Connected Commerce

Empowering your customers to discover, shop, purchase, and receive goods on their own terms through seamless and personalized integration of online and in-store experiences.

Be Everywhere The Customer Is — Online, In Store Or On The Go

The way consumers interact with brands is constantly changing. In a highly competitive market, it’s essential to provide consumers with an exceptional and consistent shopping experience across all channels. Whether consumers are shopping online or in store, adapting Connected Commerce strategies is the key for differentiation in the marketplace.

Championing Brand Values

To satisfy omnichannel demands, brands are being forced to incorporate a Connected Commerce mindset in their selling strategies. Through omnichannel solutions, brands can reflect their values and stand out in the crowd of competition, not only growing, but sustaining business.

42% OF CONSUMERS USE MULTIPLE CHANNELS
DURING THEIR SHOPPING JOURNEY.

Changing The Game With
Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS)

BOPIS is a retail sales strategy that improves the customer experience. Having skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic, the omnichannel sales solution provides consumers with the convenience of purchasing products online for same-day pick up at their local retail store or curbside pickup. As technology and competition continuously evolve, brands must win over consumers by offering a variety of purchase, pick-up, and delivery options.

63% OF CONSUMERS EXPECT PURCHASES TO BE SHIPPED WITHIN THREE DAYS.

(VIEW SOURCE)

The buying journey has changed as consumers expect faster shipping times, altering the way consumers research, shop, and access brands and products. As consumers expect to have their products in hand almost instantaneously, BOPIS is required for meeting the growing demands of shoppers.

  • +208% INCREASE IN CURBSIDE ORDERS DURING THE PANDEMIC IN THE US
  • 59% OF CONSUMERS WILL CONTINUE TO USE CURBSIDE PICKUP POST-PANDEMIC
  • +5X INCREASE OF TOP 500 RETAILERS WITH STORES OFFERING CURBSIDE PICKUP FROM 2019-2020

Consumer Interactions With Curbside Pickup At A Glance

68%

Grocery

45%

Home Goods
& Supplies

37%

Pet Supplies

24%

Beauty & Personal Care

20%

Fashion & Apparel

16%

Sporting Goods

Cashier-Less Checkout

Several stores and grocery stores are adapting cashier-less checkout systems for the ease and convenience of completing a purchase. The innovative technology, “Just Walk Out,” automatically detects when products are removed from the shelf and keeps track of them in a virtual cart. Cashier-less stores provide the most convenient checkout process for their customers.

The Next-Generation Retail Trend

Shoppers can just leave the store once they finish shopping. The stores automatically send customers a digital receipt and charge their account on file for the products that were purchased. This method is also helpful for returning customers by searching for previously purchased products to re-purchase at a later time. It’s predicted that cloud-based voice services will further revolutionize the shopping journey.

44% OF SHOPPERS INDICATE THAT THEY ARE LIKELY TO USE VOICE SERVICES AT SOME POINT OF THEIR SHOPPING JOURNEY.

(VIEW SOURCE)

Social Media Is The New E-Commerce

Take your digital selling a step further with social media. With the unrelenting growth of social media platforms, the way consumers discover brands and purchase products has changed for the long-haul. Social media is a strategic sales tool — especially for brands targeting Gen Zers and Millennials.

  • 94% OF B2B BUYERS CONDUCT SOME DEGREE OF RESEARCH ONLINE BEFORE MAKING A BUSINESS PURCHASE.

Depending on industry and target audience, social media selling can be crucial to a brand’s exposure, revenue, and ultimately, success. With consumers craving convenience and accessibility, brands must position themselves where their customers are. Social media selling provides brands with the opportunity to reach, interact, and engage with their customers — wherever they are.

  • 87% OF ONLINE SHOPPERS BELIEVE SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS THEM MAKE A PURCHASING DECISION.

When selling products via a social media platform, consumers have the option to complete their purchase through the platform itself rather than being redirected to an e-commerce site. Incorporating a social media selling strategy in your business is necessary to stay ahead of competition.

  • +34% INCREASE OF THE GLOBAL SOCIAL
    COMMERCE MARKET IN 2021
  • $735B GLOBAL SOCIAL COMMERCIAL SALES
    FORECAST FOR 2023

The Future of Pop-Up Retail

Brands are differentiating themselves through pop-up shop solutions, which are intended to help retailers gain insights into customer visits to their stores. With cutting-edge technology, retailers have the opportunity to build customer relationships, customize stores, and analyze data that will help make more informed decisions.

Blurring the Lines Between URL and IRL

Brands can take advantage of both worlds: the experience of in-store shopping with e-commerce insights. These pop-up shops allow brands and retailers to gain a better understanding of each touchpoint throughout the buyer’s journey. Pop-up stores provide data, key insights, and detailed information regarding store layout, product placement, staff scheduling, and inventory management.

Tailored Retail Experience Through AI-Powered Shopping

To get even more personal, stores can analyze customer traffic, dwell time, and shopper demographics. The latest AI technologies are giving brands even more information about their customers (even which items are running low in their fridge!). AI-powered products are enhancing the customer shopping experience, whether they’re shopping from their phone or in a brick-and-mortar store.

Apps Are Here To Stay

When it comes to mobile shopping, the platforms are endless. From shopping on apps, to placing orders for pick up, to checking inventory of a product at a local store, consumers heavily rely on apps for their own convenience. Smartphones have become a necessity when shopping. A shopper can shop anywhere at any given time, and on top of that, they save time, effort, and money throughout their purchase journey. People can take advantage of the app’s different promotions and coupons for extra savings.

76%
OF CONSUMERS
SHOP ONLINE

Get More Out Of Every Connection — Online And In Stores.

By combining real life product experts and engaging on-demand content, brands can influence sales any time, any place, and any way with our virtual sales solution, Tap-a-Tech. Meet your customers wherever they are and provide them with exceptional shopping experiences through our customized 1:1 live video sales solution. With a simple QR code or chat widget, shoppers can instantly connect with our reps to learn more about products, helping overcome choice paralysis and minimizing returns.

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Connected Commerce: The Now…and Future of Business

Connected Commerce strategies are ever-growing. If your brand is trying to build, grow, or optimize, adapting omnichannel solutions is necessary. Overall, the goal of Connected Commerce strategies is to meet the customers on their own time and terms to enhance their buying journey. The key is to know and understand your customers and build solutions that will be the most effective for them. BDS offers an array of retail, experiential, digital, and virtual selling solutions. Meet the demands of consumers, while staying ahead of competitors by incorporating our future-proof solutions in your sales approach.

WANT TO KNOW WHICH 6 RETAILERS ARE THE STARS OF CONNECTED COMMERCE?

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