Tag: ecommerce

Powerful ECommerce Link Building: 20 Free & Paid Techniques
Link building is a strategic way to acquire external links from other websites to your online store. Search engines view these backlinks as virtual approvals, notifying that your eCommerce website is a reputable and authoritative source.

The primary goal of eCommerce link building is to improve the site’s visibility in search engine results, ultimately driving organic traffic and potential customers.

When it comes to eCommerce, link building is all about connections with high-quality, relevant websites. A variety of sources can provide these connections, including product reviews, industry publications, blogs, and social media.

But before that, you need to know what type of eCommerce links you need to work on.

Different Types of Links in ECommerce?
Powerful Link-building Techniques for ECommerce
Zero Investment Techniques
Investment-Worthy Techniques
Tips for ECommerce Link Building Strategy

Different Types of Links in ECommerce?

Different types of links in eCommerce help boost a website’s visibility and SEO. Understanding these link types is essential for developing a comprehensive eCommerce link-building strategy. Here are some key categories:
- Product Page Links: Improving the links to your product pages can help more people find them in searches.
- Category Page Links: Adding links to category pages on an eCommerce site can improve the user experience. These links often target long-form keywords related to product categories.
- Internal Links: Internal links connect different pages within your eCommerce site. These internal link pages create web structures to enhance the page’s SEO performance. You can all call them link equity or distribution.
- Backlinks from Product Reviews: Bloggers and influencers review your products and link to your site. This provides valuable backlinks and a positive image to your site. These positive reviews can enhance the credibility of your products and brand.
- Social Media Links: Social media platforms play a crucial role in building links for eCommerce. Sharing product pages or blog content on social media can help you get more visitors to your site.
- Manufacturer or Supplier Links: To boost the credibility of your online store, partner with manufacturers or suppliers. This will get you valuable links on your website from trusted sources.
- Affiliate Links: If you have an affiliate marketing program, the links from partners who promote your products can greatly help your link profile. These links are performance-based, often resulting in a commission for the affiliate.
- Informational Links: To make your eCommerce site credible, include links to informative content, like guides tutorials, and so on.
These different types of links in eCommerce can positively affect your search grade. ECommerce link building is not just about quantity but also quality. It’s good to have many links, but try to get links within your industry.

Powerful Link-building Techniques for ECommerce

It’s crucial to collaborate, partner with influencers, and use content-focused strategies. By strategically implementing these techniques, eCommerce businesses can enhance their online presence, increase trustworthiness, and ultimately boost sales.

Identify Your Niche and Engage

Start by searching for blogs, news sites, and online publications that match your eCommerce niche. Connect with these potential patrons and aim for partnerships that benefit everyone involved. It’s more than just guest posts. It includes product reviews, joint ventures, and shared content initiatives.

Use Multimedia Elements

In 2024, take niche edits a step further by integrating multimedia elements. Instead of using regular text, work together on videos, podcasts, or interactive content. This will enhance your customer experience and boost your brand value.

Interactive Product Demos

Create engaging product demonstrations or virtual try-on experiences. Think about a furniture company that creates a 3D room planner. They receive backlinks from bloggers who show how amazing the shopping experience is.

Bloggers who use this special tool can help their readers connect with your products and make natural backlinks.

Interactive Product Demos

BTS (Behind-the-Scenes)

Share behind-the-scenes of your eCommerce operations. A video of a photo shoot by a fashion retailer becomes popular with lifestyle bloggers. They share it and link to it.

When creators see what goes on behind the scenes of your brand, they gain more trust and show interest in sharing it with their audience.

Interactive Buying Guides

Create interactive buying guides that pilot users to personalized product recommendations. For example, a fitness equipment website works with trainers to make a helpful guide for home workouts.

By collaborating, they offer helpful content for the buyers. Additionally, it motivates fitness bloggers to share the guides as a helpful tool for their readers.

Virtual Events

Host virtual events, such as product launches or live Q&A sessions. Analogous to how an online store for home decor holds a virtual workshop on interior design, getting links from design bloggers.

This event makes your brand look like an expert and offers content that bloggers want to share. The link from a blogger to your content improves your site’s SEO.

AI-Shopping Assistant

Install AI-driven shopping assistants on your website. The personalized clothing recommendation feature impresses fashion bloggers. It offers a tailored shopping experience.

Fashion explorers naturally link to your site when they explore and showcase this personalized shopping tool. This helps build your backlink profile.

Customizable Product Configurators

Create product configurators, allowing users to customize their purchases. Most YouTube Tech reviewers find tech gadgets on eCommerce sites.

If your site provides a customizable tool for their laptop, that is effective. They’ll surely link to it.

Bloggers interested in technology and customizing their content find value in linking to this user-friendly tool.

Influencer Testimonials

Encourage influencers to share their user experiences with your products through testimonials. For instance, outdoor enthusiasts find reviews from adventure influencers on outdoor gear websites.

Bloggers eagerly link to testimonials when influencers share positive experiences with your products.

Social Media Contests

Host contests on social media platforms like Instagram. Beauty bloggers invited to a makeup contest by a beauty brand become popular.

Creating a fun and simple contest helps more people discover your brand. Bloggers who engage or promote the contest eventually share links to your website.

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Zero Investment Techniques

User-Generated Content Galleries

Create a gallery on your site featuring user-generated content. An accessory brand with customers’ pictures becomes a resource for the eCommerce brand. Moreover, this gallery is visible to all.

When you show how your products are used in real life, it builds trust and gives bloggers attractive content. This content is something they naturally link to when they write about accessories.

Local Community Engagement

Engage with the local public by sponsoring events or partnering with local businesses. The online store that sells food and drink sponsors a food festival that is close by.

They also receive links from the websites of these events. By joining local events, you can benefit your community and gain attention from bloggers and businesses. They may also link to your site.

