When consumers shop in a brick-and-mortar store, the retailer gains valuable insight on them. When they move online, similar data insights can be gleaned thanks to the “digital shelf.”
PriceSpider identifies the digital shelf as a “collection of digital experiences consumers use to find, learn about, compare, and purchase products. That includes everything from search engines and product pages to your website and other online content.”
In essence, direct-to-consumer brands that leverage the data obtained from the digital shelf can see increased sales and engagement with customers. Sean Reiter, chief marketing officer for PriceSpider, which offers brand commerce solutions for some of the world’s leading brands, including KraftHeinz, Mattel, P&G, Samsung, and Roku, offered Modern Shipper readers five tips on how they can improve their holiday sales through improved data collection.
1. Dominate retailer product search
If your holiday products — toys, electronics, slippers, kitchen appliances — don’t show up on the first page of search results, they might as well be invisible. As far as consumers are concerned, they don’t exist. Retailer search results are the front lines of the digital shelf and where you should start.
2. Utilize digital shelf analytics on competitor inventory
If you’re equipped to track when a popular holiday item goes out of stock from your competitor, you have a timely opportunity to pounce on their branded search. The moment their product is no longer available through a retailer, double down on ads. Now when customers search for that competitor by name and see it’s out of stock, your brand shows up as the next-best alternative.
3. Provide more than one purchasing method
Different purchasing methods appeal to different people in different circumstances. Some consumers have such a strong preference, they will actively look for and prioritize brands and stores that facilitate them. If you lack the resources and infrastructure to offer certain preferences through your direct-to-consumer store, it’s crucial to partner with retailers that can.
4. Make every touch point “shoppable”
Utilizing shoppable technology, such as PriceSpider’s Where to Buy, allows every possible consumer touch point to become a point of purchase, increasing holiday sales. These tools integrate with any medium and open an easy path to purchase. Swiping up or clicking on a social post, an email, event link, blog link, video or display ad can take the shopper to any number of places, including the brand’s own product detail page, a Where to Buy landing page to compare pricing, or even a specific retailer where the product can be added to the cart with one click.
5. Use the same language as your customers
The categories consumers seek don’t always neatly align with the categories your retail partners allow you to tag your products with. Consumers may search for specific types of shirts or speakers or pencils, but the retailer may use broader product categories. To ensure your products appear in search results, your titles must include the terms your customers use to find products like yours.
Click for more articles by Brian Straight.
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