In an increasingly digital marketplace, wholesalers are not immune to the changing landscape. Digital transformation is a challenge that all businesses must address in order to remain relevant, competitive and profitable. With e-commerce now accounting for more than 20 percent of total retail sales, there’s no denying the impact it has on the retail industry as a whole.
As a wholesaler, you face unique challenges when it comes to establishing an effective eCommerce presence. Unlike consumers who have access to various products through one site, wholesalers must manage multiple vendor sites at once while maintaining efficiency and consistency across them all. If your organization is planning on launching a wholesale software solution soon, here are five key factors for successful implementation:
Before you can launch an e-commerce solution, you need to first define your go-to-market strategy. This includes determining where your solution will be sold and how it will be distributed. In addition, you must decide how your wholesale solution will be priced and which payment methods will be available.
Your go-to-market strategy will help you decide which online channels will be best to reach your target audiences. Depending on your strategy, you could consider selling your solution through a digital marketplace, an online store, your own website, or a combination of all three.
Before you can develop a solution, it’s important to assess your internal resources and requirements. What type of vendors and customers do you anticipate selling to? What are their unique needs? How will your business be impacted by the changes occurring within the wholesale industry? Once you’ve identified your vendors and customers, you must determine how to best cater to their unique needs.
While some factors are more qualitative, others are quantitative. It’s important to consider both sides when making wholesale software launch decisions. For example, one key factor for successful implementation is choosing the right development partner. However, instead of relying on your intuition to make the decision, you should consult supplier data, such as app ratings, user reviews, and the number of suppliers using each vendor. This will help you select the partner with the most robust solution and the best reputation for customer service.
Although data is an important consideration, it’s not the only thing you should be considering when selecting partners. You should also consider the partnership as a whole. This includes the customer experience and what value the selected partner adds to your business. Partner selection should not be taken lightly. It’s important to choose partners that can help you achieve your business goals and provide a positive customer experience.
As more consumers shop online, the importance of user experience and ease of use has become more apparent. Depending on your go-to-market strategy, you could be managing your own e-commerce website or managing a vendor’s site. In either case, it’s important to ensure the user experience is a priority.
Digital transformation is changing the wholesale industry. Now more than ever, you must have a strong e-commerce presence. Digital transformation is a challenge that all businesses must address in order to remain relevant, competitive, and profitable.
To be successful, you must first define your go-to-market strategy. You must then assess your internal requirements and resources, select the right partners, and ensure user experience is a priority. Once you’ve launched your solution, you must also plan for ongoing marketing efforts to ensure its longevity.
We, at Edistera, have world-class wholesale software solutions. If you want to understand in detail, specifically for your business needs, feel free to contact us. We would be happy to help.