There really is something hopeful about the spring season. For instance, the retail sector is reportedly seeing signs of consumer optimism.
But of course, you should also do your part to keep up the momentum—like exploring what’s currently happening in the ecommerce industry to plot a foolproof selling strategy.
- A review that deactivated seller-fulfilled offers 💣
- UGC strategy to boost organic reach 🤳
- How to direct ecommerce traffic to your store 🚦
- Improved packing and packaging in 2024 🎁
BLACK MARKET
Thanks to its comprehensive and strict policies, Amazon can efficiently control sellers on the platform. However, some guidelines get blurred—and suspensions occur.
A seller posted how they became an unfortunate example of this case.
📝 It started with a review
- The seller received a negative review from a buyer who accused them of sourcing products from “x” place.
- This resulted in the deactivation of their seller-fulfilled offers due to a “third party shipping violation" (a.k.a. dropshipping violation)
- OP has never sourced from the place mentioned. But they did admit to sourcing from other stores.
Plot twist: The review wasn’t the problem
It’s the seller’s questionable sourcing method.
Dropshipping, although allowed by Amazon, has strict requirements to prevent fakes. As other sellers pointed out, once an item’s authenticity is questioned, Amazon will take immediate action.
Many seasoned sellers briefed OP on the specifics and what to do next, that is, craft a well-written Plan of Action (PoA) and submit all necessary documentation.
✔️ This story serves as a reminder to follow Amazon’s dropshipping guidelines very closely to avoid sanctions. Some of the primary instructions include making sure your identity matches your invoices, removing any third-party identifying marks, and never selling items bought from other online marketplaces.
TOGETHER WITH INSENSE
How to effectively use UGC to boost your organic reach on TikTok
Need to source authentic UGC at scale? Or maybe you’re looking to trade in free products for some high-quality marketing content?
Then, you need to start collaborating with influencers on product seeding (influencer gifting) campaigns!
And here’s the good news: partnering with micro-influencers for organic influencer posting doesn’t need to be complicated or costly. Especially if you partner with Insense—an end-to-end platform for UGC and influencer campaigns!
- Launch a product seeding campaign on Insense and receive applications only from influencers eager to produce content in exchange for free products within 2 days!
- Download creator shipping information in bulk to save time.
- Use the chat to download fully licensed content for paid social ads.
- Enjoy automated influencer agreements and a money-back guarantee if an influencer ghosts.
Join 1,500+ brands like Malouf, Rankster, and Upper Echelon that use Insense to run product seeding campaigns at scale and partner with influencers on long-term campaigns.
Book a free 1-2-1 strategy call by April 5 and get $200 for your first campaign.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Social Climbing: Here are the top social media campaigns of 2023, for your reference and inspiration.
- Plastic Woes: Amazon’s plastic waste in the U.S. continues to grow despite pledges.
- Seller Suspensions: There are five common reasons why Amazon sellers get suspended.
ECOMMERCE NEWS
ICYDK: Here’s how to direct more than 50% of ecommerce traffic to your store
Can you believe that more than half of the world's website traffic is now coming from mobile devices? Understandably, mobile commerce retail sales are projected to soar past £100 billion ($126.5 billion) by 2025! 🚀
With almost everyone owning a smartphone, businesses that simplify mobile shopping will thrive. If you want to be one of these businesses, 365 Retail listed touch points you should incorporate into your strategy:
- Customer expectations. No more just throwing up a website and calling it a day. Shoppers want a seamless shopping journey. Pro tip: Be consistent with your branding too, if you want buyers to clearly remember you.
- Omnichannel approach. Think beyond emails and texts. The goal is to stay connected, stay relevant, and make sure your brand is always on top of shoppers’ minds.
- AI-powered processes. While there's still skepticism around AI, it's a revolutionary tool for tailoring customer experiences. Use it to offer personalized product suggestions and streamline checkouts.
- Powerful visuals. With limited screen space on mobile devices, smartly designed visuals are crucial for attracting attention. Whether it's sponsored product displays or captivating infographics, strive to find ways to make a mark.
📱 Mobile matters
Now that shopping is just a tap away, you need to adapt to not get left behind. By embracing mobile commerce trends and investing in user-friendly experiences, the future of retail is literally in the palm of your hand.
Optimizing for mobile isn't just a nice-to-have—it's now a must.
ACTIONABLE ADVICE
6 ways to improve packing and packaging in 2024
Packing your products isn’t just about getting them from point A to B. It's also about giving customers a smooth, convenient experience while keeping the process efficient and cost-effective.
🔍 To achieve this, SupplyChainBrain shared 6 ways to take your packing and packaging to the next level:
- Check existing processes. Measure key performance indicators (KPIs) like orders packed per hour, carton size utilization, and transportation costs. Review how these affect your money, customers, and goals to find out what needs to be improved.
- Collect accurate SKU data. Ensure your inventory data is accurate and consistent. Use technology, such as dimensioning systems, to automate data collection and analyze SKU patterns for better packing strategies.
- Find your ideal carton mix. Check your carton sizes to find the perfect fit for your SKU catalog. You can review past orders to know the best mix of boxes to reduce waste and transportation costs.
- Increase packing efficiency. Avoid overpacking or underpacking by implementing smart cartonization systems. These systems select the right box size based on item dimensions to lower costs.
- Use data to improve technology. It could be as advanced as box-on-demand machines to speed up the packing process (if you have a warehouse) or as simple as an Excel-based sorting system that you can use as a guide for manual packaging.
- Conduct audits, preferably regularly, to review and monitor your processes. This way, you can adjust your strategies as needed and respond to changing demands.
🗝️ Optimizing your packing and packaging is one of the keys to ecommerce success. Aside from helping you deliver on time, save on shipping, and protect products, it gives your customers more reason to keep coming back for more.
