Best Practices for Building an eCommerce Website Integrated to Microsoft Dynamics AX

Your Presenter: Giuseppe Ianni VP of Sales at k-eCommerce

Agenda Omni-channel strategy Selecting an eCommerce platform – consider this… Benefits of an integrated eCommerce platform eCommerce trends & best practices

How today’s consumer shops

Device driven – smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc. Prefer do-it-yourself options Convenient Always connected Comparison shopping How Today’s Consumer Shops

These Factors Have Led to What eCommerce is Today:

The importance of omni-channel B2B B2C Mobile / tablet / other web-enabled devices Customer service / sales portal (E2B) Marketplaces (Amazon, eBay) ERP integration Physical retail stores What is eCommerce Today?

Strong user experience Sitemap, search & navigation Content: multiple images with zoom, videos, text Ease of use, site performance Quick order entry Multiple payment options Customer service: phone, , live chat, online returns Merchandising: promo items, best-seller lists, cross-sells, upsells Visual appeal What is eCommerce Today?

In 2013, B2C eCommerce was a $262.5 billion industry, according to Forrester That number is projected to reach $414 billion by 2018, a 64% growth from B2C eCommerce

Greater market reach; go global and sell 24/7/365 Enhanced customer service; provide consumers with information they need, when they need it Keep up with the competition Increase product diversity; some products have a better ROI with online sales Lower operational costs, increased revenue B2C eCommerce – Why?

Mobile commerce sales according to Internet Retailer were: $13.63 billion in 2011 $24.66 billion in 2012 Forrester predicted mobile commerce sales were: $72 billion in 2013 This number is expected to reach $293 billion by Mobile Commerce

Convenience: consumers can shop anytime, anywhere Easy to find good deals or do price comparisons Avoid crowds, no lines to wait in Can be done while multitasking Mobile Commerce – Why?

Estimated revenue generated by businesses selling on Amazon marketplace for 2013: $140.6 billion A web-only retailer of kitchen and bathroom faucets called DealYard noted their online marketplace sales at $6.8 million in 2013 That’s 79%, of their total web sales of $8.6 million Online Marketplaces - Amazon

Sales on eBay’s marketplace grew 13% in 2013 to $76.5 billion 2012: $67.76 billion The value of merchandise sold on eBay grew 13% in 2013 Q4 to reach $21.52 billion 2012 Q4: $19.11 billion Online Marketplaces – eBay, Inc.

High traffic, well-known, trusted eCommerce sites Massive volume of shoppers Visibility Products listed on multiple locations online List products alongside competitors Not meant to cannibalize, but rather supplement your business Online Marketplaces – Why?

Increased market reach with omni-channel approach Greater brand awareness Accept orders online 24/7/365 Lower operating costs due to a more self-sufficient customer Higher revenue, higher profit margins Benefits of eCommerce

Choosing an eCommerce Platform

From the backend, is a modern web language used? Is the code clean and efficient? Does it deliver a smooth performance? Consider This…

How can the website code evolve? How easily can new technologies be implemented? Can the platform grow with your business? Think 3 to 5 years from today Consider This…

Key ERP touch points Trade Agreements Customer or Customer Group Pricing Discounts per Line / Multiline / Total Discount Product Builder Product Attributes Product Dimensions Enterprise Portal (B2B) Utilize the data set up in ERP for portal Consider This…

How to Sell Online Better: Integrated eCommerce

Non-integration pain points Management of multiple databases Increased likelihood of errors Doubled time spent managing databases Inventory issues Selling out-of-stock products leading to late deliveries Pricing issues Selling products with out-of-date cost can lead to lost revenue Many manual processes How Can You Do eCommerce Better?

Establish ERP integration Access to real-time pricing and inventory Fewer manual processes Saved time; lower operational costs Website automatically updates with changes made in ERP Streamline efficiency with just one database to manage This applies to your web store and any marketplaces How Can You Do eCommerce Better?

eCommerce Best Practices

Your web store must deliver a strong user interface on several key pages Home page Product results page Item detail page Checkout Important Web Store Elements

Web Store Home Page Pros Clear call-to-actions Intuitive navigation Strong search options Responsive Clean, simple design Quick page load Ex. sites: Taurus or Skinny TiesTaurusSkinny Ties Cons Cluttered layout and poor design Using images that fail to portray what the business does Poor navigation Slow page load times Pop-ups or auto-play videos

Product Results Page Pros Strong call-to-actions Sort / filter features Clear pricing information Ex. sites: BuroPLUS or ZapposBuroPLUSZappos Cons Poor product search options Unorganized product search results Missing product price, description or other key info Not sort / filter options Unhelpful breadcrumbs

Item Detail Page Pros Customer reviews Multiple views, swatches, videos Detailed item information Visible promotional and shipping info Cross-selling Clear “add to cart” Social sharing Ex. sites: SAS or ZapposSASZappos Cons Limited views Subtle “add to cart” button Minimal product info No social integration No customer reviews

eCommerce Checkout Pros Clear, simple navigation options Cross-selling / upselling Cost info including estimated shipping and sales tax Different delivery options - timeframe and carrier In store pickup, overnight, 2-day UPS, FedEx, etc. Consider free shipping Guest checkout / login for return customers with accounts Number of steps in the process displayed Don’t ask for duplicate info If guest checkout was selected, offer the option to create an account Contact information that is easy to find Ex. sites: BuroPLUS (zip code for order: H7M 5G4) or Macy’sBuroPLUSMacy’s Cons Hidden shipping costs Too many steps No option for guest checkout or checkout without creating an account Requesting too much personal information

Omni-channel strategy Selecting an eCommerce platform – consider this… Benefits of an integrated eCommerce platform eCommerce trends & best practices eCommerce Best Practices

Your Presenter: Giuseppe Ianni VP of Sales at k-eCommerce