An introduction to e-commerce and e-tailing in Ireland, presented to the EEI Digital Transformations event in Dublin on the 24th July 2013.
Covers analogies between retailing and e-commerce, common pitfalls, a ficticious example of a business going online and breaking into e-tail for the first time.
Also covered are e-commerce platform options including Magento and some conversion rate optimisation ideas (simple and advanced)
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E-Tail and E-Commerce, Getting Started In Ireland
1. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce: For first-time eTailers
E-commerce: For first-time eTailers
Gerard Keohane
info@studioforty9.com
087 225 1250
EEI, Dublin, July 2013
2. Who Are StudioForty9?
EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Web design, web development and E-Commerce / E-tail boutique
Based in Cork, Ireland
Online Marketing, SEO, PlugIn Development
Magento, WordPress (WooCommerce), Expression Engine
Web User Interfaces (UI)
Web User Experience (UX) expertise#
Responsive Design, Adaptive Design, Moblie Websites
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce: For first-time eTailers
3. Presentation Overview
EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Thinking about E-Commerce & E-Tailing
E-Commerce Budgets & Web Design / Dev Timelines
Open Platform E-Commerce vs Proprietary Technologies
M-Commerce – Adjust vs Mobile Website vs Responsive Design
Quick Wins For Conversion Optimisation
Clever Wins – Cornering The Market
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce: For first-time eTailers
5. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Irish Population
90% access to the internet
Irish Online Population
29% have made a purchase online
Irish Online Population
65% researched purchases online
6. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Everybody’s at it
It’s time to get in on the
game
7. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
How long will this take?
How much will this cost me?
How much marketshare can I own?
How big is the market nationally?
How much can I sell if for?
How many can I sell?
I have a great product.
What technology do I use?
Where do I begin??
10. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Treat your E-Commerce Store like
any other store in your business
Proposal:
11. You are not starting from scratch
An understanding of Product and Market
The Strength of your Brand
Established physical presence adds value
As a retailer you have some key advantages
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
12. Parallels
Fit out
• Initial website design and build
Maintenance
• Ongoing build work and support, hosting
Rent (a key cost to acquire footfall)
• Organic SEO, PPC, Re-marketing, Social
Staffing
• Updates, Administration, Customer Service
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Similarities with Bricks & Mortar retail
13. Pitfalls
Don’t Underestimate…
Getting the Money
Delivering the Product
Staffing, Customer Service and Resources
Customer Retention
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
14. 2006: First Shop
Introducing Joe
He likes fishing
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
2010: Two more shops
Exclusive Deal
15. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Rent, rates, services, utilities: €40,000
Payroll: €46,000
Fit-out: €15,000 /2 yrs
Marketing: €8,000
Stock: €150,000
Costs per Annum: €261,000
Turnover: €340,000
After V.A.T.: €277,000
Net Profit: €15,000
Thinking about a new shop
16. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Fit-out, design & build: €10,000 / 2yrs
Payroll: €10,000
Marketing – SEO, PPC: €12,000
Hosting, Maintenance: €2,000
Stock: Use shop
Delivery and Banking: Variable
First year cost: €29,000 + stock
Thinking about going online
18. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Sales, Costs, Profits
Back of the envelope calculations
First year web-cost: €29,000
Cost of Stock: €64,800
Cost of Delivery: €4,800
Banking Fees: €3,900
Cost per annum: €102,500
Turnover After V.A.T.: €117,000
Net Profit: €14,500
19. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Thinking about E-Commerce EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Consolidating National Sales
Selling Fishing Trips to Tourists
Growth via Returning Customers
Expansion to the U.K.
Growth
Joe has new options for growth!
21. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Open source vs. Software as a Service
Dance to your own tune Limited Scope = Focus
Customise Everything
Portable
Need to find expertise
Set Costs
Done for you
Restrictions & Lock-in
22. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness EEI, Dublin, July 2013
The difference between owning your
own pig and buying a packet of ham
Open source vs. Software as a Service
Source: @conoro
23. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Technologies
What do people use?
Source:
http://tomrobertshaw.net/
2013/03/feb-2013-ecommerce-survey/
24. StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Technologies
Some criteria for assessing technology
How commonly used is the platform? Ask.
Integration options: EPOS, ERP, Payment Gateway,
Accounts
Feature set: Quantity and Quality
Costs: licenses, upgrades, development, features and modules
Vendor Lock-In Issues
Migration & Portability
Reliability, scaleability, size, demands, and hosting costs
26. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
27% of traffic to e-commerce sites comes
from mobile devices
Source: http://www.getelastic.com/global-mobile-commerce-trends-infographic/
Future Friendliness
The Reason
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
Global Average
27. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Leave as is
• Yes, this is a viable option
Mobile Site
• A different site served to mobile devices
Responsive Site
• The same site but it ‘responds’ to the device and screen-
size
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
Future Friendliness
Three Options
28. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Leaving it as is
Difficult processes to
replicate for moblie
Make certain the site
functions on a mobile phone
at least!
Regularly check conversion
rate
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
Future Friendliness
29. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Mobile Site Approach
Good where a specific approach
is required for smartphones
Great for assuming a mobile
context – tourism sites etc
May be cheaper than
responsive
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
Future Friendliness
30. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Future Friendliness
Responsive Site Approach
Ideal for ‘appropriately’
presenting all site content on
all devices
Adds to time and cost
Good for presenting content
for the mobile context
Avoids SEO issues often
associated with the mobile
approach
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
31. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Future Friendliness
A minor note of caution
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Technologies, Future Friendliness
Mobile is a reality: it must be considered
That said, it is not a “simple add-on”
It might even double design, build & maintenance
costs
Think hard about how your customer might benefit
from a mobile approach before you implement one
33. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Some Quick Wins
Present your Delivery Costs
If you have Free Delivery
shout about it
Even if you don’t, make
sure to mention your
delivery options early
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Quick Wins, Clever Wins, Questions
34. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Some Quick Wins
Guarantees and Returns Policy
Reassure your customers
if you have a Guarantee, a “No
Quibbles Return Policy”, a simple
“Return In Store” policy - let
customers know.
Conversion rates are higher
where customers feel they have
options
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Quick Wins, Clever Wins, Questions
35. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Some Quick Wins
Easy to Find Phone Number
Your customer is at a remove
from you, let them know
they can call you
Don’t make your customers
hunt for your phone number
Customers like to know
where you are
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Quick Wins, Clever Wins, Questions
36. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Clever Wins
Never forget: Conversion Rates and Order Value
Traffic * Conversion Rate * Basket Value =
Turnover
Once your site is built and traffic established, the best way
to dramatically increase profits is to continually work on
increasing your Conversion Rate and Average Basket Value
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Quick Wins, Clever Wins, Questions
37. EEI, Dublin, July 2013
Clever Wins
Multiple site – build once, build again
Cornering the market
• MyShirts.com
• FancyShirts.com
• BudgetShirt.com
Expanding to International Markets
StudioForty9 / E-Commerce / Quick Wins, Clever Wins, Questions
Local Touch – people prefer to shop local (delivery costs are cheaper – dealing with someone they can understand)Bricks and Mortar – marketing your site in-house, additional customer retention by encouraging customers to go online, expanded loyalty schemes, return to store, pick up in-store
Local Touch – people prefer to shop local (delivery costs are cheaper – dealing with someone they can understand)Bricks and Mortar – marketing your site in-house, additional customer retention by encouraging customers to go online, expanded loyalty schemes, return to store, pick up in-store