5 Reasons Why Online Businesses Must Use Omni-channel Strategy!

Have you ever noticed that the product you were looking for on an online store appears right in front of your eyes when you start browsing your news feeds? Well, that’s not magic or a coincidence. The strategy behind this marketing technique is Omni-channel. We are sure you have heard about this word. You might be thinking Omni-channel is just “another buzzword”! Well, that’s not true. It’s a business model and will actually transform the future of your online business in an optimistic way.

What is Omni-channel?

Be it a social media platform – Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. or a marketplace – Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, etc, or a traditional brick & mortar store, people are present everywhere.

“Omni-channel approach integrates all channels with each other to create a seamless shopping experience for customers.”

Omni-channel is all about engaging the people who are already interacting with your brand while creating a consistent and improved customer experience regardless of what channel they are using. With omni-channel, users can switch various channels effortlessly.

Omni-channel VS Multi-channel

It has always been believed that these above two terms can be interchangeably used. Do you also think that? Well, you are wrong here. Let’s find out why!

Multi-channel means when a brand uses multiple sales channels to communicate with the customers. But are these channels integrated with each other? Here’s when you observe the differences between Omni-channel and Multi-channel. While the latter focuses on building multiple sales channels, the former integrates all of them together to give a seamless experience. 

Another big difference is, Omni-channel is a customer-focused approach whereas Multi-channel is channel-centric. It focuses on removing the friction of touchpoints between various channels and making the customer’s journey easier, while the multi-channel focuses on increasing and maximizing the channels available to customers.

5 Reasons Why Online Businesses should use Omni-Channel Strategy!

1. Offering seamless online and offline channels of sales

With the rapid expansion of digital technology, retailers have divided themselves into two teams: Online and Offline. Well, this is not about debating which one is better but bridging the gap between the two and meeting customers’ expectations. Imagine this; You visit an offline store to purchase a pair of white shoes. After reaching the location, you realize that your size is not available. To fulfill your wants even in these situations, brands have developed an in-built store on the website, giving clarity to the customers whether their desired products are available at their nearest stores or not. Order online and pick-up from the nearest outlet is yet another example of how omni-channel has integrated both online and offline channels of shopping.

2. Improving customer support services 

“Success is impossible without treating your customers well, as the future of your brand revolves around them!”

Omni-channel improves the quality of customer support service. Suppose, you want to buy a pair of shoes from an online brand, but unfortunately, the transaction gets failed. Now you are trying to reach out to customer care, but no one is helping you with the issue. Obviously, as a customer, you were expecting better service. 

Let’s grab omni-channel into the picture. Not only had you gotten an SMS after the transaction got failed – given the fact everything is integrated – but also a reassurance that you will get your money back. Moreover, you could have reached out to customer support via chat/phone or social media. 

Do you want your customers to develop full trust in your brand? But the question is how? Well, the only answer is Conversational Commerce! 

Quick tip: These days customers want instant solutions as they prefer to engage with brands on social media platforms. So maybe you can start reducing your social media response time and start interacting quickly with potential customers! 

3. Gathering insights to target the right set of audiences

Checking your customers’ desires and wants can be challenging while running a business. Well, omni-channel keeps a track of everything from the kind of products customers like, to their actual purchasing power. Be it tracking the buying journey of customers, or scrutinizing the number of people who have abandoned the cart, omni-channel helps you gather customers’ insights, giving you a better understanding of your target market. You can also keep an eye on who buys what & when. For instance, you have an online store dealing in personal & beauty care. According to data, your sales last year in the fragrance category increased amid the Diwali season and majorly from tier 1 cities. After analyzing the numbers, you will strategize more on the fragrance category with aggressive marketing collaterals, specifically targeting the people residing in the metropolitan cities. 

4. Increasing brand visibility

Omni-channel involves interacting with your customers across all channels including SMS, phone, social media, interactive live chats, etc. This way, it places your marketing campaign on more than one channel, increasing the brand visibility. For example, you are expanding your product portfolio. To communicate the message, Omni-channel will help you spread the word across all the platforms including traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising media such as banners, travel transit, etc. 

Quick tip: Using trigger marketing messages effectively can help your brand increase customer engagement, building sustainable brand value. 

5. Getting feedbacks easily

Feedbacks are valuable information that can be used to transform your business into something better. While the positive feedback motivates you, the negative ones help you to overcome your weaknesses. But the question arises of how to get this valuable feedback. Well, omni-channel has made it very easy as it connects with the customer from different channels, making it easier for customers to provide feedback in no time.

Quick tip: Do you want to create a social proof but don’t know how to? Associate with ANS Commerce, India’s #1 full-stack e-commerce enablers helping you scale your business online. Our brandstore tech solutions are specifically made to boost your online business while creating an incredible online presence. Request your free DEMO now!

How can we help you?

Do you want to give seamless experience to your buyers without increasing the cost? Here’s why we are here for you. Our brandstore tech – Kartify – helps you so that you give omni-friendly experience to your customers by: 

  • Enabling order fulfilment from offline shop for online orders  
  • Integrating with leading partners such as Fynd, Arvind, Unicommerce etc.
  • Conducting offline surveys, cash return 

Waste no time and request your free DEMO now! 

A proactive omni-channel strategy is imperative to exercise. So, if you want to build and sustain a meaningful yet long-term relationship with your customers, go Omni-friendly today!

Hear Her Journey: How Sonali Lalvani made her way into the Entrepreneur Ecosystem|#IWD2021

International Women’s Day is a global day, celebrated each year on 8th March to embrace the achievements of women all around the world. Not only does the day raise awareness about gender equality, but also motivates women to make the most out of their potential. 

To acknowledge the #IWD2021, ANS Commerce, India’s #1 full-stack e-commerce enabler, shares the conversation with Sonali Lalvani, Founder & CEO, Toniq – Fashion accessories brand in India. From the struggles she had to build this brand to the one thing that motivated her constantly, you’ll hear everything as she made her way into the entrepreneur ecosystem.

“ANS Commerce strives to raise awareness of gender equality and bring a change in the society.”

Theme for International Women’s Day 2021 | #ChooseToChallenge

This year the theme ‘Choose to Challenge’ outlines the courage and strength to take up a challenge eliminating gender bias and inequality. From challenge comes the change, thus the theme motivates people irrespective of gender to spread gender awareness while choosing to take up a challenge!

#HearHerJourney featuring Sonali Lalvani 

To make women celebrate their worth with well-priced and beautifully designed fashion accessories, Toniq began its journey 10 years ago when there was a massive gap in the Jewelry category. But Sonali was determined and chose to take up the challenge, fulfilling this gap. Today, Toniq has 200 Store-within-Store and also building out their online presence to reach a wider female audience. 

Sonali Lalvani, CEO & Founder, Toniq, shares her journey as an entrepreneur with us. Not only did she face difficulties operating her business, but also lived through the judgements of many people. Explaining the challenges, she said, “Being a women entrepreneur and living in a fairly conservative city, Chennai, I have faced many issues. From the landlord refusing to sign the document without a male presence to the staff expecting a male to make the final decision of recruitment, I have witnessed many difficulties. In one of those instances, there was this priest during the Diwali Pooja, who got shocked when he learned that I am the CEO.” 

After facing such challenges, Sonali is trying to make her company’s work culture healthy and comfortable for women. Sonali said, “ We are taking considerable steps in making our workplace extremely women-centric. In fact, our current workforce comprises 70% of the women.” Practicing the aspects of gender equality, Toniq promotes their people solely on the basis of performance. “The workplace must realize that both men and women should feel safe to speak their minds”, she added.

For Sonali, the last year was very challenging as there was a strict guideline to close all the physical stores all across the country. But she didn’t lose hope and continue to scale her business online. She said, “Scaling up the e-commerce side of the business was my best decision ever as it has helped us a lot to boost our sales.”

Sonali Lalvani said she lives by the dictum – “Work today for your tomorrow.”

Today, our nation needs more women entrepreneurs like Sonali, to bring a change in the society’s patriarchal mindset. In fact, a woman entrepreneur not only motivates a woman herself but also inspires men of society to celebrate and embrace her passion and worth. “Women bring in a different perspective, and considering for us at Toniq our audience is women it just makes sense to have it more women-driven.”

Addressing all the women who want to start their own business Sonali says, “Do your homework. If you are looking at a business in fashion, it’s definitely not glamourous and the hours can be brutal. Always do it because you truly want to make a difference in your customs life.” 

How is ANS Commerce helping Toniq?

ANS Commerce is assisting Toniq with its full-stack e-commerce solutions. From providing performance marketing to brandstore tech to warehousing & fulfillment to marketplace management, we strive to support Sonali’s business by broadening the brand’s online presence. Inspired by her journey? Want to start your own e-commerce business? Request your free DEMO now! 

We hope that Sonali’s inspirational journey has motivated all the women out there. With that,  team ANS Commerce wishes you a very happy women’s day! Let’s all #ChooseToChallenge this #IWD2021.

Selling Comfort: How Secret Wish – A Lingerie & Sleepwear Brand Made Women Feel Comfortable All Day Long!

Among other necessities for a woman to live a confident life, there are certain things we can’t afford to miss on. At the top of the list is ‘What we wear”. Apparels are indeed an important part of our lives, making us feel comfortable and confident, particularly lingerie and sleepwear. While the former boosts your confidence, the latter gives you a goodnight’s sleep, balancing the various aspects of life. 

Initially, when e-commerce in itself was a new term, there was no lingerie and sleepwear brand online. Not only women had to visit offline stores but also had to compromise on hygiene. What was the solution to all this? Enters the Secret Wish. 

About the brand: Secret Wish

Secret Wish is India’s leading lingerie and sleepwear brand, providing solutions to fashion fit issues while helping women feel confident and comfortable throughout the day.

With an aim to sell chic & girly lingerie in the finest quality for women across the nation, Secret Wish was founded by Sushant Puri in 2014. The founding team of the brand includes Chandan Singh and Roopkiran Kaur Sandhu who helped Sushant build the brand from scratch. Later on, Sushant’s elder brother, Prashant Puri, came into the business as co-founder and started managing Secret Wish.

Secret Wish provides a seamless and hassle-free shopping experience with their direct-to-customer business approach, making it affordable and feasible for people to purchase. They have multiple categories including, nightwear, bathrobe, swimwear, and lingerie, under the convenience of a single roof. 

Bridging the gap between online and offline shopping

Female hygiene has always been a concern – given the fact many female-related issues are still not communicated openly. In the early era of the 2010s, buying lingerie openly was taboo. Not to mention, people were not much aware of female hygiene issues and didn’t understand the importance of supreme quality intimate wear. In fact for lingerie and sleepwear, there was a common notion of buying cheaper options. 

Not only women used to compromise on the quality, but also the whole process of going to a local market and buying sleepwear and lingerie was hectic. “We realized this social issue in the year 2014 and noticed that there are no nightwear brands on online marketplaces. Moreover, women were buying from local markets. But we were determined to bridge that gap between offline and online, resulting in the inception of ‘Secret Wish’” said Prashant Puri.

“Cotton and hosiery comfort wear were being sold in the nooks of Gandhi Nagar – a small district in Delhi. I thought to take the whole idea online as there was not a single lingerie and sleepwear brand on marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, etc.” said Prashant. 

Overcoming the D2C challenges

Direct-to-consumer is an approach in which a  business doesn’t rely on the middlemen and sells directly to the consumers. The D2C model is beneficial for consumers and manufacturers as it cut down the cost of an intermediary

Secret Wish was one of the first few brands who adopted this – now highly hyped – approach of selling products. But before any brand begins with this approach, it’s important to understand the relevance of online. 

For a D2C brand, everything has to happen online. From managing accounts on marketplaces to managing traffic on the individual brandstore, a D2C brand has to keep a hawk’s eye to fuel the business. “Be it following the right standards to checking if the order dispatch is happening on time, it’s important to observe each and every detail keenly. So we had to go figure out these things while keeping a look at whether the proper quality is maintained or not,” he added. “Moreover, for a fashion brand especially in the sleepwear category, it’s essential to have a large assortment of collections. Mere 4-5 options don’t do the job, you have to maintain 40-50 different varieties in a single product category. But with growing demands, we became determined to improve our customers’ experience with valued services.”

