.

Let us check what aspects can make the mobile advertisement campaign successful.

• Target right audience only after researching the market.
• Utilize social media to target wider spectrum of the customers.
• Add rich content to make your customers curious and sensitized about the products being promoted.
• Select the correct media channel to market the products or services giving you higher ROI.
• Ads covering the whole screen of the smartphone have more chances to get clicked by the users.
• List out the strategies you would use to build up a brand through mobile advertising.

Branding through mobile ads helps you reach your users easily. Mobile users are increasing at a light speed. Product marketers are paving the way for improving marketing strategies for generating desired ROI.

How to Plan Mobile Ads Marketing Campaign?

Here listed are few ticks to make your mobile ad campaign successful.

• Make the use of mobile browsers effectively as they can be used as the base for featuring mobile ads.
• Use app stores, be it an android, iOS or any other mobile operation system. Every mobile OS will have an app store that is used for downloading and checking the app alternatives. The average time spent for this process by an individual increases exponentially. This, this is the source of getting desired response to the sponsored ads.
• Track the users’ mobile behavior to hit the ads at the right time. Find out when the mobile usage reaches its peak. Plan to display the ads during that specific time to get better output.

2015 is the year that has accepted several new eCommerce trends that are ruling the digital market. Mobile advertising is one of the latest trends that will change the branding process completely.

Can Just a Logo Design Describe the Entire Brand?

Top marketers claim that a logo of a company speaks volumes about its brand story. Of course logo is the identity of your business in the market. It is important to focus on the logo design type before finalizing any design, as it will represent your brand or company worldwide. An uninspired and inappropriate logo cannot interact with and find place in the lives your customers. The same way, eye-catchy logo design will build the brand identity of your business and attract customers easily.

Logo Design Describe the Entire Brand

Logo of a brand has the power to offer a business a professional look. A good logo is the one that tells the whole story of a business through just a graphical icon and builds an emotional bonding with the customers. The logo is the symbol of cause, strength and passion of a business.

Top Factors to be Considered for Logo Design

Message

Is your brand logo conveying the exact message you wish to deliver your customers? Does your logo explain about business brand? Does it describe the products and services you retail? The logo of any business should answer every question of the customers. Make them feel they are at the right place by offering an appropriate and suitable logo design. The logo design you incorporate should be packed with curiosity that tempts customer to know more about your brand.

Audience

Are customers considered an important factor for logo designing process? Of course yes! The brand popularity can be predicted by considering the mindset of the target audience. If you own a business that needs to approach females, the logo should be quite attractive with fresh and lively colors, whereas if you own a business and males are your target audience then choose the font style and color combination that would attract them. Thus, a strong and powerful logo design directly approaches the target audience. The same way, for kids’ brand, companies should impart attractive logo designs that are full of colors.

Colors

Choosing colors for logo is a tough decision. Human psychology is attached to every color chosen for the logo creation. Bright colors may attract the customers, but it does not seem to be sophisticated. Every color has different implications that can explain a brand thoroughly. A wrong color can convey a wrong message. We have listed 10 colors that are often used and their qualities will help you choose the appropriate color for logo creation.

• Orange: creative, friendly, youthful, dynamic
• Red: energetic, bold, exciting, warm
• Blue: tranquil, professional, trustworthy, credibility
• Green: organic, instructional, growth, adventurous
• Brown: rural, historical, steady, safe
• Black: credible, powerful, luxury, strength
• Purple: spiritual, wise, evocative, mysterious
• White: simple, clean, pure, elegance
• Yellow: bright, inventive, optimism, encouraging
• Pink: fun, nice, playful, tender

Know your brand intensely, choose the logo color smartly.

Typography

Like colors, fonts also convey various emotions. Few reasons why typography is crucial for logo designing is, it affects brand marketing, it conveys the exact message about your business, logos with typography along with the graphical icons are more impactful. There are other benefits too, but we have mentioned only few of them here.

Market research is important to make sure your logo is unique and distinct from any other brand’s logo, already present in the market. They are the mirrors of any brand. Just a graphical icon can leave great impacts on the customers. Its sizes, shapes and colors describe everything about the brand. Create a logo that suits your business as this icon represents the entire business.

ERP VS CRM

Modern businesses can leverage the advantages offered by advanced technology. Businesses can sustain in the tough competition by streamlining challenging processes with real time data. Data analysis techniques present, allows companies to forecast their future plans and strategies. Helpful tools like Customer Resource Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) offers businesses the power to control the market.

Quick Insights

Though similar at a glance, ERP and CRM are distinctively different. To accomplish business goals and success, businesses need to rely on both the platforms (explained below).

CRM

Customer Resource Management (CRM) is a crucial tool, which allows companies to interact with their customers about either sales or services. Companies can improve its ROI by enhancing their products quality and customer services. Even customer acquisition is possible by deploying impactful CRM solution.

It offers myriads of features, which allow businesses to collect customer data, manage and use it to build unbeatable marketing strategies. Big data study trend, helps companies to streamline and simplify major business processes.

ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is required to manage business. It integrates all the functions like product planning, development, human resources, sales and marketing. ERP solution helps companies to fulfill goals by managing multiple core operations – accounting, inventory etc. using single software.

It is designed to make business activities highly efficient. Allowing companies to focus on the crucial factor i.e. business data, it helps them managing real time data. It can be upgraded easily whenever updates are available.

Attractive Gains

Both ERP and CRM are feature packed business solutions. But, the features and functionality list varies from version to vendors. Let us have a look how it benefits businesses.

Benefits Offered by CRM

• Desired Sales
• Convenient Use
• Save Time and Money
• Simplified Goal-Setting
• Better Platform Support
• Secured Software Solution
• Satisfactory Customer Service

Benefits Offered by ERP

• Scalability
• Business Analytics
• Better Supply Chain
• Reduced Complexity
• Affordable Operations
• Improved Data Access
• Regulatory Compliance

Final Words

CRM and ERP both are the solutions that are significant for flawless business performance. Let us check which software should your enterprise use?

CRM

CRM solution is used by enterprises seeking effective marketing strategies. They use and manage the customer data collected. Thus, companies that identify business opportunity in retaining their existing customers can avail its benefits and can also acquire new customers.

If you need cost effective software that integrates customer data with other system for profitable outcome, CRM is the solution all sized businesses should implement.

ERP

ERP solution is for the organizations, having coherent workflow that involves each and every department for seamless business functioning and quick completion of processes. They even track inter-departmental activities to ensure its effective completion.

If you are in search of a business solution offering operational efficiency with improved consistency and accuracy, ERP is the perfect software fulfilling your challenging requirements.

Be it CRM or ERP, every business needs additional software solution other than manual activities to perform business processes effectively. Consult us today for best-in-class software –as-a-service (SaaS) with flexible packages with an aim to make your business performance better.