Resourceful Infographics

Create informative infographics in your niche. Health and lifestyle bloggers share a wellness eCommerce brand’s infographics on healthy living.

When you make attractive and helpful infographics, bloggers can share them easily, which gets you backlinks. You can use Infogram or free tools like Canva to create such infographics.

Free Resource Libraries

Develop a library of free resources related to your products or industry. Tech bloggers often share product guides from the online store’s resource library for tech accessories.

Bloggers who want detailed information about your products find value in linking to these guides. This helps boost your site’s authority.

Blogger Collaboration Hub

Create a hub on your site dedicated to collaborations with bloggers and creators. Bloggers can earn you backlinks by partnering with a niche eCommerce brand on their collaboration hub.

Make it easier for bloggers to engage with your brand and naturally link to your site by providing a clear and accessible collaboration hub.

The Link Builder’s Guide to Email Outreach

To promote websites or blogs, backlinks play a very important role and people often struggle for it. Here we have guided you for link building via email outreach.

StartupTalkyArchana Karthikeyan

Investment-Worthy Techniques

Influencer-Sponsored Blog Posts

Invest in influencer-sponsored blog posts. A fashion eCommerce firm collaborates on paid posts with a fashion influencer, resulting in quality backlinks and enhanced brand visibility.

By properly selecting influencers sharing similar target audiences, you not only get backlinks but also benefit from their audience’s trust and engagement.

Affiliate Marketing Programs

Launch a program for affiliate marketing. To clarify, affiliation helps to promote your product to the customer who needs your product and direct them to your store. How?

You can predict this—An affiliate program of a tech gadget eCommerce site attracts tech enthusiasts and generates backlinks from affiliates promoting the latest products.

By rewarding affiliates for promoting your products, you not only increase your reach but also gain valuable backlinks.

Premium Content Partnerships

Search for a Mega/Macro influencer or partner with a high-quality content creator. Think of how the collaboration of a renowned beauty care brand, and an eCommerce site with body care products, secures high-quality backlinks.

Your brand image elevates and authoritative backlinks from influential sources get attracted by investing in leading content partnerships.

Featured Product Listings

Make your products stand out on influential eCommerce directories by paying for featured listings. An electronics eCommerce site gains traffic from the featured product listing at some tech marketplace.

So, by strategically placing your products in prominent directories, you not only increase visibility but also attract relevant backlinks from users interested in your product category.

Paid Social Media Advertising

Invest in social media marketing efforts that are specific to your audience. Just how paid adverts on a fitness influencer’s social media profiles result in greater brand references and backlinks for a fitness equipment eCommerce site.

By leveraging ad spending efficiently to reach your target audience, you not only increase your brand’s visibility but also inspire influencers to organically link to your site as they communicate with your product.

Tips for ECommerce Link Building Strategy
- Develop content relevant to your product niche to attract target referrals.
- Encourage buyers to share their feedback. You can then turn them into useful testimonials and posts.
- Write intriguing product descriptions that include relevant keywords for better search engine visibility.
- Approach creators and niche influencers for potential collaborations and referrals.
- Update your blog with consistent changes, giving other sites a reason to connect to your essential link assets.
- Enroll in relevant forums and groups, where you may provide your experience as a value and subtly promote your eCommerce site.
- Add schema markup to provide accurate details regarding your products to search engines, increasing rich snippets.
- Identify broken links on other websites and give your content as an alternative, resulting in lucrative backlinks.
- Make the layout seem inviting and easy for your product’s sharing and buying.
- To obtain links from regional businesses and directories, optimize your online store for local searches.
By following these tips, you may strengthen your link profile, improve search engine rankings, and position your eCommerce site as a leading authority in your sector. Maintain your progressive attitude, adapt to marketplace trends, and see your link-building activities lead you to be the top dog in your alcove.

For more such insightful content, visit @startuptalky

FAQs

What are the types of links in Ecommerce?

The different types of links in Ecommerce are Product Page Links, Category Page Links, Internal Links, Backlinks from Product Reviews, Social Media Links, Manufacturer or Supplier Links, Affiliate Links, and Informational Links.

What are affiliate links?

If you have an affiliate marketing program, the links from partners who promote your products can greatly help your link profile. These links are performance-based, often resulting in a commission for the affiliate.

Are there any free Ecommerce link-building techniques?

Yes, the free Ecommerce link-building techniques include User-Generated Content Galleries, Local Community Engagement, Resourceful Infographics, Free Resource Libraries, and a Blogger Collaboration Hub.
December 11, 2023
For ONDC, Party’s Just Started, Seen Taking Off In 2-3 Years
The Indian government’s initiative to make eCommerce accessible to every pin code in the country has resulted in the Open Network for Digital Commerce. Since then, ONDC has been touted as the next UPI (Unified Payments Interface) for eCommerce transactions. A one-stop online shopping web for buyers and sellers to transact with complete price transparency. It has rightly created the buzz to take eCommerce to the next level in India.

Already, ONDC is showing signs of buzzing activity. In the festive week leading up to Diwali, ONDC recorded almost 1.2 million transactions across 600 cities! In November itself, transaction value spiked to 4.7 million.

The big question, however, is whether ONDC will have enough muscle power to replace the shopping experience on huge aggregator platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.

ONDC has only taken baby steps, experts opine.

“ONDC is in its early growth stage. But we are hopeful that it will start peaking in the next 2–3 years,” said Aashish Guglani, senior policy associate at the Digital India Foundation.

In this article, we take a closer look at how ONDC is expected to transform the shopping experience and what room for improvement some participants see within the ONDC universe.

India’s Shopping Spree
ONDC Network
Retail Boom
Buzzing B2B
Room for Improvement

India’s Shopping Spree

From the word go, ONDC’s potential has been promising, given the sharp rise in online transactions by Indians.

