{"id":14922,"date":"2021-04-19T09:07:08","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T16:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grin.co\/?p=14922"},"modified":"2025-10-03T14:41:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T21:41:42","slug":"automation-and-artificial-intelligence-in-ecommerce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/automation-and-artificial-intelligence-in-ecommerce\/","title":{"rendered":"Automation and Artificial Intelligence in Ecommerce: How Ecommerce Marketing Is Changing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology plays a critical role in consumer spending. After the coronavirus reduced in-person shopping across the world, shoppers found satisfaction in the rapidly-developing world of ecommerce through online stores, in-app shopping, social commerce, delivery services, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"566\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Episode-1_Steve-Hutt-Quote-768x768-1.webp\" alt=\"Steve Hutt quote and portrait for GRIN Gets Real episode\" class=\"wp-image-22066\" style=\"width:525px;height:525px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Episode-1_Steve-Hutt-Quote-768x768-1.webp 566w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Episode-1_Steve-Hutt-Quote-768x768-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Episode-1_Steve-Hutt-Quote-768x768-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Episode-1_Steve-Hutt-Quote-768x768-1-96x96.webp 96w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much of ecommerce success in 2020 lies in the creation and refinement of various automation and artificial intelligence tools. Not only have the latest technologies transformed online shopping, they have actually revolutionized everything about what retail used to be.<\/span> Read more to find out about the implementation of automation and artificial intelligence in ecommerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s the difference between automation and artificial intelligence?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Programming terms such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">automation<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">artificial intelligence<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are not synonymous and thinking that they are can lead to poor software investments for ecommerce brands.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"410\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AI-and-Automation-410x1024-1.webp\" alt=\"AI &amp; Automation infographic\" class=\"wp-image-22067\" style=\"width:410px;height:1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AI-and-Automation-410x1024-1.webp 410w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AI-and-Automation-410x1024-1-120x300.webp 120w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AI-and-Automation-410x1024-1-150x375.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.datasciencecentral.com\/what-s-the-difference-between-artificial-intelligence-and\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Data Science Central<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_40b49d-f5 kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_6bec6c-bb\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>AI and Automation: Comparing the 2 Types<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>AI<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-cea75c9\" class=\"list-cb2f3cb\"><ul><li><em>Thinks for Itself or as close to a human as possible.<\/em><\/li><li><em>Benefits include competitor advantage, increased revenue and higher productivity.<\/em><\/li><li><em>An example of Artificial Intelligence is self-driving cars using human-like vehicle handling.<\/em><\/li><li><em>Automation<\/em><\/li><li><em>Automation is driven by a programme or software with rules.<\/em><\/li><li><em>Benefits include higher productivity, less variation, less costs and more reliability.<\/em><\/li><li><em>An example of automation is email automation funnels used by marketing departments.<\/em><\/li><li><em>Edge Tech<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Website: <a href=\"https:\/\/edgetech.ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/edgetechrecruitment.ai<\/a> Email: <\/em><a href=\"mailto:info@edgetechrecruitment.io\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>info@edgetechrecruitment.io<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ecommerce automation<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Automation refers to any platform that performs certain functions independently of a human telling it to do so<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Most automation tools require an individual to set rules, conditions, and parameters and then run in the background for as long as the administrator or team desires.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automation in ecommerce helps brands address redundant or tedious tasks efficiently so that operators can focus on other issues within the business. These tasks can (and do) exist within any function of the ecommerce process:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c34825b\" class=\"list-cd15fe4\"><ul><li>Manufacturing<\/li><li>Distribution<\/li><li>Website<\/li><li>Advertising<\/li><li>Content<\/li><li>Transactions<\/li><li>Fulfillment<\/li><li>Shipping<\/li><li>Customer Service<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artificial intelligence in ecommerce<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Artificial intelligence, or AI, fuels better automation by allowing engineers to program human-like decision-making processes<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. AI helps platforms scale with an ecommerce brand\u2019s growth so that it can manage various baseline and outlier shopper behavior properly.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, AI also empowers machine learning, a higher level of tech development that makes a program or automation tool aware of new circumstances and able to apply unique adjustments to AI decision-making. In other words, <\/span><b><i>ecommerce is constantly upgrading AI capabilities so that they are smarter and more intuitive as a platform gathers more user data<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How are automation and artificial intelligence helping ecommerce brands?