Scaling business amid the Pandemic

The new normal times had been considered good for e-commerce businesses across the nation. To practice the mandatory guidelines issued by the government of India, people became more conscious and switched the traditional buying methods to online shopping. For Secret Wish, the unprecedented times have actually proven to be good – given the fact, people were forced to stay at home, increasing the need to wear comfortable clothes such as shorts, nightgowns, etc.

Talking about the trends amid the pandemic, Prashant highlighted the fact that people from both tier 1 and tier 2 cities came online, leading to a boost in their sales numbers. “More than 40% orders came from non-metro cities. Women who were initially dependent on offline stores, switched to online websites and marketplaces such as Myntra and Amazon, leading to an increase in online penetration.”

Finding expertise in ANS Commerce

Started their journey with ANS Commerce in 2017, Secret Wish became its full-stack partner. “Ever since we started with ANS Commerce we have seen an impressive boost in the sales. The rising penetration of online shopping and digital adoption post pandemic has increased our order volumes more than 200%, Prashant said.”

“Highlighting their warehousing and fulfilment solution, I would like to say that we have definitely saved the cost of warehousing and distribution channels. This money was used in brand visibility and marketing,” he said.

“Right from the moment we got associated with the team of ANS Commerce, we experienced incredible services. Be it their performance marketing solution or marketplace management or warehousing & fulfilment, I would definitely like to appreciate the entire team for their constant support,” Prashant said. 

Since the website of Secret Wish is fully-designed and managed by ANS Commerce, to explain the experience of the brand in brandstore tech, he added, “Not to mention our website is fully-powered by Kartify – their brandstore tech. Kartify has optimized the performance of our online store as it loads faster and has actually helped us reduce the cart abandonment rate. Talking about their refund manager – an in-built feature of Kartify – it has helped us process refunds faster with more ease.” 

“Moreover, we have efficiently overcome the challenge of account management and reconciliation on marketplaces with the help of ANS Commerce.”

“We look forward to continuing ANS Commerce’s e-commerce solutions and would recommend other D2C brands to seek their assistance as well.”

About ANS Commerce

ANS Commerce is India’s #1 full-stack e-commerce enabler helping brands sell online. We offer brandstore tech, performance marketing, marketplace management, and e-commerce warehousing & fulfilment.

We want our brand partners to focus on their brand and product and leave ‘all-things-e-commerce’ to us. We help brands acquire consumers, power brandstore, and jumpstart marketplace operations in no time. With us, brands can offer fast & reliable order fulfilment to your marketplace & brandstore consumers. Our extensive experience across product, e-commerce, retail, and marketing helps the brand achieve higher sales and stronger brand differentiation.

Having worked with 90+ established and challenger brands, we aim to help them sell on their brandstores along with 15+ marketplaces. ANS Commerce enumerates Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, Portico, Piramal, CEAT, Marico, Bath & Body Works, and ITC amongst its client partners. It is integrated with 60+ partners such as Fynd, Unicommerce, Netcore, Arvind, Delhivery, Increff, Razorpay, and many more to simplify e-commerce in India.

Social Justice Day 2021 | 6 Corporate Social Responsibility Activities Every Online Business Must Indulge In!

Social Justice is not just a responsibility but a path every individual should walk on. Moreover, it’s the duty of each organization to follow norms along with indulging in social activities while helping society as a whole. To communicate the importance of Social Justice, February 20th every year is celebrated as Social Justice Day. 

During the last decade, there has been a constant expansion in digital technology, resulting in an increase in the digital and online businesses. Especially after the pandemic, the dependence in this fast-paced industry has increased. But this has also worsened the growing digital divide in terms of the access of the internet, affordability, and availability of skills. 

“To address this issue of digital divide, the United Nations (UN) has come up with the 2021 Theme: A Call for Social Justice in the Digital Economy.” 

The theme outlines the efforts by the international community to look for solutions to bring about sustainable development, the promotion of full employment and good working conditions, universal social protection, gender equality and justice for all! 

The advent of the internet has brought great vitality to the development of e-commerce. Many small and established e-commerce brands are taking social initiatives to build a sense of honesty in their work culture. 

“Integrating social responsibility to your organization not only helps the society but also fuels your business as it gives better brand recognition, ensures growth, and increases sales!”

To celebrate and embrace Social Justice Day 2021, we have come up with the 6 best CSR activities you should swear by.

6 CSR activities every e-commerce business should swear by!

“Corporate social responsibility is the concept of management, focusing on social and environmental concerns of companies in their business operations.”

1. Protecting the environment against pollution

The environment is the most important part of our living. All our core life functions depend on the environment. After the inception of e-commerce, we have experienced both the positive and negative impacts of technology on the environment. On one hand, it has initiated the idea of paperless billing but on the other hand the packaging of products for home delivery demands more paper and plastic usage. 

If you are willing to do something for nature, you must start doing a few changes in your operations. Instead of using plastic in the packaging, go for biodegradable packaging. It will cost you higher, but you can compensate the cost by manufacturing products with reusable and recycled raw materials. It will cost you less and will be more feasible to carry out your business operations.

Quick Tip: To communicate the same, you can start with social media campaigns, reflecting on the need to save the environment and how you are selling products with reusable raw materials. Nowadays, consumers are looking for more sustainable and eco-friendly products.

2. Joining hands with an NGO

Corporate Social Responsibility is all about companies playing their part in society and giving back, making an effort to associate for a good cause. To support a communal cause, you can also tie-up with an NGO/NPO. Consumers love to engage with brands that support a social cause. By launching corporate social responsibility campaigns, you can grab the attention of your users. Cause marketing events make your organization look more credible and reliable. Check your brand’s mission statement and find what you as an organization genuinely care about. Share it with your community. It creates a sense of trust in the minds of the user, persuading them to swear by your products.

Our take: To support the communal cause, ANS Commerce is associated with an NGO called The Earth Saviors Foundation, donating clothes and sponsoring meals to old-age and intellectually disabled people. This initiative not only gives us a sense of satisfaction but also brings a smile to our faces when we see those people getting cared for. 

