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1、2023 B2B&B2CECOMMERCE PLATFORMTRENDS AND STRATEGIESCompliments of Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.SPONSOR ARTICLESHUMAN ELEMENT 6Making the most of platform technology in a struggling economyBLOOMREACH 11Investing in search
2、helps curate shopping experiences that increase revenueTREVIPAY 16Customer feedback helps B2B companies create better user experiencesALGOLIA 21Ecommerce optimization projects can offer measurable results quicklyQAD DIGITAL COMMERCE 26Now is the time to implement an experience-focused platformEXECUT
3、IVE SUMMARY 3IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS 9CHOOSING A FIRST (OR SECOND)PLATFORM 30ABOUTThe authors 36Digital Commerce 360 37CHARTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARYAre you looking to switch ecommerce platforms?3What are your top five ecommerce technology budget priorities over the n
4、ext year?3How effective have the following investments in technology been relative to improving conversion in 2022?4On which ecommerce platform is your site built?8IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS A steady rise in I T salaries 14CHOOSING A FIRST (OR SECOND)PLATFORMWhat
5、type of technology are you most likely to choose for a new platform?30If you are planning to move to a new ecommerce platform,which are you considering most strongly?32On which ecommerce platform is your site built?33What do you anticipate spending on switching ecommerce platforms?34 Copyright 2023
6、Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYA little more than one out of four retailers are looking to switch their ecommerce platform,according to a Digital Commerce 360 survey conducted in September and October of 2022.More telling
7、ly,when the retailers were asked to rank their top five ecommerce technology spending priorities,46%of the 135 respondents to that survey listed“ecommerce platform”the highest score of any of the 25 possible priorities listed.WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE ECOMMERCE TECHNOLOGY BUDGET PRIORITIES OVER THE NEX
8、T YEAR?RETAILER INSIGHTSEcommerce platform46%Customer relationship management34%Online marketing30%Content management27%Customer service software27%Fulfillment services24%Marketplace/Channel management119%Email marketing19%Payment,security systems,fraud prevention19%Customer reviews/ratings18%Search
9、 engine optimization17%Order management16%Affiliate marketing16%International ecommerce services15%Supply chain management13%Warehouse and fulfillment management13%Web hosting/cloud services10%Social media10%Omnichannel8%Personalization8%Web analytics8%Website performance management7%PIM and other p
10、roduct data management4%Sales tax management4%Site search4%1.Selling on 3rd party marketplaces Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022ARE YOU LOOKING TO SWITCH ECOMMERCE PLATFORMS?RETAILER INSIGHTSSource:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-Octo
11、ber,2022Yes27%No73%2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 20234 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThat overwhelmingly high prioritization of ecommerce platforms(some 12 percentage points h
12、igher than the second-ranked priority:customer relationship management systems)makes sense when you look at the possible return on investment from an ecommerce platform.More than half of retailers surveyed said an ecommerce platform was effective in boosting conversions.HOW EFFECTIVE HAVE THE FOLLOW
13、ING INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY BEEN RELATIVE TO IMPROVING CONVERSION IN 2022?RETAILER INSIGHTSCustomer relationship management56%31%6%7%Ecommerce platform56%35%4%5%Payment,security systems,fraud prevention 55%32%6%7%Customer service software51%30%5%14%Website performance management50%35%6%9%Customer
14、reviews/ratings47%36%6%11%Online marketing47%42%4%7%Web hosting/cloud services47%40%3%10%Order management46%36%8%10%Social media46%35%9%10%Content management45%46%2%7%Marketplace/Channel management145%37%6%12%Site search45%42%5%8%Search engine optimization43%46%4%7%Supply chain management39%47%4%10%
15、Web analytics39%47%7%7%Affiliate marketing38%40%8%14%Fulfillment services38%43%7%12%Warehouse and fulfillment management38%46%4%12%Sales tax management35%42%13%10%Email marketing33%48%10%9%PIM and other product data management33%43%9%15%Personalization31%45%11%13%Omnichannel29%44%9%18%International
16、ecommerce services28%36%11%25%1.Selling on 3rd party marketplaces Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022 Very effective Somewhat effective Not effective NA2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 20235 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertic
17、al Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Those three data points hint at the story of ecommerce platforms in 2023.The retailers and B2B companies that use the platforms recognize the value a platform can unlock and are willing to spend money to get a better-performing platfo
18、rm.Tellingly,a quarter of ecommerce platform users are unhappy enough with their present system that they intend to switch to a new platform despite the cost and resource commitment required.Heres why:Ecommerce platforms are growing so powerful and complex at such an extraordinarily fast clip that w
19、hat were state-of-the-art platforms a few years ago seem like antiques today.At the same time,platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce that once catered to the smaller players in ecommerce are adding enough functionality and power to serve even the largest merchants.As part of those efforts,such well-
20、established platforms are adding functionality quickly.Shopify is rolling out“unified search,”which promises to let shoppers search for products across the entire network of Shopify storefronts.And BigCommerce is rolling out a“Buy with Prime”app that allows merchants that use its platform to quickly
21、 add Amazons Buy with Prime service to their BigCommerce sites with no coding required.BigCommerce is rolling out a“Buy with Prime”app that allows merchants that use its platform to quickly add Amazons Buy with Prime service to their BigCommerce sites.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYSPONSORED ARTICLEAn executive c
22、onversation with Andrea Evans,Director of Delivery,Human ElementAs economic volatility continues,retailers of all sizes are looking for cost-effective opportunities.Machine learning,online marketplaces and social media initiatives are likely to become go-to strategies for small and mid-size retailer