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The impact of automation and AI in ecommerce has two fronts: vendors and shoppers. For vendors, better technology improves internal processes, marketing, and sales. From the shoppers\u2019 point of view, automation and AI offer greater personalization and a better user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"877\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/eMarketer-importance-of-select-emerging-technologies-2020-according-client-side-marketers-agency-executives-worldwide-of-respondents-251959.webp\" alt=\"Bar graph of Importance of Select Emerging Technologies in 2020 showing the importance of artificial intelligence in ecommerce\" class=\"wp-image-22068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/eMarketer-importance-of-select-emerging-technologies-2020-according-client-side-marketers-agency-executives-worldwide-of-respondents-251959.webp 640w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/eMarketer-importance-of-select-emerging-technologies-2020-according-client-side-marketers-agency-executives-worldwide-of-respondents-251959-219x300.webp 219w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/eMarketer-importance-of-select-emerging-technologies-2020-according-client-side-marketers-agency-executives-worldwide-of-respondents-251959-150x206.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/chart-na1.emarketer.com\/233033\/importance-of-select-emerging-technologies-2020-according-client-side-marketers-agency-executives-worldwide-of-respondents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eMarketer<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_ebf28f-ea kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_f4c20b-1b\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Bar graph of Importance of Select Emerging Technologies in 2020 According to Client-Side Marketers and Agency Executives Worldwide (% of respondents)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>AI<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c5eed8e\" class=\"list-cc1d02d\"><ul><li><em>36% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>47% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>18% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Enhanced payment technologies<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c63a9d4\" class=\"list-ca2fc31\"><ul><li><em>35% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>40% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>25% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Live video\/live streaming<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c42d739\" class=\"list-c4f3773\"><ul><li><em>31% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>43% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>25% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Chatbots\/messenger apps<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-cbef850\" class=\"list-ce1e533\"><ul><li><em>30% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>47% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>24% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>5g<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c278813\" class=\"list-c4954c4\"><ul><li><em>29% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>36% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>36% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Internet of things<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-ce4fa86\" class=\"list-cbf14d5\"><ul><li><em>26% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>47% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>27% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Voice interfaces<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c82efca\" class=\"list-ca5216d\"><ul><li><em>22% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>44% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>34 regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>VR\/AR<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c0ca26b\" class=\"list-cd150ca\"><ul><li><em>17% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>48% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>35% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Facial recognition<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c7f2dff\" class=\"list-c37f795\"><ul><li><em>13% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>32% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>54% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wearables<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c798428\" class=\"list-c704e79\"><ul><li><em>13% regarded as very important<\/em><\/li><li><em>35% regarded as quite important<\/em><\/li><li><em>52% regarded as not important<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While automation and AI are altering the ecommerce landscape in countless ways, we\u2019ve narrowed them down to six game-changing categories.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-cdd430e\" class=\"list-c6b649f\"><ul><li>Omnichannel Marketing<\/li><li>PDPs and Search<\/li><li>Conversational Marketing<\/li><li>Loyalty Currency<\/li><li>Payments and Fulfillment<\/li><li>Relationship Management<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Omnichannel marketing in ecommerce<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The omnichannel retail approach used to only belong to big brand names with deep pockets, such as Nike and Sephora. But today &#8211; thanks in large part to the economic impact of COVID-19 &#8211; small, DTC brands are able to enjoy omnichannel capabilities on a modest budget.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to omnichannel marketing, the keyword is \u201cseamless.\u201d Consumers don\u2019t have to update platforms or sales agents with their preferences, purchases, and issues, because every branded platform and location talks to each other.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"626\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1-1024x626.webp\" alt=\"Infographic of Multichannel vs Omnichannel examples\n\" class=\"wp-image-22069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1-1024x626.webp 1024w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1-300x184.