The open network protocol is expected to act as a force multiplier for various segments—businesses, consumers, application developers, governments, and other relevant participants—through the creation of an interoperable and open playground for various sections to function and compete, ONDC said in a note when it announced the launch.

According to ONDC, India has the third-largest online shopping market, with 14 crore eRetail shoppers in 2020. Despite the large base, the eRetail penetration level is only 4.3%, compared with 25% in China and 26% in South Korea. This goes to show the untapped potential for eCommerce in India.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to shop online. Slowly but surely, Indian shoppers have now started digging their heels into the online shopping experience. The sudden boom in UPI payments only made shopping a seamless experience.

ONDC is trying to replicate the UPI experience in the eCommerce space by offering a more transparent framework.

McKinsey expects India’s digital commerce with ONDC to surge five times to around $340 billion by 2030.

With aggregator platforms reportedly charging commissions of 23-25%, ONDC does look attractive as of now. According to media reports, ONDC could start charging a small fee from participating platforms going forward in the range of 2–3%. As of now, seller network participants on the ONDC network may charge a marginal fee to the buyer. Even with these charges, the buyer has the choice to pick a seller based on their pricing points.

Number of Digital Buyers in India in 2021, With Estimates Until 2025

ONDC Network

ONDC offers a network for buyers and sellers. Consider it to be a digital land parcel hosting a township of malls, where buyers and sellers meet and transact their goods and services. As of now, some of the sellers on the platform range from food delivery apps to retail giants, small retail stores, and electronic stores, among others.

When it comes to the ONDC platform, the more, the merrier. The higher the number of participants, the greater the price discovery. As of now, ONDC hinges on buyers’ and sellers’ apps to route customers onto the network.
- Buyer Apps/Seller Apps: For example, Paytm, Mystore, Craftsvilla, and Yatri are some of the buyer applications that allow customers to access the ONDC network through their respective apps. Similarly, there are seller-side apps that allow the onboarding of customers, including Magicpin, Bitsila, Growth Falcons, uEngage, and Mystore.
- Gateways: Gateways are applications that aid the discoverability of goods and services for the buyer based on his or her search request and location.
Retail Boom

As of now, a chunk of Indian shoppers prefer to buy products from offline outlets. The Kirana store, infamously termed a ‘mom-and-pop’ store, forms 80% of India’s retail sector. Getting smaller retailers onboard the ONDC network is vital for its success.

Realizing the massive potential of ONDC, retail giants are doing their bit to onboard smaller retail outlets. India’s largest retailer, Hindustan Unilever, reportedly plans to help onboard around 1.3 million Kirana stores, which directly purchase from the giant.

Meanwhile, some companies from other sectors, such as electronics, are in a wait-and-watch mode.

We will get onboarded when we see a large part of our customers themselves upgrading and taking up this platform. As of now, we are just waiting and watching how this pans out. It seems promising on paper, but let’s see how it gets picked up in our industry, said Ujjwal Sarin, founder of audio electronics company Nu Republic.

Increased traffic on the ONDC platform holds the key for participants to reach a fair price discovery. Placeorder.com founder and CEO Thomson Skariah says it’s important for businesses to be available on the ONDC network to begin with.

“It’s about businesses being available on the network to receive orders. You need to make sure that you know this is one more revenue channel for you,” Skariah said.

Digital India’s Guglani says, “If the stakeholder and the market ecosystem come in, ONDC will be able to reach $500 million as UPI did.”

Buzzing B2B

In contrast to the wariness witnessed in the business-to-consumer segment, the business-to-business segment seems to be buzzing with excitement.

In June of this year, ONDC launched the B2B trade on its platform, which allowed merchants to transact with other businesses and undertake wholesale transactions. This is likely to be a game-changer for businesses going forward.

With the launch of B2B on ONDC, brands can establish connections with retailers or facilitate their distributors’ entry into new markets. With “plug and play” capabilities (such as real-time ordering, swift delivery, and credit management) offered by eco-system participants, ONDC will enhance the experience for both brands and retailers, said Sathish Gopalaiah, President, Consulting, Deloitte South Asia, in a press release.

“Retailers (such as grocery stores and pharmacies) could access a wider distribution network, saving time and costs. Direct linkages between retailers and manufacturers would be likely to cut prices, improving margins in sectors such as agriculture and construction,” said a McKinsey report.

Some experts hope that the network could also provide the elusive answer to questions about access to credit. The Open Credit Enablement Network, like the ONDC, is part of the India Stack of digital infrastructure envisaged by the government of India.

“Right now, with open credit, because everything will be catalogued, you are digitized. I would like to know what kind of sale you have in a month; we would have that kind of information collateral. Therefore, it becomes easier, cheaper, and less risky for a bank to give you a loan,” Guglani said.

Room for Improvement

Although the advantages seem to outweigh the risks at the moment for ONDC, the scope for improvement has nevertheless been expressed by experts.

Customer Service

The Digital India Foundation has named three key risks to ONDC, namely: access and ownership of data, customer service, and evolving roles and responsibilities. It has pegged the risk of the absence of clarity over customer service at 74%.

“Most of those associated with ONDC claimed to have faced no problem while onboarding, though few wished the process could be faster and the customer care segment more responsive,” said a survey released by Shiprocket on ONDC in August.

Data Privacy

Data privacy is also a concern shared by a few participants. At the very outset, ONDC has made it clear that it will not be storing or viewing any transaction data. Despite these assurances, data phishing continues to remain a risk.

“The government and ONDC are facilitating e-commerce. But, with so many people handling online transactions, their data could be misused by people with technical knowledge,” said Dr. Himanshu Talwar, executive board member of the Young Leaders Council (YLC) Executive Board Member – Young Leaders Council, under the All India Management Association.

User Experience

ONDC will have to put up an experience that remains on par with, if not exceeds, global standards.

