Category: Blog

Seamless shopping experiences, comprehensive brand connections, and consistent marketing across channels all constitute reasons why omnichannel marketing is essential in the modern eCommerce age. Online shoppers are more demanding than ever, expecting brands to represent clear identities on all sorts of channels, which is where omnichannel marketing comes in to resolve consumer consumers. In this article, we explore omnichannel marketing in more detail and suggest how fintech companies are improving the modern shoppers’ omnichannel experience. 

What is Omnichannel Marketing?

Omnichannel marketing refers to a comprehensive marketing strategy whereby shoppers can expect a seamless experience across a diverse range of channels. The key attribute of omnichannel marketing is that it is consistent and authentic, appealing to consumers that are more skeptical of online brands have experienced a combination of successful eCommerce platforms and untrustworthy online companies. Introducing omnichannel marketing can, therefore, promote trust by modeling the success of the best eCommerce brands on the market. 

Omnichannel marketing involves considering all aspects of the consumer journey and optimizing every touchpoint to align with key marketing goals. The ability to provide cross-channel marketing that promotes consistent messaging will attract return customers and shoppers who have not yet heard of your store. Furthermore, omnichannel marketing is a means of reinventing the shopping experience to meet the modern demands of shoppers.

The Role of Fintech Companies in Omnichannel Marketing

Fintech companies continue to see interest from the best eCommerce platforms for their ability to support the most critical consumer touchpoint in an omnichannel marketing strategy, the checkout stage. These companies, particularly ChargeAfter, offer one of the most powerful payment options for consumers that beats traditional financing solutions.

These solutions, referred to as buy now pay later (BNPL) services, are integrations at checkout that allow shoppers to receive online financing at the push of a button. These shoppers, using BNPL, no longer need to consult their financial service providers or third-party lenders to purchase products at the later checkout stage of the omnichannel marketing process. Furthermore, they do not have to pass credit checks and repayments are made with zero interest. 

Beyond supporting the consumer and the omnichannel marketing strategy, fintech companies that offer BNPL services benefit businesses by improving the online shopping experience. In fact, BNPL services contribute to an increase in conversion rates of approximately 20% to 30%, according to authoritative sources. 

These statistics suggest it is essential for businesses to adopt BNPL at checkout to support their omnichannel marketing strategy and promote profitable business growth.

Additional Support Ensures Success

Fintech companies can go above and beyond to support the businesses that they partner with, and the leading Fintech companies like ChargeAfter offer consistent checkout support to constantly improve the final stage of one’s omnichannel sales funnel. The delivery of checkout data and regular analysis of key metrics enables ChargeAfter to provide marketing teams with insights and actionable steps to improve the shopping experience. Recommendations like cross-selling and up-selling scratch the surface of the kinds of strategies that these companies can provide based on key metrics each month. Furthermore, round-the-clock support means that businesses can consult for advice at any point regarding their checkout stage of the omnichannel marketing strategy.

Omnichannel marketing is essential in the modern age of online shopping as consumers become more skeptical of online retailers. Introducing an omnichannel marketing strategy that includes BNPL integration can help businesses grow as this particular service supports the most important stage in the funnel, the checkout stage. With consistent support and regular analytical updates, businesses can leverage the best BNPL services on the market to improve their omnichannel marketing strategies.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

With online shopping becoming a fully-integrated and preferred consumer experience, the need for businesses to adopt innovative digital marketing strategies is paramount. The competition is rife, and developing new solutions to solve online shopping problems will help eCommerce stores stand out in the coming years. One particularly powerful new-wave technology is virtual shopping, a process whereby consumers can connect more deeply with their favorite brands. In this article, we explore the future of virtual shopping and how BNPL platforms make modern shopping experiences more powerful than ever.

How Does Virtual Shopping Work?

The term virtual shopping may conjure images of consumers wearing headsets and interacting with products, which is possible in some cases, but this is not the only method of virtual shopping accessible to eCommerce platforms. As a vast majority of online businesses do not have the budget to integrate virtual reality (VR) experiences into their digital marketing strategies, several tools and platforms enable more easy-to-use virtual shopping functionalities that we discuss below.

