What Makes An Online Business Popular? Tips On Site Creation

Creating a website for a business isn’t as simple as one thinks. First, it has to be user-friendly. One of the most important factors for achieving this is that it can be easily found through any of the existing search engines out there. Here are a few more tips on how to attract more people to a business via a website.

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Make it easy for guests to navigate and search.

If the website is selling products, the list of items should be easy to find. The same goes with services. Businesses with a lot of items to sell can use dropdown menus to save space. Search bars should usually be on the top right for easy access.

Have a lot of information for items.

Aside from the usual explanations on items or services being provided, websites should also inform people just how many items are still available, or if they’re sold out. Other important info includes discounts if they’re bought in bulk, or if there’s a promo going on and which items are included.

Do not complicate the checkout process.

One thing online shoppers despise is a complicated checkout process. This is the part that concludes the visit, and should be short and sweet. One of the best ways to ensure this is to have all the pertinent info such as items, billing, shipping, and confirmation all in a single page.

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A senior director and the head of research in Walmart Labs, Abhishek Gattani spearheaded the launch of the company’s search engine and e-commerce platform, Polaris. The platform now powers Walmart’s e-commerce products, which includes Walmart.com, store search, mobile web, and mobile apps. To know more about Mr. Gattani and his accomplishments in e-commerce, go to this blog.

The increasing role of social media in e-commerce

There’s no denying the crucial role social media now plays in any business, especially those venturing into online platforms. Today, the average person spends almost two hours browsing social media sites every day, and the number of customers buying online in the U.S. will reach 217 million by the end of 2017. 

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Advertisements on paper and on the storefront are simply not enough in the digital age. The reputation and success of any business depend largely on their standing in social media. Sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are now being used to increase online presence and to offer quality customer services faster and more efficiently. 

Projected successful brands are those that are able to maximize their reach and effectiveness in paid social media advertising. It’s not enough to pay ads on Google shopping and the like; brands driven by e-commerce are investing more in paid social media accounts to better reach their target audience. This is because a social media ad is easier to both set up and track. 

Another important development to note is that customers are starting to prefer private messaging. In a study done by Venturebeat.com, it was found out that 49.4 percent of customers would rather contact a business through a 24/7 messaging service than through the phone. Snapchat, IG, and Facebook Messenger now provide great engagement options for both startups and big businesses.

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Abhishek Gattani is a senior director at Walmart Labs. He was instrumental in the launch of the company’s search engine and e-commerce platform, Polaris. For more reads on e-commerce, visit this blog.

Enhancing e-Commerce With Chatbots

Last 2016, the total global revenue that artificial intelligence (AI) brought in reached $643.7 million. By 2025, that amount is seen to increase to $36.8 billion as developers continue to enhance the capabilities and efficiency of this technology.

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E-commerce businesses can also benefit from AI through chatbots.

A chatbot is an automated program designed to be able to converse with people through a mix of natural language processing, machine learning, and human operators. The technology has actually been present for a number of years now, a notable example of which is Siri.

Because of consumer behaviors, businesses who have embraced the e-commerce platform should consider adopting a chatbot technology. Many customers prefer receiving responses to their inquiries within a short time. And traffic to e-commerce websites is quickly surging by the day. Chatbots can become an indispensable tool due to these.

And the good news is that consumers are becoming more open to transacting with chatbots. According to Ubisend, 20 percent of consumers would consider buying goods and services after talking with a chatbot. Reaching target audiences, giving efficient customer service, endorsing products and services, and driving sales can be that much easier for e-commerce brands through a chatbot.

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Abhishek Gattani, an alumnus of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and founder of companies Cuberon, Big Refunds, and Fireball Solutions, is currently the head of search at Walmart Labs. He was instrumental in the launch of the company’s search engine and e-commerce platform, Polaris. Learn more about him by visiting this LinkedIn page.

The big data trends of 2017

The term big data refers to sizeable and complex sets of information that need special types of processors to be of any use to an organization. It has increasingly been associated with various methods of data analytics because of its usefulness in the understanding of trends, behaviors, and whatnot once data is subjected to rigorous analysis. Discussions on big data also include the rapid growth of data sets through the widespread use of devices capable of capturing them. From mobile phones to RFID readers, the collection of data is becoming more effortless than ever. 

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Big data analytics has become one of the most controversial disruptive technologies introduced late in the Information Age. According to most technological predictions, it will continue to change the landscape of data processing as innovations continue to utilize the information embedded in these sets. For one, tech companies are banking on the implications of big data analytics on the future of artificial intelligence. Products that add to the Internet of Things network are being pushed out and consequently improved year in year out by tech giants that demonstrate how the development of AI can benefit a lot from big data. 

