Weidenhammer Systems Inc.

Hammer Commerce

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<p>Hammer Commerce is proud to announce that we have officially partnered with OroCommerce.</p>



<p>As a leading team of eCommerce developers, architects, and strategists, Hammer Commerce has sought to develop expertise in multiple platforms as a way of ensuring that our clients aren’t limited to one technology when considering how to grow their online presence. The modern era requires businesses to create unique digital experiences that cater to the specific needs of their customers and limiting our offerings to a single platform would mean going against our belief in providing our clients with the tools they need to create a sustainable, scalable, digital commerce experience that allows their business to grow. It was for that reason that we’ve partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hammercommerce.com/platforms/">other major platforms</a>, and have chosen to add OroCommerce to our roster.</p>



<p>OroCommerce is a unique suite of tools that have been designed to support B2B businesses like manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors. As a cloud-based digital commerce platform that comes with a built-in CRM and marketplace capabilities, OroCommerce is able to help B2B and B2B2C manage their mid-sized and enterprise operations seamlessly across geographic regions. Utilizing a modular, API-first approach, OroCommerce can integrate with other organizational systems and tools so that businesses can adapt their organization’s technology stack to the changing conditions of their industry.</p>



<p>No two businesses have exactly the same needs, and Hammer Commerce has worked with B2B businesses for decades to create digital commerce solutions that fit their needs like a glove. OroCommerce provides tools that will allow our developers and architects to continue building solutions that reflect the unique aspects of our clients’ businesses today and can grow with them into the future.</p>


Hammer Commerce Partners with OroCommerce

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<p>Earlier this year it was announced BigCommerce launched an app to allow merchants to put, Amazon’s Buy with Prime on storefronts that use BigCommerce. This shift shows the rapid rise and popularity of Buy with Prime. Introduced in Spring of last year, Buy with Prime allows merchants to sell their products/merchandise from their own websites. The result? This allows Amazon’s payments and fulfillment services to be available when they check out, letting customers use their Prime membership for faster/zero cost delivery.</p>



<p>Since the release of the Buy with Prime functionality for merchants, Amazon released internal data highlighting merchants who offer Buy with Prime, have seen customer conversion increase by 25%. These are just some of the many benefits for merchants who decide to use Buy with Prime.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Greater Conversion</strong></h2>



<p>In the current online competitive shopping world, merchants must engage customers and encourage them to buy their products. Buy with Prime means delivering the benefits and services that Prime service members have already come to know and expect. They trust the shipping and security from the Prime platform.</p>



<p>Buy with Prime allows merchants to enjoy the benefits of selling to Prime customers from their own ecommerce website. Merchants love the added number of clicks and conversion rates and the revolving door of returning customers. When Prime members see the Prime badge on other sites, it gives them the assurance they made a safe purchase.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Knowing Your Customer</strong></h2>



<p>Prior to Buy with Prime, one of the common complaints from merchants was they didn’t have enough information on their customers. All of that has now changed. When merchants sign up with Buy with Prime, they can build direct relationships with them and have access to a host of other data. What are some examples of the data? They include, but are not limited to, customer’s phone numbers, customer’s shipping addresses, and customer’s email addresses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Increase Traffic to Website</strong></h2>



<p>When merchants decide to display the Buy with Prime badge on their site or marketing material, they can expect a higher rate of shoppers navigating their website because of the security/peace of mind it creates with customers. Another positive result? They can expect an increase in the amount of sales. Again, the badge will appeal to Prime users who expect a shopping experience they trust.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Amazon’s Buy with Prime has changed the game for merchants. It has allowed Prime users to travel to different merchant’s sites and have the peace of mind to know their shopping experience will be secure when they view the Prime badge. With the security created for shoppers, Buy with Prime is set to become a revolutionary service for online merchants.</p>



<p>Are you interested in knowing more about Hammer Commerce? Get to know us and how we operate:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hammer.net/growth/" data-type="page" data-id="242">About Us</a></p>


Merchants Using Buy with Prime

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<p>Any business looking to sell a product, needs to have an irresistible way to pull customers in. In the ecommerce space, that means having a strong website that customers can use to get the answers they’re looking for. In an ideal world, this process would simply need an ecommerce storefront with a menu of product graphics and descriptions customers could select from before making their purchase.</p>



<p>On its face, it’s a pretty simple process, right? However, there are countless other businesses that may be offering a similar solution to your customer’s problem. Standing out as&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;solution they’re looking for can be difficult when everyone’s making the same claims you are. It’s not impossible, though, and one way to separate yourself from other businesses can be to leverage videos to cultivate a stronger digital footprint.</p>