Virtual shopping can include all sorts of innovative, immersive, and personalized experiences that invite shoppers to connect with eCommerce companies in new ways. Virtual shopping can involve live chat features through platforms like Zoom or Google Meet, specifically around products or services that consumers may need support with setup or installation. It can also involve unique showrooms where consumers can browse products in a way that is more intuitive than traditional product catalogs. Some companies utilize live social media feeds to Twitch as an avenue to connect with their consumers. These are a few examples of ways that you can introduce virtual shopping into your eCommerce experience. 

In a nutshell, virtual shopping revolves around bringing consumers closer to brands in a way that integrates modern marketing platforms. The above strategies represent a few of the most common ways that eCommerce platforms are taking advantage of virtual shopping.

Virtual Shopping by the Numbers

One needs to look no further than the latest statistics to recognize that virtual shopping is one of the most powerful online strategies for eCommerce. According to sources, “About a quarter of consumers have shopped online in a 3D virtual store” with a vast majority of those shoppers falling within the Millenial and Gen Z consumer segments. The source goes on to suggest that over 50% of these shoppers would be willing to spend more for products sold via modern virtual shopping strategies. These numbers indicate the need to introduce virtual shopping into one’s digital marketing strategy, but how can you ensure you land sales after doing so?

How BNPL Supports Virtual Shopping

The integration of BNPL services can greatly improve your chances of securing sales through virtual shopping experiences. Leading BNPL partners offer comprehensive checkout integrations that provide consumers with the easiest way to receive online financing, a process that does not require them to undergo credit checks, and offer repayment plans with zero interest. These are a few of the consumer-facing benefits of BNPL platforms. The virtual shopping experience becomes more powerful when there is tangible value to the shopping experience beyond the opportunity to connect with brands. This is because the modern shopper is looking for exceptional deals as much as they are searching for better brands to shop with. The combination of these two features can yield great results for the modern eCommerce business.

The future of eCommerce is virtual, with virtual shopping becoming a must for the modern online platform. Brands can attract younger audiences and leverage sales through the introduction of these experiences in their sales funnels combined with the integration of consumer financing via BNPL services. This can help eCommerce businesses remain competitive in the evolving modern marketplace.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

Sales efficiency is essential to eCommerce success, and a faster sales funnel leads to greater average order volumes. As online retail reaches its height, businesses should be taking steps to ensure that sales are as efficient as ever. One such strategy is implementing buy now pay later (BNPL) services at the checkout. These consumer-facing solutions provide shoppers with seamless payment functionalities to ease the checkout process, promote sales efficiency, and leverage buy-in. In this article, we discuss how BNPL creates this efficiency further to help you take advantage of growing eCommerce trends.

The Function of BNPL

BNPL’s primary function is to provide consumers with easier ways to shop. The integration lives on a website’s checkout page, is clearly visible to the shopper, and offers a financing solution that shies away from more traditional methods. Instead of having to seek the services of a financial institution, chat with lenders within their network, or utilize third-party services, shoppers can receive on-demand financing and loans right there on the eCommerce platform. This saves them time, requires no credit checks that could stall financing, and provides repayment options with zero interest on installments. These are a few of the benefits of a sales strategy that integrates waterfall consumer financing, or BNPL, for the modern shopper.

Over and above supporting the consumer, BNPL services are powerful tools for business growth. First and foremost, BNPL creates sales efficiency by streamlining the sales funnel and shopping process at the checkout. Shoppers can quickly purchase their carts, ensuring a faster time to sale which correlates with an increase in average order volumes. Furthermore, BNPL enables higher average order values as shoppers are more likely to use the feature to purchase large ticket items, like cellular devices and other electronics or expensive products. The best BNPL partners offer businesses these benefits and more through consistent analysis of key data and ongoing support. 

What Greater Efficiency Means for eCommerce

Efficiency is the name of the eCommerce game as shoppers seek seamless experiences that are quick and easy. Growing expectations among modern shoppers call for eCommerce businesses to install newer innovations that support their user journeys. Greater efficiency means facilitating these shopping needs, answering the pain points that most online shoppers now face.

