#151 HTE - 'Time To E-Commerce With AR'👓

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🧑🏻‍💻 Incorporating AR Technology Can Help Brands Create Frictionless Online Shopping Experience

👀 How To Use Visual UGC On Social Media For E-Commerce 

🎥 Best Practices For E-Commerce Returns During Christmas

🛍 Amazon Introduces New E-Commerce Feature That Is Similar To TikTok

📕 Top Reads Of The Week

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Incorporating AR Technology Can Help Brands Create Frictionless Online Shopping Experience

E-commerce may be convenient, but it often leaves consumers wanting more. A recent study commissioned by Meta and GWI found that while consumers appreciate the ease of online shopping, they still prefer in-store shopping for its certainty.

Many shoppers feel that online shopping is too time-consuming and that reviews are not a suitable replacement for experiencing a product in person. 64% of early e-commerce adopters said they still prefer in-store shopping, while 58% said they make decisions faster when shopping in person.

Brands and retailers that fail to address these consumer pain points risk losing sales to their competitors. Immersive technologies like augmented reality (AR) allow brands to captivate online shoppers and set themselves up for future success.

Here is what metaverse is doing to E-Commerce 

The metaverse revolutionizes e-commerce by providing a more immersive and enjoyable shopping experience. AR technology allows consumers to virtually interact with products and brands in a fun and engaging way, with over 700 million people using AR on Meta technologies every month as of October 2021.

As technology advances, shoppers can virtually try clothing in digital dressing rooms and browse curated recommendations, saving time and effort.

Meanwhile, businesses can create unique digital storefronts to distinguish themselves from competitors. The metaverse opens new possibilities for frictionless customer experiences, bridging the gap between online and in-store shopping.

By utilizing AR technology and prioritizing customer experience innovation, brands can create immersive ads and capture more attention, positioning themselves for success in the future metaverse of friction-free shopping.

How To Use Visual UGC On Social Media For E-Commerce 

"Ho ho ho! It's that time of year again when the air is crisp, the hot cocoa is flowing, and the holiday cheer is in full force. That's right; it’s Christmas time! 

Whether the fireplace or caroling snuggles you up with friends, there's nothing quite like the joy and magic of the holiday season. So let's spread cheer, deck the halls, and get ready to celebrate the most beautiful time of the year! Merry Christmas to all. 

Christmas is almost here! 

During Christmas, visual user-generated content (UGC) on social media can help promote your products or services and interact with your customers. Here are some pointers for employing visual user-generated content for holiday e-commerce on social media:

🎁 Encourage your consumers to post pictures or videos of themselves using your products to send gifts or celebrate the holidays. You can achieve this by soliciting submissions or holding a contest or promotion. 

🎁 Make it simple for customers to find and share your content using hashtags with festive themes. For instance, if you sell holiday decorations, you may create a hashtag like #merryandbright. 

🎁 Post user-generated material on your social media platforms and give the original author credit. This inspires people to offer their information and helps to establish trust and authenticity. 

🎁 To demonstrate that you appreciate the contributions from your customers, respond to user-generated material with comments and likes. 

🎁 Consider providing discounts or free products as enticements for users to submit their content.

🎁 Use user-generated content in your holiday marketing materials, such as email newsletters and website banners.

Best Practices For E-Commerce Returns During Christmas

During the holiday season, eCommerce returns can increase due to gift giving. Online retailers need to have the plan to handle an influx of returns efficiently and effectively. Here are some tips for managing E-Commerce returns during the holiday season:

📦 Establish clear return policies: Make your return policies simple to locate and understand. Customers will feel more secure while making a purchase and know what to expect if they need to return an item. 

📦 Provide several return options: Give customers various return options, such as in-store returns, mail-in returns, and online returns. This will make it easy for them to identify a suitable solution. 

📦 Respond to return inquiries as soon as possible: It's critical to reply to return requests as soon as possible, especially during the Christmas season when customers may be pressed for time to exchange or return gifts.

📦 Automated return processes can help you efficiently handle significant returns and lessen the stress on your customer support crew. 

📦 Consider extending your return deadline or providing a longer return window throughout the holiday season to accommodate gift-giving.

Amazon Introduces New E-Commerce Feature That Is Similar To TikTok

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have made it easier for users to shop directly through their apps, known as social commerce. TikTok plans to open fulfillment centers to further its presence in this realm.

Amazon is now joining the trend with its new Inspire feature, which allows customers to access photo and video content created by social influencers and other users. Customers can scroll through the content, engage with creators, and use a search filter to find specific products. This platform will feel familiar to users as they navigate through it.

As content creators share their thoughts on various products, they may provide helpful installation tips and highlight potential performance concerns.

Viewers can easily click through to the product's page to make a purchase, while Amazon's generous return policy gives shoppers peace of mind. This socially interactive aspect of shopping allows consumers to discover new brands and products and feel more confident in their purchases.

As Amazon Inspire launches to select users this month, with a planned rollout to the entire United States in early 2023, some may wonder whether creators will receive any form of payment or benefit from the platform.

However, it is currently unclear if this will be the case. In the past, creators on other platforms have faced backlash and complaints from the Federal Trade Commission for failing to disclose paid partnerships. Will you be checking out this new feature?

Top Reads Of The Week

Nike Shares Surge As Inventory Challenges Start To Abate; Demand Stays Strong

Meta Is Building Virtual World Open To App Makers, CEO Tells Antitrust Court

Allyson Felix’s Saysh Expands To Canada

Nyx Launches New Makeup Collection On Roblox

Tiktok Ban For U.S. Government Phones Advances, Threatening Its Ad Revenue

IN NEED OF A JOB?  WE'VE GOT PLENTY AWAITING YOU!

Cashier - CVS Health

Retail Sales Associate - Nike

eCommerce Director - Creative Circle

Retail Marketing Coordinator - Disney 

Online Orderfilling and Delivery - Walmart

CHOOSE SUCCESS below, and have a great weekend! Get that DTC business runnin’.