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1-768x470.webp 768w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1-150x92.webp 150w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Omnichannel_vs_multichannel-1177x720-1.webp 1177w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omnisend.com\/blog\/omnichannel-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Omnisend<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_17b01f-ad kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_a36918-18\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Multichannel vs Omnichannel&nbsp;<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Multichannel: Starts with the company and moves outward to channels<\/em><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Business<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c59fc1a\" class=\"list-cf6fc93\"><ul><li><em>Web<\/em><\/li><li><em>Mobile<\/em><\/li><li><em>Social<\/em><\/li><li><em>Store<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Omnichannel: Starts with the customer and interacts between channels for a seamless experience<\/em><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Customer<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c06374e\" class=\"list-c300664\"><ul><li><em>Mobile<\/em><\/li><li><em>Telephone<\/em><\/li><li><em>Social<\/em><\/li><li><em>Web<\/em><\/li><li><em>Store<\/em><\/li><li><em>Customer service<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Omnichannel retail is the best automation and AI example of consumer-centric technology<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But the benefits still go both ways, since brands using the omnichannel approach enjoy consistency and turnkey solutions (such as real-time inventory updates) whether a consumer purchased on an app, website, social media store, or brick-and-mortar storefront.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Product description pages and consumer search<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether in creating product descriptions or broader SEO, the ongoing struggle is for marketers and engineers to understand what users mean when they input queries in search tools.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, consumers know what they want or need but don\u2019t know the name. Other times, shoppers can describe a problem they\u2019re having but aren\u2019t sure what products and solutions are available.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"502\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/product-page-design-optimization-show-me-your-mumu.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/product-page-design-optimization-show-me-your-mumu.webp 940w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/product-page-design-optimization-show-me-your-mumu-300x160.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/product-page-design-optimization-show-me-your-mumu-768x410.webp 768w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/product-page-design-optimization-show-me-your-mumu-150x80.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/bluestout.com\/blog\/ecommerce-product-page-design-optimization\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Blue Stout<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from making sure that an online store\u2019s PDPs are accurate, the next step is to anticipate consumer search activity online. This project requires data collection and analysis to improve website schema, keyword strategies, product description copywriting, tags, and eCommerce search tools. Automation and AI are helping vendors simplify this process and better serve the needs of customers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conversational marketing<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Conversational marketing is any attempt to provide direct, one-to-one assistance to online shoppers using on-demand conversational tools, such as live chat, instant messaging, or SMS marketing<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This approach to customer support and sales rose primarily out of UX issues with chatbot services. Brands with limited resources recognized the need for 24\/7 customer and sales support but lacked the funds to hire live agents. Chatbots filled the void (at least in theory) at a fraction of the cost and provided ecommerce brands a front-lines conversational support tool to keep shoppers engaged.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But chatbot technology is not the same as conversations with human beings. As such, automation and AI have begun offering hybrid solutions, empowering the human touch at every possible opportunity while supporting financial and time constraints facing most small to medium ecommerce businesses today.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The results thus far are impressive. Chatbots are able to handle incrementally more complex issues, and live agents have more margin to assist customers with specialized problems and questions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent developments in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emotive.io\/blog\/two-way-sms-marketing-one-way-blasts-versus-two-way-personal-messaging\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two-way text message marketing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are allowing brands to continue the conversation with shoppers even after they\u2019ve left an online store. Other examples of conversational marketing include brand-consumer interactions during social media live events (in the comments), as well as influencers showcasing their favorite products and answering questions about those products online.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only has conversational marketing increased revenue for these brands, but it has also significantly reduced returns and abandoned carts.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loyalty currency management<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The loyalty ecosystem within ecommerce allows shoppers to enjoy new privileges and discounts in return for their repeat purchases and referrals.