June eCommerce Updates from Trellis Partners
Kate Dubovikova
Kate Dubovikova
Welcome to our comprehensive June roundup of the latest and most significant updates across the eCommerce industry. This month, we’ve seen pivotal changes from major players like Google, Shopify, and Crossbeam. Each introduced advancements that refine how businesses operate online. These updates also enhance user experiences. From Google prioritizing eCommerce content to strategic mergers and notable platform enhancements, June has been full of significant developments. These advancements promise to shape the future of eCommerce.
Let’s dive into the main industry news from last month and all the major updates from our partners:
Industry News
Google Favors eCommerce Sites Over Affiliate Content
Google is changing how it ranks websites, now favoring eCommerce sites more than before. A study by Amsive shows that online stores and sites with content created by users are showing up more often in top search results. This shift means that when you search for items like “Bird Feeders,” all top ten spots are now held by eCommerce websites. Unlike last year, review sites are no longer common in these top spots.
Additionally, websites like Reddit, Quora, and YouTube are climbing higher in search results for many topics. This change affects how people find information and shop online. For more on this topic, check out Search Engine Journal.
Target Teams Up With Shopify to Expand Its Marketplace
Target announced an exciting partnership with Shopify to diversify its online marketplace, Target Plus. This collaboration enables Shopify merchants to apply for inclusion in Target’s select group of third-party sellers. They can do this through the Marketplace Connect app. As detailed in their press release, this initiative is set to showcase a broader array of products. These products will be available both online and in physical Target stores nationwide.
Despite its exclusivity, with only 1,200 sellers, Target Plus aims to carve out a niche by focusing on quality and unique offerings. This contrasts sharply with Amazon’s 2 million sellers and Walmart’s 135,000 sellers. This strategic move broadens the variety of products available to Target’s customers. It also provides an avenue for emerging brands to gain visibility on a major platform. For more details, visit CNBC and Shopify’s app page.
Crossbeam & Reveal: A Strategic Merger
Crossbeam and Reveal, two of the leading tools in account mapping, announced their merger. This sets the stage to revolutionize go-to-market strategies for businesses. This merger combines their strengths to provide companies with more comprehensive insights into their partner ecosystems. It enhances collaboration and drives mutual growth.
By integrating their technologies and resources, the new entity aims to offer unmatched capabilities in account mapping. This allows businesses to identify overlapping customers and prospects with partners more effectively. This strategic alignment is designed to streamline operations, optimize sales efforts, and increase revenue through more precise and actionable data. For a deeper dive into what this merger means for the future of account mapping and partner ecosystems, check out the full announcement Crossbeam’s website.
June eCommerce Updates from Shopify
A New Milestone for Shop App
Shopify’s Shop App is making significant strides, approaching a remarkable $1 billion GMV run rate. As shared by Shopify President Harley Finkelstein, the app demonstrated its potential by nearly hitting $100 million in GMV in just one month during Q4. This achievement highlights the app’s role within the broader Shopify ecosystem. It is not a standalone marketplace but a powerful driver of sales through its integrated services and features.
For merchants, the benefits of the Shop App are manifold. It centralizes customer discovery and shopping. Users can explore and purchase from millions of Shopify-hosted stores all in one place. This convenience is enhanced by the app’s rewards program, where shoppers earn back 1% on purchases made using Shop Pay. Special events like Shop Week amplify these benefits, offering up to 20% back on purchases from select brands. Ultimately, the Shop App supports Shopify’s merchants by increasing visibility and sales. It also positions Shopify as a consumer-facing brand, breaking its traditional backend role. For more insights, check out the full details on Marketplace Pulse.
Shopify Summer Edition 2024
Shopify has rolled out a series of exciting updates in its Summer 2024 Editions, designed to enhance the capabilities and flexibility of merchants across various markets. From streamlined analytics to innovative new selling features, these updates promise to significantly boost the efficiency and reach of your e-commerce operations. Here’s a quick rundown of the major changes:
- Managed Markets: Transition from Markets Pro, allowing expansion into new regions and markets all from one comprehensive dashboard.
