Channable CSS: Gain 20% margin advantage, more bidding power & seamless integration with feeds, PPC & Insights. Premium Google Partner.

CSS | Channable Blog

Google Shopping Ads are a dominant force in the eCommerce landscape, driving a whopping [76% of search ad spend](https://growmyads.com/google-shopping/benchmarks/) in the industry. But navigating the complexities of Google Shopping to showcase your products effectively can be daunting. That’s where a Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) Partner can help.

## What is a Comparison Shopping Service (CSS)? 

[Comparison Shopping Services (CSS)](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7558973?hl=en&ref_topic=9148505&sjid=8692517399371682148-EU) act as intermediaries between retailers and [Google Shopping](https://www.channable.com/integration/google-shopping). They provide a platform for retailers to submit detailed product information, including descriptions, prices, and images, directly to Google Shopping. This information is then used to populate product listings and Shopping Ads within the Google Shopping platform.

<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xRQWHxGvevw?si=_ryUHMebZGmwlsSm" width="100%"  frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

CSS Partners manage the process of submitting your product data to Google Shopping and can also assist with campaign optimization and management. By default, Google's own CSS is selected for this role. However, it's important to note that using Google's CSS incurs a 20% margin fee on your bids.

### How it works 
Comparison Shopping Services streamline the process of getting your products onto Google Shopping. Let’s briefly explore how it works. 

The first step is uploading your product data feed to Google Merchant Center. Merchant Center is your control panel for managing product information specifically for Google Shopping Ads.

Finally, when a user searches for a product on Google, Google Shopping displays relevant listings based on the search query, the product data provided through the feed. If a user clicks on your product listing, they'll be directed to your website to complete the purchase. The actual sale happens on your eCommerce website, not Google Shopping.


## What are the benefits of working with a CSS Partner?

Conquering Google Shopping can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to showcasing your products effectively. That’s where a CSS Partner comes in. A CSS Partner simplifies the process, leverages their expertise, presents your products professionally, offers testing possibilities for optimization, and might even expand your reach with double ad presence. 

![CSS Blog-02.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/NpdpQRRTiesplmAhRi4g)

Here are the main advantages of working with a CSS Partner:

### Cheaper bids
Normally, Google takes a 20% cut from your maximum bid on Google Shopping ads. This means your ads have less "buying power" in the auction for ad placement. By using a CSS Partner like Channable, you avoid this 20% cut. They handle your bids directly with Google, so your full maximum bid gets used in the auction - meaning you have up to 25% more bidding power on your Shopping Ads. 

### Easy setup
A CSS Partner takes care of that heavy lifting, submitting all your product information to Google Shopping. Most Partners format your product details into the specific language Google Shopping understands, saving you a ton of time and effort compared to doing it manually. 

### CSS Partner expertise
CSS Partners possess a deep understanding of the platform's intricacies, including best practices for optimizing product feeds and campaign strategies. Additionally, a CSS Partner often has a huge portfolio of other campaigns within the same industry. This expertise translates to better product positioning and potentially increased sales.

### Testing possibilities 
Some CSS Partners go the extra mile by offering advanced features like A/B testing. This allows you to experiment with different product information or ad formats to see what resonates best with your target audience, ultimately leading to more effective campaigns. Your CSS Partner can also upload custom product feeds, allowing you to test different products or product groups.

## What to consider when choosing a CSS Partner?
You’ll want to find the right CSS Partner who will be a valuable asset in your Google Shopping strategy. They'll not only simplify the process but also leverage their expertise to help you showcase your products effectively and potentially boost your sales.

![CSS Blog-03.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/gXF7KUMLQnmH1K6NXxIh)

With the advantages of CSS Partners clear, it's important to consider some key factors when selecting the best fit for your business:

### Expertise
Not all CSS Partners are created equal. Look for one with a proven track record of success in Google Shopping campaign management. Consider their experience in your industry and the types of products you sell.  For example, if you sell sporting goods, a Partner with experience in that specific niche might be able to optimize your campaigns for better results compared to a general eCommerce Partner.

### Service offerings
Different CSS Partners offer varying levels of service. Start by evaluating the basic package of each potential Partner to see if it meets your needs. Do you simply need help uploading your product data? Or are you looking for a more hands-on Partner who can manage your entire Google Shopping campaign? Some Partners even offer advanced features like A/B testing to help you optimize your product listings for better results.

### Pricing structure
Pricing models for CSS Partners can vary. Be sure to compare setup costs, ongoing monthly fees, and any commission structures based on performance.  For instance, some Partners might charge a flat monthly fee, while others might have a tiered pricing system based on the number of products you sell. Consider your budget and the value each Partner offers when making your decision.

### Technology and integrations
A seamless integration between the CSS Partner's platform and your existing eCommerce platform and analytics tools is crucial for a smooth workflow. This ensures efficient data transfer and allows you to easily track your campaign performance. Make sure the CSS Partner you choose offers compatible technology that integrates well with your existing systems.

### Support and communication
Reliable support and clear communication are essential for a successful partnership. Look for a CSS Partner that offers responsive customer service through multiple channels, such as email, phone, or live chat. Or a Partner that provides a dedicated Customer Success contact. This ensures you can easily get help if you encounter any issues or have questions about your campaigns.

## Ready to Simplify Your Google Shopping Strategy with Channable as a CSS Partner? 
Channable's CSS is seamlessly integrated within the platform, accessible across all 21 supported markets. Easily combine Google Shopping with other marketing channels like Meta Ads, Amazon, eBay, and over 2,500 additional options, all managed from a single platform.

![CSS Blog-04.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/SYfdeyShQlKCQDjfm3WC)

Channable's CSS is a key component of our Google Success Formula. We equip you with the tools to optimize listings, create targeted campaigns, leverage powerful features like product categorization, and seamlessly integrate with search ads – all within one user-friendly platform.

Here are some other reasons why Channable is the perfect CSS Partner:

- **Automated campaigns and insights**: Elevate your marketing strategy with automated PPC campaigns, and gain valuable insights from Channable Insights to measure performance and optimize campaigns for better results.
- **Technical support**: Channable provides exceptional, personalized technical support to empower you every step of the way.
- **Simplified billing**: Enjoy the convenience of consolidating all expenses into one bill. 
- **Risk-free partnership**: Eliminate the need for intermediaries; the billing process directly engages the end customer, mitigating agency risks.

Want to see what Channable can do for you? [Sign up for a free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup).


Explore Channable’s solution page for smarter eCommerce covering PPC, feed management, multichannel marketing, and more. Optimize every step.

Solutions | Channable Blog

Comparison Shopping Service: Why use a CSS Partner?

Getting your products seen online is a tough game, and with [85% of product searches starting on Google](https://searchengineland.com/report-google-beats-amazon-product-search-reach-rival-sees-greater-loyalty-282570), it's clear where you need to focus. That's where Google Shopping CSS partners come in. 

You might be wondering, what exactly are they? Essentially, they're Google-approved companies that help retailers run Shopping ads, often with potential cost savings and better results. 

Whether you're new to CSS or aren't seeing the results you expect, understanding the different types of Google Shopping CSS partners is crucial. Not all partners are created equal. Some offer broad reach, others more hands-on services and tools. 

In this article, we'll break down the three main types of CSS partners and outline the pros and cons of each, helping you choose the best fit for your business. 