Greater efficiency also means attracting new consumers to one’s website. Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are particularly powerful consumer groups that eCommerce companies can leverage sales from using tools like BNPL consumer financing. This is because these younger shopping segments are not strangers to fintech services and are more likely to purchase from platforms that integrate the latest technologies in a beneficial way. Greater efficiency means greater opportunities to appeal to these diverse consumer segments.

Furthermore, greater efficiency means more profitable margins as businesses can reduce time spent on remedial tasks and reallocated resources accordingly. When partnering with BNPL service providers, like ChargeAfter, eCommerce brands gain access to a support system that resolves payment issues on behalf of the company. This dedicated checkout personnel also provides consistent progress updates and data to inform further marketing strategies at checkout. The supportive nature of this service ensures that every aspect of business becomes efficient beyond the sales funnel itself. 

In Summary

The best eCommerce businesses promote efficiency at checkout through the integration of new fintech solutions such as BNPL. This service gives brands greater control over their sales funnel, encourages new consumer segments to shop, and streamlines the user experience for an increase in sales and other key marketing metrics. eCommerce platforms can partner with the best BNPL service providers to further their growth and raise their profit margins in the coming months. 

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

Having buy now, pay later (BNPL) integration is becoming an essential facet of successful eCommerce as the best companies utilize these services to increase their profit margins among other benefits of BNPL. But with so many BNPL service options available on the market, business owners can be stumped at which solution to choose. The best BNPL partners are those with simple integration processes and a track record for increasing conversions at checkout, and we will explore everything that you should consider when you choose a BNPL service for your eCommerce business. 

Choose a Simple and Seamless Integration

The best BNPL services are also the most simple and seamless to integrate. These partners have worked with a range of businesses across industries to develop a method for integration that requires little effort from the business owner. The implementation and management of BNPL services by these partners instead of relying on an in-house eCommerce team save businesses time and money, doubling down on the benefits of partnering with a supportive BNPL service provider.

Choose a BNPL Service to Boost Your Bottom Line

BNPL is designed to support businesses by growing their bottom line through increasing sales, improving average order values, and encouraging return customers. The best services on the market have a proven track record for doing so. ChargeAfter is an example of a leading BNPL company that has an 85% approval rate and a 45% increase in average order volumes. These statistics indicate the success of ChargeAfter’s BNPL service in living up to claims, encouraging the use of this particular BNPL solution for better business and profit margins. 

Choose a Partner Suitable for a Wider Consumer Base

Over and above raising the values and volumes of your existing orders, BNPL solutions can entice new shoppers to eCommerce platforms. The best BNPL solutions appeal to a wider consumer base as shoppers do not have to apply for credit checks when sourcing consumer financing from these partners. The integration, available at the checkout, provides one of the most efficient means of receiving financial aid, appealing to consumers without credit cards and those with lower credit scores. Capitalizing on these consumers is critical to the success of eCommerce platforms as more and more individuals are turning to online shopping after the pandemic. 

Choose a Flexible BNPL Service

Your chosen BNPL provider should be flexible, able to adapt to business decisions and user experience changes on the fly. These solutions should be available across all platforms, easily available no matter the consumer’s device, and uninterrupted to reduce downtime that could reduce the rate of sales for eCommerce growth. 

Choose a Partner That Provides Comprehensive Support

The best BNPL partners provide round-the-clock support for eCommerce businesses, providing analytical feedback and strategic recommendations to improve the consumers’ checkout experiences. ChargeAfter supports companies that choose to partner by providing full reporting with insights and comprehensive data, giving business owners key metrics to make better decisions and improve their eCommerce platforms. These full reporting capabilities can support an online store’s consumers as marketing teams can utilize data to make smarter marketing decisions and provide comprehensive customer support. These BNPL service providers focus their efforts on improving your business, a mutually beneficial partnership for joint business growth.