- Better Analytics: Real-time data streaming and direct data querying with ShopifyQL inside reports.
- Combined Listings: Showcase multiple product options under one parent listing with unique galleries and descriptions.
- Store Credits: Issue and manage store credits directly within the admin panel.
- Track Events Impact: Easily track and evaluate the impact of store changes like theme updates or app uninstalls.
- Product Bundles in Draft Orders: Integrate product bundles in draft orders, previously unavailable with the Bundles app.
- Semantic Search: Enhanced search capabilities across more Shopify plans.
- Capture Email with Shop Pay: Streamline email capture for marketing purposes in physical stores using Shop Pay.
- Unique Catalogs For Each Store: Tailor product catalogs and pricing for different markets with localized checkout flows.
- Return Rules: Simplify in-store returns with predefined rules to guide staff and inform customers.
How to Maximize Your Benefits with Shopify Summer Edition 2024
These updates bring several benefits to Shopify merchants, enabling them to manage their online and physical stores more effectively. The introduction of Managed Markets and improved analytics tools allows for better strategic decisions and easier expansion into new territories. Enhancements like semantic search and unique catalogs for each store provide a more personalized shopping experience for customers, potentially increasing conversion rates. Additionally, the streamlined process for handling returns and issuing store credits will enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Stay tuned for our next blog article where we’ll dive deeper into how these updates specifically impact B2B businesses and explore their practical applications in more detail. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated with the latest insights and tips from the industry.
June eCommerce Updates from Recharge
The retail landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Recharge’s “2023 In Review” from the State of Subscription Commerce 2024 report highlights how industries have not only adapted to changes since 2020 but are thriving amid these transformations. The report discusses a significant shift towards online shopping, the rise of subscription services, and how direct-to-consumer (DTC) commerce is reshaping retail. Despite the challenges of inflation and changing consumer preferences, the market shows no signs of stagnation, offering substantial growth opportunities in eCommerce.
For merchants, this environment presents numerous benefits. The report emphasizes the importance of integrating subscription services into consumers’ daily routines, thereby making products indispensable. By fostering long-term relationships and ensuring their offerings are essential parts of everyday life, businesses can enhance customer retention and increase their overall success. Recharge suggests that understanding and embedding into the “routine economy” is key. This approach helps become a vital part of consumers’ lives, driving loyalty and sustained revenue growth.
June eCommerce Updates from Rebuy & Gorgias
Rebuy and Gorgias have joined forces to elevate customer support with a dynamic new feature that integrates personalized product recommendations directly into Gorgias support tickets. Merchants using Gorgias can now leverage Rebuy’s AI-driven algorithms to suggest products based on a customer’s previous purchases and the store’s top-selling items. This seamless integration not only enhances the support experience but also transforms every customer interaction into a potential sales opportunity.
With this integration, support agents are equipped with powerful tools to offer personalized recommendations right within the ticket response. This capability not only helps generate new revenue streams from support-driven engagements but also significantly improves the likelihood of conversions and boosts customer lifetime value (LTV). Merchants can expect to see an uplift in sales as agents use informed insights to tailor suggestions that are highly relevant to each customer’s interests and past behavior. For more information on how you can benefit from this integration, contact Trellis today.
June eCommerce Updates from AfterShip
AfterShip unveiled its latest innovation, the Smart Cart, designed to revolutionize the online shopping experience with its integrated cart features, AI algorithms, and tailored merchandising rules. What sets the Smart Cart apart from its competitors is its industry-specific design templates, such as those crafted exclusively for the fashion sector. This customization allows merchants to present their products in the most appealing way possible, directly catering to the unique demands of their industry.
Smart Cart enables merchants to offer shoppers flexible options to upgrade their purchases—whether switching from a single product to a set, or opting for a higher-priced item over a lower-priced one. This not only enhances the shopping experience but also encourages higher average order values. By providing these targeted upgrades and customizations, AfterShip’s Smart Cart helps businesses maximize their sales potential and improve customer satisfaction.