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating and managing a loyalty currency program requires brands to recognize their repeat customers, maintain critical margins, and sort enormous amounts of data. Without automation and AI, the process would be nearly impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/recognition-loyalty-700x442-1.webp\" alt=\"Line graph of recognition loyalty \" class=\"wp-image-22072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/recognition-loyalty-700x442-1.webp 700w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/recognition-loyalty-700x442-1-300x189.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/recognition-loyalty-700x442-1-150x95.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/antavo.com\/blog\/customer-loyalty-programs\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Antavo<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_bffc17-a1 kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_953e89-42\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Line graph of Recognition Loyalty time vs engagement level<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The longer the time and the more engagement outside of just the buying cycle, the more the more customer engagement level.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But as technology provides more and better streamlined functionality for loyalty programs, brands will be able to increase the value of loyalty tokens and rewards. These advances will help brands nurture more vibrant customer advocacy programs and increase retention.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payments and fulfillment<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>The transaction and product fulfillment process is perhaps one of the most critical components to a competitive ecommerce strategy<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Payment options allow shoppers to pay easier and faster, and brands must demonstrate basic consumer security measures.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thanks in large part to <\/span><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/what-dtc-brands-need-to-know-about-selling-on-amazon\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazon Prime<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, consumers also expect faster shipping. To make that happen, brands must find reliable ways to verify payments, connect orders to distribution, update inventory, maintain sustainable price points, and ship purchases as soon as possible. ecommerce solutions are helping brands of all sizes automate and streamline their fulfillment process to remain competitive with Amazon, Walmart.com, Target, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Community and relationship management<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the wake of all that automation and AI offer ecommerce, brand communities and customer advocates remain the most effective means of raising brand awareness and driving conversions online. ecommerce marketers are achieving higher ROI by managing their customer and influencer relationships directly, rather than outsourcing those tasks to agencies.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhether you\u2019re creating an influencer program, or a committee, or an online community forum\u2026 purpose is the bedrock of everything else\u2026 I can say with relative certainty that there will never be a world in which we don\u2019t have more hybrid approaches to gathering people.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<cite><em>&#8211; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/podcast\/how-to-create-engaging-online-communities\/\"><em>Carrie Melissa Jones on GRIN Gets Real Podcast<\/em><\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proper relationship management within the context of customer advocacy requires brands to be tuned in to social listening and <\/span><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/user-generated-content\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relevant user-generated content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Marketers must also coordinate influencer campaigns and secure the right agreements to repurpose high-performing UGC from customers, ambassadors, and influencers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ecommerce automation: Pros and cons<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro: Fewer labor hours and lower long-term costs<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Calcuting-The-ROI-2.webp\" alt=\"Line graph of cumulated costs vs time of manual vs automated testing\" class=\"wp-image-22073\" style=\"width:615px;height:466px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Calcuting-The-ROI-2.webp 615w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Calcuting-The-ROI-2-300x227.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Calcuting-The-ROI-2-150x114.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simform.com\/blog\/automated-functional-testing\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Simform<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_f72523-c4 kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_8b50a5-92\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Line graph of cumulated costs vs time of manual vs automated testing.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Automated testing has a higher initial investment that plateaus over time, while manual testing has a low initial investment but requires more cumulated costs over time. This chart demonstrates the cumulated cost savings of automated testing.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most obvious benefit of intelligent systems in ecommerce is the reduction in labor hours and costs that results from digitally-transformed processes. Workforces become enormously simplified thanks to sound execution of automation and AI.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This benefit trickles down to the customer, because managers and team members have more margin to improve sales support and customer service.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro: Increased personalization<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automation tools can gather and assess data instantaneously. What that means for ecommerce brands is that they can better understand their customers and tailor their online store and products to their most important customer segments.