“ONDC’s main challenge is to match the platform’s technological viability with the increasing number of transactions and clients. It needs to compete with some of the finest apps in the world, like Amazon, Flipkart, and Uber. There’s growing pressure on ONDC to keep up with the latest mobile apps and meet customer demand,” said the International Journal of Engineering & Technology in its research note.

Conclusion

Like any digital innovation, ONDC too may overcome its initial technical hiccups and upgrade with better versions going ahead. Going by the steady rise in the number of transactions on the platform, it’s only a matter of time before ONDC can become the big disruptor in India’s gargantuan eCommerce space.

What is ONDC | The ONDC Impact on the Indian eCommerce Industry

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) project aims to bring more retailers & sellers online. Know more about ONDC and its impact on eCommerce.

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December 8, 2023
Amazon VS Target: The Ultimate Retail Rivalry
Globally, the eCommerce sector is expanding steadily. New eCommerce markets are developing every day, and already-existing markets are hitting new benchmarks. In the eCommerce space, Amazon and Target are well-known competitors, each with special advantages and tactics. Amazon has managed to hold its position as the world’s largest online retailer through its extensive range of goods, effective shipping services, and cutting-edge technologies such as Alexa. In contrast, Target has been focusing on the combination of its physical shops and online presence, providing a carefully chosen assortment, special collaborations, and efficient same-day services. Let’s see what the eCommerce giants, Amazon and Target, have been doing so well that made them what they are today by going through their businesses and comparing them.

Amazon – About
Target – About
Biggest Assets
- Target’s Physical Stores Strategy
- Amazon’s Click and Collect & Locker Strategy
Financials: Amazon & Target
Technology and Supply Chain
Customer Loyalty Programs
Marketing Strategy
Can Target Catch Up with Amazon?
What Lies Ahead?

Amazon – About

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon on July 5, 1994, out of his Bellevue, Washington, garage. It is an American multinational firm focused on digital streaming, cloud computing, eCommerce, online advertising, and artificial intelligence. Amazon allows any vendor to sell anything, taking a cut from every sale. It started as an online bookstore but has since extended into many other product categories, earning the nickname “The Everything Store.”

As one of the most valuable brands in the world, Amazon is sometimes referred to as “one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world” today. It is regarded as one of the Big Five American tech companies, along with Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (the parent company of Google), and Meta.

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Target – About

Target has been around for 100 years (founded in 1902) and was founded by George Dayton. However, the rebranding process that made Target the success we all know today was started in Minnesota and developed through the years via expansion and acquisitions. The American retail company Target Corporation runs a network of hypermarkets and cheap department stores.

Target is well-known for emphasizing high-end, fashionable goods at reasonable prices. Along with groceries, its stores usually sell a variety of miscellaneous products, such as toys, electronics, clothes, home goods, and more. Bullseye is the name of the company’s canine mascot, and both the name and emblem allude to the center of a shooting target. It has continuously been recognized as one of the most philanthropic American businesses.

Target – Seventh Largest Retailer in the United States

Target Corporation also known as Target, is an American department store chain. It was set up in 1962 as a division of Dayton’s department store.

StartupTalkyBhoraniya Huda Hifzur Rehman

Biggest Assets

Target’s Physical Stores Strategy

Target relies on its physical store network to compete in the Shipping Wars as an underdog. Target uses its stores as fulfillment centers for online orders. This reduces shipping costs and competes with Amazon’s quick delivery.

Target’s approach is motivated by the necessity to maintain efficiency and competitiveness in the quickly expanding eCommerce sector, but it also attempts to address environmental issues by lowering carrier mileage and grouping shipments.

By the end of 2026, Target wants to have 15 sortation centers in its network thanks to an investment of $100 million. A sortation center is a logistical facility that brings together, sorts, and distributes the flows passing through it.

Number of Target Stores in the United States from Financial Year 2016 to 2022

Amazon’s Click and Collect & Locker Strategy

Amazon now offers small and medium-sized companies who sell on its marketplace a click-and-collect option. Certain items on Amazon.com can be bought and collected from a nearby shop on the same day. Sellers can also offer same-day delivery using their drivers and vehicles. In addition to the foot traffic that stores receive from Amazon, Click & Collect in-store offers the advantage of attracting new consumers, facilitating interaction between store staff and customers, and the sale of additional products and after-sales services. In addition, this improves the store’s visibility and allows customers to discover the entire range of a store.

When you shop at Amazon, it’s easy to receive your purchases. Sometimes you may want your package delivered to a different place, not your home or work. You can choose a secure pickup location for your Amazon orders with Amazon Locker. You can pick up your packages on your own time and rest easy knowing they’re safe in the meantime. Shipping to a Locker is free for Prime members.

Amazon Lockers

Financials: Amazon & Target

The online shopping giant Amazon didn’t appear to be slowing down. According to Citi Research, Amazon’s Gross Merchandise Value increased by more than 12% over the previous year, surpassing the eCommerce industry average of 8% growth.

Sales at Amazon increased by 13% in 2023 third quarter to $127.1 billion in 2022. Additionally, Amazon’s global sales increased 16% annually to $32.1 billion. Amazon Web Services, or AWS, saw a 12% rise in sales to $23.1 billion in 2016.

For Target, in the 2023 third quarter, comparable sales fell by 4.9 percent, which was caused by a 4.6 percent fall in comparable store sales and a 6.0 percent decline in comparable digital sales. With $25.4 billion in total revenue, it was 4.2 percent less than the previous year due to a 4.3 percent reduction in overall sales and a 0.6 percent decline in other revenue.

For these retail giants, the upcoming quarters will undoubtedly be a test of their courage, inventiveness, and adaptability. The struggle for American consumers’ wallets is far from over.