Since part of the challenges faced by companies with large data sets is storage, processing, and sharing, a lot of them are moving to cloud platforms and services that can offer much flexibility in the management of data. And if corporations are truly becoming more serious by the minute about big data aggregation plans, dark data will continue to be a valuable resource for businesses. Leaders have recognized the value of unutilized data in providing a more comprehensive picture or perspective of performance and trends. 

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Abhishek Gattani is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the founder of the companies Cuberon, Big Refunds, and Fireball Solutions. He has also worked for other companies like Kosmix, Stryker, and Newgen Software Laboratories. At Walmart Labs, he holds the title of distinguished architect. To learn more about his professional work, visit this LinkedIn page.

E-Commerce Trend Watch: From Mobile To Ai

Massive trends continue to change the e-commerce marketing landscape this year. According to this articles, here are some e-commerce trends that retailers have to take note of.

It’s still mobile, mobile, mobile, where the growth of the platform couldn’t be emphasized enough as it has found its way at every stage of the purchasing process. The most progressive retailers now develop their marketing and content with mobile first instead of simply optimizing websites for mobile. Mobile payments, too, are on a roll, with brands needing to make their checkout process as seamless and frictionless as possible for mobile users.

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Personalization is high up on the list, too, covering everything from informed targeting to breaking away from one-size-fits-all websites. The conversation needs to be revised in a way that the homepage offers something for everyone, not giving the same thing to all visitors. Along with this is dynamic automation, where retailers should avoid mass outreach and instead enhance relevance and touch each customer based on their inclination to buy or interact with you.

Artificial intelligence (AI) remains big, with potential for better direct interaction on social media platforms via chatbots and live support. In addition, there’s the drive toward seamless experiences, where the explosion of mobile usage in-store entails a greater focus on the need for seamless shopping and consistency across all brand channels.

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Finally, there’s the rise of more delivery expectations, where delivery options continue to expand and embrace customers’ diversifying needs. Same-day service and local drop-off are only some features of this trend in the ever-moving world of e-commerce.

Abhishek Gattani is the head of search at Walmart Labs and spearheaded the launch of the company’s 'Polaris' search engine, which currently powers many of its e-commerce products globally. For similar reads, follow this link.

The Walmart effect: How the retail giant became an institution

Walmart remains to be an American institution. For 55 years, the chain of stores made an impact in the lives of millions. It has also been a key player in U.S. labor, retail, and economy. But how did the company achieve the success it enjoys up to this day? 

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Founder Sam Walton had a vision when he started Walmart-- "Everyday low prices." Through the years, the business has given millions of consumers what they need for lower cost, which meant leverage over the competition as well. Having over 10,000 retail stores is enough proof that consumers have trusted the company through the years. 

Another quality of Walmart that became a part of people's lives is that it became a one-stop shop for their needs. From food to novelty items, people no longer need to search far and wide to get what they need. A few decades ago, this idea of having a variety of products in one big store seemed to be impossible. These days, stores are expected to have all of a person's material needs and more.

Decades after, Walmart is still a major player in retail and economics. As the largest private employer in the world, it has changed the lives of many in the workforce. And despite the influx of technology in everyday life, Walmart continues to do its core service but with adjustments. Its entry into the e-commerce game is proving to be a promising endeavor as it modernizes what it has been known for through these years. 

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Abhishek Gattani served as the head of search at Walmart Labs, spearheading the launch of Walmart’s 'Polaris' search engine and e-commerce platform. The platform led to a 15 percent increase in sales since its launch, and today powers many of Walmart’s e-commerce products, including Walmart.com, store search, mobile web, and mobile apps. For more on Abhishek and his work, visit this LinkedIn page.

Responsive Design, The Walmart Way

Walmart Labs is charged with developing innovative technology solutions for one of the world’s largest retailers. Its approach to design and development revolves around delivering better service to the company’s consumers.

Responsive design is one of the hallmark achievements of the Walmart Labs team and is the guiding principle to many of its developments. The need for responsiveness is especially apparent when catering to customers across multiple online channels. Not everything that works on one platform would work well on another.

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Responsive technology meets the challenge, allowing the company’s e-commerce systems to adapt to the needs of customers while maintaining the desired level of convenience and familiarity across all platforms.

One of the key accomplishments toward this end is an overhaul of all websites in the Walmart umbrella. The upgrade, which was completed in 2015, allows an individual website to adapt its displays according to the visiting customer’s screen size, allowing for an optimized and easy-to-use website experience regardless of the device the customer uses.

Responsiveness doesn’t just stop at website design. Targeted recommendations and improved mobile e-commerce solutions are also a new development pursued by Walmart Labs. Over the years, it has several companies specializing in the development of sophisticated programs accomplishing a broad assortment of tasks from assessing customer needs and wants through predictive analytics to effective e-receipt delivery.

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Abhishek Gattani serves as the head of search at Walmart Labs, having spearheaded the creation of its search platform Polaris. Visit his company’s website for more on its new e-commerce developments.