23、s trying to remain competitive.Enterprise-level merchants will continue to leverage headless and semi-headless approaches to ecommerce to stay ahead of the game.To discuss how a robust ecommerce platform will serve as an important foundation to support these strategies,Digital Commerce 360 spoke wit
24、h Andrea Evans,director of delivery at Human Element.What should retailers and B2B companies focus on now more than ever?They should always be focused on solving real problems for their customers.That means additional planning and research before,during and after a platform or feature launch.Compani
25、es are rolling the dice if they make design and functionality decisions based on assumptions of what their customers want.Machine learning is going to become an even larger part of ecommerce for retailers and B2B companies for on-site search,personalization and recommendations.Businesses that have h
26、igh-quality data are in a better position to take advantage of machine learning.Many smaller retailers will likely be taking advantage of large online marketplaces and social media commerce avenues due to the recession.And while enterprise-level companies will continue adopting headless commerce,thi
27、s approach can be very expensive to implement and maintain and isnt right for all businesses.What common mistakes do retailers and B2Bs make when selecting an ecommerce platform or improving their existing platform?Companies often expect to find the perfect solution that will work the way they need
28、it to,out of the box.They expect the platform to solve all their problems with little to no customizations or adjustments.Another common mistake is the“if we build it,they will come”approach to a new ecommerce site or feature ignoring the need to understand,test and hype up the market for their new
29、offering.How can they overcome these challenges?Plan and research before selecting a platform.Its important to weigh the flexibility and capabilities of a platform with the upfront and ongoing costs.Be prepared for the changes that a new platform brings.Having a strong change management process in p
30、lace can help prevent headaches down the line.Focus customizations on end-user goals while balancing the needs of your team to be able to do their work effectively.Start simple.Interview and talk to customers periodically through the discovery,design and implementation processes.Get their input on h
31、ow this could solve their problems.What are the most important attributes of an effective ecommerce platform?Scalability,usability and visibility.Scalability:Most businesses intend to grow.Find an ecommerce platform that will allow your business to change over time.Look for how flexible you can be w
32、ith customizations and configurations.Usability:This is important for both the end user as well as the admin.If the starting point on your platform has a poor user experience,then youre going to need to do a lot of work to create a good one as the final outcome.Visibility:A great platform has a grea
33、t foundation for SEO and enables a business to market its site.How can retailers and B2B companies improve their platforms quickly?They can partner with a technology company that can guide them through the process.Human Element,for example,helps retailers and B2B companies select a platform that wor
34、ks for their business.Our strategists ask“why?”and get to the heart of the issue to help businesses solve problems,not just address symptoms.MAKING THE MOST OF PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY IN A STRUGGLING ECONOMYBest-in-class eCommerce websites and custom integrations for B2B and B2C businesses eCommerce Web
35、site Builds eCommerce Website Service&Support Strategy&Consulting ERP Integrations Experience Design Data&Analytics Service&Support Technical SEO Service&Support Digital Marketinghuman-866.922.2561infohuman-?2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 20238 Copyright 2023 Digital Com
36、merce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.But trouble looms:Its one thing to decide to switch platforms.Its something else entirely to find the tech talent needed to make the switch happen.The layoffs that have swept across the technology industry in the past
37、few months have not spared the ecommerce-platform providers.Salesforce,BigCommerce,Oracle and Shopify build six of the seven most popular platforms,according to a Digital Commerce 360 survey of 135 retailers.Those four tech giants have all cut staff since mid-2022.The result is that B2B companies an
38、d retailers that plan to switch or upgrade their ecommerce platforms in 2023 may want to start by upgrading their workforce.ON WHICH ECOMMERCE PLATFORM IS YOUR SITE BUILT?RETAILER INSIGHTSSalesforce Commerce Cloud27%Shopify13%Oracle11%Oracle NetSuite9%Shopify Plus8%IBM/HCL5%BigCommerce4%Custom-built
39、 solution4%Magento/Adobe2%osCommerce2%SAP Hybris2%VTEX2%Weblinc/Workarea1%WooCommerce1%ZenCart1%Kibo0%Other 8%Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published
40、March 2023.When Bradley Corp.wants to pull off an upgrade of its B2B ecommerce site,Ron Flynn gets to work putting together the right team of digital technology experts.Its a task that has become more challenging in recent years.In 2021,in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic,Bradley decided to repla
41、ce a legacy digital commerce technology platform with a more flexible,customizable and scalable system running on headless commerce technology.The new platforms higher level of customization based partly on the extensive use of application programming interfaces(APIs)to connect the independent,highl
42、y customizable customer-facing interface with the ecommerce engine required a high level of expertise from technology pros accustomed to headless designs.As B2B companies launch or upgrade ecommerce technology,they vie with rivals and woo candidates for the right teams of digital experts 2023 B2B&B2
43、C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202310 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERSBut the manufacturer of industrial washroom and safety equipment temporari
44、ly lost the availability of some of its IT workers,at a time when it could take three to four months to find the most qualified people to join its digital technology team,says Flynn,who handled the project as Bradleys manager of web systems/integrations.FORGING AHEAD WITH A MIXED INTERNAL/EXTERNAL S
