When running an online business, it is important to know how to integrate retail POS and eCommerce sites to increase your sales. Do you know why and what POS and eCommerce are? If not, here you will get to know about all three!
For achieving retail success, it is important to integrate all your online and offline operations with reliable and user-friendly POS and eCommerce software. In this post, you will learn the reason for this statement.
It is true that everything in this world is changing, including how we look for our desired products and shop for them. Considering today’s shoppers, we will find them using different shopping methods. These days, shoppers have different buying habits and higher expectations than what it was a few years back.
The shoppers are now more resourceful and use multiple shopping sites to make the right purchase. They also look for a store where they can find various options within their budget. So, providing them with just a single retail channel is not enough.
Here, omnichannel software works effectively in making the retail experience much better than anything else. In simple words, we can also say that omnichannel is one of the essential parts of retail success. Omnichannel is a game changer that provides a seamless customer experience by offering multiple shopping methods for both online and offline retail.
These days, many retailers prefer integrating their eCommerce POS systems and put all efforts into getting the benefits of automated management for better branding. Every retailer should think of this when introducing an in-trend solution to their business processes.
So, don’t waste more time if you have not yet integrated your offline store with your online shop. Just roll up your sleeves and accept the change professionally.
Right off the bat, you’ll need to work on having an omnichannel retail strategy as it helps greatly in fulfilling the customers’ demands. Also, even small retail businesses can integrate their POS and eCommerce software as it is highly budget-friendly!
Many retailers think that they should have done this task long ago. It is so because integration is something that makes everything easier and better not only for the customers but also allows owners to manage their business easily. It is a beneficial practice to take your business to the next level without much effort.
So, let’s look at how you can benefit by integrating your POS and eCommerce store!
When we look at online sales data in Australia and New Zealand, we can gather that it has grown considerably with time. There was a significant increase in sales before Covid-19. And by now, the sales continue to increase drastically without any sign of slowing down.
But, it is also true that many customers still do not use online stores just for purchasing. Rather, online shopping is one of their ways to research and learn more about a specific product. Some of them even secure orders ahead of time.
For instance, a customer knows that their specific product is available on the online store, which they will then purchase through Click and Collect. It allows them to get the desired product on the same day without freight charges or waiting for delivery.
These days, customers are known for oscillating from online to offline options and returning to the online store. It means they now take more time deciding where to buy a specific product. For this, retailers need to work on implementing a strategy that can change the game to gain success.
Recent research shows that around 52% of customers are attracted to brands that can fulfil their demands via online and offline channels. The customers show less interest in the brands that connect with them on just one channel.
The days when people search around the retail stores pointlessly are gone. Nowadays, shoppers have become smarter. They know what they want, so they start searching for the specific product accordingly. They know how to start and where to start the research.
Another shopper’s behaviour to note is that they are highly impatient. Resultantly, many prefer to receive their desired products on the same day or have next-day delivery. It puts huge pressure on retailers, especially when they sell highly demanding products.
Let’s briefly understand what these terms precisely mean.
It allows customers to make a purchase through a process that includes handling both software and hardware. POS systems are widely used globally in cinemas, restaurants and retail stores. They contribute to fulfilling transactions between a buyer and a seller, which may also happen online and offline.
With time, retail POS software has progressed to a stage where it can interact with various sophisticated tools used across a particular business. Retailers can use POS software to handle their several business operations, such as inventory, suppliers, products, pricing, marketing, etc.
The short and simplest name for eCommerce is the online shopping store. It involves all the business activities that buyers conduct to buy a product online, while on the other side, sellers need a payment process to sell their products online. Therefore, the term ECommerce encapsulates all such activities.
It is a solution that connects your presence in the online retail store with the POS software. This online store is managed via different eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify. The POS software uses the live data on the store to handle simple to complex business processes.
Such integration enables you to centralise all the business data and processes into the POS system. Thus, this makes it easier for you to manage everything in a single place.
The integration of eCommerce and POS systems is something that ensures delivering seamless operability. It works effectively in refining the interaction between retailers and customers, greatly satisfying new shoppers. Simultaneously, these integrations make processes easier for the staff while reducing your management costs.
Have a look at some of the important benefits of eCommerce POS integration.
It is a solution that connects your presence in the online retail store with the POS software. This online store is managed via different eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify. The POS software uses the live data on the store to handle simple to complex business processes.
Such integration enables you to centralise all the business data and processes into the POS system. Thus, this makes it easier for you to manage everything in a single place.
Businesses in today’s world need to learn to be alert and act smartly since their audiences have shrinking attention spans. Using integrated software for your business ensures that you can move where your customers can and where they want to go.
Whether it is about social media shopping, online sales, orders on the phone call, or even Click and Collect- integration plays a grand role in acquiring ongoing retail success even in indeterminate times.
Live stock reports enable customers to see the availability of their desired products in the inventory. It allows them to pick up the product at the nearest store. Such services increase foot traffic in the store, and the customers are more likely to buy more when they visit your store.
When a specific product is not available in one store, a retailer can transfer stock between stores based on availability. It further helps reduce the chances of falling sales, increases customer loyalty and offers the customer a unified experience.
When products are available online and in-store, this gives customers an excellent shopping experience. The instant pick-up experience also gives customers a reason to visit the store instantly. Ultimately, retailers can enjoy more sales and more profits by offering such services.
For example, customers can secure orders through Click and Collect when researching their desired products. It is what is highly required of retailers these days.
According to one survey, it is found that nearly 31% of customers leave their cart when retailers do not offer Click and Collect.
Retailers can offer a variety of attractive deals, such as gift cards, discounts, coupons, etc., for both online and offline stores. Such promotions are one of the great ways to improve the shopping experience. It enables you to increase loyalty and repeat customers, which is what every business owner wants to achieve.
Combining both POS systems and eCommerce platforms eliminates the stress of managing your precious time. It provides the best way to say goodbye to manual data input. The data automation enables you to store all your required information at one location and get actionable reports on all operations.
It also eliminates the task of manually updating data, whether for online or offline orders. Thus, there is no chance of human errors. You can spend this time on other business activities.