3. Giving jobs to marginal workers and artisans

Unemployment is one of the major social issues, making people do unethical things such as burglary. As an organization, you can definitely bring a change by giving jobs to small artisans and marginalized laborers. For instance, if you are a fashion and clothing brand dealing especially with ethnic wear, you can hire small artisans for handicrafts. This will give a sense of authenticity to your products both in terms of the quality and the cause behind them. With this amazing idea, you can put a smile on both – marginalized workers’ and consumers’ faces.  

4. Engaging employees in CSR

If you want to practice social responsibility in your organization, you should first pass on the practice to your internal stakeholders.To engage your employees so they feel an emotional attachment towards their work, it’s important to organize fun office activities while promoting a work-life balance. You can also start with buddy programs to welcome new employees in the organization. Furthermore, you can also plan employee recognition programs wherein you can award the best employee of the month basis their overall performance.

Our take: To prioritize the mental health of employees, ANS Commerce introduced one monthly mandatory leave policy to promote work-life balance! 

5. Protecting Customers’ Privacy

With the rapid expansion of e-commerce, privacy has become the major concern of customers as it is almost impossible to complete a transaction without giving your personal information. So it is imperative that your e-commerce platform is secure and provides customers reassurance regarding their data, especially during transactions. Also, after the pandemic, people are preferring cashless transactions over COD. This has raised the need for data privacy even more! 

“Protecting customer privacy is not just a law but a moral and social obligation to treat our customers’ private information safely and fairly.”

Quick Tip: Kartify puts forward multiple layers of security for all the brandstores it hosts. Having come with cloud armor, Kartify enables security audits with regular backup and version control. Request you free DEMO now! 

6. Focusing on Educational Programmes for underprivileged students

Education is not just a necessity but a mandatory thing to improve the quality of life. We see many underprivileged students who are eager to study but are unable to because of their family’s financial instability. To bring a little change, you can support the children by providing educational programs while motivating them to give the best of their potential. Additionally, you can also start with donation campaigns on your brandstore. To communicate the idea, add an option of the donation during the checkout time, making it easier for customers to support the cause.  

Quick tip: You can give free textbooks to the children. You can also hold online webinars and workshops covering the social concepts helping them to get the idea of society and its values.

There are many ways to make your business socially responsible. Be sincere and transparent about the information you share. The CSR concept should be natural for every e-commerce company and should focus on CSR activities. 

Now that you know all about CSR, so when are you integrating it to your organizational structure? 

Conversational Commerce: How the Trend has Shaped E-commerce?

Today, it has become essential for every industry to stay ahead of the most recent trends to survive, grow and fight upcoming contingencies. The e-commerce industry has revolutionized the way people shop today. But the point of focus is ‘how can we surpass the customer experience?’

Customers are the most important assets of any business, and it sometimes becomes difficult to interact with them, leading to unsatisfied customers.

Do you want your customers to develop full trust in your brand? But the question is how? Well, the only answer is Conversational Commerce! 

“Conversational Commerce serves as a liaison between businesses and their customers!”

Not only does Conversation Commerce help you customize your customer’s experience, but also makes it easier for you to interact with them, creating a great impact on every touchpoint in your customers’ journey. With modern conversational commerce systems, customers & brands can interact and transact together across a variety of channels. This intuitive interface makes buying more convenient for customers, giving them a seamless and personalized experience.

Let’s dig deeper into the real definition of conversational commerce and check the two main systems brands have been using to serve their customers!

Conversational Commerce Systems

1. Chatbots

Chatbots are excellent solutions to support real-time customer service. It makes the sale process user friendly, decreasing the gap between online and traditional shopping experience. They provide you assistance at any time with integrated live chats and detailed FAQs.

2. Voice Assistants

We all know to what extent, Alexa and Siri have made our life easier. Not only are they used by the urban households, but also help the brands formulating their business plan. Not to mention, collecting reviews has never been this easy for businesses. 

6 Reasons why you should use Conversational Commerce?

Conversational commerce generates profound benefits for many brands. You can make the most of conversational commerce by adding a conversational approach to the way you market and sell your offerings. To know more about this strategy, let’s read on to find the benefits of Conversational Commerce! 

1. To provide 24*7 support

Retailers can collect information through a support system while a chatbot solves the queries of the customers. A chatbot needs to be maintained once it is set up. But once the businesses integrate a chatbot, they give their brand the opportunity to connect with each and every customer 24/7 without hiring a large number of customer representatives. Though a human touch to the support is necessary, you can use the bots to cater to the initial level complaints.

2. To send order tracking deets

Integrating your brandstore with messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Hike, etc is a great way to send order updates to your customers. Additionally, you can also send new offers, discounts, etc via instant messaging. You can consider this as one of the advantages of conversational commerce. When people come across exciting offers, they often circulate them among their friends, making your promotional strategy viral. 

Quick tip: Want to satisfy your customers by sending order tracking updates but don’t know how to? Kartify brandstores are integrated with WhatApp, enabling alert-based messaging and WhatsApp chatbots! To know more about it, request your free DEMO now! 

3. To give accurate solution to customers’ queries

If a customer walks into a store, they can get help from the in-store staff, asking about the quality of the product, warranty, etc. Imitating this type of experience online hasn’t been as easy and efficient. But with conversational commerce, you can make sure you solve all the queries of your customers. In addition to sending recommendations based on what is trending, stores can answer customers’ questions enabling them to make the right, convenient and suitable choice.

4. To increase customers’ satisfaction

Consumer satisfaction is the heart of any brand. A satisfied consumer is more likely to come back and promote your brand to others. Conversational Commerce makes the customer feel at ease when they are in your e-store. With customer care being automated, it not only saves the waiting time of the user as the bot answers their queries but also ensures they are satisfied with the quick help.

5. To reduce Cart abandonment rate

The only downside to online shopping is customers’ skepticism towards the product quality. They generally fill their carts but don’t end up making the purchase, leading to a high cart abandonment rate. In such cases, bots come into play. A chatbot helps you solve customer queries with the best alternatives. For instance, you want to buy a pair of shoes, but you are skeptical about the material used in it. A bot can solve the query in such a case, making you purchase the product. 

Is cart abandonment crippling your online business? Read more to know how to reduce the cart abandonment rate! 

“Eventually, if the customer is happy the growth of the business is guaranteed!”

