Facebook and its sister website Instagram have rushed forward the launch of webshops for its users, giving anyone who sells online a handy new marketing opportunity. The company had been working on the project when the coronavirus pandemic hit, with the closure of high streets speeding up its introduction.
It’s a particularly useful option right now for any customer who is practising social isolation, but as everything is designed mobile-first it’ll be one of the simplest ways to shop on-the-go when the lockdown is over, too.
The technology should now be live for most users, though some of the details are yet to be confirmed. It’s expected that it’ll be a free service for retailers, just as personal listings currently are for individual Facebook users.
The shop fronts will use centralised data, meaning a single update will feed through to both Facebook and Instagram. They will also be connected to Messenger and WhatsApp, two more entities in the Mark Zuckerberg empire, allowing shoppers multiple ways to engage with retailers.
More exciting is the fact that live streams will also be included, giving viewers the opportunity to purchase items they’re seeing on screen. This adds a whole new dynamic and it will be interesting to see the creative ways in which retailers tap into this.
So on the one hand, this is a great tool for reaching new and existing customers. We always recommend selling through as many marketplaces as you can: Amazon, eBay, Etsy, they are all effective ways to market your business. These are two more routes, through two hugely popular platforms, and well worth adding to your marketing mix.
That said, there are a number of significant hurdles you will need to overcome.
The first is that, for a majority of users, these platforms are a way to keep in touch with friends and family, to share cute pictures and funny videos. Gaining visibility online can already be difficult, and that’s even before taking into account that your main rival for attention won’t be a competing shop, but could be a puppy cuddling a kitten.
Another drawback is that many users scrolling through their feeds aren’t often in the mood for shopping. If they were, they’d likely be on a dedicated shopping website. Your posts will not only need to attract eyes to your products, but also shift users into ‘buyer’ mode. A tough proposition.
And finally, social media may be a great tool for raising awareness of products but the biggest deciding factor is often social proof. If a friend posts that they’re in love with a new product, you know it’s genuine. Adverts are treated with a much higher degree of scepticism. How will you engineer that level of persuasion?
What you can do
Set up shop
It’s important that you’re visible on whichever platforms your potential customers are using. Facebook and Instagram are two of the more popular sites and apps, so it makes perfect sense to engage. This is true of all platforms: if you choose not to sell through a particular site, your customers won’t go out of their way to find you, they’ll buy from a competitor instead.
Think creatively
The low barrier to entry is likely to see a flood of retailers appear. It’s important that you’re more than a face in the crowd, and to have any impact you’ll have to think creatively about these new tools and how you can reach your target market in a way that others aren’t.
Build your customer database
Whether or not you make a direct sale through these webshops, the platforms can be a great way of obtaining customer details, including email addresses, which will give you a direct line of communication in the future. That way, you can use offers and promotions to attract shoppers to your own website, where you’ve got more control and are more likely to seal a deal.
The post New opportunities for retailers with launch of Facebook and Instagram webshops appeared first on Ecommerce Blog.
from Ecommerce Blog https://ift.tt/3c5UAwt via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment