Crowds Gather to Window Shop for eCommerce Platforms

The state of the economy is going through hefty turbulence with long bouts of lockdown followed by frequent stop and starts, as some states gradually reopen while others that opened rapidly and now closing once again. Any form of solidity remains hanging in the air.

Many economies closed quickly yet we’re set for deep and lasting hurt, particularly in the retail sector. Many closed their doors knowing that not all of them will ever open again. It’s estimated that between 20,000 and 25,000 stores are set to close permanently by the end of the year.

Total retail sales for 2020 are expected to dip just below 10%. But if you unpack total sales and lay out its two parts, it’s a tale of two stories. Physical sales are underwater and expected to drop 14% by the end of 2020; ecommerce sales are soaring and are expected to grow 18%.

Retailers are struggling in harsh and choppy waters, but ecommerce is the buoy keeping many afloat.

The retailer lifeguards

What has become crystal clear is the absolute necessity of ecommerce (which could have been taken more metaphorically in the past yet now takes on a more serious, literal interpretation during the pandemic). 

That’s why businesses of all sorts have been increasingly searching for ecommerce software — the lifeguards keeping your sales channels open. Smaller businesses have been keen on user-friendly, simple platforms such as Shopify, while larger companies are taking a particular interest in Salesforce Commerce Cloud.

On one particular review site for business tech, TrustRadius, traffic towards their ecommerce category spiked 85% from January to May. 

In terms of overall traffic, the three busiest products for the last three months have been Shopify (2,278 views); SAP Commerce Cloud (1,647); and Salesforce Commerce Cloud (1,267).

Whether a company is moving over into online sales or are in desperate need of an upgrade (having been prompted by the pandemic into urgent online improvements), if your intention is to take it seriously, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud is going to provide you with stronger firepower.

That’s not to say that Shopify shouldn’t be considered. It’s popularity, user-friendliness and simplicity makes it heavily attractive and relatively fast to launch. It’s a quality middleweight champion. Salesforce Commerce Cloud brings comprehensive functionality, powerful features, and deep machine learning via AI. Launch times may take longer but it takes into account a serious, long-term ecommerce vision. Even so, there are tech consultancies that specialize in Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and can even accelerate your SFCC implementation, to get you up and running, fast!

PS: UV is one of the world’s leading Salesforce Commerce Cloud (Demandware) tech teams. Contact us to see how we can work together.