## What is a Google Shopping CSS partner?

A Google Shopping CSS ([Comparison Shopping Service](https://www.channable.com/blog/comparison-shopping-services)) partner is a company that has been certified by Google to run Shopping ads on behalf of merchants. In other words, they act as an intermediary between retailers and Google Shopping.

Working with a CSS partner can help you [save money on your ad spend](https://www.channable.com/blog/save-money-css-partner) by avoiding Google’s 20% margin allowing you to bid up to 25% more competitively without increasing your budget. This increased bidding power enables you to outbid your competitors more effectively and secure better ad placements. 

Many CSS partners also offer supplementary services such as feed optimization, campaign management, and performance reporting.

## Different types of Google Shopping CSS partners 

To get the lowdown on the different Google CSS partners, let's walk through the three main types: 

### Publisher CSSs

Publisher CSSs are [comparison websites](https://www.cloudways.com/blog/price-comparison-websites/) that aggregate and display product listings from various merchants. Typically, publisher CSSs run [Google Shopping ads](https://www.channable.com/blog/google-shopping-ads) that send users to their comparison websites to purchase listed products. 

![01_Google Shopping CSS partners.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8ridd0bd7jz07uocy6xfwe0)

Publisher CSSs primarily operate on two revenue models: **Cost-per-click (CPC) and affiliate commission**. With CPC, you pay a fee each time a user clicks on your product listing and is redirected to your website. 

In the affiliate commission model, you pay a percentage of the sale value when a user purchases your product through the publisher's link. Often, these models are combined, with a base CPC supplemented by affiliate commissions for completed sales.

**Pros: **

- The established reputation and traffic of a publisher CSS can significantly boost your product’s visibility to a broad audience.

- Integrating your product feed with these platforms generally involves a straightforward setup process.

- Publisher CSSs attract a diverse range of shoppers, offering access to a large pool of potential customers.

**Cons:**

- You typically have less control over campaign optimization and bidding strategies.
 
- The commission structures and CPC fees can reduce your profit margins, particularly for high-volume, low-margin products.

- Sales and visibility are tied to the publisher's Google Shopping bids and overall website traffic.

**Ideal for**: eCommerce brands seeking broad exposure and a basic, hands-off approach to CSS integration. They're particularly effective for products with mass-market appeal where maximizing reach is a priority. 

**Examples**: Kelkoo, PriceRunner, Idealo, Prisjakt, etc. 


### Service-led CSSs

Service-led CSSs provide comprehensive campaign management and consultancy services alongside their Comparison Shopping Platform. They act as strategic partners, offering expertise in optimizing product listings, bidding strategies, and overall campaign performance.
 
Service-led CSSs usually work with a fee-based structure. This can include monthly retainers, performance-based fees, or a combination of both. You pay for the expertise and services provided, rather than solely for clicks or commissions.

**Pros:** 

- You benefit from the knowledge and experience of Google Shopping ads experts who know how to improve the effectiveness of your campaigns.

- Customized strategies and dedicated support that align with your specific business goals and product offerings.

- Ideal for complex campaigns that require advanced optimization and strategic planning.

**Cons: **

- These comprehensive services come at a higher cost compared to CSS partners that offer more automated services.
 
- While you maintain strategic oversight, the service provider handles the day-to-day campaign management, which means you have less direct control.

- Your campaign's success is heavily dependent on the service provider's expertise and capabilities.

**Ideal for**: Companies that require specialized expertise, hands-on management, and tailored strategies to achieve their Google Shopping ads goals. If you have complex product catalogs, aggressive growth targets, or limited in-house resources, a service-led CSS might be for you. 

### SaaS-led CSSs 

![02_Google Shopping CSS partners.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8ridczqd7jt07uom72tyonp)

SaaS-led CSSs, like [Channable CSS](https://www.channable.com/products/css), often provide shopping [feed management tools](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) and their own CSS for running those feeds. Some offer advanced features for feed optimization, [PPC automation](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool), and analytics, empowering retailers to manage their Google Shopping ad campaigns. 

SaaS-led CSSs use a subscription-based or feature-based pricing model. You usually pay for access to the platform and its tools, with costs often varying based on the number of products, features used, or users. 

**Pros:**

- More control and flexibility when it comes to managing your Google Shopping ad campaigns.
 
- Access to sophisticated tools for bidding management, product feed optimization, performance tracking, and automated rule-based adjustments.

- These platforms are designed to handle growing product catalogs and campaign complexity, making them suitable for businesses of all sizes.
 
- Full access to campaign data provides valuable insights for informed decision-making and performance analysis.

**Cons:**

- Mastering the platform's features and functionalities may require a learning curve, especially for users unfamiliar with advanced tools.

- SaaS-led CSSs can be more expensive than basic publisher CSSs depending on how many features you need and subscription fees.

**Ideal for**: Businesses seeking greater control and flexibility over their Google Shopping ad campaigns. In particular, retailers with large product catalogs that require advanced tools for bidding management, product feed optimization, and performance tracking.


Given that Shopping ads are among Google’s most clicked offerings, responsible for a staggering [76.4% of all retail searches and spending in the US](https://analyzify.com/statsup/google-ads#user-audience), the potential impact of a well-chosen CSS partner is undeniable. 

With options ranging from fully managed services to self-service platforms and hybrid models, it's important to assess your goals, budget, and in-house resources before choosing a Google Shopping CSS partner that's right for you. 

## Ready to simplify your Google Shopping strategy with Channable as a SaaS-led CSS partner? 

[Channable's CSS](https://www.channable.com/products/css) is seamlessly integrated within the platform, accessible across all 21 supported markets. Easily combine Google Shopping with other marketing channels like Meta Ads, Amazon, eBay, and over 2,500 additional options, all managed from a single platform.

![03_Google Shopping CSS partners.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8ridd05d6ju08uqjsilfj0z)

Channable's CSS is a key component of our Google Success Formula. We equip you with the tools to optimize listings, create targeted campaigns, leverage powerful features like product categorization, and seamlessly integrate with search ads – all within one user-friendly platform.

Here's are some other reasons why Channable is the perfect CSS partner:

- **Automated campaigns and insights**: Elevate your marketing strategy with automated PPC campaigns, and gain valuable insights from Channable Insights to measure performance and optimize campaigns for better results.

- **Technical support**: Channable provides exceptional, personalized technical support to empower you every step of the way.

- **Simplified billing**: Enjoy the convenience of consolidating all expenses into one bill.
 
- **Risk-free partnership**: Eliminate the need for intermediaries; the billing process directly engages the end customer, mitigating agency risks.

- **Competitive pricing**: Channable's CSS is priced at a straightforward €19 per month, with no hidden fees for multi-country campaigns.

See the difference a Google Premium CSS partner can make—[start your free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup)!


Master PPC Automation with Channable. Learn how to streamline and scale your Google Ads campaigns with data-driven insights and smart tools.

Google Ads | Channable Blog

How to choose the right Google Shopping CSS partner

If you've landed here, it's a safe bet you're thinking about a change in your Google Shopping ads strategy. Maybe you're looking to move away from Google's default [Comparison Shopping Service](https://www.channable.com/blog/comparison-shopping-services), or perhaps you're already working with a CSS partner but feel it's time for something different.

Businesses switch CSS partners for all sorts of reasons—maybe it's about finding better margins, unlocking more strategic bidding options, or simply getting the kind of support that feels like a true partnership, not just a transaction.

But switching CSS partners can also bring concerns. Common objections include the fear of campaigns being paused, data loss, or a lengthy and complex transition process. Many worry about potential disruptions to their sales and the time it takes to get everything up and running with a new partner. That's why it's important to select a CSS partner that provides a quick and smooth transition. 

This checklist for choosing a Google CSS partner outlines the key factors you need to consider when selecting a new CSS partner. And for each point, we've included important questions that you can ask potential partners during the selection process.


## 6 best practices for choosing a new Google CSS partner  

So what should you consider when choosing a Google CSS partner? It's all about making sure they provide the support you need, have the right technical expertise, and a pricing plan that works for your budget.

A Google Premium CSS partner like Channable can help unlock better performance with ease, providing you with the support, expertise, and tools to elevate your Google Shopping campaigns.

Here’s a 6-point checklist for selecting the best Google CSS partner: 

### 1. Service offerings

The first step in selecting a Google CSS partner is determining your preferred service model: **managed or self-service**. Start by evaluating the basic package of each potential Google CSS partner to see if it meets your needs. Do you simply need help uploading your product data? Or are you looking for a more hands-on partner who can optimize your product feed and manage your entire Google Shopping campaign? 

Self-service empowers you with full control over your Merchant Center and Google Ads, following your partner's setup, while managed services offer comprehensive, ongoing campaign management, strategy, and optimization. 

Questions to ask: 

- What is included in your basic Google CSS partner package?

- Do you provide assistance with initial product data feed setup and upload?

- What level of technical support do you offer for basic troubleshooting? 

- Beyond basic data upload, what other services do you offer for Google Shopping campaigns?

### 2. Expertise

Another thing to consider is the Google CSS partner's experience in your specific industry and the types of products you sell. For example, if you sell gardening supplies, a partner with experience in that niche might be able to optimize your product feed for better results compared to a general eCommerce partner. Similarly, if you sell apparel, you'll want a partner with experience in product attribute optimization for size, color, and material. 

Additionally, if you want a more managed service, look for a Google CSS partner with a proven track record of success in Google Shopping campaign management. 

**Questions to ask: **

- Can you provide case studies or examples of successful Google Shopping campaigns you've managed within my industry or target region?

- Do you offer any support for dealing with Merchant Center errors or suspensions?

- Do you specialize in any specific industries or product categories, especially those relevant to my business?

### 3. Pricing structure

When weighing up different CSS Partners, be sure to compare setup costs, ongoing monthly fees, and any commission structures based on performance. For instance, some partners might charge a flat monthly fee, while others might have a tiered pricing system based on the number of products you sell. CSS partners that manage your Google Shopping ad campaigns may charge you on a cost-per-click basis in addition to a monthly retainer. 

![01_Essential checklist for choosing a new Google CSS partner (1).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8hhvakv1ot307uwd10mmpgn)

It's wise to request a detailed breakdown of all potential expenses and avoid partners with hidden fees. Consider your budget constraints, but also weigh the value each partner brings to your campaign. A slightly higher fee might be justified by superior expertise, dedicated support, or proven results.

**Questions to ask:** 

- Can you provide a detailed breakdown of your pricing structure, including setup fees, monthly fees, and any performance-based commissions?

- Can you provide examples of typical costs for businesses with similar product volumes and ad spend to mine?

- How does your pricing scale as my product catalog or ad spend increases?

- Do you offer any flexible payment options or contract terms?

### 4. Reach and market coverage

The reach of a Google CSS partner directly impacts your potential customer base. A solid CSS partner should facilitate access to a wide range of Google Shopping placements across your target markets. Make sure to ask about their experience with specific countries and regions, especially if you operate in diverse or niche markets. 

💡**Did you know**? [Channable is a Google Premium CSS Partner](https://www.channable.com/products/css) and ranks among the top 25% of CSS providers based on Shopping Ad impression volume. 

If applicable to your situation, explore a partner's ability to handle multilingual campaigns and localized product feeds. In this case, you'll want to guarantee that your products will be presented to customers in their native language to increase your visibility and conversion rates. 

**Questions to ask: **

- What is the average monthly reach of your CSS website? 

- Which countries and regions does your CSS service cover?

- Do you have experience managing campaigns in my specific target markets?

- Do you offer multilingual support for product feeds and campaigns?

### 5. Support and communication

Look for a CSS partner that offers responsive customer service through multiple channels, such as email, phone, or live chat. Or a partner that provides a dedicated Customer Success contact, especially if you want a managed service. This ensures you can easily get help if you encounter any issues or have questions about your campaigns.

![02_Essential checklist for choosing a new Google CSS partner.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8hh7yyy1n9g07uw4u898nno)

If you don't have the technical expertise in-house, you'll want a Google CSS partner that offers free, personalized technical support to provide proactive guidance, timely troubleshooting, and assistance for all your Google Shopping inquiries. 

**Questions to ask:**

- What are your support hours and channels?

- Do you offer a dedicated account manager or a single point of contact for all inquiries?

- What is your typical response time for support requests?

- Do you offer any training or onboarding resources? 

### 6. Technology and integrations

If you want to get the most out of your Google Shopping ads, it's a good idea to opt for a CSS partner that also offers a comprehensive suite of eCommerce tools. This includes [centralized product feed management](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool), allowing you to update and optimize your product data across all channels. Some CSS partners have [PPC campaign optimization tools](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool), enabling you to scale campaign creation, automate bidding, and manage budgets.

Additionally, in-depth analytics are crucial for understanding product and campaign performance and identifying areas for improvement. A strong partner will provide access to reporting dashboards that offer actionable insights into key metrics like ROAS, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

When considering a new CSS partner, ease of switching is an important factor, especially for those already using a CSS. A smooth transition can eliminate potential disruptions. For example, activating Channable CSS is designed to be a quick process; it takes around 5 minutes and won't interrupt your current campaigns.  

**Questions to ask:** 

- What tools and technologies do you offer beyond basic CSS services?

- Do you provide a centralized product feed management platform?

- What PPC campaign optimization tools do you offer, and how do they work?

Use this checklist for choosing a new Google CSS partner to help you find a CSS partner you can trust and build a long-lasting relationship with. The more they learn about your business, the better they can help you succeed. That's why it's important to define your advertising goals, share them clearly, and schedule regular check-ins to ensure everyone is on the same page.

## Ready to simplify your Google Shopping strategy with Channable as a CSS partner? 

[Channable's CSS](https://www.channable.com/products/css) is seamlessly integrated within the platform, accessible across all 21 supported markets. Easily combine Google Shopping with other marketing channels like Meta Ads, Amazon, eBay, and over 2,500 additional options, all managed from a single platform.

![03_Essential checklist for choosing a new Google CSS partner.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cm8hh7yzu1n9w07uw2sdi4il1)

Channable's CSS is a key component of our Google Success Formula. We equip you with the tools to optimize listings, create targeted campaigns, leverage powerful features like product categorization, and seamlessly integrate with search ads – all within one user-friendly platform.

Here's are some other reasons why Channable is the perfect CSS partner:

- **Automated campaigns and insights**: Elevate your marketing strategy with automated PPC campaigns, and gain valuable insights from Channable Insights to measure performance and optimize campaigns for better results.

- **Technical support**: Channable provides exceptional, personalized technical support to empower you every step of the way.

- **Simplified billing**: Enjoy the convenience of consolidating all expenses into one bill.
 