45、TAFF Nonetheless,it forged ahead with a mix of internal staff,experts from a third-party consulting firm,and assistance from Amla Commerce,the technology vendor behind Bradleys new Znode headless commerce platform,he says.The new platform project moved along without major interruptions,bringing Brad
46、ley a better technology base for interacting with and managing online commerce with sales reps,distributors and customers,says Dave Leannah,Bradleys senior vice president of I.T.But Bradley also used the experience to get better prepared for the next time a major project coincides with unexpected ch
47、anges in technology staff.“That kind of opened our eyes a little bit to make sure that we try to stay balanced,”Flynn says,adding,“Today,were very well balanced.”A loss of IT workers“kind of opened our eyes a little bit to make sure that we try to stay balanced.Today,were very well balanced.”Ron Fly
48、nn,manager of web systems/integrations,Bradley Corp.SPONSORED ARTICLESearch is a critical function for any successful B2C or B2B ecommerce business.When a customer cant find what theyre looking for in an online store,theyll quickly move on to the next resulting in a significant revenue loss for that
49、 first business.As companies are under pressure to match pandemic-induced gains,robust search technology can be the difference between winning and losing.To discuss how investing in better ecommerce search technology will let companies unlock fast growth and be more efficient,Digital Commerce 360 sp
50、oke with Genelle Kunst,vice president of marketing,operations and strategic initiatives at Bloomreach.What should companies take into consider-ation when choosing an ecommerce platform?Its important for retailers and B2B organizations to choose the ecommerce platform that can sustain not only their
51、current business,but also one that has the roadmap and ecosystem to support a best-in-class stack.Companies should seek out solutions that are built to enable digital commerce growth and that allow digital teams to view customer and product data across the customer journey.Many retailers and B2B com
52、panies assume that their out-of-the-box search solution is sufficient to support a personalized customer journey,not realizing they arent maximizing profitability.What features make up an effective ecommerce platform?At a high level,ecommerce technologies that contribute to a personalized customer e
53、xperience are very important.Personalization has the ability to deliver fast results,but it also allows businesses to develop better customer relationships and thats what leads to long-term,sustainable success.Why is search so important to ecommerce growth?Retailers and B2B companies are well aware
54、that they need to be continually optimizing their ecommerce platforms and seeking out the best solutions to deliver a personalized customer experience.When product discovery is done correctly,its proven to be highly effective for generating more revenue per visitor,average order value,conversion rat
55、e and profitability,as it provides more relevant results to customers.Particularly when faced with todays economic headwinds,ecommerce brands cant afford to leave money on the table.How does AI help retailers and B2B companies achieve better ecommerce outcomes?Although many believe that any AI is de
56、stined to make all teams more efficient,not all AI is created equally.There is AI,like Bloomreach,that is focused on giving ecommerce brands the fastest time-to-value possible and then there are solutions that evaluate success based solely on increased conversions.What retailers and B2B companies ne
57、ed to be mindful of is that boosting conversions doesnt always equate to boosting revenue.For example,increased conversions on lower-margin products nets less revenue.Bloomreach is focused on revenue per visitor,optimizing for both conversions and which products make the most money for the business,
58、instead of simply providing more options to searchers.Would you give an example of a company that increased its revenue after improving its site search?One company,HD Supply,understood that buyers want to complete purchases quickly,so it worked with Bloomreach to revamp its site search experience to
59、 add more information to the search bar itself.Prospects can now see the product image,part number,price and an option to add the product to their cart directly in the search bar.With these changes in search,HD Supply saw a 16%increase in revenue from search and a 4%lift in add-to-cart rate.As retai
60、lers and B2Bs continue to optimize their ecommerce platforms,they are focused on efficiency and profitability.Sophisticated ecommerce professionals are looking out of the box for search solutions.And Bloomreach supports that effort.An executive conversation with Genelle Kunst,vice president of marke
61、ting,operations and strategic initiatives,BloomreachINVESTING IN SEARCH HELPS CURATE SHOPPING EXPERIENCES THAT INCREASE REVENUECustomers are expecting more and more out of their shopping experiences.Speed,scalability,and the constantly evolving landscape of complex customer behavior make the need fo
62、r effective e-commerce search solutions more essential than ever before.Calculate the ROI of True CommerceSite SearchScan the QR code to discoverthe impact of an AI-backedsearch solution2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202313 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical We
63、b Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.While maintaining strong relationships with its consulting firm and Amla,Bradley has trained more internal staff on the Znode technology,building on the skills many of its tech team brought over from the legacy platform,which also relied o
64、n APIs for software integration.Bradleys run-in with a changing technology market is not uncommon at a time when many companies are launching,upgrading or expanding their digital commerce technology and ecommerce market presence amid extensive changes in the technology job market.Digital technology
65、companies from A Inc.and Salesforce Inc.to SAP SE and BigCommerce have slashed their staffs as 2022 turned to 2023,and recruiters who specialized in ecommerce jobs say theyre as busy as ever matching employers with job candidates.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS20222023
66、CHANGELARGE ENTERPRISEExecutives$175,455$180,6263.0%Middle managers$96,449$99,1882.8%Staff$78,661$82,636 5.1%All large enterprise$98,636$102,1993.6%MID-SIZE ENTERPRISESExecutives$147,156$159,9258.7%Middle managers$92,619$99,7897.7%Staff$77,694$83,2967.2%All mid-size enterprises$93,217$100,434 7.7%I.
