Month: April 2016

The social media BUY button is here! But will it really impact your eCommerce sales?

Since its introduction a few years ago, much has been made of the social media “Buy” button. Its impact on online sales, however, is still yet to be truly seen. Social media presents an enormous potential to drive online revenue, but is the Buy button the answer? In this post, we’ll look at the different buttons and how they’re being used.

Make Mobile Buying Easier

The main aim of the Buy button is to make it easier for eCommerce businesses to connect and engage directly with customers, drive more conversions, and remove some of the inconvenience from the mobile device purchasing process. Although 60% of retail browsing is done on smartphones, according to research, only about 15% of purchases are made on these devices. Considering the small size of smartphone screens and the tendency to browse on the go, it’s not surprising that many users wait until they’re on their laptops to make their final purchase decisions.  The Buy button facilitates driving mobile conversions on social media sites such as Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, by implementing a secure and simple buying process for on-the-go users.

Social Buying through the World’s Most Popular Sites

Twitter was one of the first social media sites to introduce the Buy button in 2014. It went on to sign up some key retail clients, such as Best Buy, Adidas, and PacSun. However, Twitter users have to wait for the shoppable tweets to appear; there’s no way currently to search for them.

Pinterest introduced the blue “Buyable Pin” concept in June 2015. The successful online site has already signed up giant U.S. retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Michael’s. Homemade shop Madesmith has reported that around 7% of their sales are coming via buyable pins.

Facebook added a Buy button for ads seen on newsfeeds in the U.S. The popular social site uses the Shopify eCommerce platform and makes it easy to purchase products without leaving Facebook. The social giant’s unique access to user data and its success in targeting audiences with relevant ads means it has a head start in the social media eCommerce market.

Owned by Facebook, Instagram introduced its “Shop Now” button in 2015. However, this call-to-action button still takes the user to the retailer’s site, rather than facilitating sales within the social network itself.

A Click to the Future?

According to the Washington Post, while e-retailers of all sizes have been embracing the Buy button technology, social media channels accounted for just 1.8 percent of online sales during the 2015 holiday season. However, analysts believe that the button has huge potential.

According to market data, social media users spend about 1.72 hours per day shopping and account for 28 percent of online activity. Over the past two years, major social media sites have been scrambling to introduce some sort of buy button, trying to turn their networks into eCommerce shopping malls.

eCommerce sites have typically lacked those “impulse buy” moments that we all experience in a brick-and-mortar store. That moment when we’ve bought what we came to buy and are suddenly seized with the impulse to buy something else unrelated.

The “Buy”  button in social media may fix that.

How to get Amazon A+ detail pages, no matter your account type!

A+ content is an enhanced product description that’s easy for potential customers to read and understand. Images, text and comparison charts can be presented in various ways to highlight your products. Research has shown that A+ product descriptions can boost sales by 3 – 10%, so getting the most out of the Amazon templates, modules and accounts is crucial.  In this post, we want to share our knowledge and expertise on Amazon’s account types and eligibility requirements.

Account Type: Amazon Seller Central

If you’re already selling products on Amazon, chances are you’re accessing the web-based interface called Seller Central. To take advantage of A+ product descriptions on Seller Central you must be invited to be part of “Amazon Exclusives,” the Amazon store that only features products not available on other eCommerce sites. Once invited, A+ content is created via a choice of templates. The templates offer a variety of options for images, text, and banners. Choose an option and Amazon will upload the content under the “Product Description” header on your Seller Central listing.

Account Type: Amazon Vendor Express

Using a module-based approach, the Vendor Central Express interface offers a choice of 3 – 4 modules featuring images and text. Both the modules and the order of appearance are mandated and unalterable. Download the template, choose the images and content, and send to Amazon support for uploading. The end product appears under the header of “From the Manufacturer” on your Amazon account.

Account Type: Amazon Vendor Central

Amazon Vendor Central is the web interface typically used by manufacturers and distributors. If you sell via Amazon Vendor Central you’re considered a supplier, or first-party seller, selling in bulk to Amazon. Registration is by invitation only. A request for an invite is possible, but there are no guarantees of acceptance.

Vendor Central provides the most creative freedom. A maximum of 5 modules can be chosen from an array of 12 and displayed in any order you choose. In Vendor Central, the end product also appears under the header of “From the Manufacturer.”

geekspeak Commerce understands Amazon

Creating a professional listing that represents your business and product on Amazon is absolutely crucial. The choices and requirements can be overwhelming. Guidelines dictate copy length, number and type of bullets, and quality of images. Certain symbols are not accepted and there are specific requirements as to what may or may not be included in any particular A+ description. At geekspeak Commerce, we specialize in A+ product descriptions. We know the rules and how to use them to maximize your exposure and boost your sales.

Get a quick estimate today to develop your A+ strategy: geekspeak A+ Quote Form