- **Risk-free partnership**: Eliminate the need for intermediaries; the billing process directly engages the end customer, mitigating agency risks.

See the difference a Google Premium CSS partner can make—[start your free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup)!

Essential checklist for choosing a new Google CSS partner

If you’re running Google Shopping campaigns, you’ve probably come across the term **Google CSS Partner**. But what does it actually mean, and why should it matter for your business?
 
Google introduced the Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) program to ensure fair competition in Shopping ads. CSS partners are certified comparison websites that can advertise product listings on behalf of merchants, just like Google’s own CSS. Instead of relying solely on Google, businesses can now work with various CSS partners to run their Shopping campaigns more cost-effectively.

In this article, we’ll explain how Google CSS Partners work, what benefits they bring to merchants, how to choose the right [CSS partner](https://www.channable.com/products/css), and why Channable’s own CSS Partner solution is a strong option for scaling your Shopping campaigns.

## Key takeaways

- Google CSS Partners help merchants lower CPCs and increase bidding power.

- Working with the right CSS partner can improve campaign efficiency and ROI.

- Premium CSS partners, like Channable, provide added benefits such as feed optimization and integrated support.

- Getting started with a CSS partner is straightforward through Google Merchant Center.

## What is a Google CSS partner?
A **Google CSS Partner** is a certified Comparison Shopping Service Partner that enables merchants to list their products on Google Shopping with more precision and efficiency. Instead of placing ads directly with Google, merchants advertise via a CSS partner, which can reduce costs and improve visibility.

Here’s why this matters:
- **Lower costs** – instead of Google keeping a margin, 100% of your CPC bid goes into the auction, which can be up to a 20% difference in bidding power.

- **Smarter bidding** – Google’s Smart Bidding has more room to optimize, potentially driving more traffic and conversions.

Learn more about Channable’s [Google CSS](https://www.channable.com/blog/save-money-css-partner) solutions.

## Benefits for merchants working with a Google CSS partner
Merchants who work with a CSS partner see several advantages:

- **Higher bidding power**: A €1 bid with Google is worth €0.80 in the auction. With a CSS partner, the full €1 enters the auction.

- **Improved campaign performance**: Smart Bidding algorithms work more effectively with increased CPC power.

- **More conversions & revenue**: With higher visibility and better traffic, merchants often see improved ROAS.

- **Scalable advertising**: CSS partners support large product catalogs, making them ideal for growing eCommerce businesses.

Ready to boost your shopping performance? [Check out our essential CSS checklist](https://www.channable.com/blog/checklist-google-css-partner).

## What do premium CSS partners offer?
Not all CSS partners are equal. **Premium partners** go beyond just enabling your ads, they provide extra features, expertise, and integrations.

Premium partner benefits include:

- **Feed optimization tools** to clean, enrich, and segment your product data.

- **Multi-country support** for cross-border campaigns.

- **Transparent pricing models** (flat fee or performance-based instead of CPC-based).

- **Integrated support & automation** for scaling campaigns.

Channable is not just a CSS partner, it’s also a **feed management and PPC automation platform**. That means you can manage your product data, ad campaigns, and CSS setup all in one place.

With Channable as your CSS Partner, you get the benefits of both a premium CSS and a powerful, all-in-one [multichannel eCommerce](https://www.channable.com) marketing solution.

## How to choose the right Google CSS partner
When selecting a CSS partner, consider:

1. **Official certification** – Always ensure they are an approved Google CSS partner.

2. **Pricing model** – Flat fee vs. performance-based vs. hidden CPC markups.

3. **Product compatibility** – Do they support your entire catalog? (e.g., apparel, electronics).

4. **Service offering** – Some partners only provide CSS; others offer optimization, reporting, and automation.

5. **Geographic coverage** – Check if they support all the markets you sell in.

*Pro tip: Avoid partners that charge commission on CPC, as this reduces the benefit of working with a CSS partner.*

## How do I start advertising with a Google CSS partner?
Getting started is simple:

1. Choose a certified CSS partner that matches your business goals.

2. Update your Google Merchant Center settings to associate your account with that CSS partner.

3. Start running campaigns with full CPC value entering the auction.


With Channable, the setup is seamless. The process is similar to creating a regular Shopping feed, and our platform supports direct connections to CSS channels.

Start your journey today: [Get started with Channable’s CSS Partner](https://www.channable.com/products/css).

## FAQs
<div class="faq">
<h4> What is the main benefit of using a Google CSS Partner? </h4>
<p> Lower CPC costs, meaning more bidding power and potentially higher ROI. </p>
<h4> Do ads look different if I use a CSS partner? </h4>
<p> No, the ads look the same, except “By Google” is replaced with “By [CSS Partner name].” </p>
<h4> How do I know if a CSS partner is reliable? </h4>
<p> Check if they’re officially certified, transparent about pricing, and provide additional services like feed optimization. </p>
<h4> Can I use multiple CSS partners? </h4>
<p> Yes, but it’s often more efficient to consolidate with one premium partner to maximize consistency. </p>

Working with a **Google CSS Partner** is a proven way to maximize the efficiency of your Shopping campaigns. By lowering CPC costs, boosting bidding power, and supporting better campaign performance, CSS partners give merchants a real competitive edge.

Choosing a **premium CSS partner** like [Channable](https://www.channable.com/) means you don’t just get access to Google Shopping, you also unlock advanced feed management, automation, and cross-border advertising capabilities.

[![CTA banners for Blog Articles 1000x280px.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/cmdr2ngnc01qd07w5oty35oyq)](https://www.channable.com/theimpactcube)


Google CSS partners: Everything you need to know

## Award-winning innovation at the Google CSS Spotlight Awards
In 2024, Channable’s new Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) solution won the Google CSS Spotlight Award in the “Business Growth” category. This award recognized Channable’s remarkable success in helping advertisers scale their impact on Google Shopping through a unique, end-to-end solution. With over 1,300 merchants onboarded in just six months, Channable’s CSS doubled impressions month-over-month (MoM), driving rapid growth in visibility for high-volume, large catalog advertisers.

## Headline results:
- **2x Increase in impressions MoM**: Surpassing 2 billion monthly impressions for merchants using Channable CSS.
- **1,300 Merchants**: Connected to CSS within the six months of launching, with strong month-over-month adoption.
- **5 Google channel connections per merchant**: On average, merchants maximize their Google presence across five different marketing channels, enabling high visibility and effective segmentation.

## Managing complexity at scale
Large catalog advertisers face unique challenges in Google Shopping, from intricate product data optimization to dynamic inventory updates and precise audience segmentation. 

Although Channable’s core solutions addressed many of these needs, large-scale clients sought a more comprehensive tool to streamline product listing and campaign management across multiple Google channels, while maximizing ad performance and visibility. 

The challenge was clear: help these merchants manage complex workflows more efficiently.
<img src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/sdIEUMwKTHW4mHD36K2A" alt="Our headline results: x2 increase in impressions MoM, 1300 merchants, 5 Google channel connections per merchant">

## A comprehensive, end-to-end Google integration
Channable responded by launching its own CSS and building on its Google end-to-end solution to offer a one-stop approach for all Google Shopping needs. This solution brought together feed management, performance-based segmentation, advanced PPC features, and dynamic asset creation tools. Key innovations included:

- **Performance-based segmentation**: Allows advertisers to structure campaigns based on product performance instead of data-driven insights, improving targeting and increasing conversions.