Technology and Supply Chain

Both companies are using their technology to innovate and work towards the betterment of the Supply Chain. Amazon is developing a range of supply chain solutions for small and midsize enterprises by combining its vast eCommerce shipping network with its AWS cloud computing capabilities. The tech behemoth unveiled Cardinal and Sparrow, two new intralogistics robots, in 2022. These robots can currently be used to collect items of various sizes, shapes, and materials, transfer things across the fulfillment center, and sort parcels. Amazon has been investigating package delivery using drones. The goal of the Prime Air project is to create a drone delivery system that can deliver packages in under 30 minutes.

On the other hand, Target has invested in digital marketing techniques, website and app upgrades, and better online purchasing. By the end of January 2026, the store hopes to have at least 15 of these locations, known as sortation hubs. Along with increasing its curbside pickup and same-day delivery options for alcohol, Target has also added its highly popular in-store Starbucks cafes to its lineup.

At roughly the same time that Amazon announced its pursuit of a net zero carbon certification for a new Amazon Fresh in Seattle, Target opened its first net zero energy store in Vista, California.

How Target Is Challenging Amazon

Customer Loyalty Programs

Every organization needs to create loyalty programs that would help retain customers. Amazon’s plan to improve its ecosystem and consumer loyalty also includes the creation of Amazon Prime, which offers advantages including free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and more.

On the other hand, Target provides Target Circle, with a free loyalty program. Target Circle offers benefits without charging a price, even if it doesn’t have as many advantages as rivals like Amazon Prime.

Members can vote for local charities in their communities that Target should donate to, as well as access services that are personalized and pertinent to them. Currently, the program has over 120 million members, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing loyalty programs.

Marketing Strategy

Amazon uses a broad and all-encompassing marketing approach to keep its position as the world’s largest online retailer. Perhaps one of the greatest pieces of Amazon’s marketing strategy is the opportunity for customers to post reviews. 93% of people look at online reviews before making a purchase, proving why this strategy is so effective.

Sellers can advertise their products on Amazon using a variety of ad types thanks to the company’s advertising platform. Display ads, video commercials, and sponsored products are a few of the advertising options that Amazon provides. To strengthen its social media presence, it has also collaborated with several content producers.

Target sets itself apart from the competition with its selection of distinctive in-house brands and carefully chosen national brands. It effectively meets the needs of its customers, whether they make purchases in-person or online, by using its stores as fulfillment centers.

Additionally, to preserve and improve relevancy, it interacts with customers through initiatives like RedCard and Target Circle. Target uses its corporate sustainability plan, Target Forward, as its main tool to harness for the good of people, the environment, and the company.

Can Target Catch Up with Amazon?

There were empty brick-and-mortar chains with vacant parking lots when the world came to an abrupt stop in March 2020, but none could compete with Amazon’s massive data collection, logistics, and pricing structure.

Target, however, is gaining traction now that customers are coming back by taking advantage of the one asset that Amazon does not have: a physical store network.

Target has just 1.8% of the eCommerce market share in 2023 compared to Amazon’s 37.6% as per the reports. To manage high volume and boost efficiency, Target constructed sortation centers. This led to a 150% increase in next-day delivery and tens of millions of dollars in savings.

According to Target, customers appear to still value personalization; click-and-collect sales are soaring at its nearly 1,900 US stores. While it may have sounded counterintuitive at the beginning of the pandemic, the combination of eCommerce and physical retailing makes sense today, which is why Amazon is making significant investments in its network of stores.

What Lies Ahead?

For small businesses, Amazon has introduced a “buy now, pay later” option that lets them buy products on credit. But the Ninja cautions that depending on debt to expand a business can be dangerous, particularly for one-person operations where the debt is personally guaranteed. Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, has drawn attention to a worrying trend in which consumers are cutting back on spending, even on groceries which is a sign of financial strain.

Amazon is still the industry leader in eCommerce right now, but Target has made considerable advances in the online space because of its omnichannel strategy.

Conclusion

Target has established itself as a strong rival by utilizing its advantages in both online and offline retail, while Amazon continues to be an eCommerce giant that sets industry standards. The future landscape for these organizations and others in the industry will surely be shaped by the continued expansion of the e-commerce market.

FAQs

What are sortation centres?

A sortation center is a logistical facility that brings together, sorts, and distributes the flows passing through it. By the end of 2026, Target wants to have 15 sortation centers in its network.

When was Amazon founded?

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon on July 5, 1994.

When was Target founded?

Target has been around for 100 years (founded in 1902) and was founded by George Dayton.
December 5, 2023
Effective Strategies for Customer Engagement and Retention in D2C and E-Commerce

This article has been contributed by Sanjay Kalirona, CEO and Co-founder, Gizmore.

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, the rise of direct-to-consumer (D2C) and e-commerce models has revolutionized the way companies connect with their customers. These digital platforms provide unprecedented opportunities for businesses to engage with their target audience directly and create lasting relationships.

However, with intense competition and an abundance of choices available to consumers, it has become more important than ever to implement effective strategies for customer engagement and retention. The success of D2C and e-commerce ventures hinges on their ability to engage customers effectively and retain their loyalty, ultimately driving growth and profitability.

Loyalty Programs
Seamless Customer Service
Social Media Engagement
User-Generated Content
Email Marketing
Post-Purchase Follow-up
Continuous Improvement

Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are an effective tool for customer retention. By providing incentives and rewards for repeat purchases, businesses can foster a sense of loyalty and encourage customers to continue buying from them. Loyalty programs can take the form of points-based systems, tiered membership levels, additional discounts, pre-booking of smartwatches at exclusive pricing, or exclusive benefits.

To design an effective loyalty program, businesses need to ensure that the rewards and incentives offered align with their target audience’s expectations. Customers should perceive the program as valuable and worthwhile. Additionally, the program should be simple and user-friendly, ensuring easy participation and redemption of rewards.