67、T.POSITIONS ALL SIZES$95,945$101,323 5.6%2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202314 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.AS COMPANIES FOCUS ON DIGITAL,IT SALARIES RISE Salaries for I.T.executives and techn
68、icians,meanwhile,are rising steadily,according to a recent survey from Janco Associates Inc.Average salaries this year are up year over year about 3%to$180,626 for I.T.executives at large enterprises,whereas I.T.staff salaries are up 5%to$82,636,Janco says.The same positions at mid-size companies ro
69、se about 9%to$159,925 and about 7%to$83,296,respectively.A STEADY RISE IN I.T.SALARIESSource:Janco Associates Inc.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202315 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LL
70、C.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Business has driven up I.T.salaries as theyve increased investment in information technology in recent years,emphasizing ecommerce and mobile computing.And now senior technology executives are stepping up investments as well as online security to gu
71、ard against cyberattacks and data breaches,Janco says.The year ahead doesnt promise to let up on the pressure on the personnel front.Among its Top 10 strategic predictions for 2023 and beyond,technology research and advisory firm Gartner Inc.says 40%of business organizations will experience a loss o
72、f talent in their workforces by 2025“due to labor volatility.”Jerry Bernhart,principal and founder of Bernhart Associates Executive Search,specializes in helping employers hire executives to lead ecommerce and I.T.departments.He says hes seen an increase in demand over the past two years from small-
73、to mid-sized B2B employers ranging in annual revenue from under$10 million to about$500 million who are going more digital and need ecommerce business and technology executives who can help a traditional business launch or expand a digital commerce operation.40%40%of business organizations will expe
74、rience a loss of talent in their workforces by 2025“due to labor volatility.”IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERSSPONSORED ARTICLEBuyer loyalty takes more than a great online shopping experience.Many retailers and B2B companies are launching new loyalty discount and incenti
75、ve programs to stay competitive and maintain the accelerated customer growth they achieved at the height of COVID-19.To discuss how executing these programs effectively to create the best overall shopping experiences relies on gathering valuable feedback from customers,Digital Commerce 360 spoke wit
76、h Teresa Cain,director of product and UX design at TreviPay.Why is customer feedback key to creating great customer experiences,particularly for B2B companies?B2B is behind B2C in the world of ecommerce.However,the pandemic helped accelerate ecommerce for many B2B companies.This included the launch
77、of online marketplaces,which allowed for third-party growth.The biggest oversight with many of these launches,however,was creating a new marketplace without talking to users and thinking through the entire customer experience.Payments are particularly tricky for marketplaces,and organizations that d
78、ont prioritize the checkout experience will likely see lackluster volumes.What tools can help them overcome these challenges?The best way to overcome these challenges is by receiving ongoing customer feedback through surveys,for example so retailers and B2B companies can make any changes they need t
79、o keep their customers coming back.TreviPay offers a digital net promoter score(NPS)survey integration with Medallia,an experience management software company,at all levels of the experience from when customers are using the site to calling into support.This lets them feel connected to the platforms
80、 and prompts repeat visits.In fact,weve seen a 200%adoption of new user accounts across programs by actively engaging in customer feedback through NPS,webinars and newsletters to create an engaging platform.What important features should retailers and B2B companies have on their ecommerce platforms?
81、The most effective ecommerce platforms include an easy-access online store;fast page loads;easy navigation and aesthetics for users;ADA compliance;seamless checkout experiences;a variety of secure payment options,including the ability to offer trade credit and net terms invoicing;fraud and risk mana
82、gement;and web and mobile access for users.Retailers and B2B companies should also be investing in the user experience including in-person interviews,surveys,usability testing and behavioral metrics to gather valuable data that can drive important decision making.In-person interviews:Learn why users
83、 are going to the site,how often they are buying,what they are buying,how they are paying and how much theyre spending.Surveys:NPS or customer satisfaction scores(CSAT)allow users to decide throughout their customer journey when they give feedback and provide companies with valuable,actionable data.