- **PMax with dynamic image editor**: Integrated in Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, Channable’s image editor enabled merchants to create asset groups and manage assets at scale, unlocking new creative possibilities.

Together, these features gave large catalog advertisers the flexibility to grow efficiently across, Text Ads, Google Shopping, and PMax campaigns, making it easy to reach and engage the right audiences.

## Rapid adoption and record impressions
The impact of Channable’s CSS was immediate and substantial:

- **1,300 Merchants** joined the CSS within six months, demonstrating strong demand and rapid adoption.

- **2 Billion Monthly Impressions**: By using Channable’s CSS, large catalog advertisers saw their visibility skyrocket, reaching over 2 billion impressions per month.

- **5 Google Product Connections on Average**: Merchants now use an average of five Google channels each, maximizing their reach and fine-tuning audience engagement.

As Rob van Nuenen, CEO and Founder of Channable, noted, “Launching our CSS has been a game-changer, not just for Channable, but for our customers as well. By providing a complete Google Shopping solution, we’ve helped businesses grow faster and more efficiently. We’re incredibly proud of the milestones we’ve achieved in such a short time and are excited to continue driving innovation in this space.”
![Image_2.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/1SfAhTaZR8ej0md8gfYL)

Channable’s innovative CSS solution has reshaped Google Shopping for large catalog advertisers, providing them with a streamlined, powerful solution to manage complex campaigns and scale their presence across Google’s channels. 

With over 2 billion impressions per month and a fast-growing network of onboarded merchants, this solution continues to deliver measurable results and position advertisers for sustainable growth. 

As Channable expands its offering, we're excited to see more businesses harness this technology to reach their full potential in Google Shopping.


Get the latest news from Channable's product releases, company milestones, team insights, and what’s coming next.

Company Updates | Channable Blog

Channable’s award-winning CSS fuels record-breaking growth for large catalog advertisers

Because CSS partners work with multiple retailers, they can often negotiate better ad rates and provide expert campaign management, potentially reducing marketing costs and improving the visibility of your products. In this article, we'll briefly cover what a Google CSS partner does and explain how partnering with one can save you money on your ad spend. 


## Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) vs. Google CSS partners 

You'll often hear "CSS" and "Google CSS partners" used together, but they're not exactly the same thing. CSS stands for [Comparison Shopping Service](https://www.channable.com/blog/comparison-shopping-services); it's a price comparison website that Google uses to display product ads in Shopping results. A Google CSS partner, on the other hand, is a company that's been certified by Google to use the CSS platform on behalf of retailers.

Here's a breakdown of the differences:

### Comparison Shopping Services 
A [Comparison Shopping Service](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12653197?hl=en#zippy=%2Cdo-i-have-to-pay-google-for-ads-placed-by-csss-on-my-behalf%2Cdo-i-need-to-use-a-css-to-place-shopping-ads-on-the-google-general-search-results-page%2Cis-it-better-to-advertise-through-a-specific-css%2Cwhat-if-i-dont-want-a-specific-css-to-advertise-for-my-products) is a website that collects product offers from different retailers and then sends users to the retailers’ websites to make a purchase. Merchants need to work with at least one CSS to begin placing Shopping ads. Google Shopping is the default CSS, but there are many other independent CSSs. 

![CSS Blog-01.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/mRVYJjMRmehZIuhFHSkO)

### Google CSS partners  
CSS partners are companies that have been trained and certified by Google to help businesses successfully advertise their products on Google Shopping. Their expertise lies in optimizing product feeds, managing bids, and ensuring your products are seen by the right customers within Google's platform. Additionally, CSS partners will often operate their own Comparison Shopping Service.  

## 4 ways you can reduce your ad spend with a Google CSS partner

Working with a CSS partner can help you save money and get better results. Not only do they help you bypass some of Google's fees, but some also give you the tools and expertise to make your ads more effective. Here’s how they do it:

### 1. Reduced Google margin
When you run Shopping ads directly through Google, Google takes a 20% cut of your bid as their margin. This means that for every euro you spend, only €0.80 is actually going towards your ad spend. However, with a CSS partner, this 20% fee is eliminated. So every euro you spend goes directly towards your bid, giving you significantly more value for your money.

### 2. Increased bidding power

Not paying Google’s 20% margin translates directly into increased bidding power. Let's say you're willing to spend €1 on a click. Bidding with a CSS partner, that same €1 bid is equivalent to a €1.20 bid through Google directly. 

This increased bidding power allows you to outbid your competitors more effectively and secure better ad placements, ultimately driving more traffic to your website. With increased bidding power, you can often achieve the same or better ad placement with lower bids, resulting in a lower cost-per-click. 

![02_Paid_Ads-With vs. Without CSS-Horizantal option1.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/aKvhslKbToqCLQcvy3yc)

**Case study**: Discover how Rocket Digital helped Noirfonce, a leading sneaker retailer, [increase their return on ad spend by 30% and reduce costs by 25%](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/rocket-digital-increases-noirfonce-roas) by leveraging Channable as a CSS partner. 

![03_Paid_Ads-Testimonial Quote-Horizantal with people.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/1MqhkIkOQBSzkwEOW7ER)

### 3. Google Shopping expertise to improve campaign performance

CSS partners bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. They understand the intricacies of Google Shopping campaigns, including product feed optimization, bid management, and targeting strategies. Most CSS partners handle the technical heavy lifting, ensuring your campaigns are set up correctly and running smoothly. This expertise can lead to improved campaign performance, including higher click-through rates (CTRs), increased conversions, and a better return on your ad spend. 

### 4. Integrated tools to maximize return on ad spend 

Some CSS partners offer a comprehensive suite of Google Ads tools beyond just CSS services. This can include centralized product feed management, PPC campaign optimization tools, and in-depth analytics. These integrated tools can be used to refine product data, improve campaign structure, and gain deeper insights into performance. They also allow you to automate and optimize your paid ads at scale saving you time and resources. 


## Why choose a Google CSS partner to save money on your ad spend? 

If you're running Google Shopping ads and you're not using a CSS partner, you're likely leaving money on the table. Working with a CSS partner lets you bypass Google's hefty 20% margin, which, in turn, increases your bidding power. 

You also get access to Google Shopping experts who can give you tips on how to optimize your campaigns, manage your bids, and make sure your products are seen by the right people. And some of these partners offer integrated tools that enable you to optimize your product feeds and ads, saving you time and improving campaign performance.


## Ready to simplify your Google Shopping strategy with Channable as a CSS partner? 

[Channable's CSS](https://www.channable.com/products/css) is seamlessly integrated within the platform, accessible across all 21 supported markets. Easily combine Google Shopping with other marketing channels like Meta Ads, Amazon, eBay, and over 2,500 additional options, all managed from a single platform.

Channable's CSS is a key component of our Google Success Formula. We equip you with the tools to optimize listings, create targeted campaigns, leverage powerful features like product categorization, and seamlessly integrate with search ads – all within one user-friendly platform.

![CSS Blog-04.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/SYfdeyShQlKCQDjfm3WC)

Here's are some other reasons why Channable is the perfect CSS partner:

- **Automated campaigns and insights**: Elevate your marketing strategy with automated PPC campaigns, and gain valuable insights from Channable Insights to measure performance and optimize campaigns for better results.

- **Technical support**: Channable provides exceptional, personalized technical support to empower you every step of the way.
- Simplified billing: Enjoy the convenience of consolidating all expenses into one bill.
 