Seamless Customer Service

Exceptional customer service is a cornerstone of customer engagement and retention. Businesses must prioritize providing prompt and effective support across multiple communication channels. Customers should be able to reach out for assistance easily and receive timely responses to their inquiries or concerns.

Offering live chat support, responsive email communication, and dedicated customer support phone lines is essential for building strong relationships. Additionally, employing chatbots and automated systems can ensure 24/7 availability and provide immediate assistance for common queries.

Social Media Engagement

Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat have become powerful tools for customer engagement. Businesses can actively engage with their customers through these channels, respond to comments and messages, and address customer queries or issues publicly. Social media also provides opportunities for running contests, polls, and interactive campaigns to encourage customer participation and foster a sense of community around the brand.

By maintaining an active social media presence and engaging with customers authentically, businesses can create a positive brand image and build strong relationships.

User-Generated Content

User-generated content plays a significant role in building trust and credibility in the D2C and e-commerce space. Customers trust the opinions and experiences of their peers more than any advertisement. Encouraging customers to share their experiences through reviews, testimonials, and public posts can generate valuable content that showcases the brand’s value and authenticity.

Businesses can actively seek customer reviews and testimonials, leveraging them on their websites and social media platforms. Providing incentives or running campaigns to encourage customers to leave reviews can help increase participation. By highlighting positive customer experiences through UGC, businesses can attract new customers and reinforce loyalty among existing ones.

Email Marketing

Email marketing remains a powerful tool for customer engagement and retention. By regularly communicating with customers through personalized emails, businesses can provide updates on new products, exclusive offers, and valuable content. Segmenting the email list based on customer preferences and purchase history ensures that the messages are relevant and targeted.

An effective email marketing strategy involves crafting compelling subject lines, designing visually appealing templates, and delivering valuable content that resonates with the audience. Personalizing the emails based on the customer’s past interactions and preferences can significantly increase open rates and click-through rates. By staying connected through email, businesses can nurture customer relationships, encourage repeat purchases, and drive engagement.

Post-Purchase Follow-up

The post-purchase phase provides a valuable opportunity to engage with customers and foster long-term relationships. Sending a personalized follow-up message to express gratitude, check for satisfaction, and gather feedback demonstrates that the business values the customer’s experience beyond the transaction. It also provides an opportunity to address any potential issues or concerns the customer may have.

Asking for reviews and ratings is an effective way to encourage customers to share their experiences and provide social proof. By actively engaging with customers after a purchase, businesses can reinforce loyalty, resolve any concerns, and gather insights for continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

To ensure long-term customer engagement and retention, businesses must continuously seek customer feedback and act upon it. Analyzing customer data, conducting surveys, and listening to customer suggestions are vital for understanding evolving needs and preferences. By actively seeking feedback, businesses can identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to their products, services, and overall customer experience.

Demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement builds trust and shows customers that their opinions matter. Communicating the changes made based on customer feedback reinforces the value placed on their satisfaction. By consistently striving to enhance the customer experience, businesses can retain customer loyalty, attract new customers through positive word-of-mouth, and differentiate themselves from competitors.

Summing Up

In the D2C and e-commerce landscape, customer engagement and retention are critical for success. Engaging customers on a personal level, providing exceptional support, and leveraging digital platforms for interaction are key to building brand loyalty.

By incorporating these strategies, businesses can not only increase customer retention but also foster brand advocacy, drive revenue growth, and establish a competitive edge in the D2C or e-commerce space. Embracing customer-centric approaches is crucial to navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape and creating a strong foundation for long-term success.

Brand Positioning Strategies for Business | How to Make Customers Loyal

Are you struggling to position your brand in front of your target market? These strategies will help you to position your brand and make customers loyal.

StartupTalkyParnas Ghosh

July 10, 2023
15 Most Profitable Niches on YouTube

‌‌Starting a YouTube channel can be a lot tougher than it seems. Anyone can start a YouTube channel and post random videos. But the real question here is, Is it profitable?

In today’s time, people are making a whole career out of social media platforms, and when it’s YouTube, you can earn pretty well.

‌‌That’s why it’s essential to pick out a niche in which you want to make videos. It helps you target a specific genre of audience and enables you to boost engagement. With this, you can integrate yourself into the YouTube creator community. Now, when it comes to YouTube niches, there are many options available that might confuse you. To help you pick a niche for your YouTube channel, we have presented this article containing the 15 most profitable YouTube niches. So, let’s get started!

Comedy
Beauty
Digital Marketing
Investing and Trading
E-commerce
Clothing & Fashion
Fitness
Business
Tech Review
Men’s Lifestyle
Career Advice
Pets & Animals
Audience Demographics
Conspiracy Theories
Daily Vlog

Comedy

Biggest Comedy YouTube channel: Mr. Beast/ 30 Million Subscribers

Everyone likes to watch the fun and comic videos in their spare time. And with a comedy YouTube channel, you can excellently attract audiences. Plus, creating light and funny videos is not very hard and doesn’t require a lot of time. But you must remember that the goal is entertaining and making your audience laugh.

For this, you can create videos of everyday funny incidents or skits, or anything fun. If your channel gets hit, you can easily earn up to 25K with your comedy YouTube videos.

‌‌You can make the video more fun by doing unique editing like jump cuts, background replacement, slow motion, or adding cheeky music in the background. This way, you can create a unique style of videos and make them stand out to your audience.

Beauty

Biggest Comedy YouTube channel: Sandra Cires Art / 16.3 Million Subscribers

Beauty Videos are in high demand nowadays. You can make your YouTube channel very popular with videos on makeup, skincare, beauty products, or cosmetics. You can become a beauty influencer and earn very well. People rely on influencers when checking a new cosmetic product or learning a new makeup trick. And if your audience wants your video, they’ll come to it whenever they need any new facts or jokes in the beauty genre.

Plus another benefit that comes with the beauty niche is you can work closely with sponsors and beauty brands.