84、Usability testing:It allows companies to see gaps in how they think customers will use the site or mobile app versus how customers actually use it.Behavioral metrics:Like surveys,behavioral metrics allow companies to interact with users without engaging with them,including learning what products are
85、 most popular,where users click the most in the store and the drop-off rate at checkout.How can retailers and B2B companies put these strategies into place?To create the best experience for users,companies have to talk to them and gather valuable feedback,which is a priority for TreviPay.As a fully
86、managed B2B payments and invoicing network that optimizes trade and loyalty,our platform eliminates the risk and headache of expanding digital B2B ecommerce sales.TreviPay partners with businesses to create the best buyer experience through the entire lifecycle of a purchase with a seamless checkout
87、 experience.An executive conversation with Teresa Cain,director of product and UX design,TreviPayCUSTOMER FEEDBACK HELPS B2B COMPANIES CREATE BETTER USER EXPERIENCESB2B Retailers:Its Time to Prioritize the 5th P of Marketing To deliver on the rising expectations of your B2B buyers,retailers must imp
88、rove the customer experience by prioritizing the 5th P of Marketing payments.Learn how a 5th P strategy can help you achieve stronger conversion rates,higher AOV,increased customer LTV and deeper loyalty.Download the eBook2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202318 Copyright 2
89、023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.CEMENT AND CHEMICAL COMPANIES WANT DIGITAL EXPERTS“A lot of what Im doing is very transformational in nature,”he says.“Im getting all these calls from more traditional businesses,a cement company,a chemi
90、cal company,a company that manufactures food-processing equipment,a pest-control business manufacturer,and now Im working with a company that provides first responder supplies and equipment.“Digitization is an important mandate for them,and if they havent already moved in that direction,theyre certa
91、inly starting to do it now.”Even with the increase in that activity from employers,however,Bernhart says he now gets about five inquiries from job candidates for every one employer looking to recruit.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS
92、 AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202319 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Matching the right ecommerce candidate with an open position these days often requires addressing two growing trends:Finding the right mix of talents and skills am
93、ong job candidates with the blend of digital technology and business insights companies need to develop and expand digital commerce.Balancing the work-from-home demands of job candidates with employers personnel policies.Regarding candidates with the most in-demand skills,“the holy grail is a candid
94、ate with one bucket in business and the other bucket in technology and data and analytics,”Bernhart says.Harry Joiner,the founder of EcommerceR,says he seeks candidates who blend those skills and insights,which makes it more likely theyll grow a client employers business with online features and ser
95、vices that make commerce easier and more personalized for customers.Unlike personnel candidates more narrowly focused on either technology or marketing,“they dont treat customers like an annoyance,”he says.He adds that,while many online companies fail to offer enough personal service “in B2B,you can
96、t get away with that.Its all about customer intimacy.”“The holy grail is a candidate with one bucket in business and the other bucket in technology and data and analytics.”Jerry Bernhart,principal,Bernhart&Associates Executive Search IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS2023
97、 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202320 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Joiner notes that his recruiting reputation is built on how hes brought his client companies ecommerce experts who bring value to
98、 their new employer far beyond his recruitment fee of 20%of their first-year base salary.So,he interviews job candidates to grasp the scope of their ability to understand what it takes to grow a business,like increasing customer retention rates.“Thats what Im looking for,”he says.SIFTING THROUGH A F
99、LOOD OF WORKERS At Bradley,Flynn says his company is positioned well to continue adding features to its Znode headless commerce platform based on an understanding of customers needs.While many experts caution that highly customizable headless platforms can be more laborious to modify than a conventi
100、onal“off-the-shelf”ecommerce software that comes with many pre-built applications,“I would say its quite the opposite,”he says.“If youre going to tailor an application specifically for your business,an out-of-the-box program is not going to work for you.”“If youre going to tailor an application spec
101、ifically for your business,an out-of-the-box program is not going to work for you.”Ron Flynn,manager of web systems/integrations,Bradley Corp.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERSSPONSORED ARTICLEAn executive conversation with Piyush Patel,chief strategic business developmen
102、t officer,AlgoliaIn todays customer-centric environment,a companys website needs to stand up to the competition by removing friction.Companies need to ensure their ecommerce technologies,such as search tools,are meeting their customers demands even when budgets are tight and large platform overhauls
103、 are out of the question.To discuss how ecommerce optimization projects can offer measurable results quickly and help ecommerce companies better compete,Digital Commerce 360 spoke with Piyush Patel,chief strategic business development officer at Algolia.What are some important trends around ecommerc
104、e platform technology?Theres been a lot of momentum around headless and composable commerce and many companies think they need to adopt these approaches.But a lot of them havent done the work up front to understand why they need it and how it will operate.Theyre buying the technology but havent figu
105、red out how to use it the right way.Today,when budgets are extremely tight and large replatforming projects arent possible for many companies,they need to be focusing on optimizing their sites in ways that will have the most impact quickly.They should be thinking first about the outcome and KPIs the
106、y want to influence then they should implement the technology,people and processes that will help them get there.What common mistakes do ecommerce com-panies make regarding their platforms?Design-led projects are a big mistake.Ecommerce companies often spend a lot of time and money working with agen