When selecting your BNPL service provider, consider the above-mentioned factors before making your decision. You should ensure that your chosen provider provides simple and seamless integration, is dedicated to boosting your bottom line, gives you access to a wider consumer base, is flexible at every level of marketing across devices, and provides comprehensive support for the duration of the partnership. Doing so will ensure that you achieve your profit goals this year.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

Increasing website traffic with lead generation and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is only one facet of the strategy to increase website conversions. Consumers arriving at online stores will often leave without purchasing or even signing up for a newsletter. Many eCommerce businesses lose out on these new leads, and their conversion rates suffer. For this reason, the inclusion of strategies to encourage purchases remain pivotal to eCommerce success. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services are becoming popular additions to marketing strategies as they help businesses close more deals. In this article, we explore how BNPL increases website conversions and how you can integrate the service into your online offering.

Younger Shoppers are Taking Advantage of BNPL

As more Millenials and Generation Z consumers choose to forego traditional financial advice from their parents in favor of seamless and efficient eCommerce solutions of the modern marketing age, a major advantage of BNPL lies in its ability to support shoppers without credit cards. Issues surrounding credit cards continue to plague the modern consumer, and BNPL services are a solution that eliminates the need for younger consumers to have access to credit card facilities. This is particularly beneficial as older consumers continue to battle the pressures of owning one or multiple credit cards for ease of use while others cite dissatisfaction with concerns around credit approval. The younger generations want to avoid these entirely, and BNPL enables them to shop without credit cards as no credit checks are necessary for shoppers to receive comprehensive loans.

BNPL is a New Consumer Expectation

BNPL services are becoming a consumer expectation rather than a unique selling point for eCommerce stores around the world. In fact, resources suggest that over 70% of consumers are more likely to purchase from websites that include easier payment options such as BNPL services. These incredibly high statistics indicate that BNPL is quickly becoming a consumer expectation, and more shoppers are likely to shun organizations that do not model their checkout strategy after successful BNPL systems.

Mobile POS Systems Make for Easier Transactions

A large part of BNPL’s success is a result of how the service improves mobile point of sale (POS) systems. During the pandemic and amid a post-pandemic environment, eCommerce businesses have seen an increasing number of shoppers purchasing from their stores using mobile devices from the comfort of their own homes. BNPL solutions can be integrated at every level of the checkout experience and are versatile in their integration across platforms. Optimized for mobile, eCommerce stores can capitalize on the rise in mobile shoppers. 

Fintech Services Improve Efficiency and Affordability

ChargeAfter, a leading Fintech BNPL company, offers services that improve shopping efficiency and affordability for consumers. These two factors play a key role in increasing website conversions as the modern shopper is attracted by seamless user experiences and affordable service delivery. BNPL services at checkout help fast-track the time to sale as well as mitigate the need for consumers to turn to their financial service providers for any consumer support. The ability to receive comprehensive loans on the fly is extremely appealing to shoppers that utilize BNPL services on eCommerce websites as it saves them time and money. With ChargeAfter, shoppers can receive repayment options that include zero-interest installments. This is an attractive offering as very few third-party financing organizations or traditional banks can compete with this type of integration. 

There is a growing need to adopt new integrations on an eCommerce checkout page as competition stifles many businesses’ conversion rates. With BNPL services, eCommerce stores can leverage the expectations of modern consumers, attract younger shoppers, improve mobile POS technologies, and improve the efficiency and affordability of a purchase. All of these benefits can ensure that eCommerce stores remain competitive by increasing their website conversions.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

In an age where eCommerce success depends on customer advocacy, improving customer service is fundamental to ensuring growth. Customer service, after all, plays a deciding role in how consumers view one’s online store. eCommerce platforms must provide their shoppers with better support to reduce the frequency of negative reviews and increase the number of recommendations for one’s store, leading to greater sales. In this article, we discuss ways to improve eCommerce customer service, such as introducing consumer financing, so that your business can succeed in the competitive world of online shopping.

Integrate Powerful Consumer Financing

Consumer financing refers to repayment options for shoppers that utilize financing integrations on websites partnering with the best consumer financing companies. These companies give eCommerce platforms an advantage over their competition by providing easy-to-install web plugins geared to giving shoppers access to reliable lenders. The process of financing acquisition occurs on the website during checkout, as consumers activate the visible financing button without having to leave the online store. The consumers are then automatically and instantly connected with a lender that can provide financing plans that offer zero interest on repayments. 

