E-commerce 1.0 = World Wide Web (only): Typical e-commerce does not accurately reflect how multi-channel chain retailing is done in-store. Just as “all politics is local,” all big ticket chain store retail is local, too. Through local selection, local prices and local promotions, stores battle local competitors for local customers. Most e-commerce solutions aren’t built for localization – one site offers the same thing to every visitor, regardless of where a customer resides. Retailers who adopt this approach for big ticket e-commerce hamper both their online efforts and their stores.
Big Ticket E-commerce = Localize! Remember that e-commerce supports your overall multichannel retail strategy and your websites should be as localized as your stores. Some big ticket retailers have hundreds of localized, micro-branded sites with content that resonates with local consumers. Others use IP mapping to localize prices, offers and product selection, directing customers to local stores with products on display. All have checkout processes that reflect that delivery times may be 48 hours in one area, two weeks in another. Make sure your e-commerce platform embraces the complexity of local e-commerce – when done correctly it’s a powerful sales tool online and in your stores.
Copyright 2010, Official Blog of Blueport Commerce
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