107、cies to create an amazing experience and then build for that experience rather than building for the desired outcomes.A pretty website is no good if it doesnt deliver the search results customers are looking for,doesnt convert their visits into sales and isnt flexible enough to change with customers
108、 evolving expectations.How can ecommerce companies overcome these challenges?They need sites that increase conversions and are agile enough to easily adapt to customers changing behaviors.They should understand what customers need today,but also know that it is different than what theyll need tomorr
109、ow.When looking at complementary technology to their commerce platforms,its important to identify:1.What the customers challenges are.What pain points are customers articulating,and how does the data point to those challenges?2.The strategic initiatives that will work best.How do they align with the
110、 longer-term roadmap?3.Their revenue and growth goals for the year.When all three pieces of information come together,the merchant has a clear vision,and its easier to create the best strategy and choose the best technology to move forward.What are the most important attributes of an effective ecomm
111、erce platform?Theres no definitive list.It depends on the merchant,and it continues to change.Companies should look at the functional blocks they need to support their ecommerce goals.It all comes back to how the platform can support product development,customer experience and customer service.Most
112、importantly,the ecommerce site should be able to attract customers,convert them into sales and retain them through an amazing experience.How can these companies improve their site search quickly?They can find an experienced partner that can help.Algolia,for example,takes a consultative approach to h
113、elping merchants with their site search goals.We look at their current search capabilities,assess where they can be improved and provide companies with a true ROI analysis.Even with a base implementation of Algolia,companies increase average order value and conversions right away.As they mature with
114、 Algolia,they often see a 200%or more increase in their search conversion rate.For most merchants Algolia can be purchased,implemented and create value in the same quarter.ECOMMERCE OPTIMIZATION PROJECTS CAN OFFER MEASURABLE RESULTS QUICKLY2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH
115、202323 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Still,finding and hiring people with the right skill sets to maintain effective staffing levels is a crucial task made more challenging by workforce trends.The recent layoffs by large t
116、echnology companies have thrust tens of thousands into the market,but that flood of candidates can make it more difficult to zero in on the right ones.“Now we have to be extra diligent to make sure that were not getting talent that might not be the level that we require,”Flynn says.BRADLEY FINDS IT
117、TEAMS MORE EFFICIENT WORKING FROM HOME Another pressing challenge is dealing with the COVID-driven trend among many digital commerce experts to work from home and change jobs without leaving their home office.“Because of work from home,everybody is sort of always on with their job search,”says Joine
118、r,the recruiter,adding:“Theres no friction involved in changing jobs.”He adds that an increasing number of job candidates insist on a work-from-home option,or at least a partial one.“Because of work from home,everybody is sort of always on with their job search.Theres no friction involved in changin
119、g jobs.”Harry Joiner,founder,EcommerceRIN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202324 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Many ecommerce and I.T.e
120、xecutives,such as Leannah,Bradleys head of I.T.,may have in-office duties.But Flynn and his team of digital technology employees work from home effectively,he says,even when doing complicated projects such as upgrading thousands of product images and integrating new ecommerce applications with the c
121、ompanys Epicor enterprise resource planning system.Moreover,Bradley tracked project completions after work-from-home began during the pandemic and found that its I.T.teams were more productive working from home than in the office.“We were over 40%more efficient,”Flynn says.“We had to step back to fi
122、gure out what the heck allowed us to do that.”Bradley realized that at-home workers were not being constantly interrupted by in-office coworkers.Many of them also traded long commutes into the company office for more time in their home office,Flynn says.But Bradley also advises its WFH ecommerce tec
123、hnology staff not to work too many consecutive hours to avoid making mistakes on their“very powerful keyboards,”Flynn says.“We dont want people working 12-hour days.”IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202325 Copyr
124、ight 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.LOOKING AT COMPOSABLE PLATFORMSThe hottest word in ecommerce platforms in 2023 is“composable.”At the National Retail Federations“Big Show”in January,the convention floor was filled with vendors sel
125、ling platforms or platform add-ins using the phrase.Despite the ubiquity of its usage,the meaning of“composable,”much like the meaning of the phrase“headless”in recent years,isnt widely understood.In brief,composable architecture is a modular approach to platform building.The idea is that a merchant
126、 can select the best commercial solutions for its needs and then have them assembled into a new platform that is uniquely suited to a merchant.The concept lends itself to analogies.Software developers and solutions providers talk about composable platforms as similar to Lego blocks or the Tetris vid
127、eo game.DEFINING COMPOSABLEComposable commerce is a term coined by Gartner in a June 2020 report that refers to a commerce-friendly version of the modular digital infrastructure known composable architecture.Such a modular approach enables the selection of best-in-breed solutions for each unique bus
128、iness need to assemble a customized tech stack.According to Gartner:“Using the composable application approach,digital experiences are assembled as required,depending on the customer and touchpoint requirements,and delivery of an ecommerce site may be just one of these experience types.”IN TURBULENT
129、 WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERSSPONSORED ARTICLEAn executive conversation with Bachir Kassir,director,QAD Digital CommerceCustomer behavior shifted drastically across both B2C and B2B sectors in the wake of COVID-19.But B2B companies,many of which had minimal or no ecommerce capab
130、ilities in place,were hit especially hard.Their customers accustomed to working with sales reps or picking up the phone to place orders were forced online to make important purchases for their businesses.Now,three years later,B2B buyers have come to expect easy online shopping capabilities.Digital C
131、ommerce 360 recently spoke with Bachir Kassir,director of QAD Digital Commerce,about how companies can implement technology to deliver the self-service online shopping options their customers now demand.What are ecommerce companies most important priorities today?Customer experience should be the to
132、p priority for both B2C and B2B companies today.To stay competitive,retain loyal customers and gain new customers,ecommerce companies should be investing in resources and technology that improve the customer experience not only from a design perspective,but also and even more importantly from a func
133、tional perspective.How do their platforms help them provide better shopping experiences?A great ecommerce platform needs to be flexible and capable of accommodating the complexities of B2B business.For example,even if a company is selling by the box or case,the platform should be able to show the bu
134、yer the unit cost.Customers should also be able to make complex purchases directly through the platform.Say a customer wants to order multiple shirts and be able to configure the colors and sizes of those shirts and even add a custom logo,if they like.The platform needs to be able to handle that.By
135、automating these processes,which would traditionally be handled manually over the phone,the platform saves the shopper a lot of time and money and creates a better customer experience overall.What customer experience-focused platform technologies should companies be investing in?There are a lot of m
136、odern technologies that cater to improving the customer experience.Product and pricing configuration technology helps B2B companies meet the specific product and price requirements of each unique shopper.Marketing automation technology allows companies to target specific customers with messages and
137、promotions that personalize their experience.Multi-store technology lets parent companies create smaller sites for their subsidiaries that address the unique needs of those smaller businesses.Punchout catalog technology creates a seamless experience for the shopper between the buyer and supplier,eli
138、minating double data entry mistakes,as well as keeping the shopper from toggling between multiple ecommerce sites.These are just a few examples of technologies that can be easily implemented and immediately help companies provide a better customer experience.How can companies implement these technol
139、ogies to improve their customers shopping experiences?They can partner with an ecommerce technology company such as QAD Digital Commerce.QADs platform provides advanced product and price configuration tools to fully automate the order-taking process.It offers marketing automation to target specific
140、customers to provide the personalized experiences they expect.Our multistore technology makes it easy for businesses to build microsites targeting specific industries,regions,or even company stores to help them with their customer acquisition.And our punchout catalog tools enable businesses to elimi
141、nate double data entry for their customers and streamline the buying process between buyer and supplier ultimately helping our clients with their own customer acquisition.Regardless of their immediate next steps,its important that ecommerce companies understand customers are in control.And they need
142、 a platform that caters to their current demands but is also flexible enough to evolve with their changing behaviors.Prioritizing the customer experience and responding to their needs is the key to ecommerce success.NOW IS THE TIME TO IMPLEMENT AN EXPERIENCE-FOCUSED PLATFORMUp your ecommerce game,ke
143、ep buyers buying.About QAD Digital Commerce2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202328 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Without analogy,composable architecture can best be understood as a function of th
144、e changing nature of Internet technologies.Composable platforms are possible because earlier“hot new things”like MACH(microservices,APIs,cloud and headless)and JAMstack(JavaScript,APIs&Markup)can all be connected through the open ecosystem of modern developers,engineers and data scientists.RETAILERS
145、 WANT COMPOSABLE COMMERCEComposable architecture is important to 91%of retailers(but only 2%claim they are already fully composable),according to Mercaux,a London-based software maker that sells a platform with the tagline“Digital Lego.”Mercaux teamed with CensusWide,a research company,to poll 550 r
146、etail executives who work in the headquarters of retailers that operate both ecommerce and physical stores(excluding food,wine and grocery).Supporters of composable architecture say the approach allows merchants to move more quickly to implement new functions.Casper Rasmussen is the president of the
147、 MACH Alliance,an independent organization that promotes open and connected enterprise technologies.Leading players in the composable movement such as Mercaux,Fluent Commerce,commercetools and Orium are members.Rasmussen says he isnt suprised with the level of interest in the Mercaux survey.“Since o
148、ur inception just over two years ago,we are being approached more and more by enterprise retailers who wish to expedite the delivery of their transformation roadmaps,”he said in a written statement.Composable architecture is important to 91%of retailers.91%IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT D
149、IGITAL TECH WORKERS2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202329 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.Composable solutions are designed to speed transformation at a far-reduced cost,Rasmussen said.The idea is
150、 that open architecture allows merchants to simply“switch on”new functionalities without the need for significant investment and resources.FRONT AND BACK ENDThe uses of composable architectures are broadening.For example,Elastic Path recently launched what it calls a“Composable Frontend”that“automat
151、ically and quickly builds a modular,Next.js frontend based on users responses to simple configuration questions.”OnPort,a drop-shipping automation platform,uses composable architecture to let multivendor marketplaces rapidly integrate shipping,payments and other applications.Contentful markets a com