<p>Video has become more popular among marketing professionals across industries, and with good reason. According to a survey,&nbsp;<a href="https://animoto.com/blog/business/small-business-video-infographic">96 percent of adults find videos helpful</a>, and almost 75 percent are more likely to buy a product if there’s a video explaining how it works. How can businesses with an ecommerce storefront put this insight into action? &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s the Benefit of Video in Ecommerce?</h2>



<p>When thinking about how to get people to an ecommerce storefront, there are only a few options to draw them in: through a search engine like Google, a social media platform, or a paid advertisement. Videos are helpful across all of these areas, but particularly on the search engine and social media fronts, because it boosts SEO in a way other content doesn’t. Using videos can also help improve your storefront’s customer experience, ultimately increasing the likelihood that customers buy.</p>



<p>Here’s a quick breakdown of how each can improve an ecommerce storefront (and your business in the process):</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Video Gives an SEO Boost to Your Ecommerce Store</h3>



<p>When talking about SEO, many marketing professionals are talking about Google in part because of its dominance in the search engine market, making it the standard SEO professionals try to follow. The rules that Google follows to rank websites for SEO aren’t written down anywhere, because Google wants to ensure that people aren’t gaming the algorithm, but that doesn’t mean SEO specialists haven’t developed a few rules of thumb that have worked for the majority of businesses. One of those is prioritizing higher engagement.</p>



<p>When a website visitor spends significant time on a site, it’s seen as more helpful in Google’s algorithm, so it gets prioritized for the search query that led the visitor there. For example, let’s say a customer is searching for “How to improve my ecommerce website.” Google will attempt to show pages that have proved helpful to people with similar search criteria, and one way it measures this is measuring how long someone’s spent on the page. Pages people spend longer on ranking more highly in search results because the algorithm thinks they’re getting the help they need.</p>



<p>Videos can help with this significantly because if it’s related to the user’s inquiry, then it keeps them on the page for a set period of time, implying to Google that valuable information is on the page for possible customers.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Video Can Be Useful on Social Media</h3>



<p>Once you have a piece of content, it’s necessary to maximize the value of that asset. Sharing videos or short clips of a longer video can be a great way of gaining attention and engaging with potential customers by reusing video content. Additionally, the link used in the social media post or in your profile can direct traffic to your storefront, making it possible to expand your potential customer base relatively easily.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Boosting Your Customer Experience with Video</h3>



<p>Aside from building your SEO, using videos to explain how your products work can be a way for your customers to get a better experience from visiting your ecommerce site. Shopping online may be a common occurrence, but customers still prefer to have access to as much information as possible. Creating videos that showcase your products in a way that clarifies the value to your customers can help them in their buying decision.</p>



<p>The key to utilizing video effectively in an ecommerce store is to ensure that every video is adding value to your customer’s experience, as it’s what will keep them coming back for more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Kinds of Video Should I Use?</h2>



<p>If you’re ready to invest in videos for your ecommerce site, the next stage of the process should focus on choosing which videos would have the most impact on your target audience.</p>



<p>There are a wide variety of videos that people will respond to depending on where they’re at in the buyer’s journey. Further, there’s no one recommendation that can be made that could be used by every business universal rewards.</p>



<p>However, there are three kinds of videos that are valuable for most businesses, which include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Unboxing: Unboxing videos for physical products have been used to invite audiences into the experience of opening a product for the first time. It can set the stage for what a customer can expect, but it can serve to boost excitement around the product if presented with that in mind.</li>



<li>Product Demo: Product demonstration videos offer the audience insight into how the product works. It offers an opportunity for potential customers to see the main value proposition and how it would solve their own problems.</li>



<li>Product Feature: A product feature video gives a potential customer the chance to see the product in action. By providing a snapshot of how the product is used in every day life, a product feature video can further cement the idea of how a product could bring value to the user.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Growing Need for Video</h2>



<p>Boosting the visibility of an ecommerce storefront on the internet can be a daunting task, but there are a variety of marketing tools that can be used to achieve it. Videos have been growing in popularity, and just like any other piece of content, boost the chances of being found online by people searching for your products. As discussed before, they can be a great tool for getting attention and holding it. They can also offer a way for you to communicate the emotional value of buying your product, which is often a big part of the decision-making process. However, video isn’t going to be a silver bullet to boost sales. Instead it should be a part of your portfolio of strategies your business uses to drive traffic to your ecommerce website.</p>



<p>Check out some of our clients who are successfully using video:</p>



<p>Gertrude Hawk:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/gertrudehawkchoc/reels/">Product Reels</a></p>



<p>HoverTech:&nbsp;<a href="https://hovermatt.com/products/hovermatt-air-transfer-system/">Product Demo</a></p>