This tactic, beyond benefiting the business by attracting new consumers, improves a company’s customer service as it makes a consumer’s shopping experience seamless and affordable. These kinds of integrations appeal to consumers as they add value to their shopping experience. 

Provide Multiple Customer Support Channels

Businesses must provide an array of customer support channels to satisfy a variety of shoppers. Each customer segment may interact with an online store differently, so catering to all types of consumers can yield greater sales through superior customer service. Live chat is proving effective as it allows customers to quickly find answers to common questions or get more information about their delivery. But, it is not enough just to have a live chat feature on your website.

You can improve your live chat customer support by introducing chat automation across your channels. Social media chatbot integration, email chat automation, and more can benefit businesses through time-saving and provide consumers with greater support no matter how they choose to shop. You can also provide the ability to chat with an actual sales representative by incorporating an option within the initial chatbot discussion. This can remedy the possible loss of customers that prefer to chat with real people to resolve their issues. 

Record Customer Satisfaction

eCommerce businesses must record their customer satisfaction to make actionable improvements to their customer service strategy. The insights gleaned from surveys can greatly increase your odds of attracting consumers as these insights can drive strategic brand innovations. Furthermore, recording customer satisfaction can improve your customer advocacy for greater sales.

Google reviews, third-party reviews, and reviews that you upload to your website serve as customer testimonials and user-generated promotions that can drive future sales. It is important to automate this process by establishing a Google My Business page, for example, and manually activating this process by creating surveys or emailers that encourage users to provide feedback. You can also attach a discount code or coupon to this strategy to generate more responses and potentially improve sales volumes. 

Providing better customer service is pivotal to growing an eCommerce platform as customers that feel supported are more likely to shop with one’s store and more likely to recommend the store to their friends and family. From integrating powerful consumer financing platforms to activating customer support features across your branded channels and recording customer satisfaction to make improvements and showcase positive reviews, you can elevate your eCommerce business and appeal to the smart modern shopper.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

eCommerce platforms should incorporate user-generated content strategies as this type of content is one of the most valuable and affordable for brands around the world. In this article, we will discuss user-generated content in more detail, share its importance, and outline how you can introduce buy now pay later services to support your profitable user-generated content strategy.

What is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content (UGC) refers to brand-driven content created by consumers that is then shared to their social media channels, brand websites, review pages, and other digital platforms. User-generated content encompasses written reviews, YouTube videos, social media posts, reels, podcasts, and various other forms of digital media shared by consumers.

Typically, user-generated content is delivered by loyal customers that want to share their favorite brands and products with their followers, new shoppers that have had positive recent experiences with a particular brand or online store, employees that work for a brand, or influencers that brands partner with to increase brand awareness and sales. 

All successful eCommerce stores have a user-generated content strategy as they aim to maximize the delivery of user-generated content by their audiences. This can include referral programs, loyalty discount codes, and affiliate marketing tactics to name a few. You must consider how best to incorporate a variation of said strategy as this will ensure faster user-generated content publishing than waiting for consumers to naturally do so.

Why is User-Generated Content Important?

eCommerce success rests on the positive referrals or recommendations of your consumers to their social media following, including friends, family, and individuals that are influenced by them. UGC is one of the most powerful tools at a brand’s disposal to reach new customers as it requires very little financial investment. A UGC strategy aims to encourage existing customers to organically highlight your products and services authentically. Below, we discuss some of the most important benefits of UGC.

It Grows Trust

As UGC, in most cases, comes from actual customers, it serves as a testimony to positive connections that consumers have had with an eCommerce store. Whether it be written testimonials or unboxing videos, UGC serves as a foundation from which new consumers can assess the trustworthiness of online stores. Based on the UGC seen by these consumers, they can confidently make informed buying decisions that present very little risk. This can build trust among new consumers before they have even purchased from your online store.

It Influences Individuals

UGC, in the hands of an influencer, can impact a wealth of new consumers that may have been previously unaware of a specific brand or product. Influencers hold tremendous marketing power, and the most successful eCommerce businesses take advantage of influencer marketing strategies to develop high-quality UGC content that appeals to massive social media followings. Businesses owners and their marketing teams can establish UGC guidelines for these influencers, outlining demands to shape content in a way that appears as authentic and genuine as possible. This can have a positive effect on sales as more consumers aspire to use the products of their favorite social media personalities.