6. To remove manual and repetitive work

Whether it is an online retail store or a traditional store, you can’t escape from customers’ dilemma. But in the case of an online store, it becomes hectic and monotonous for the support team to clear each and every query. Here comes Chatbots in the picture with automated responses to manage hundreds of conversations simultaneously so customers don’t have to wait in line for a response. 

Conversational commerce presents a huge opportunity for brands and retailers to enhance the customer experience and maximize sales across channels. It has become more important than ever because of its conversational style of interaction as it can enhance personalization and warmth in the online shopping experience. 

Now that you know everything you need to know about conversational commerce, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and request a free DEMO, integrating your online store with chatbots through Kartify!

Impact of Coronavirus Vaccines on the E-commerce Industry in India! (Post-Pandemic Trends for 2021)

In March 2020, the Indian government declared the national lockdown with strict guidelines, exercising social distancing. As the pandemic reshapes our lives, people are finding comfort in online shopping more than ever. The e-commerce sector per se became the largest beneficiary of the coronavirus outbreak. 

However, now that the COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out, will there be a threat to e-commerce? The first question replays in our mind – what is going to happen to the online sector? Are people willing to adopt the new normal trends forever or will they switch over to traditional buying patterns? 

To discover the result of vaccines on e-commerce and online shopping, let’s first have a look at the e-commerce trends amid the pandemic in 2020! 

5 e-commerce trends accelerated by the pandemic | #2020Recap

1. Share of online shopping increased 

The most definite trend of 2020 we can’t ignore is the rapid increase in online sales. From clothing to electronics to groceries, the dependence on online surged during the pandemic. Further, with an increase in the number of mobile users, tier-2 city users seemed to become more confident and aware of online shopping.

2. Brands highlighted health & hygiene in their marketing campaigns 

Hygiene was the biggest concern in unprecedented times. Many brands made the most out of the situation while rolling out aggressive marketing campaigns highlighting their packaging and shipping to be 100% safe. To list out one, let’s not forget how food aggregator brands claimed to check the temperature of their delivery agents before picking up the orders.

3. Upsurge in the contactless payment options

One thing the pandemic has completely changed is people’s reliance on contactless payment options. Even the online businesses supported the option of digital wallets over COD to make the process completely contactless. Online payment options emerged mainly because it ensures complete safety.

4. Rise in the demand of e-gift cards amid festive season

A gift card is another trend the pandemic has given rise to. Be it a gift card for a clothing store, or an online ticket for a nearby salon or dance studio, people were seen giving e-gift cards to their relatives especially around Diwali season. Given the fact that the gift card option is highly versatile, both brands and customers supported the idea.

5. Increase in the trend of mobile commerce

To let people enjoy the perks of quick shopping, brands looked for ways to integrate WhatsApp & social commerce as another online sub-channel. Due to a tremendous increase in online shopping, Instagram also came up with a new option to sell. It expanded its shopping services across IGTV.  

It’s reasonable to expect the long-lasting effects on e-commerce and digitalization – given the fact that people are habitual of the comfort online has to offer.

What will happen to the E-commerce Industry after the Pandemic ends? (Major trends to come up in 2020)

For now, the market drift is clear about the practice of social distancing even though the vaccines have rolled out around the nation. But many online businesses are afraid that their growth might slow down in the next few months. What is exactly going to happen?  

  • If you have an online store or you have just established your own online business, you don’t need to be afraid as e-commerce will eventually boost. Seeing there’s a lot of scope for growth in India, especially after people have become habitual using online channels, your online investment won’t get wasted. 
  • Amid the hard times, people were forced to discover and shop online to avoid the transmission of Coronavirus. Now that they have finally found their comfortability in online shopping, there’s a very small possibility of them switching over to the traditional channels. Not to mention, online shoppers enjoy the convenience – price benefit, selection benefit, payment benefit that e-commerce offers.

Digital marketers will need to buck up and come up with aggressive and unconventional marketing strategies!

Online businesses and marketers will keep practicing a few strategies to boost digitalization. Keeping that in mind, we have curated a list of four trends expected to resurge after the end of the COVID-19! 

1. Upsurge in the Omni-channel Marketing

Consumer data collection and omni-channel marketing tactics are becoming increasingly popular. The more brands are realizing the significance of the data, the easier it has become to retain loyal customers. For instance, a fashion brand has both a brick and mortar store and an online store. Now a person frequents their offline store for office wear clothing. With this knowledge and the collection of customer data, they can send marketing adverts for formal wear to boost online sales. 

2. Emergence of multiple e-commerce platforms 

The only conventional e-commerce platforms we are aware of include; marketplaces and brandstores. But in the coming months, the nature of e-commerce per se will evolve, giving rise to various other unconventional models. The display of offerings on social media channels is one of the examples. Showcasing products and generating orders via live video options on channels such as Instagram and Snapchat could also be considered on a broader scale.

Quick tip: If you are having a problem selling on marketplaces, let us assist you with our robust marketplace management solution. From account management to growth planning, we help you establish your mark while boosting your sales. To know more, request your free DEMO today!  

3. Creating in-store experiences

Augmented reality and virtual reality are definitely going to be the center of attraction in the upcoming months. To compete with offline shopping, concepts such as virtual trial rooms are going to increase. Moreover, the retailers will come up with more creative ideas to fill in the gap between online and offline. 

4. Headless Commerce will become mainstream 

To enrich the customer experience, the idea behind headless commerce will evolve in the next 4-5 months. The unconventional architecture will give more liberty to the brands to build and integrate various channels altogether. Largely, the whole retail will be operated in a more organized way irrespective of what channel is being used. 

5. Intelligent forecasting

As the new and intelligent way of forecasting has developed over time, businesses will continue to keep analyzing the behavior with these unconventional methods. For instance, instead of checking the inventory levels manually, warehouses have deployed software to check the inventory level and forecast the future demand. Same way intelligent forecasting is going to upsurge. 

While businesses are trying to forecast the changes the vaccines will bring in, one thing is for sure the e-commerce industry is not going to end at all. But one thing you must do is to revisit your business plan and buck up with the changing market scenario. Strengthen your e-commerce marketing strategies to persuade and retain customers!

Delight your Customers: 6 Attractive Valentine’s Day Marketing & Branding Tips!