Why You Should Consider Videos for Your eCommerce Site

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<p>By now, you have probably heard about or experimented with ChatGPT. Launched by OpenAI at the end of last year, it has quickly attracted attention for its quick in-depth responses to submitted prompts by users. The company and the chatbot application have seen a meteoric rise in the short span of time since its inception. Upon the release of ChatGPT, OpenAI was valued at $29 billion.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As curious users toy around with the application, others are having a broader conversation on what effects this AI software development will have on the private sector. Already, the field of ecommerce is navigating how this will affect their business model going forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Here are a few ways ChatGPT will impact the future of ecommerce.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Enhanced Customer Service and Reduce Human Resources in Call Centers</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>There will be a highly personalized customer service experience going forward. Why? Chatbots have a greater ability to retain and access information compared to humans. Knowing the prior history of customers will create a more enjoyable shopping experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another advantage will be 24/7 service to customers. No matter what time they go shopping, AI virtual assistants function around the clock, meaning customers can receive assistance at any time. This will be beneficial for ecommerce merchants who operate in multiple time zones or have customers in different regions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>In the long run, implementing AI in your customer service center will be cost-effective compared to hiring multiple customer service personnel. It also reduces the need for other call center technology, making it an appealing option for small/medium-sized businesses.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Better Product Descriptions and Product Recommendations</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>With thousands of merchants online, the ecommerce industry is a very competitive marketplace. What can these companies do to stand out? One method is to offer product descriptions that provide immediate excitement/satisfaction to customers. Any ecommerce merchant will tell you an engaging overview of the product can be the determining factor in whether a sale will be made or not.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>As a merchant, you will need some form of differentiation to stand out from the rest of the pack. Entering a prompt into ChatGPT can help an ecommerce site produce a creative description tailored to SEO needs and specific audiences to attract. In turn, this can help build a loyal base of customers who will keep returning to the site.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another area AI can assist with is site navigation issues. There can be unexpected promos popping up or products/services are hard to find resulting in potential customers feeling browser fatigue and possibly abandoning the site. AI chatbots could be trained to assist with navigation for new customers and make personalized product recommendations for existing customers. This will Improve user experience on the site and by knowing who the customer base is, can lead to increase customer satisfaction and keep improving customer conversion and lifetime value.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Social Media and Content Creation</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>For ecommerce merchants, it can’t hurt to have a few more “likes” or “retweets” on social media. The interactions and feedback allow merchants to engage with their audience and promote their product/services. But again, in a world vying for eyeballs and clicks, how do they compete with other companies on social media? ChatGPT can be used to assist in the crafting of posts, product launches, and promotional content. Writing a viral “tweet” or any kind of social media post can drive higher traffic to the respective site.&nbsp;</p>



<p>ChatGPT has the potential to be implemented for content creation outside of the world of social media. Given the proper direction, it can create email marketing content or high-quality blogs to educate customers on products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Conclusion</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>ChatGPT, and other AI based solutions, are revolutionary tools that can overhaul the way ecommerce merchants interact with their customers. With its 24/7 availability, personalized product recommendations, cost-effectiveness, improved customer retention, and ability to generate blog/email marketing content, ChatGPT may soon become an important tool for any ecommerce merchant looking to pull ahead of the competition.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Are you interested in knowing more about Hammer Commerce? Get to know us and how we operate:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hammer.net/teams/growth/" data-type="page" data-id="95">About Us</a></p>



<p></p>


ChatGPT…What it Means for the Future of eCommerce

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<p>Shopify remains one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the US, accounting for<a href="https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/ecommerce-platform-market-share-in-usa">&nbsp;23% of total market shares</a>. One significant reason for its popularity lies in the platform’s user-friendliness, where business owners can start selling with minimal friction and delay.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With close to<a href="https://www.edesk.com/blog/shopify-statistics/">&nbsp;2.1 million active users per day</a>, Shopify serves as a perfect starting point for start-ups and dropshipping businesses to build a reliable customer base when starting their venture.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Yet, with gradual use, business owners might notice some disadvantages with the user-friendly platform that limits the growth and development of their brand. In such cases, your e-commerce might have outgrown the Shopify framework, and it’s time to shed the training wheels to drive your business to the next level.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-api-limitations-undermine-customer-experiences">When API Limitations Undermine Customer Experiences</h2>



