E-commerce in Spain is breaking records and has yet to reach its peak. 2022 will be a landmark year for retail, which, in its ongoing quest for modernization, is paving the way with technology.

How are retailers preparing for new challenges?

In 2021, e-commerce in Spain ended with historic figures, surpassing €52 billion and showing a 1.9% year-on-year increase, according to the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC).

However, many businesses—both stores and companies—still face hurdles to making that significant leap. So why is it important to align strategies across all sales channels?

Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes. Customers are more empowered than ever. They have the habit of getting what they want, when and where they want it. Offering a positive experience throughout the entire journey—also known as the customer journey—is crucial.

For that person, your business will always be their business, regardless of the channel through which they interact. This strategy, known as “omnichannel,” has come to stay. Omnichannel strategy is a customer-centric marketing and sales approach that aims to provide integrated experiences through easy and quick access to information via various channels.

Digitalization is not optional if you want to endure and grow over time. This means that customers now—and increasingly so—demand the ability to purchase, pick up, and return items from various touchpoints, both physical and digital. These challenges also present organizations with opportunities to discover new sales that were previously unimaginable.

Key Aspects for a Successful Omnichannel Strategy:

• Implement Tools That Communicate with Each Other:

All parts of the process— from procurement and inventory to marketing, sales, payments, and logistics—must have platforms that communicate with each other. This creates harmonious workflows that respond to customer demands and optimize each step of the sale.

• Use Data to Find Improvements:

Today, companies have levels of customer knowledge that were unimaginable 20, 50, or 500 years ago. Proper use of data collected from various platforms will allow you to create specific campaigns that generate new sales.

• Be Willing to Change:

The transformation journey must include everyone, without exception. Achieving this can be challenging, but fortunately, there are organizations dedicated to helping stores on their transformation journey.

5 Tips for Starting Your Digital Store:

1. Define the “Ideal User”:
   This step is crucial for any business and goes by many names—such as “creating a buyer person”—with various techniques to achieve it, such as UX. Understanding their desires and dislikes is key to defining a value proposition. Based on this, design a strategy that includes promoting the value offer and providing relevant information to create engagement before the sale.
   
2. Digitize the Product Catalog:
   Consumers expect to find the brand’s value proposition at all points of sale—both physical and digital. But that’s not all; the catalog must also be integrated into systems and processes to ensure it’s always up to date. Knowing more about your customers and using their preference data will allow you to offer tailored products and services.
3. Offer Various Payment Methods:
   There are platforms that support a certain number of payment options at a specific cost, as well as those with more limited and economical options. The key is to choose the one that best suits your customers. For example, if most of your customers use Visa for online transactions, you’ll need a solution that includes it as a payment option.
4. Improve Operational Resources:
   In a physical store, the person who assists is often the same one who packs and processes payments. In the e-commerce model, this process happens behind the scenes in warehouses with different controls. Training people in these new functions is crucial to ensure the product reaches each buyer correctly.
5. Organize Logistics:
   When a purchase is made through a digital channel, product delivery can be handled by the store or through logistics partners who know when to pick up and deliver a product. Regardless of the path, it’s important to have solutions that allow for real-time tracking of products. Fortunately, there are technological solutions suited to every budget and type of operation.

Get a Product Demo!

Zentricx, an international company with local offices in Spain, helps Spanish retailers of all sizes with their digital transformation journey. If you want to learn how these innovations can help grow your business, we invite you to contact Julio César Blanco, Innovation Director & Head of Spain Office at Zentricx.

Julio Cesar Blanco – January 27, 2022