Social Mixer 2024 Singapore
marketing interactive Content360 Singapore 2024 Content360 Singapore 2024
marketing interactive

Rakuten's e-commerce strategy

share on

Discovery shopping is an experience where shoppers can browse for products most relevant to them. Offline retailers have long realised the necessity of a “retail theatre” in order to make this possible.They have invested a great deal in creating environments, like beautiful shop windows, that entice shoppers to discover, discuss and share products. Today this vision has come to life in the e-commerce industry thanks to the emergence of social sharing and crowd-sourcing technologies and tools.However, one challenge the industry faces today is the tendency to equate “search” with “shopping.” They are not the same thing. In fact, they represent two very different visions for the future of e-commerce. Search is what you find when you visit some of the leading e-commerce sites. You’ll find a box. You type in what you want. The technology does its job and sends back a list of products. You evaluate, click and the transaction is done.Then there’s shopping. In Rakuten’s vision of e-commerce, shopping is not a utilitarian function, but instead, a process of discovery. Think of a time you visited a store and found something wonderful, something unexpected. You don’t have to give that up in order to shop online. Now think of a time when you went shopping but needed advice, so you tapped the knowledge of a merchant or even a fellow shopper. Again, there is no need to abandon those experiences just to have the efficiency of the digital age.So how can online merchants offer up an enjoyable discovery shopping experience to thoroughly delight their customers?Make your products discoverable by othersThanks to the advent of Pinterest, we are now able to share with the world at large our wish list by pinning images of products we are sweet on, from cars to coffee tables to clothes.This social sharing is inspiring people to share. According to a recent study by Vision Critical, 21 percent of Pinterest users had bought an item after pinning, repinning, or liking the item on the site.Pinterest has reached 70 million users now and is visited by over 45 million people per month (according to ComScore). Since its emergence, new generations of similar sites like Fancy, Pinshoppr, and Curisma have popped up, helping shoppers unearth interesting and unique products from the whole world.Besides showcasing new products, these sites are also entertaining because they offer users the opportunity to connect with people who have shared their interests, as well as provide in-depth information about what is on-trend and what is not.Smart online retailers must leverage this and enable their customers the ability to share their products with the Internet at large at the click of one button – be it via Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr etc. This will in turn help boost visitor traffic to their shops.Listen to what customers wantWith the aforementioned social sharing tools and crowd-sourcing sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, customers are now empowered to tell the world what they want, how they want it and when they want it.It’s up to manufacturers and merchants alike to leverage the information from these sites to understand what consumers think of their products and if they would pay good money for particular goods and services.Sites such as Made.com and the Grommet adopt a similar approach. They offer the chance for shoppers to buy products pre-launch, newly launched products, or limited edition products. While motivating creativity amongst product designers and developers, these sites also steer retailers clear of selling less desirable products.With all these crowd-sourcing tools at their disposal, retailers can eliminate the guesswork in merchandising, helping them to better respond to customers’ needs and wants, whims and fancies.At the heart of discovery shopping lies customer serviceWith the availability of so much technology and tools to aid the online sales process, it can be very easy for merchants to lose the personal touch when connecting with their customers. Technology means merchants can meet the basic requirements of selection, price and delivery. Now they must do more and exceed the high expectations of the e-commerce customer. That won’t be achieved by more technology but rather customer service.What is considered top-notch service by customers?Exceed expectations. Today, many see shopping online in its basic terms: you see, you buy, you receive. E-commerce operators are expected to get those things right. But that is the minimum standard. To exceed the expectation, merchants might need to add a small gift, a special offer, a follow up note etc.Tell a story. People like to buy from people. The internet should not be used just to display, sell and deliver goods. Merchants need to go beyond and tell their stories and share their humanity with their customers.Benchmark the competition. In fact, merchants should mystery shop with their biggest rival so they can see what the experience is like from a customer perspective. Track the business of one’s rivals carefully and never become complacent about how one’s service compares.Engage with the customer on the customer’s terms. Be available wherever the customer wants to be – via Twitter or Facebook or on a blog or a website.This article was written by Shingo Okamoto, head of singapore e-Commerce business, Rakuten Asia

share on

Follow us on our Telegram channel for the latest updates in the marketing and advertising scene.
Follow

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top marketing stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's marketing development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window