planning / How to outsource ecommerce support

How to outsource ecommerce support

Andy Thorne
black and white image of women counting money

Business growth becomes more assured with the right ecommerce platform and digital marketing in place. This upwards trajectory can be underpinned and even increased, with strategic outsourcing. We throw the spotlight on improving time and task management through outsourcing ecommerce support.

Carving your share of £586 billion worth of ecommerce sales in the UK pivots on finding the right products, for the right price, but also on your ability to be effective in your business operations. We have already explored the merits of high-performance websites that attract users and converts sales.

That makes it all sound so easy!

In fact, one of the biggest threats to your online sales success could well be nothing to do with what you sell, or even how you sell it. The thing that trips you up could be lack of time, energy and focus.

Heading up an ecommerce business isn’t a walk in the park. In the early days, you’re a sole trader or small team spreading yourself thin. As you grow, the challenges of time and task management grow with you! Your online business also needs ever more sophisticated data analytics, research and continuous improvement to sustain success.

How can you keep up to date with fast-moving technology without losing grip on your own ecommerce priorities or paying out large sums for new IT? Also, is it possible to grow online sales without taking on additional staff with the salary burden that brings?

These are all the reasons why both new start-ups and developing ecommerce businesses are outsourcing some functions and tasks.

Buying in support for your ecommerce business also means getting help when you need it – such as when campaigns or seasonal highs happen.

The starting point is to decide what you would prefer to concentrate on yourself and what can you ‘farm out’ to make your online business most profitable.

In other words, what can you outsource in order to get the most from your online shop?

What ecommerce support is possible to outsource?

Product merchandising

eCommerce support product merchendising

Product merchandising is everything you need to do in order to successfully sell your product, whether this be in store or online.

Specialist product merchandising experts can provide ecommerce support in order to help companies properly position and promote their goods, to encourage customers to spend more, and more often.

This will be achieved with a sophisticated merchandising sale strategy, making your products more aspirational and attractive to website users.

For example, it could employ advanced cross-selling and storytelling techniques – and product combining and categorising – that have a track record for sales success.

Customer Service

Having a third party handling your customer orders, queries and complaints can give you time to focus more on business development and profitability measures.

It can also provide valuable additional marketing support. The big players in this sector – Amazon and eBay – do come at a cost though!

Ecommerce support; communications

Virtual assistants can be a great asset for ecommerce ventures. They can respond quickly to emails and telephone queries, keeping customer engagement and satisfaction high.

It is also possible to engage the services of digital marketing agencies who offer proactive communications support too. They plan and deliver sales campaigns or projects using your ecommerce customer database within the confines of data regulations. This can be a valuable way to get customers coming back to buy more!

Online chat

Customer Service

Providing high quality customer service can be a struggle for big business, outsourcing this to a reliable network can help keep a positive reputation for your brand.

Technology has provided ecommerce businesses with an invaluable way to make websites engaging and responsive 24 hours a day – Chatbots. This is a low-cost solution to handling customer queries and complaints swiftly.

In a fully automated ‘conversation’, your website visitors are provided with product information and signposting help. Building an online chat function into your website can have a substantial impact on your UX and sales volumes. Especially if it is integrated with Live Chat or your general customer service function.

Using learning software, your chatbot grows its knowledge of your products and customers, and knows when to hand over a query to a human being. (source: comm100)

Order fulfilment

eCommerce order fulfillment

Making sure your customers receive their parcels in time can be a struggle if your business is bursting at the seams, outsourcing order fulfillment can help relieve that pressure allowing room for more happy customers.

If you can’t engage with a supplier who delivers products directly to your customers, it’s worth considering putting order fulfilment into the hands of a specialist organisation. They can help you to process orders, dispatch goods and deal with Returns.

Some fulfilment services for ecommerce have centrally placed warehouses which cut down on your delivery costs too, which is always good news for online retailers!

Ecommerce support for business development

Buying in support for your ecommerce business also means getting help when you need it – such as when campaigns or seasonal highs happen.

Why do it all, when you can bring in specialist skills that boost your sales and offer a high return on investment?

Increasing numbers of ambitious online retailers put their digital marketing –including SEO, UX, social media and internet advertising – into the hands of Factory Pattern; the wisest outsourcing decision of them all! There are also many advantages when you outsource website design, content management, maintenance and development to us too.

Get in touch to see how it works and the many ways your business can benefit.