June eCommerce Updates from Okendo
Okendo Loyalty now integrates with Okendo Referrals, offering a new way for brands to reward loyalty program members. When members refer friends and family, they can earn loyalty points. This feature from Okendo boosts customer engagement by rewarding referrals and encouraging members to share their favorite products more actively.
Merchants benefit from increased customer retention and engagement. Customers who earn points for referrals are likely to continue supporting and promoting the brand, enhancing their overall shopping experience. This makes each customer a potential brand ambassador, helping to expand reach and drive revenue.
June eCommerce Updates from Loop
Loop and Happy Returns announced an expanded partnership, positioning Loop as the preferred returns portal for Shopify brands. This collaboration builds on their two-year history, aiming to integrate Happy Returns’ top-notch logistics and Loop’s advanced returns software more seamlessly. This alignment will allow even more brands to benefit from Happy Returns’ extensive logistics network and Loop’s innovative returns management solutions.
For merchants, this partnership means access to nearly 10,000 in-person drop-off locations for box-free, label-free returns—now the preferred method for 80% of shoppers. The integration of Loop’s software and Happy Returns’ logistical capabilities is expected to enhance customer satisfaction, streamline return processes, and ultimately, improve merchants’ bottom lines. This strategic enhancement in returns management presents an opportunity for Shopify brands to refine post-purchase experiences and boost customer loyalty. For detailed information on this partnership and how it can benefit your brand, check out the full announcement.
June eCommerce Updates from Klevu
Klevu has expanded its capabilities with full support for Shopify Markets, a significant development for Shopify store owners. This integration simplifies the complexities associated with managing multiple international markets. By ensuring a unified search and discovery experience, Klevu helps merchants seamlessly cater to global customers across all regions.
This support means that Shopify merchants can now offer consistent and intuitive search functionalities to their customers, regardless of their location. This enhances the shopping experience by making it easier for customers to find products tailored to their regional preferences and needs. For merchants, this translates into improved customer satisfaction and potentially increased sales on a global scale.
June eCommerce Updates from Growth Spark & Buy With Prime
Prime Day 2024 has wrapped up, and it brought significant opportunities for brands and merchants to enhance their sales and visibility, not just on Amazon.com but also through their own eCommerce sites using Buy with Prime. Reflecting on this year’s event, Growth Spark in collaboration with Buy with Prime shared crucial insights in a recent blog post that can help merchants strategize for future high-traffic sales events.
The blog, featuring insights from Derek Majewski, Senior Partner Development Manager at Buy with Prime, and Bill Aicher, CEO of Growth Spark, discusses how brands successfully navigated challenges such as consumer decision paralysis and the saturation of deals. Key strategies discussed include leveraging existing Amazon reviews, optimizing websites for quick transactions, and engaging customers effectively to improve conversion rates and build lasting relationships.
July eCommerce Updates from Linnworks & Trellis
In partnership with Linnworks, a leading eCommerce automation platform that helps retailers automate their multi-channel inventory management and order fulfillment, Trellis has developed a comprehensive eBook on How to Overcome Industry Challenges: Sports & Outdoor. This guide is designed to help merchants in the sports and outdoor sectors optimize their inventory management and enhance sales performance, especially during key summer sales events.
With summer bringing higher demand for sports goods and apparel, it’s crucial to stay ahead of the competition by refining your inventory and sales strategies. Our eBook provides effective strategies and practical solutions, including essential tactics and case studies, to navigate online sales events successfully. This resource is tailored to equip sports and outdoor businesses with the tools they need to excel this year.
Conclusion
As we wrap up another month of dynamic changes in the eCommerce landscape, it’s clear that the industry’s evolution is driven by continuous innovation and strategic collaborations. The updates we’ve discussed not only streamline operations for merchants but also enhance the shopping experience for consumers worldwide. These advancements ensure that businesses can stay competitive and responsive to the ever-changing market demands. Keep an eye on these trends as they develop further, and consider how they might be integrated into your own eCommerce strategies to drive success in the upcoming months.
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