- **Risk-free partnership**: Eliminate the need for intermediaries; the billing process directly engages the end customer, mitigating agency risks.

- **Google CSS Premium Partner**: A trusted name with a strong track record, Channable is Google's CSS Premium Partner and a winner of the Google CSS Spotlight Award

Want to see what Channable can do for you? [Sign up for a free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup). 

Stay updated with the latest in multichannel news. Explore trends, changes, and insights shaping the future of eCommerce.

Industry News | Channable Blog

How a Google Shopping CSS partner can save you money on ad spend

Automate your PPC strategy with Channable. Learn how to boost efficiency and performance across channels with intelligent ad automation.

PPC Automation | Channable Blog

Automate your Bol Ads with ease. Discover how Channable’s PPC Automation tools boost visibility and efficiency for Bol marketplace campaigns.

Bol Ads | Channable Blog

Simplify Amazon Ads with PPC Automation. Channable’s smart tools help you optimize bids, scale campaigns, and grow sales across Amazon.

Amazon Ads | Channable Blog

Explore Channable’s insights and analytics page to make smarter eCommerce decisions with data-driven strategies and performance visibility.


Insights and Analytics | Channable Blog

Boost ROI with Performance Segmentation. Discover how Channable helps you analyze and optimize product-level ad performance at scale.

Performance Segmentation | Channable Blog

Elevate your ads with Channable’s Dynamic Image Editor. Customize visuals at scale to boost engagement and stand out across channels.

Dynamic Image Editor | Channable Blog

Master multichannel eCommerce with Channable. Sync and optimize your products across marketplaces, search, and social with ease.

Multichannel eCommerce | Channable Blog

Streamline marketplace sales with Channable’s API-powered integrations. Automate listings, orders, and updates across top platforms.

API and Marketplaces | Channable Blog

Optimize product feeds effortlessly. Channable’s feed management tools help you stay accurate, compliant, and competitive across channels.

Feed Management | Channable Blog

Stay in the loop with Channable’s event coverage. Discover key takeaways, trends, and highlights from top eCommerce industry gatherings.

Events | Channable Blog

Tune into Channable’s podcasts for real conversations on eCommerce, tech, and digital marketing with industry leaders and in-house experts.

Podcasts | Channable Blog

Watch Channable’s webinars for practical tips on feed management, PPC, and multichannel eCommerce, straight from experts.

Webinars | Channable Blog

Catch up on Channable’s Media page for events, webinars, and podcasts featuring expert insights and stories from the eCommerce world.

Media | Channable Blog

Dive into the latest eCommerce news and trends. Learn how shifting consumer behavior and tech innovations are impacting online retail.

eCommerce Industry | Channable Blog

Keep up with Google’s latest changes and how they impact your PPC, SEO, and feed strategies, straight from Channable’s experts.

Google updates | Channable Blog

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Travel

Whitepaper

Today, countries are slowly relaxing their travel restrictions as the general population carefully considers their next vacation. But things have changed. The future of travel is definite but uncertain. For travel companies and eCommerce businesses reliant on the travel sector, how they prepare for this unknown is crucial.

Drawing from the experience of Channable and their clients, this white paper intends to help you prepare your business for the future of travel in eCommerce. Discover which eCommerce practices are best to employ, insights on the direction travel in eCommerce is heading, and what is required to remain competitive in this sector.

**Download the industry insights article: Travel in 2021 and beyond**
<br><br/>
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Travel in 2021 and beyond: An eCommerce Perspective

Download Channable's 2021 eCommerce calendar and enjoy valuable info, insights, and tips that you can use to refine your business’ eCommerce strategy.

**Channable's eCommerce calendar 2021**
<br><br/>
[form id="38291abb-3ca7-4e0d-a002-29cb144cd99b"]


Channable's eCommerce calendar 2021

For quite a bit of time, we have been familiar with the four keyword match types: *Exact match, broad match, phrase match*, and *broad match modifier*. But before we know it, we have to say goodbye to the broad match modifier as Google has announced they will bring its behaviour into the phrase match type. 

> To simplify the keyword portfolio and help advertisers reach more relevant user searches, we are bringing behaviors of broad match modifier (BMM) into phrase match, and phasing out support for BMM, tells David Wihl from the Google Ads API Team, source: [Google Ads Developer Blog.](https://ads-developers.googleblog.com/2021/02/changes-to-phrase-match-and-broad-match.html)

It is no secret that many advertisers have been experiencing lots of overlapping behaviour between the two match types in the past. Therefore, it seems only logical that Google will bring both match types together and thereby give advertisers an easier way to gain more control and a better reach. 

To give a more detailed explanation of what a pairing between the two means we would like to refer to Google´s very own example of a moving company that wants to be found by people interested to move away from the city of New York and up to Boston. Using the optimized phrase match, the moving company can now reach people who want to make this exact move, even without reaching people who want to move the other way around. Check out the illustration below for more details.

![About changes to Phase match and BMM final V3-01.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/9r1wuGgsSE2759pCA5I2)
Source: Google, [Making it easier to reach the right customers on Search](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10346549)

## What can users expect from these changes?

Obviously, this depends a lot on the individual users' usage of both phrase match and/ or Broad match modifier. Let's try to set up two scenarios: 

1. **Users who to a greater extent uses phrase match**
    
    These users should expect to see an incremental increase in both clicks and conversions. The reason for this is because of the added queries to which keywords will now be eligible to match. For example, “vacation on Ibiza” as the updated phrase will begin to match “vacation hotels on Ibiza”, which was previously only eligible for broad match modifier in the past. 

2. **Users who to a greater extent uses broad match modifier**

    These users should expect to see a slight decrease in clicks and conversions. The reason for this is due to these broad match modifier types where the modifier was only added to one part of the keyword, for example, football +shoes.

    Furthermore, Google will also start to consider the order of the words when it has some importance to the meaning of the keywords. Therefore, for some matches that were previously matched by a broad match modifier, these will be filtered out. To shortly go back to the illustration from Google before, this is also what you see at the very bottom of the illustration (the optimized phrase match will not catch “Boston to New York” but only “New York to Boston” because this has importance to the keyword and the advertiser). 

*Note*: all changes to broad match modified and phrase match will **not** have an impact on negative keyword match types.

## When will these changes happen and is there anything you need to do?

As mentioned in the introduction, Google has already taken the first steps to move the behaviour of broad match modifiers into the phrase match. They will start with the languages English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian before continuing in Q2 2021 with all the other Google Ads languages. Google expects to have the new phrase match fully updated in July 2021.

But is there anything you need to do? *Only a tiny bit*.

At Channable we will also start phasing out the creation of broad match modifier keywords, meaning from July 2021 you will no longer be able to create these types of keywords. What this also means is that Channable will no longer be able to send broad match modifier keywords to Google, meaning you will have to make a decision with your setup, if you are using these types of keywords. Maybe they need a conversion to phrase match or some other type?

We know this task can be quite challenging, especially if you run multiple Google Ads generators at the same time. To smoothen the transition just a tiny bit we will be releasing a bulk-convert button later in May 2021. With this button, you will be able to convert your broad-match modified keywords to other types of keywords all at once. 