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many ecommerce platforms now come equipped with product recommendation features that align with a shopper\u2019s search or purchase history. Apparel companies are also including intuitive tools to make cuts and sizes more accurate (thereby reducing the number of returns).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These personalization benefits also extend to ecommerce content marketing. Marketers can create more relevant content, target niche audiences, and achieve more ROI with their paid media strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Con: Possible reduction in authenticity<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A poorly executed automation strategy can cause ecommerce brands to lose their personal touch with shoppers. For example, the main critique of chatbots is that they are limited in their ability to provide individualized support.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, using the wrong tools can greatly impact the customer experience and create workflow conflicts for team members.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to using automation and AI effectively in ecommerce is timing and maximizing customer touch points. <\/span><b><i>It\u2019s an unwise notion to view automation as replacing human efforts. Rather, smart tools should allow existing team members to dedicate more time toward a true white glove experience for customers<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Con: Intimidating learning curve<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the age and tech skills of a brand\u2019s current staff, incorporating automation and AI can create friction and anxiety. Even user-friendly tools often require a different skill set than do legacy retail systems.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"760\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/automation-and-ai-shift.webp\" alt=\"Data table showing automation and AI will accelerate the shift in skills that a workforce needs in the US and Western Europe\" class=\"wp-image-22074\" style=\"width:843px;height:640px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/automation-and-ai-shift.webp 1000w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/automation-and-ai-shift-300x228.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/automation-and-ai-shift-768x584.webp 768w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/automation-and-ai-shift-150x114.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image via <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valamis.com\/hub\/digital-transformation-of-learning\" target=\"_blank\">Valamis<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id14922_81886d-7c kt-accordion-has-3-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane14922_3aa0be-4e\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Infographic Transcript<\/span><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_bookOpen kt-btn-side-right\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M2 3h6a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v14a3 3 0 0 0-3-3H2z\"\/><path d=\"M22 3h-6a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v14a3 3 0 0 1 3-3h7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Transcript:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Data table showing automation and AI will accelerate the shift in skills that a workforce needs in the US and Western Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>United States, All Sectors<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Total hours worked in 2016 in billions (287)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Skills<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c0db356\" class=\"list-c2f95bc\"><ul><li><em>Physical and manual skills &#8211; 90 billion hours in 2016, predicted to decrease 11% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Basic cognitive skills &#8211; 53 billion hours in 2016, predicted to decrease 14% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Higher cognitive skills &#8211; 62 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 9% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Social and emotional skills &#8211; 52 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 26% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Technological skills &#8211; 31 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 60% by 2030<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Western Europe All Sectors<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Total hours worked in 2016 in billions (363)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Skills<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"list-c5d0f13\" class=\"list-cd94e9d\"><ul><li><em>Physical and manual skills &#8211; 113 billion hours in 2016, predicted to decrease 16% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Basic cognitive skills &#8211; 62 billion hours in 2016, predicted to decrease 17% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Higher cognitive skills &#8211; 78 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 7% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Social and emotional skills &#8211; 67 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 22% by 2030<\/em><\/li><li><em>Technological skills &#8211; 42 billion hours in 2016, predicted to increase 52% by 2030<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note: Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Numbers may not sum due to rounding.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Source: McKinsey Global Institute workforce skills model; McKinsey Global Institute analysis<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, brands that take the time to onboard new tools and team members will eventually become proficient with those tools. Any meaningful <a href=\"https:\/\/kissflow.com\/digital-transformation\/create-digital-transformation-roadmap-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital transformation<\/a> strategy requires patience and perseverance.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro: Fulfillment quality assurance<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the greatest benefits of automation is its accuracy and consistency. Once administrators set rules and parameters correctly, managers can track product fulfillment using immutable records and don\u2019t have to worry about human error when it comes to payments, inventory management, and shipping.