<p>Application programming interfaces (APIs) are essential components for running an online business. For the non-technical among us – an API call is used when communicating between your online store and any other software/application system. These calls go a long way for checking inventory statuses, confirming pricing, checking for discounts, identifying customer information, placing orders, and the list goes on.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Essentially, an API call processes the information submitted by end-users, whereas the speed of an API call reflects the quickness of user responses. Unfortunately, Shopify enforces API call rate limits to provide the general user with a stable and fair experience. These call rates translate to a default of 4 per second that site owners can upgrade to 10 per second – with a premium account.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While these moderated call rates may benefit standard users by providing a stable e-commerce environment, they restrict the performance and user experience of businesses running high-traffic sites. Imagine a rule within a race that prevents drivers from exceeding 80 miles per hour for safety purposes. The same crippling restriction applies to API limitations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ignoring API call limitations can take a real hit on the reliability of your business. So, it might be an excellent time to seek an alternate e-commerce solution when customer complaints start pouring in regarding failed or delayed user requests.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-you-require-unique-ecommerce-solutions-for-b2b-operations">When You Require Unique ECommerce Solutions For B2B Operations&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A commercial eCommerce platform like Shopify mainly caters to the mainstream B2C crowd with standard customer solutions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As a B2B business owner, you face a different ball game. For starters, you’ll need a customized interface that responds splendidly based on the uniqueness of your business model and niche customer profiles.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some specific solutions that could make a winning impact include customer self-service portals, unique pricing by customer, product category, individual items, quick order entry capabilities, the ability for your outside sales force to use the site to generate customer quotes and facilitate ordering for many items, and much more.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Advanced enterprise resource planning technology will give you the capabilities to integrate various aspects of your business processes to align with your e-commerce operations. Such technology isn’t feasible with a mainstream eCommerce platform built to serve B2C businesses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Out-of-the-box solutions like Shopify lack the flexibility in keeping up with the demands within a complex B2B landscape. Case in point? Shopify’s platform has a limit of 100 product variants, along with the absence of native support that could do wonders for complex catalogs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you feel that the standardized features of your e-commerce store are holding back robust B2B operations, it could be a sign that you’ll need to embark on a Shopify migration toward a more granular web solution.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-it-becomes-difficult-to-justify-platform-fees">When It Becomes Difficult To Justify Platform Fees</h2>



<p>Mainstream eCommerce solutions like Shopify charge a significant fee for providing business owners with a convenient and user-friendly platform. These include charges for every transaction and additional fees if you develop a preference and do not use their payment processor or shipping solution.</p>



<p>And then, there’s platform security, which is essential for giving customers peace of mind as they visit your store. Shopify does not offer a dedicated SSL certificate in its basic plan, which is necessary for safeguarding online communication.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While the platform provides added security features for Shopify Plus, these come at a hefty price tag, priced over $1,000 per month. With everything mentioned, Shopify also comes with hidden fees that dwindle your business ROI. For instance, users have reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/transaction-credits-on-refunds-fees-after-march-1-2020-shopify/td-p/642688">transaction fee imposed by Shopify on refunds</a>, where business owners need to absorb the cost of the process.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While these transaction costs may seem necessary for supporting site owners who lack technical experience within the eCommerce world, they seem pretty excessive for well-established businesses focused on improving their overall ROI.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeking-shopify-alternatives">Seeking Shopify Alternatives&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Ultimately, consider seeking a more specialized eCommerce platform with greater flexibility over your online store management. A quality platform will help you decouple front-end functions from backend management. After all, the B2B market faces its own set of unique business demands that require specific eCommerce solutions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These Shopify alternatives should equip you with the capabilities to run a headless solution, offering a seamless infrastructure that you can customize according to your business goals while customers enjoy unforgettable experiences.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And when it comes to the most flexible eCommerce solutions on the block (with an enterprise-level design to boot), look no further than BigCommerce!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigcommerce">BigCommerce&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The BigCommerce SaaS platform provides you with access to enterprise-level e-commerce capabilities at a reasonable cost. BigCommerce comes with built-in compatibility with over 35 payment processors, coupled with PCI DSS compliance and 256-bit SSL encryption to facilitate POS operations if required.&nbsp;</p>



<p>BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees, allowing you to improve your business ROI. Also, users with HTML or CSS experience may customize BigCommerce site templates via an advanced HTML editor to achieve the ideal store layout. Unlike the product variant limits on Shopify, BigCommerce provides unlimited storage and product additions for all plans.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Through BigCommerce, your business will have the flexibility and tools vital for meeting the needs of modern customers with quality solutions every time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Speak with Hammer Tech’s IT and marketing experts to discover how we can help your business achieve a seamless migration to BigCommerce today!</p>


Category: Hammer Commerce

Hammer Commerce Partners with OroCommerce

Merchants Using Buy with Prime

Why You Should Consider Videos for Your eCommerce Site

ChatGPT…What it Means for the Future of eCommerce

How To Know When You Have Outgrown Shopify