[tip]**A few tips in the end:**

1. With all this in mind, we recommend all users decide which keyword types they want to convert to. Phrase match might be the most straightforward option, but we will leave the choice fully up to you.
2. Going forward, we likewise recommend all users stop creating new broad match modifier keywords.
3. As traffic might fluctuate a bit, depending on your keyword usage, we recommend monitoring the performance and make budget adjustments if needed.
4. If you are concerned about losing coverage, try to use broad match keywords in combination with a smart bidding strategy. This will most likely help you generate more relevant searches that also meet your performance goals.[/tip]

New changes to phrase match and broad match modifier - What does that mean for you?

For this whitepaper, feed management tool Channable is joining forces with Retail Assist on a project to arm you with the best eCommerce knowledge. With key sector stats, industry insider tips, as well as an eCommerce overview, this whitepaper is here to help your retail business improve its speed to market – and to increase your chances of success in the ever-changing retail landscape.

Discover more about the importance of speed to market with the following sections:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**A brief history of eCommerce trends**
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Facts and figures of the history of eCommerce and where it is today</li>
</ul>
</li>
 	<li>**The future is fast-paced**
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Insights from Channable + retail Assist's survey for retailers on market expectations and issues.</li>
 	<li>What internet giants Amazon and Google are introducing to shape the future of retail</li>
</ul>
</li>
 	<li>**The importance of speed to market**
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Working examples of industry successes and failures</li>
</ul>
</li>
 	<li>**How to keep on top**
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Tools and tips on staying ahead</li>
</ul>

### Request the whitepaper
[form id="08b2db28-b68e-40d0-8314-8eb59f30b159"]

Check out <a href="https://omio-retail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OMIO's PIM system</a> to get your data ready for feed management and read up on <a href="/blog/blog-what-is-a-pim-and-why-might-i-need-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">how PIM systems and data feed management tools can work in harmony</a>. If you're after more guides on speeding up your time to market, <a href="/blog/blog-explained-googles-products-for-advertisers-whitepaper" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">brush up on all the Google products</a> you can utilize to increase your exposure online or <a href="/blog/blog-4-ways-improve-quality-score" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4 ways to improve your quality score</a>.

Survival of the fastest: the importance of facing speed to market head on [whitepaper]

<h2>What are KPIs or performance indicators?</h2>
We all understand what a “Performance Indicator” is. It’s a fact or figure that tells us the benefit or advantage we get from a particular action. So far so good. For example, a performance indicator for physical activity at the gym would be the maximum number of beats per minute our hearts can pump. So, we have some data that gives us some information that tells us what to do depending on that data: working out harder or taking a break to prevent a heart attack. In the business sense, it’s the same. A KPI will give us data and depending on what it tells us, is how we’ll act and what kind of strategy to prepare.

To better define what it is,** a performance indicator is a tool that precisely determines the relevant health of a business or an eCommerce shop in our specific case**.
<h3>Characteristics of all good KPIs</h3>
The performance indicators of a business should be:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**Measurable**: can you even imagine “unmeasurable” metrics?</li>
 	<li>**Quantifiable**: something that can be measured or quantified. If we were talking about money, we would quantify it depending on the currency: EUR, USD, etc.</li>
 	<li>**Specific**: only measure one specific thing. Let’s not overdo it.</li>
 	<li>**Measurable in time**: we should be able to choose if we measure it by the day, week, month, or year.</li>
 	<li>**Relevancy**: depending on the business type.</li>
</ul>
The first thing we should do as an online business owner is to figure out what KPIs interest us. Start with a consultant or auditor for the eCommerce shop. However, if we do not have the resources for an audit, there are a few performance indicators that about 90% of businesses find it useful to measure. Pay attention!
<h2>Basic KPIs to bear in mind if you have an eCommerce</h2>
Let’s finally get the checklist we’re really looking for. What do I have to keep an eye on to see if my online store is doing well?

<img class="size-full wp-image-24937 aligncenter" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/A8yHagCReKmnd88VhWkA" alt="" width="674" height="447" />
<h3>ROI: Return on investment</h3>
Return on investment is in the name, but to get things straight, this KPI will tell us the **economic value generated as a result of any marketing activity**. In other words, this indicator will measure the results of our investment. Basically, whether we have made a profit or not depending on what we’ve spent. This KPI is quite interesting if we invest in Google Ads and/or Social Ads campaigns since we will be able to figure out if it’s worth it to continue spending money on them, increase/decrease our investment, or get rid of it altogether.
<h3>Average Order Value (AOV)</h3>
Easy. It’s the result of dividing sales by the number of transactions; thus, obtaining an average value of each sale either globally or through different and specific channels. If we **segment it by channels**, we’ll get information on whether your customers are spending more (on average) on certain channels and try to understand your target audience better.
<h3>Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)</h3>
This KPI gives us the “**engagement**” and this is the capacity that a brand or product has to create in order to establish a solid relationship with its consumers or users. This metric gives us an idea of the total number of purchases that a potential customer would make over a period of time if they remained loyal to the brand or product, but remember that this KPI is relative! A customer who buys a little over many years is more interesting for us than someone who only buys once and spends more money. What we try to achieve with this indicator is to organize a future projection based on the behavior patterns of our own customers.
<h3>Cost per Acquisition (CPA) or Cost per Share</h3>
We sell, yes, but that process requires a series of actions that cost us an investment of money, time, and resources. In other words, we don't get our sales for free. With the CPA (Cost per Acquisition) we know how much it costs us to get a new customer and how much those strategies that we make to get new contacts (what in marketing we know as leads) based on a **buyer’s persona**.

We will see the real impact of our paid advertising campaigns, which are almost always necessary and beneficial if we do them well. If we don't know how to do a good PPC campaign (because let's be honest, it's something complicated), we can resort to <a href="https://www.cleverecommerce.com?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.channable.com%2F&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=guestposting&amp;utm_content=guestpost_essential_ecommerce_kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">free tools or apps that help us with these investments in getting paid traffic</a>.
<h3>Sales Conversion Rate</h3>
This is the star figure, the one that shows us at the end of the day **the profitability of our eCommerce shop**, and our goal, of course, is to make this number as high as possible. It is obtained by dividing the number of sales by the number of visits to a channel. However, don’t worry because normally this rate does not exceed 2% in most businesses, so if you get a number lower than 3 or 4% ... You're doing fine!
<h3>Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate</h3>
Data from various studies indicate that** the abandonment rate of shopping carts/baskets is 79%, a very high figure**. Why? It could be due to the shipping costs or the lack of information about a product -- this is why we must always try our best to understand our goal as much as possible with a good customer journey and a good buyer in mind, as mentioned previously. How many people put something in the shopping cart but then leave it there and exit out? This is an important piece of data, especially to know the reasons and make the necessary improvements in our eCommerce shop so that this percentage can be reduced as much as possible.

Now that you know the most important KPIs to measure the performance of your business, you may want to <a href="https://www.cleverecommerce.com/ecommerce-blog/ecommerce-conversion-rate?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.channable.com%2F&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=guestposting&amp;utm_content=guestpost_essential_ecommerce_kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">know more about how to increase the conversion rate of your eCommerce shop</a>. Okay, maybe your brain is fried after all those numbers and indicators, but at least knowledge doesn't take up space!