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro &amp; con: More ecommerce competition<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advances in ecommerce technology is good news for smaller DTC brands. Armed with the right tech stack, they can compete with major retailers within their region and around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, a major influx in competition also puts pressure on veteran brands to remain agile and relevant to their target audience. Consumers have more choices than ever before, and automation tools lower the barrier to entry in a fast-growing industry.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro &amp; con: Systems and platform integration<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the surface, integrating multiple platforms properly can feel frustrating to retail vendors. Depending on how large an ecommerce organization is, the systems integration process takes some time and may endure some trial-and-error difficulties before everything works as it should.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the growing demand for technology integration is forcing SaaS providers to anticipate those integrations that are most common to ecommerce brands. That means that the leading <a href=\"http:\/\/www.justaftermidnight247.com\/247-support\/application-support-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">SaaS solutions<\/a> come with reliable APIs \u201cright out of the box.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And once the integration process is complete, ecommerce brands can upgrade their entire business model multiple levels beyond their current state.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the future of automation and AI in ecommerce?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, no discussion on automation and AI would be complete without predicting the future of ecommerce technology.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We see three main ways in which automation and AI will continue to transform ecommerce.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>First, blockchain technology is enhancing security and anonymity for online shoppers<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As this technology becomes more prevalent, brands can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fbloc.2020.00003\/full#:~:text=From%20a%20consumer%2Dcentric%20perspective,help%20to%20create%20additional%20value.\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">harness more user data<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> without violating security protocols or consumer privacy laws.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Second, customer advocacy is rendering many advertising and marketing techniques useless<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Social media is one of the most vibrant places for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/step-by-step-guide-customer-advocacy-program\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">word-of-mouth advertising<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the leading platforms are adding new <\/span><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/influencer-marketing-social-commerce-s-commerce\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social commerce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> features to empower brands that look to influencers, affiliates, brand ambassadors, and influential customers to drive growth.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Third and last, ecommerce technology has the potential to increase the value of customer loyalty<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As an example, take Starbucks\u2019 rewards program. Customers can add funds to their Starbucks app and get 2 points for every dollar they spend. They can spend 50 points to get a coffee that costs $2.90. In this example, a customer\u2019s loyalty is generally worth about 12 cents for every dollar spent.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As technology continues to streamline costs, brands will likely grow to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2020\/11\/17\/brand-loyalty-programs-in-a-new-era-of-consumerism\/?sh=38881b2648a7\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">appreciate customer loyalty<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the degree that they steadily increase the value of loyalty currency. If this happens, brands will have more opportunities to gather data and empower customer advocacy programs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will be exciting to see how automation and AI continue to improve ecommerce over the next 10, 20, and 50 years.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"seealso\"><p>Are you ready to stake your claim in the creator economy? Discover more helpful tips and resources from the experts at GRIN: <a href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/learning-center\/\">Creator Management Learning Center\n<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Updated: March 2024<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"div-c70c9ed\" class=\"div-c6ed0f8\" style=\"--ccaos-duration:0.3s;--ccaos-delay:0.1s;--ccaos-easing:ease-in-outs;\" data-aos=\"fade-in-down-small\" data-aos-once=\"true\"><svg height=\"0\" width=\"0\"><defs><clipPath id=\"div-c6ed0f8-path\"><path d=\"M64.5,56.5Q63,63,56.5,65.5Q50,68,32.5,76.5Q15,85,19,67.5Q23,50,32.5,46Q42,42,46,40.5Q50,39,61.5,33Q73,27,69.5,38.5Q66,50,64.5,56.5Z\"><\/path><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg>\n<h6 id=\"heading-c56b91d\" class=\"heading-ceed50f\" style=\"--ccaos-duration:0.5s;\" data-aos=\"fade-in-up-small\" data-aos-once=\"true\">Hand-Picked Content<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"query-c8bab9d\" class=\"query-c96171b\" style=\"--ccaos-duration:0.8s;--ccaos-easing:eases;\" data-aos=\"fade\" data-query_id=\"1\">\n<div id=\"querytemplate-c964bff\" class=\"querytemplate-c3a1f80\" cc-query-template=\"\"><div class=\"cc-query-item\">\n<a id=\"div-c354f10\" class=\"div-c0ef805 \" href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/top-ecommerce-marketing-strategies-to-drive-sales\/\">\n<div