How Buy Now Pay Later Services Can Support Your UGC Strategy

UGC is bound to bring in a monopoly of new consumers, but businesses still need to provide those consumers with efficient shopping experiences to ensure that they register a sale. At checkout, buy now pay later (BNPL) services prove to be the most effective means of encouraging sales and converting shoppers. This is because the best BNPL solutions offer zero interest on repayment plans so that consumers can affordably purchase products in their carts. The ability to circumnavigate credit checks also works in a customer’s favor, enabling businesses to appeal to a wider consumer base. Introducing BNPL at checkout can positively influence your UGC campaigns as it facilitates the conversion of new consumers arriving at your online store. 

 

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.

eCommerce brands must know their consumers backward and forwards as this helps stores deliver the right messages to the right consumers at the right time. Furthermore, companies must be aware of changing consumer trends. With an in-depth understanding of modern consumers beyond designated segments, eCommerce brands can integrate strategies that entice shoppers in 2022. In this article, we explore the top 4 consumer trends of 2022. You can use this information to guide the rollout of new marketing tactics.

1. Finance Fanatics – Integrate Waterfall Consumer Financing

The modern consumer is becoming increasingly interested in finance, something that was previously consigned to finance administrators like accountants and investment brokers. In the age of digital currencies like Bitcoin and Etherium and the accessibility of investment portfolios, consumers are beginning to take a much more active approach to their finances. In response, eCommerce brands should provide their shoppers with the best financing options at checkout. Waterfall consumer financing is an example of a powerful checkout financing integration that gives consumers access to repayment options unavailable through traditional financing partners such as their financial service providers. ChargeAfter is a leading waterfall consumer financing partner that can deploy a seamless checkout plugin to provide your shoppers with access to trustworthy lenders. This benefits finance fanatics that wish to secure the best money management options when browsing eCommerce platforms, resulting in a likely increase in sales for your business. 

2. Sustainability Supporters – Promote Greener Business

Climate change continues to plague the planet, and shoppers demand businesses go greener in response. From a trend to an ultimatum, selecting sustainable strategies to combat climate change can greatly influence the buying decision. eCommerce brands must integrate environmentally-friendly tactics, whether it be biodegradable packaging or cleaner manufacturing processes, and then market these green features. Bear in mind that to avoid green-washing, businesses can subtly showcase their commitment to sustainability by actioning greener operations without the need for financial compensation. Take corporate social responsibility initiatives, for example. These types of initiatives aim to provide community-centric benefits over and above business operations, yielding little in the way of revenue generation but greatly increasing brand repertoire among sustainability supporters. 

3. First-Time Testers – Offer Trials and Testing Opportunities

Customers that fall within this trend are particularly interested in businesses that can showcase value before asking for a commitment to purchase. Rentals allow these consumers to test-drive products and or services, for example. Free trials are popular strategies to attract these consumers for businesses that sell software and return policies are popular among electronics stores. In a nutshell, providing first-time testers with ways of minimizing buying risk will greatly appeal to an audience that takes advantage of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. 

4. Purpose-Driven Personas – Add Narrative Value

The purpose-driven persona is guided through the buying process by powerful branded stories and content that offers narrative value. These shoppers are less interested in the products or services themselves and more enticed by how a brand can spotlight its purpose. For example, a brand that sells fast-moving consumer goods should integrate marketing activities that speak to the company’s commitment to their cause or displays their vision. From blogs to videos and podcasts to guest appearances on web shows, brand representatives can offer these consumers insight into the brand’s purpose and sell the personality of the brand before the products themselves. 

eCommerce brands can attract consumers within these 2022 consumer trends by integrating waterfall consumer financing, developing more environmentally-sustainable strategies, offering better testing opportunities with products and services, as well as clearly defining and displaying their purpose beyond making a profit. Doing so will broaden your consumer base and increase your sales as you attract new shoppers. 

Want to learn more? Reach out to us here.