Valentine’s day is globally recognized as a day of love and affection. While some of us consider it a day to charm our romantic partner, many acknowledge it as a day to strengthen the bonds with family and friends. No matter what your idea behind this day, one thing is sure, you definitely need to revamp your digital attire to entice the people. 

“In the 1300s, Valentine’s Day officially became a holiday associated with love.”

If your business offerings do not revolve around traditional love gifts such as chocolates, jewelry, cards, and flowers, worry not, as your business can still ace the day with a few charming marketing tips. Let’s have a look at the Valentine’s Day Marketing and Branding Tips!

Valentine’s Day Attractive Ideas to Delight your Customers!

1. Improvise your product packaging

People love the idea of customization, especially during occasions like these. Offer custom packaging to your customers. Instead of using plain plastic packaging, improvise it a bit with heart-shaped transparent plastic sheets. You can also include love quotes inside the box.

Quick tip: You can offer free gift wrapping on Valentine’s Day. Include an option at the checkout time asking customers for the name of the recipient. You can also communicate this idea over emails, or on the homepage of your brandstore. 

2. Market the idea behind E-Gift Cards

Last year, amid the Diwali season, the idea of giving e-gift cards or online tickets to loved ones became a big hit! E-gift cards are an amazing option at times when you are in a complete dilemma and can’t think of a thing to gift. Around the love week, start your promotional campaigns by introducing your digital gift cards.

3. Generate time-sensitive offers to create a sense of urgency

Time plays an important role during special occasions. People don’t want to lose a hold on discounted prices and amazing deals, and you can take the advantage of this. Create deals and promotions on your landing page with countdown timers that you can easily customize with ad customizers. After you have started a time-sensitive campaign, go ahead with persuasive marketing copies that say “HURRY only 2 left”. This not only boosts your sales with a sense of urgency but also viral your campaign for a specific point of time.

Quick tip: Tailor your campaign ideas with love-themed coupon codes such as LOVEU20!

4. Send Valentine’s Day themed emails

The whole idea behind email marketing is to remind your customers about the upcoming trend/season, thereby dropping them in the sales funnel. Around this day, make a Valentine’s Day-themed email with a short crisp copy. Here are a bunch of ideas you can formulate your email content around: 

  • Announce upcoming offers and discounts 
  • Curate a ‘gift guide’ blog, including your offerings with images redirecting to the product page
  • Include competitions and contests around love week

5. Support a local cause by showering love

Club with a local charity, organizing Valentine’s day fundraiser. To communicate the idea, add an option of the donation on your website, making it easier for customers to support it. You can also communicate it via different social media channels. Though this won’t boost your sales immediately, it’s an incredible idea to show how you care for society. This will make your business more credible and will give a reason to people to choose you over others. 

“Corporate social responsibility campaigns are a great way to manage your brand’s reputation. Moreover, you get support from social activists and philanthropists.” 

Quick tip: While communicating, don’t forget to highlight the details such as the name of the non-profit-organization you will be collaborating with and the cause you are supporting through this action. It gives people a reason to believe your brand. 

6. Put on a romantic dash on your website

Colors play a major role to reflect your corporate identity. Add a hint of romance to your website while playing with colors. You can also tailor the logo of your brand to make it valentine’s day ready. A logo is the voice of the brand and playing with it is not an easy thing to do. You can’t change your logo altogether for a temporary festive season. But adding a few festive elements will build a connection with your audience. 

“Keeping harmony between bright hues and minimal design is the key to steal your customer’s heart.”

How to do it?

Don’t know how to do that? From checking your brand logo to creating account progress reports to optimizing the load time of the website, ANS Commerce provides you with performance marketing solutions across various channels with a special focus on sales and ROAS. Request your free DEMO now!

What can you expect from us?

  1. Account Hygiene: Be it checking your brand’s logo, getting ad copies approved, or creating account progress reports, we keep our eyes open to assist you anytime.
  2. Tech & Product: We help you in everything from building XML feed for fetching product info to auto sorting of products basis CTR.
  3. Business & Analytics: We have in-house tools for driving market automation and insight mining.

7 Constructive Tips To Design A Persuasive E-commerce Newsletter!

With the rise in online shopping, the influence of email marketing has also emerged. Gone are the times when the exchange of emails was used for mere transactional purposes. Today, almost all brands are employing content marketers to strategize and curate persuasive email copies. 

When a new offer rolls out, or a new collection comes in, retailers pop their users with emails. But it isn’t enough just to send those emails. They need to be inspiring and motivating so the users actually end up making the purchase. Otherwise, your offers will be sent to spam or avoided completely. Let’s study what actually influences the effectiveness of email marketing.

Here’s How to Create a Persuasive Newsletter to Drive Customer’s Attention!

1. Keep the design elements minimal

Making your design too flashy would only result in the unsubscription. With minimal, we don’t mean boring colors and monotonous themes. Keep a balance between text and images. It’s essential to leave some negative space (white space) here and there, for the design to settle in the mind of the readers. Without that, you’ll end up creating clutter and confusion. Harmony and balance of the design elements is the key to a successful newsletter. 

2. Draft short-crisp copy

 Email newsletters are generally sent at the time when people are waiting to board a metro, or traveling in a cab. Optimize the content of your newsletter so that it’s easy to consume in a short time. People don’t respond to the text the way they do to the visuals and graphics. But if you keep your text rather crisp with quirky words and informal expressions, you have a chance to win the attention.

3. Insert product unboxing video play button

Videos are best to engage the users, especially if they talk about the pros and cons of a product. To attach a video to your newsletter, add an image with a video play button, redirecting your user to the YouTube video. Since these videos are more about product feedback, they enhance your brand reputation and create social proofs. 

Quick tip: User testimonial videos should be original. To create such videos, you can request your customers to send in their video opening the product with complete details.

4. Write process tutorials with step by step images

Another way to entice customers is by curating tutorial content of your offerings. For example: If your business is all about leather bags, sending a tutorial on “How to clean your leather bag?” will grab attention easily. You can add CTA to the images, linking the leather bag page of your website. Also, highlight the features of your product wisely while writing the tutorial to convert the readers.

5. Add animated GIF Images

To drop your customers in the sales funnel, it’s important to formulate a narrative. Animate promotional messages have an advantage over mundane text messages as they can tell a tale, fascinating the reader to hit the button. Now the question comes; ‘how to create them?’ There are plenty of GIFs generators, helping you create a GIF. Also, don’t use more than one GIF image to avoid any clutter. To convert the readers and generate leads, make sure the image is clickable and redirects to the page. 

Quick tip: Keep your GIF size to 1 MB as a heavy newsletter can get cropped, damaging its aesthetics.

6. Include countdowns in your newsletter

To add the sense of urgency and convert your customer quickly, include a clock with countdowns of your most exciting offers. Limited offers have one advantage over the normal offers, it stimulates user interests in a jiffy. They work the best at the times of spring and autumn season sales.

7. Announce contests and giveaways

Community outreach ideas such as running contests and competitions work best on social media. But newsletters are also an incredible platform to convey the message. You need to be more creative and unique to run contests over email. Scratch cards or win wheels are some of the elaborative ideas to make the most out of email marketing. 

Quick tip: You can also include a simple creative, asking readers to tag your brand on social media with their videos and follow your page to win exciting prizes. This way your engagement on other social media platforms increases. 

If your e-commerce store is not gaining brand visibility, then fret not and invest in our performance marketing solutions. From checking your brand logo to creating account progress reports to optimizing the load time of the website, ANS Commerce provides you with performance marketing solutions across various channels with a special focus on sales and ROAS. Request your free DEMO now!

A well-curated emailer can help you drop your customers in the sales funnel. Don’t forget to add CTA to your content with optimized HTML URLs. Also, keep the tone of your content the same for all the newsletters as it’s the voice of your brand. Follow these tips and promote your brand efficiently.

5 Most Worthy Products To Sell Post Union Budget 2021! (With tips to promote them)

As the Indian economy has suffered due to the pandemic, the first paperless budget has made its way as an economic vaccine, aiding the nation’s economy. While presenting the union budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has introduced many policies and guidelines, helping the digital business to scale their operations. 

While introducing schemes such as PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, Mission Poshan 2.0, Urban Jal Jeevan Mission, etc., there have been other initiatives taken by the government to help specific sectors.

“A Limit of turnover for the tax audit has been increased to Rs. 10 crore from Rs. 5 crore for entities carrying out 95% transactions digitally”

If you are starting to start your own e-commerce business or thinking to expand your product line, this is indeed the best time to start. With the union budget rolling out, you can probably reckon upon starting up with the products mentioned in our list, inducing more profits.

To help you understand the best e-commerce products you can surely invest in 2021, we have curated a list! Let’s dive deeper into the 5 best products profitable to sell this year.

5 Most Worthy Products to Sell in 2021!

1. Steel Utensils

If you already have a business manufacturing steel utensils or are planning to do so, here’s a piece of good news for you. Custom duty on stainless steel has been reduced to 7.5%, making it cheaper to import in India. Not to mention after the pandemic, people are becoming health conscious and switching over to more traditional ways. Using stainless steel in cooking is one of them. It’s both beneficial for your health and the environment – given the fact it can be melted again. 

How to sell

Apart from your own brandstore, you can think of selling on various marketplaces including Amazon and Flipkart. Also, mention the benefits and the quality of your utensils in the marketing copy to entice the attention of visitors.

Quick tip: If you are having a problem selling on marketplaces, let us assist you with our robust marketplace management solution. From account management to growth planning, we help you establish your mark while boosting your sales. To know more, request your free DEMO today!  

“The union budget 2021 highlights Rs. 1,500 crore for the proposed scheme to promote digital modes of payment.”

2. Nylon Apparels 

It’s the best chance to showcase your creativity and invest in Nylon yarns to manufacture designer apparel. With a reduction of the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on caprolactam, nylon chips, and nylon fiber & yarn to 5%, businesses can improve their production in fashion clothing. With its wrinkle-free properties, nylon is one of the best synthetic fabrics people love to buy. Be it formal wear for office or sportswear for the gym, the fabric is highly versatile. 

How to sell

Influencer marketing campaigns work the best for marketing fashion and lifestyle products. If you are low on budget, you can look for micro-influencers with more niche market audiences.

3. Cotton and Silk Yarns 

Union budget 2021 states to increase the Customs duty on cotton from nil to 10% and on raw silk and silk yarn from 10% to 15%. Upsurging the demand for Indian manufacturers of silk and cotton can be beneficial for both the economy and the local businesses. Starting your e-commerce business in cotton and silk handicrafts could turn out to be beneficial in 2021.

How to sell

The best way to sell raw materials over the internet is via social media and google marketing campaigns. Start with persuasive copy, reflecting the sustainable techniques you have used to produce the yarns. 

4. Food and FMCG 

In the union budget 2021, the government has come up with various schemes and investment plans to boost growth momentum for India’s fast-moving consumer goods. Investments in rural infrastructure and the extension of farm credit will trigger the consumption boost for food items. Products such as vegetable oil, millets & grains, wheat flour, etc are beneficial for businesses to invest in. 

“Operation Green Scheme’ to be extended to 22 perishable products, to boost value addition in agriculture and allied products!”

How to sell

One of the best ways to sell FMCG and food products online is via online stores. You can establish your own brandstore, showcasing your offerings.To get the best out of it, start your brandstore from scratch with Kartify – our brandstore tech made in India. Request your free DEMO now! 

5. Gold and Silver Jewelry 

To make Indian jewelry more competitive in the global markets, the Indian government has reduced the import duty on gold and silver to 7.5% from 12.5%. This move not only gave relief to the consumers but also helped the businesses, broadening the prospects of India’s rich heritage to global markets. From more intricate designs to ethnic jewelry designs, the deduction in the duty will help the jewelry manufacturers.

How to sell

To sell jewelry online, social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat work the best. You can start with Instagram sponsored posts and stories, showcasing the jewelry design especially amid the festive and wedding season, grabbing more attention. 

The union budget 2021 highlights reforms and guidelines to increase Indian production. So this is your time to launch your own brandstore. Also, we might have missed some of the other product category recommendations, but all the products on the list are carefully chosen and thoughtfully analyzed. 