id=\"div-c9d5541\" class=\"div-cd85f52\">\n<div id=\"div-c2363f8\" class=\"div-caf0335\">\n<h6 id=\"heading-c11242e\" class=\"heading-cfc0793\">Dec<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"heading-cefc5d0\" class=\"heading-c3e3bfe\">14<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image-cc10f0c\" class=\"image-c5735d3 cc-img\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IM_25_top_ecommerce_tips_2023_2022-Q3-09_Featured2.webp\" alt=\"\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IM_25_top_ecommerce_tips_2023_2022-Q3-09_Featured2.webp 960w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IM_25_top_ecommerce_tips_2023_2022-Q3-09_Featured2-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IM_25_top_ecommerce_tips_2023_2022-Q3-09_Featured2-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"div-cb96638\" class=\"div-ce3be82\">\n<p id=\"paragraph-c6d2dec\" class=\"paragraph-c248601\">Content Management<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"heading-c8d04d7\" class=\"heading-c29f1b9\">25 of the Top Ecommerce Marketing Strategies to Drive Sales in 2023<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"paragraph-cd4e03f\" class=\"paragraph-c34bd94\"><span class=\"after\">&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"button-c0808cf\" class=\"button-c023e10 cc-btn\">Read More<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\"><path d=\"M27.707 16.707l-9 9c-0.181 0.181-0.431 0.293-0.707 0.293-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1 0-0.276 0.112-0.526 0.293-0.707l7.293-7.293h-19.586c-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1s0.448-1 1-1v0h19.586l-7.293-7.293c-0.181-0.181-0.293-0.431-0.293-0.707 0-0.552 0.448-1 1-1 0.276 0 0.526 0.112 0.707 0.293l9 9c0.181 0.181 0.293 0.431 0.293 0.707s-0.112 0.526-0.293 0.707v0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div><div class=\"cc-query-item\" data-lastpost=\"1\">\n<a id=\"div-c354f10-q-2\" class=\"div-c0ef805 \" href=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/blog\/influencer-marketing-for-ecommerce\/\">\n<div id=\"div-c9d5541-q-2\" class=\"div-cd85f52\">\n<div id=\"div-c2363f8-q-2\" class=\"div-caf0335\">\n<h6 id=\"heading-c11242e-q-2\" class=\"heading-cfc0793\">Aug<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"heading-cefc5d0-q-2\" class=\"heading-c3e3bfe\">10<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"image-cc10f0c-q-2\" class=\"image-c5735d3 cc-img\" src=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/IM_Influencer_Marketing_for_Ecommerce_2022-Q3-07_featured1.webp\" alt=\"\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/IM_Influencer_Marketing_for_Ecommerce_2022-Q3-07_featured1.webp 960w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/IM_Influencer_Marketing_for_Ecommerce_2022-Q3-07_featured1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/IM_Influencer_Marketing_for_Ecommerce_2022-Q3-07_featured1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/IM_Influencer_Marketing_for_Ecommerce_2022-Q3-07_featured1-150x100.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"div-cb96638-q-2\" class=\"div-ce3be82\">\n<p id=\"paragraph-c6d2dec-q-2\" class=\"paragraph-c248601\">Content Management<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"heading-c8d04d7-q-2\" class=\"heading-c29f1b9\">Influencer Marketing for Ecommerce: A Complete Guide<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"paragraph-cd4e03f-q-2\" class=\"paragraph-c34bd94\"><span class=\"after\">&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"button-c0808cf-q-2\" class=\"button-c023e10 cc-btn\">Read More<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\"><path d=\"M27.707 16.707l-9 9c-0.181 0.181-0.431 0.293-0.707 0.293-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1 0-0.276 0.112-0.526 0.293-0.707l7.293-7.293h-19.586c-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1s0.448-1 1-1v0h19.586l-7.293-7.293c-0.181-0.181-0.293-0.431-0.293-0.707 0-0.552 0.448-1 1-1 0.276 0 0.526 0.112 0.707 0.293l9 9c0.181 0.181 0.293 0.431 0.293 0.707s-0.112 0.526-0.293 0.707v0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Technology plays a critical role in consumer spending. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"wp-custom-template-blog-single","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[],"content-type":[208],"level":[202],"platform":[],"type-of-creator":[],"marketing-type":[183],"topics":[],"post-author":[147],"individual_goals":[122,124],"industry":[],"program_status":[113],"class_list":["post-14922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-content-management","content-type-blog","level-advanced","marketing-type-ecommerce","post-author-grin-contributor","individual_goals-marketing-innovation","individual_goals-track-social-media-trends","program_status-beginner-0-10"],"acf":{"notification_sent":true,"view_count":10326,"for_creators":"","separated_thumbnail":null,"video_cover":"","ai_summary":"","faq":null,"hand_picked_content":null,"read_duration":19,"content_type":208},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14922"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50211,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14922\/revisions\/50211"}],"acf:term":[{"embeddable":true,"taxonomy":"content-type","href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-type\/208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"content-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-type?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"level","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/level?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"type-of-creator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-of-creator?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"marketing-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/marketing-type?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"post-author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-author?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"individual_goals","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/individual_goals?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=14922"},{"taxonomy":"program_status","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program_status?post=14922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}