Digital Marketing

Biggest Digital Marketing YouTube channel: VidIQ / 1.33 Million Subscribers

This YouTube niche is quite different than usual. With digital marketing on top of the business curve, people are investing more time and money into it. And this can be a profitable niche for you by creating videos on different marketing strategies, making people familiar with today’s industry trends, and many more. You can create guide videos on learning new skills, handling social media platforms, mobile marketing, and a lot more. There is an abundance of content in this niche that you can create videos on.

‌‌Digital Marketing is definitely a profitable YouTube niche that has tons of monetization methods that you can use in your favor and increase your earnings.

Investing and Trading

Biggest Investing & Trading YouTube channel: Warrior Trading / 1.1 Million Subscribers

Who doesn’t want to invest these days? If you are good at investing and have several tricks which benefit you in terms of trading, you can create a YouTube channel with this niche. Many people don’t know proper investing and look for ways through which they can do it in the right manner. That can be your plus point as you can sweep in and talk about the ways that can benefit the audience while investing and trading.

‌‌During the past few years, searches on investing have gone doubled and tripled than they used to. That’s why, creating a YouTube channel where you can guide people on where to invest, how to invest, how to save money, how the stock market works, and so on, it’s definitely profitable.

E-commerce

Biggest E-Commerce YouTube channel: Dan Lok / 4.43 Million Subscribers

Yes, you got it right. E-commerce is considered a very interesting and profitable YouTube niche that you can work on. With ways like dropshipping or Amazon FBA, you can earn huge figures by selling products that give you amazing returns. Take the example of Franklin Hatchett or Tanner J Fox, they are killing with this niche.

‌‌You can create videos telling people how to create an online shop and earn through dropshipping. People seek practical examples of things and the only way you can make your channel a hit is by showing people how you do it.

Clothing & Fashion

Biggest Fashion YouTube channel: Tess Christine / 2.31 Million Subscribers

Everyone needs clothing and fashion advice! And it isn’t limited to women only, even men seek fashion advice. Creating videos like clothing hauls or tips on carrying accessories always bring great popularity to your YouTube channel.

Style out different clothes or review different brands that you like, you can create videos on coming up with signature styles or how to carry heavy accessories and stiletto styles with your favorite pair of jeans. It brings a great number of views to your channel and makes your audience loyal. You can check out the top YouTube channels in this niche and come up with your creative style.

Fitness

Biggest Fitness YouTube channel: Pamela Reif / 9.25 Million Subscribers

Fitness is considered one of the most popular YouTube niches that you can pick out. Most of the audience out there likes to see fitness and health-based videos that inspire them and give them tips on how to begin a healthy lifestyle. You can find out different contents, from weight loss to healthy meal preparation ideas, that you can explore. In this niche, you can review other fitness products as well. You can keep your audience clinging by creating videos that teach them something new and properly guide them.

‌‌Creating videos on different yoga poses or doing your gym routine helps you attract a great count of audience. This niche is presettable, and if your channel gets hit, you can earn pretty well.

Business

Biggest Business YouTube channel: Gary Vee / 4.06 Million Subscribers

Users over YouTube aren’t limited to content creation; in fact, on a broader scale, many intellectual or working people like to watch videos related to the business field. For that, you can like the videos entertaining your subscribers by sharing different business stories and teaching any new product, ideologies, and success concepts of top companies in the business industry. Creating engaging videos on these nieces can help the audience connect with you and build a trusting relationship with all the potential prospects.

Tech Review

Biggest Tech Review YouTube channel: Marques Brownlee / 16.4 Million Subscribers

If you have an interest in tech and have knowledge of the latest advances and different tech equipment, creating a YouTube video can be very beneficial for you. Being a tech gick on YouTube can help you earn pretty well. Review-based YouTube channels have always been in their popular niches. You can get started with product reviews and begin monetization around them. To make your track unique, bring your expertise to your video. Mastering a particular area can be pretty productive in comparison to going with any random ones.

‌‌Also, you can create videos reviewing different apps. This will bring more audience to your channel, and you can attract several sponsorships if you get hit.

Men’s Lifestyle

Biggest Men’s Lifestyle YouTube channel: DLM Men’s Lifestyle / 885K Subscribers

There aren’t many YouTube channels that cover this niche, which makes it fresh and unique for you to go with. Men today seek advice from clothing to the gym; the search for it is everywhere. You can create videos on valuable tips and information that men find attractive. Also, there are several products in the market for men’s take care which you can review and suggest the best ones available. What you need to cover is everything that has the potential to improve the lifestyle of men.

Career Advice

Biggest Career Advice YouTube channel: Thomas Frank / 2.77 Million Subscribers

A YouTube channel based on career advice is always a big sale. Do you know how many students and adults consider YouTube for career advice? A lot. You can create videos on top career choices in today’s world and how to get there. It will help if you guide the audience in the right direction and the engagement rate will boost if you impress them.

‌‌Simply do the research in a reasonable amount and create videos on guiding the audiences in their career, especially the students.

Pets & Animals

Biggest Pets & Animals YouTube channel: Aww Animals / 3.61 Million Subscribers

Last but not least, there is a pet and animal niche that attracts an audience a significant amount. Here, you get different content to explore and develop some fantastic ideas for yourself. You can create videos of breeding, health & care, training, and more content with your pets and animals.

‌‌You can easily connect with the audience and share positive emotions with them. It will also help the audience know how to take care of their pets.

Audience Demographics

If you are getting really confused about choosing a good niche for your YouTube channel, going with audience demographics could be a great pick. You can attract your audience by using keywords, phrases, slang words, or the local language of your target audience. This will help you rank your video content in a specific category.

‌‌Working on an audience demographic niche benefits you greatly by staying close to what the audience needs.

