The expectation is that sales within the Ecommerce industry in 2018 will be 112% more than they were in 2014 and again, by 2021 they are set to increase by 71% from 2018. (source) When a market shows this much growth, opportunities are tremendous.
There is no surprise that Ecommerce is showing such a large growth, as bricks and mortar stores and the high streets are struggling. So far in 2018 we have seen Toys R Us, Brookstone and Maplin as high profile casualties and closing down, plus Walgreens are set to close 600 stores in 2018 alone.
Have shopping habits changed? Are there more changes to come?
Earlier this year, doom and gloom headlines started appearing again including “Retailers suffer worst slump in visitors since the recession as one in ten High Street premises stands empty” from ThisisMONEY.co.uk. Reporting that UK footfall was down 4.8% in March and April 2018, higher than the 3.8% drop seen in 2009.
In contrast, online sales have been increasing year on year, from 3.4% of total retail sales in 2007 to 16.3% in 2017 and set to hit 18% in 2018. Reports from the U.S. suggest that almost half of U.S. households are now Amazon Prime subscribers, [source] and with more than 4 billion people around the world using the internet [source], online shopping will only continue to grow and increase its share.
[source]
An article from 2012 provides interesting insight into the reasons why consumers are turning to the internet instead of the high street. Reasons include convenience, better prices, variety, fewer expenses, crowds, and privacy. [source]
Another article from earlier this year, covering the same subject, holds comparison shopping, wider selection, better prices, reviews, and saving time as the key reasons why consumers have turned to online shopping over the high street. [source]
Growth of Mobile
With the rise in mobile technology and an estimated 2.4 billion smartphone users in the world [source], mobile commerce has seen a dramatic growth. Reports show this massive increase from 1.7% of total digital dollar spend in quarter 2 of 2010 to 20% by Quarter 3 of 2016. [source]
Where can Push Notifications stimulate online sales?
It’s clear from the two articles covering the reasons why consumers have turned to online shoppin,g that consumers are savvier and looking for value. This provides an opportunity for Ecommerce brands to maximise conversion.
Consumers will shop around for value, be that the best price or best product, meaning focus on a well rounded multi-channel marketing strategy has become paramount.
App Engagement
Mobile Ecommerce Apps have added an additional level of engagement opportunity for brands. Although consumers are split over their preference of mobile web versus mobile app for shopping, with web just ahead of app 51% to 49%, it would be foolish to dismiss the importance of mobile apps for Ecommerce. [source]
Mobile Apps give brands the ability to send timely and targeted Push Notifications to generate sales. Around half of App users enable Push Notifications [source], so for brands like ASOS who have over 10,000,000 installs on the Google Play store alone, about 5,000,000 of those would be expected to have Push Notifications enabled, therefore making this an incredibly powerful engagement channel.
Web Engagement
Even in the absence of an App, Web Push Notifications have a huge part to play in boosting engagement and revenue, with opt-in rates at 20-25% of unique monthly visitors, (Statistic gained from Xtremepush Platform).
Using ASOS as the example again, in July 2018, they attracted 14.8 million unique visitors to their website, meaning the number of Opt-in’s for Web Push Notifications would be expected to be over 2.9m, hardly a small number of engaged visitors.
Benefits of Push & Web Push Notifications in Ecommerce
No one-size-fits-all strategy will be as rewarding as a highly targeted approach, so building a rich user profile based on preferences, behaviour and purchase history will enable more advanced and relevant campaigns.
Drive Registrations
The use of Push and Web Push Notifications to drive registration works. Gaining registrations and reducing the number of anonymous users will provide brands with more in-depth, actionable analytics. Compelling sign-up offers delivered directly via Push or Web Push Notifications will provide the opportunity to engage with the users across multiple channels, including Email, Social, and SMS.
Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment
Both Push and Web Push Notifications offer instant access to communication with a user after abandonment. A frictionless return to the basket provides a direct route for users to complete the transaction.
Boost Retention via Personalised Promotions
For an Ecommerce App, users accessing the App daily will be in the minority, so the introduction of personalised promotions communicated via Push Notifications will re-engage a lapsed user but also provide a compelling reason to access it again. In order to gain the most traction with engagement, analytics are the most valuable asset. Inadequate analytics will provide a weaker result. Invest in a powerful analytics and engagement platform and reap the benefits.
Promote Related or New Products with Interactive Rich Push Notifications
Push Notifications are the perfect way to engage users with new or related products as soon as they are available. Rich Notifications provide the user with a visual representation of the product the notification is highlighting, and with a direct link to the advertised product. The inclusion of interactive buttons allows the user to share the product with friends and in turn helps build brand awareness.
There is no doubt that Push Notifications and Web Push Notification can provide brands with additional exposure and generate additional revenue. Xtremepush are experts in Push and Web Push technology and have worked with some of the biggest enterprises to implement strategic push campaigns, including Funstage, who achieved 50% uplift in Purchase Conversion Rate from Push Campaigns.
Join Xtremepush at the Ecommerce Expo on 26th & 27th September for a first-hand experience of the Xtremepush platform and discover how you could implement push technology into your marketing toolbox.