Omnichannel, Millennials, and Drones...Oh my!

Think about it in this way, what if Tesla had come out with a three-wheeler car as their first model instead of a car that looks relatively similar to other cars. Tesla made their products standout by creating a vehicle that is electric based on a traditional car design. In doing so, they took a large step towards their vision while not scaring away consumers with a radical new design.

While it may be easy to get lost in the mix of all new technology trends, there are many different ways to engage consumers without making it too complicated to the point where you can’t pick a direction. Sure, you could be a small retailer in Oklahoma with big dreams to deliver your homemade ice cream by drone, but does it add significant value and will it be too complex of a concept for your consumers?

Let’s start with the basics…

For most businesses, the major issues of selling online are having an interface to ensure easy purchases, fraud-protection, and mobile compatibility. Businesses primarily want a solution to easily setup an online store-front and abilities to make product changes with the smallest amount of time wasted. From a consumer’s perspective, they want the least amount of clicks from thinking of a product to having it at their doorstep, while knowing their journey is secure and the product is authentic. This means products need to be easy to find and on a credible website. Formerly, e-tailers have played the biggest role in eCommerce, but now SaaS technology allows brands to extend their reach while supporting their retail channels to sell directly to consumers.

Once the basics are in place, you can start looking at connecting eCommerce with other consumer channels. With increased competition online for similar products, consumers are focused on how they want to shop, and not catering to business’ sites. Though omnichannel and personalization are terms that have been overused, their concepts are relevant. A consumer may want to start their buying journey by first looking at a product review, then in-store, then online to make the purchase. They may select a capability such as pick-up in-store, ship-to-store, or ship-to-home. Ensuring that the consumer’s desires are known, the various channels are synchronized, and the consumer gets a personalized experience, which will hopefully result in turning a one-time purchase into returning business.

With those elements in place, the concept of MAYA is at the forefront; having created an innovative shopping experience using SaaS, yet not going too far to lose a majority of your consumers.

What does the future hold?

It may look something like including possibilities of accepting crypto-currencies (i.e. Bitcoin) as payment, drone shipments, and driverless truck deliveries. Taking personalization to the next-level with consumer buying decisions and habits based on intent is certainly relevant.

The key to offering any successful SaaS solution is to truly understand consumers with ultimately offering an amazing experience!