Conspiracy Theories

Creating a YouTube channel in the Conspiracy niche brings excellent audience engagement. It might seem controversial, but it can benefit you in many ways. There are numerous conspiracy theories over the internet that people are very interested in. You can create videos on some famous events of history or people who have lots of unbelievable views.

Everyone wants to know why something that shocked them happened. And when you look over the internet, you can find numerous stories on historical situations, events, physical destinations, celebrities, and movies that are unclear to people. So, that’s the excellent niche pick for you.

Daily Vlog

A balanced and adventurous lifestyle can be profitable if you turn it into a YouTube channel. You can create videos sharing your day-to-day life with the audience. Daily vlogs have immense popularity in this social media time. You can share videos of your daily routine, or what keeps you going in your life, spending a day doing something adventurous, or anything that seems fun seems exciting to you. Daily vlog is considered one of the most accessible niches, and it is straightforwardly simple work to create.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that when it comes to YouTube niches, there are numerous options that you can explore. But if you want to make your channel a success, you need to choose a profitable niche to work on. This article helps you know different profitable niches you can pick from. With these, you can make tons of money by creating videos and reaching a large audience.

December 17, 2022
InXpress – Success Story of becoming a global courier service company
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by InXpress.

Courier companies play a big role in helping us get our goods to our doorstep. With the increase in online shopping, shipping and courier companies are also growing like anything. They are highly useful as it allows for the transport of items of various categories that need to be delivered either urgently, or discreetly.

Founded in 1999, the famous courier service company called InXpress was started by John Thompson in the UK. The company was started to provide world-class courier services across the globe.

InXpress – Company Highlights

Headquarters Rochdale, UK

Sector Freight and Package Transportation

Founder John Thompson

Founded 1999

Revenue $100 Million (2021)

Website www.inxpress.com

InXpress – About
InXpress – Industry details
InXpress – Founder and Team
InXpress – Startup Story
InXpress – Mission and Vision
InXpress – Name, Tagline, Logo
InXpress – Business & Revenue Model
InXpress – Mergers, and Acquisition
InXpress – Awards and Achievements
InXpress – Competitors

InXpress – About

InXpress is an international shipping and freight consultancy business as well as a DHL, TNT, and TOLL-authorised sales partner.

The company has been developing its franchise idea since 1999. With its determination to consistent expansion, it has become one of the world’s leading franchisers of international fast package delivery and transportation services.

InXpress’s worldwide and domestic Express & Freight services are available throughout the United States, Asia Pacific, the United Kingdom, Africa, and Europe.
InXpress provides its SME customers with unique international and domestic shipping options, as well as special bulk purchasing rates combined with new technological solutions and truly individualized customer care and invoicing. It also has a special purchasing power, which gives SMEs a significant competitive edge in receiving the best online shipping estimates, which are generally reserved for huge enterprises. The company has over 440 franchisees in 14 countries, as well as 30,000 clients.

InXpress – Industry details

Courier services these days have indeed become an inseparable part of every business. With this demand, the Freight Transport Management Market is estimated to grow at a 9.8% CAGR during the forecast period (2021-2027).

InXpress – Founder and Team

InXpress is founded by John Thompson in 1999.

John Thompson

John Thompson was born in Ireland in 1949. He and his family went to England when he was a young man, where he completed his schooling.

John Thompson studied Mechanical engineering at Oldham College. He currently serves as the CEO of InXpress. John has worked in companies like Feature Films for Families (FFFF) and Express Worldwide as Managing Director.

InXpress – Startup Story

It was in 1999 when InXpress was founded in Rochdale, England. Founder John Thompson started the company in his bedroom in Rochdale. The company entered the US market in 2006, shortly followed by Australia and New Zealand.

Today, InXpress is present in 14 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam. It has over 440 franchisees with more than 30,000 customers.

InXpress – Mission and Vision

The vision statement of InXpress is, “It finds a way forward for each customer.”

InXpress’s mission statement is, “To help companies simplify shipping through personalized service and group buying power”

InXpress – Name, Tagline, Logo

InXpress’s tagline is, “Your Promise. Our Business. Fast, reliable, competitive.”

InXpress – Business & Revenue Model

InXpress’s business operates as a B2B consultative sales franchise model. It has business operations spread over 500 franchisees.

InXpresse’s franchisees work like consultative salesmen, offering small-to-medium-sized businesses large shipping discounts and local support while earning money on every cargo ship. Most franchisees begin as owner-operators from their homes and subsequently develop their businesses by relocating into flex office space and hiring a small sales/customer service crew. To enable franchisees to focus entirely on developing their business, the InXpress corporate support team handles all back-office accounting, including payments, invoicing, billing, and collections.

In the United States, InXpress is the only logistics provider with Authorized Reseller relationships with DHL, and other trucking freight companies. To provide a wide range of shipping alternatives, InXpress maintains arrangements with the best-in-class international and domestic parcel and freight carriers.

InXpress also works with FedEx, TNT, and UPS.

InXpress – Mergers, and Acquisition

Hudson Hill Capital or HHC, a private investment firm has a major stake in InXpress.

InXpress – Awards and Achievements

InXpress has won the following awards:
- Global Franchise Award 2021 – Global Franchise Champion
- Global Franchise Award 2021 – Category Winner Best White Collar Franchise
- InXpress has been awarded as Franchise Times Top 200+
- Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Top Low-Cost Franchise 2021
InXpress – Competitors

The top competitors of InXpress are:
1. Dpd
2. Tracking Shipping
3. Marshcargo
4. Parcel International
5. Ixpship
FAQs

Does InXpress offer franchises?

Yes, InXpress offers franchises.

Who is the CEO of InXpress?

Dustin Hansen is the CEO of InXpress.

Where is the head-quarter of InXpress?

InXpress is headquartered in Lancashire, UK.

How many countries does InXpress serve?

Currently, it is serving 14 countries.
October 28, 2022