Today, retailers are under pressure to keep up with the demands of eCommerce. As a result, they need to reinvent the in-store experience, managing large volumes of data and ensuring privacy. So, this is something that can be leveraged with a good eCommerce Cloud.
In other words, eCommerce, if oriented towards the cloud, can generate benefits for companies that have decided to innovate. Next, we will detail how it influences to promote customer agility and how the services provided by our partner Microsoft can be used to adopt a cloud sales model.
The current situation and challenges of e-commerce
Companies are currently trying to increase customer agility in e-commerce. And this is something that can be leveraged through the cloud. Thanks to a Cloud system, a solid infrastructure can be guaranteed to enable business operations in a unified manner.
But that’s not all: personalized experiences are also enabled across all channels, which positively influences efficiency in supply chains. Now, if a good system of eCommerce Cloud is to be adopted, there will be some challenges that companies will have to face. Here they go:
1. Data silos across multiple channels.
Sometimes, companies are unable to build customer loyalty because of data silos in different channels. For example, when there are disruptions in supply chains, demand is much higher than supply. Then, not all customers can be supplied, which generates a negative image for the company.
If companies unlock their siloed data, they will be able to establish a holistic view of the entire supply chain. They will then be able to anticipate different market moments to avoid problems. In turn, customers will track all deliveries in real-time with a cloud ecommerce platform.
2. Depreciation of eCommerce performance during high sales moments
This is something that can be seen during high-traffic seasons, such as Black Friday, which boosts eCommerce. Then, sales skyrocket, as users look for attractive offers in different online stores. But it is also necessary to prepare for these demand peaks.
Retailers can then experience problems at such times, as servers can go down. A good solution may be to sustain sales peaks over longer periods, rather than cramming everything into a single date. In other words: bring offers forward to maximize sales.
3. Failure to integrate new interaction models for eCommerce
Sometimes, some eCommerce companies are not able to integrate attractive interaction models for users. For example, many companies seek to have direct-to-consumer platforms, something known as B2C, but without offering an adequate User Experience.
As a result, more and more companies are taking advantage of social networks to drive traffic to eCommerce platforms. Also, some new business models appear, such as gamification or live commerce, generating opportunities, but also knowing how to integrate data, customer privacy, and platform performance.
4. Lack of integration of cutting-edge technology in the eCommerce Cloud
Finally, there may be a lack of technology integration to leverage eCommerce at the right pace. That is, as sales increase, it becomes necessary to have the capability to streamline eCommerce operations, ensuring an optimal user experience.
For this reason, cloud solutions can be used to incorporate cutting-edge technology. For example, some solutions in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mixed Reality (MR), Internet of Things (IoT), Metaverse, and even blockchain, can empower e-commerce.
The future of eCommerce is in the cloud: the advantages of the eCommerce Cloud
If you implement different eCommerce Cloud solutions, you will gain several benefits. Namely:
- Scalability according to demand, to fulfill orders during times of high traffic.
- Real-time 360-degree data visibility into all supply chains, customer engagement touchpoints, and operations.
- Flexibility in the customization of digital platforms, to deliver unified commerce experiences.
- Secure online transactions, ensuring data privacy.
- Faster online searches and personalized recommendations based on preferences.
As our partner Microsoft points out, more and more businesses are now moving to the eCommerce Cloud. For example, Microsoft reveals that more than 60% of all eCommerce loads run on mixed (private and public) cloud platforms. By 2023, this number could grow to 85%, with more than half corresponding to a public system.
Innovate in e-commerce in the cloud with Epidata
In summary, at Epidata we are also convinced that the future of e-commerce is in the cloud. After all, we are living in a paradigm shift, in which we use different cloud eCommerce platforms in a decentralized way every day.
For this reason, it is the ideal time to implement an eCommerce Cloud, which allows you to manage your business in an agile, efficient, and scalable way. Remember that in Epidata we are specialists in different cloud technologies, contact our team of specialists in Microsoft Azure cloud technologies for more information!
*References: adapted from Microsoft (2023): https://www.microsoft.com/es-xl/industry/blog/retail/2022/11/24/lograr-la-agilidad-del-cliente-a-traves-del-comercio-electronico-en-la-nube/
About Epidata
Global privately-owned company specialized in innovation outsourcing, dedicated to providing software development and software design services, application modernization, RPA, machine learning and Big Data, among others. Its solutions transform businesses, optimizing operations and co-creating better digital experiences for customers and employees.
Epidata has alliances with leading innovation and knowledge companies such as Microsoft, GitLab, Mulesoft, Salesforce, Oracle, MariaDB, Red Hat and UiPath. These partnerships help other companies to stay current.
Epidata operates in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and the United States (San Francisco, California), where it has a track record of successful support to multinational corporations such as Stanford Research Institute International, JP Morgan, Tenaris, Turner, Telecom, HSBC, Monsanto, Walmart, Asana, among others.