National Tourism Day 2021 | 10 Important Items To Carry While Traveling Post COVID-19!

India’s tourism never fails to amaze us with its diverse nature. From cool mountain roads to sun-kissed foreshores, the rich heritage offers great attractions to tourists all around the world.  And to celebrate the beauty of it, January 25th is celebrated as the National Tourism Day around the nation.

The tourism industry of the country has been one of the largest contributors to the nation’s GDP in recent years. But the outbreak of the COVID-19 has badly impacted the industry. Sectors such as hotels/lodging, recreation, and entertainment, transportation, etc. have been severely affected by the onslaught of the pandemic as traveling and vacationing was on a complete halt. 

The National tourism day 2021 can in time help us move afar the pandemic by letting us invest in our nation’s rich heritage and culture. While keeping a few things in mind, you can jump on the adventurous short trip for the love of Indian Tourism! 

Are you an avid traveler, needing a day to yourself to freshen your mind and soul? We have curated a list of essentials you must keep when you plan to go on a trip. All these products mentioned below are offered by ANS Commerce’s partner brands! 

Mind you, this list is created keeping the precautions in check. So let’s just snag our buddies and get ready for a short trip? 

10 essentials to carry while traveling post COVID-19!

1. Face masks by Being Human

Starting from the mandatory yet the most important thing. Face masks have become a go-to aid no matter when we plan to step out of our homes. Not only does it protect you from the virus but also prevents others from getting infected. Keeping the vogue factor on point, Being Human has popped up with the most amazing collection we can’t take our eyes off. With a plethora of designs, the brand has an amazing combo of masks. You can choose from pastel shades to quirky designs matching your outfit. If you have a love for unique motifs, you definitely need to get your hand on these.

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2. Hand Gel Sanitizers by Bath & Body Works

The next most important thing you can’t afford to miss is a bottle of pocket sanitizer. They might be staged at almost every public place, but it’s always important to keep a personal bottle to reduce the chances of spreading the virus. Keeping your hygiene in check, Bath & Body Works comes with two different variants of hand gel. Most sanitizers make skin dry and chipped, leaving you annoyed and itchy. Infused with soothing fragrance, Bath & Body Works sanitizer won’t just protect you from viruses but also nourish your hands on-the-go.

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3. Surface Disinfectant Spray by Savlon 

When you go on a trip, you can’t avoid using public property, leading to the spread of germs and bacteria. But if you carry a surface disinfectant, you can wipe the surroundings, making it clean to sit. Be it sitting on a chair, or eating a meal at a public restaurant, a surface disinfectant often comes in handy. Having a strong formula to kill germs, Savlon’s surface disinfectant is all you need. Be it a virus, bacteria, or molds & fungi, you can go anywhere carelessly if you have a tiny bottle in your backpack. And it’s #1 in the Disinfectant Sprays and Liquid category on Amazon. So why don’t you get your hands on it?

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4. Face Wipes by Kaya Youth 

With an increase in the levels of pollution, face wipes have become an essential part of our life. To keep your face refreshed and hydrated throughout the journey, you must keep a packet of face wipes with you. And if you have acne-prone skin, you surely need to get your hands on this. Kaya Youth’s Oxy-infusion face wipes are suitable for all skin types, adding a bit more freshness and adventure to your day. 

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5. Cotton Bath Towel by Pure Living + Home

A towel is a bit too personal bathing essential. During the tough times of the pandemic, you can’t neglect the hygiene factor and use a towel provided by the place you’re staying at. While buying a towel, don’t forget to buy the one in cotton, as it folds easily, giving you plenty of space to adjust other essentials. With Pure Home + Living’s combed cotton towel, you get a variety of color options to choose from. Also, it’s quite soft and easy to fold in your small backpack. 

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6. Sport sneakers by Khadim’s 

If you are going for an adventurous sport such as hiking or trekking, make sure to pack some good quality runners or sports sneakers. It’s always good to wear the most comfortable walking shoes to save your day. Khadim’s collection of sports sneakers is great for the times when you don’t want to spend too much money. With dirt-cheap prices, Khadim’s footwear comes in many different sizes and colors, giving you a variety of options. 

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7. Nuts and Dried Berries by Wonderland Foods

Small cravings come at the weirdest of times. And what could be better than popping a handful of nuts and dry fruits to curb the immediate hunger pangs? They are one of the healthiest ways to keep you active throughout the day without hogging on junk snacks. To satiate your cravings, snag a packet of dried berries from the assorted collection of berries, nuts, dry fruits, and whatnot by Wonderland Foods. From dried berries including Cranberries, Kiwi, Mango, Blueberries, etc. to an assortment of nuts such as walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc. you will get superior quality of food by them.  

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8. Sunglasses by Sunglass Hut 

Who doesn’t love sunglasses, particularly when you actually have a reason to flaunt them off. Maybe a pair of aviators are perfect for a day at a shorefront. Or maybe a pair of wayfarers are perfect for when you are ready to hit a swanky place!  And, if you are someone who wears contact lenses, carrying sunglasses while traveling has to be on the top of your list. To help you choose the best sunglasses, Sunglass Hut has a quality collection with some of the top leading brands. From Dolce Gabbana to Gucci to Rayban, you name it and they have it. 

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9. Alcohol-Free Fragrances by Lafz 

Keeping a bottle of fragrance is indeed important while traveling. A good fragrance uplifts your mood every time. While there have been perfumes containing paraben and other harmful chemicals, there are a few having natural scents with the goodness of skin-nourishing agents. Lafz is one of those brands, offering our most favorite oud and attar based fragrances with an inexpensive price range. Ingredients such as dry hay, amber, oakmoss, etc. forming the base give you a unique scent. 

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10. Baseball Cap by Celio 

A fine afternoon by the beach sounds perfect. But to make your summer vacays a little more instagrammable, complete your #OOTD with a causal cap. Are you looking for one but can’t find one? Drop by Celio to get premium quality caps and hats. From solid Gatsby caps to traditional Fedora hats, to classic Baseball caps, you will find each and everything on their brandstore.

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We have tried to include each and every important thing. Stick to these essentials, and you are set to take a short trip this National Tourism Day. Also, don’t forget to practice social distancing to steer clear of the virus. Explore the beauty of nature, and be safe!