152、posable content platform that“orchestrates”content from multiple sources and publishes it to any digital channel,including ecommerce product pages and marketplaces.Spyker sells a composable platform it says goes beyond headless by embracing“an API-first,headless architecture without risking vendor l
153、ock-in.frontend and backends are decoupled,similarly to a headless approach.”But composable goes beyond headless with the added personalization of a merchants tech stack.IN TURBULENT WATERS:FISHING FOR THE RIGHT DIGITAL TECH WORKERS35%19%14%13%11%8%Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Me
154、dia LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.More than a quarter(27%)of respondents to the Digital Commerce 360 survey said they were looking to switch ecommerce platforms.A number that high suggests dissatisfaction with existing systems and the sense that“the grass is greener elsewhere”
155、is common among ecommerce executives.The reasoning behind a desired shift is varied.Some survey respondents want to move to the cloud.Others want to leave the cloud and host the platform on their own servers.But the top response(35%)was a desire to find“commerce software adapted for us and hosted ex
156、ternally in a single-tenant environment.”WHAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO CHOOSE FOR A NEW PLATFORM?RETAILER INSIGHTSCommerce software adapted for us and hosted externally in a single-tenant environmentInternally developed and externally hostedInternally developed and internally hosted
157、Multi-tenant SaaS(software as a service),in which a vendor hosts software used by multiple clientsCommercial software hosted internallyHeadless commerce/microservices approachSource:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022HILTON CHICAGODC360EVENTS.COMEnvisionB2B is Back!J
158、oin Us June 20-22,2023 in ChicagoAn Innovative&Immersive B2B Ecommerce Learning EventWhere Ecommerce Strategy&Action MeetENVISIONB B2DIGITAL COMMERCE 360 EVENTBrent SteffenDirector,EcommerceCaterpillar Inc.Sandy MattinsonChief Merchandising OfficerZoro,W.W.Grainger Inc.John HillCDO and Senior Vice P
159、residentMSC Industrial Supply Co.Jim LymanVP,Ecommerce&Customer EnablementPerformance FoodserviceVelinda CoxSVP,EcommerceKonica MinoltaFEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS INCLUDE:2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202332 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All r
160、ights reserved.Content published March 2023.CHOOSING A FIRST(OR SECOND)PLATFORMIn other words,respondents arent looking to do it all themselves;theyre looking for someone else to do it all but to do so specifically for them.Merchants who said they were definitely planning to move to a new platform w
161、erent much interested in switching to any of the smaller,up-and-coming platforms.Rather,the four most likely new platforms are built by four companies(Salesforce,Oracle,Shopify and IBM/HCL)that already dominate the platform industry.IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO MOVE TO A NEW ECOMMERCE PLATFORM,WHICH ARE Y
162、OU CONSIDERING MOST STRONGLY?RETAILER INSIGHTSOracle19%Salesforce Commerce Cloud19%Shopify14%IBM/HCL13%BigCommerce5%Custom-built solution5%SAP Hybris5%Kibo3%Magento/Adobe3%Shopify Plus3%WooCommerce3%ZenCart3%Other 5%Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,20222023 B2B&
163、B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202333 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.ON WHICH ECOMMERCE PLATFORM IS YOUR SITE BUILT?RETAILER INSIGHTSSalesforce Commerce Cloud27%Shopify13%Oracle11%Oracle NetSuite9%Shopif
164、y Plus8%IBM/HCL5%BigCommerce4%Custom-built solution4%Magento/Adobe2%osCommerce2%SAP Hybris2%VTEX2%Weblinc/Workarea1%WooCommerce1%ZenCart1%Kibo0%Other 8%Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022CHOOSING A FIRST(OR SECOND)PLATFORM2023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERCE PLATFORM TRENDS
165、 AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202334 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE SPENDING ON SWITCHING ECOMMERCE PLATFORMS?RETAILER INSIGHTS$500,001-$1 million16%$100,001-$500,00022%$25,001-$100,00038%$5,000-$25,00011%Und
166、er$5,0008%More than$1 million5%Source:Digital Commerce 360.Based on 135 respondents September-October,2022Finally,merchants expectations of the cost of switching platforms vary widely,with the majority planning to spend between$25,001 and$500,000.CHOOSING A FIRST(OR SECOND)PLATFORM9 UNIQUEDATABASESR
167、eveal the Performance of Leading Online Retailers Around the World:Sales Rankings&Financial Metrics Benchmarking Markets and Industries Technology Providers that Power Each RetailerDigitalC view of the ecommerce market,and where its headed,becomes clear with Digital Commerce 3602023 B2B&B2C ECOMMERC
168、E PLATFORM TRENDS AND STRATEGIES MARCH 202336 Copyright 2023 Digital Commerce 360&Vertical Web Media LLC.All rights reserved.Content published March 2023.DIGITAL COMMERCE 360 RESEARCHLAURA BERRIGANSenior Project Manager,R312-572-6261PAUL CONLEYDirector of Editorial for Research and Retail N312-946-2
169、048LAUREN FREEDMANSenior Consumer Insights A312-572-7004ABBAS HALEEMAssociate E312-572-6260JONATHAN LOVEAssociate Data A312-362-0069JAMES REEVESMarket Research A312-362-9533BRENDAN REILLYSenior Data A312-362-0076JAMES RISLEYResearch A312-572-7005JILL SUCHOMELData A312-362-0273This 2023 B2B&B2C Ecomm
170、erce Platform Trends and Strategies Report includes key featured articles published directly from the full 2023 Ecommerce Platforms Report.Purchase$399Learn more about the full reportABOUT THE AUTHORSPaul Conley is the director of editorial,retail,at Digital Commerce 360,where he leads,manages and c
171、ontributes to research reports.Prior to joining the team,Paul spent three decades in a variety of journalism and content marketing roles,including stints at CNN,Primedia Business,Bloomberg,Knight-Ridder Financial,CFO Publishing and The NPD Group.Paul Demery is editor of Digital Commerce 360|B2B.Prio
172、r to DC360B2B,he was managing editor of Internet Retailer magazine.In earlier work,he was editor-in-chief/associate publisher of Electronic Commerce World magazine,which covered business-to-business applications of internet technology in multiple industries;he also covered various industries for oth
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181、gital Commerce 360,Report.ABOUT DIGITAL COMMERCE 360Digital Commerce 360,formerly Internet Retailer,has been a global leader in retail and B2B ecommerce research and media for over two decades.Our organization provides daily news,trend analysis,and competitive data to a vast community of executives,
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