Essential metrics you must pay attention to if you own an eCommerce business

<p style="text-align: left;">It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially in the world of eCommerce. Which also makes it more important to distinguish your offers from competitors.With our last-minute tips, you can easily upsell your business this season and make customers fall for your offers. 'Tis the season for promotions, services, and offers online shoppers can't resist.</p>


[caption id="attachment_19015" align="alignnone" width="800"]<img class="wp-image-19015 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/NajjTqrAQrC7O7u7X96R" alt="Last minute holiday tips" width="800" height="1333" /> Our list to finish the year strong[/caption]

6 jolly last-minute tips [infographic]

Valentine's Day has surpassed Easter as the biggest eCommerce event in the beginning of the calendar year. And it is still growing in importance - especially for online marketing. The perfect V-Day purchase in 2020 will be made last-minute but it will have a personal touch. Catering to such a dynamic, heartfelt market is no problem with data feed management and PPC automation. Learn how to equip your online shop and lead the way towards the perfect Valentine's experience for your customers.

![Infographic](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Iop9j6vBQ5uUpGX2YQag)

[center][button link="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/N74xii6iRvqRQGs21tUw"]See full infographic[/button][/center]

V-Day is not only for lovers [infographic]

Italy is one of the fastest growing European countries for eCommerce. According to the B2C E-Commerce Observatory, eCommerce in Italy generated €27 billion in 2018, showing an increase of 16% compared to 2017.

Channable wants to help shed some light on this, potentially unknown market for your business. You can read more details about the situation of eCommerce in Italy, such as what payment methods are the most used, which sectors are the most demanded, and, above all, which platforms are the most in demand.
<h2>What are the benefits of selling online to the Italian market?</h2>
<ol>
 	<li>You will find less competition than other markets with more experience in eCommerce, such as Germany and the United Kingdom. Around 20% of online stores generate 70% of online sales. With much less competition, it will be easier to stand out.</li>
 	<li>The mentality of the Italian buyer is changing. Every day there are more and more online shoppers and more purchases are being made on smartphones. Currently, about 24 million people shop online in Italy.</li>
 	<li>Italian brands cannot address this increased demand, so there is room for foreign brands that offer new and innovative products.</li>
</ol>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-20243" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/KZqyqe6lTj24aMp2rkm2" alt="eCommerce in Italy" width="2923" height="1689" />
<h2>The Italian market, how does it work?</h2>
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Payment methods</em>**</li>
</ul>
You should consider the following payment methods. According to Icepay, you cannot ignore the Italian CartaSi credit card if you want to sell your products and services in Italy. Together with MasterCard and VISA, they are the most used cards. We must also highlight PayPal and payment on delivery or payment upon delivery. Prepaid cards such as Postepay or Italian mail are also common.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Purchase hours</em>**</li>
</ul>
You should not forget that in Italy there are big differences between the north and the south. An example being work schedules. In the north they usually finish work at 6:00 pm, while in the south they end much later because of the break for lunch. Translating to online shopping schedules that are also different.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Catalog in Italian, YES or YES</em>**</li>
</ul>
The vast majority of the population speaks Italian, so they will feel more comfortable completing the purchase if the information of the products or services is available in Italian. Therefore you should consider the option of translating your webshop, especially if you use comparison websites such as Google Shopping.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Amazon, the indispensable marketplace</em>**</li>
</ul>
As in many other countries, Amazon is one of the undisputed leaders in the Italian market. You should not forget that with the Channable API connection you can send <a href="/integrations/amazon-product-feed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">your listing of products to Amazon</a> in minutes.

Other very used channels are Zalando, eBay, Wish, ManoMano and Privalia, which we also have connections with all these online platforms. You can send your optimized and updated product listing through a feed or API connection, depending on the channel. Check all the <a href="/integrations?country=italy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">list of channels available in Channable</a>.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Most used shipping companies in Italy</em>**</li>
</ul>
Regarding the ranking of the most used shipping companies in Italy, we can highlight these 6: DHL, BRT, TNT, Savino del Bene, CEVA and Saima Avandero.

If your eCommerce webshop is developed with PrestaShop, Magento, Shopify or Woocommerce, you may want to know that we have <a href="/products/marketplace-integrator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">order connections</a> with all of them. That means that you can manage Amazon and eBay orders directly in your webshop, centralizing marketplaces orders in one place and making their management much easier.

As you know, shipping products can be the best point of contact with the customer. That's why you might be interested in using a platform like <a href="https://www.qapla.it/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Qapla</a>. Thanks to this Italian tool you can take advantage of the delivery of the order status to include information on other products, increasing the possibility of doing upsells and cross sells, improving this way the brand awareness and loyalty.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Most demanded sectors</em>**</li>
</ul>
The sector with the highest growth in eCommerce in Italy compared to 2018 figures is for the food sector, which has grown 40%, followed by the home and decoration sector, which increased by 30%. However, we cannot forget that tourism, fashion, electronics and the beauty sector still reign.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**<em>Other advise</em>**</li>
</ul>
Italian consumers have high expectations about customer service, but they are often patient, they have no problem with receiving orders in 3 or 5 days. However, on many occasions they assume that shipping will be for free. In addition, it is important to offer simple solutions for returns, especially for the fashion sector where returns are around 40%.
<h2>eCommerce in Italy, last figures</h2>
According the the last "Osservatorio eCommerce B2C 2019" (Osservatori Digital Innovation - Poli.Mi. and Consorzio Netcomm), online purchases in both Italian and foreign online shops have reached 31.6 billion euros, which represents a 15% increase from 2018. The purchase of products has increased by 21%, compared to the purchase of services, which has only increased by 8%. This phenomenon has caused a considerable increase in the number of shipments. In terms of transactions, the value of the purchase of products has reached 18 billion euros, compared to 13.5 billion generated in the services sector.
<h2>Where to start?</h2>
It is true that breaking through into a new market can be intimidating. But if you have enough information that allows you to control the situation, everything will be easier. It is always good to start with a SWOT analysis, which allows you to discover the weaknesses, strengths, threats and opportunities of your company to face that new market that you want to explore. We hope that the indications offered in this article about the situation of eCommerce in Italy will help you to configure this analysis and future strategy of your company in the Italian market.

The keys to expanding your online business in Italy

The best ecomm strategies include these 7 easy-to-implement tactics that help you to:

*   Show up in the right place at the right time
*   Select and sell on multiple shopping portals with a click of a button
*   Use inexpensive online advertising more effectively to promote your products
*   Automate the process with real-time order to delivery information at your fingertips

7 tactics to increase profitability from eCommerce stores

Social media networks have become an everyday norm for a large portion of the globe. Whether it’s a way to kill time when you’re waiting, discovering new products or hobbies, or a way for you to keep in touch with your loved ones. People are spending hours a week on their devices. <a href="/blog/blog-why-integrate-social-media-into-your-marketing-strategy">No wonder social media platforms</a> are becoming the hot spot for businesses to reach and connect to their audiences.

Keeping on top of all the networks and how to advertise on them can be a struggle. Being visible and found on social media networks is a full-time job. Using an optimized product catalog feed can save you time in getting started, so you can concentrate on converting viewers. This comparison of the biggest social media networks (<a href="/integrations/facebook-product-feed">Facebook</a>, <a href="/integrations/instagram">Instagram</a>, <a href="/integrations/pinterest">Pinterest</a>, and <a href="/integrations/snapchat">Snapchat</a>) can give you a good indication of which platform will work best for your offering, and help you generate an optimized feed to advertise faster.

![channable---Réseaux-sociaux-pour-le-E-commerce-EN.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/9upbXbgwSCFTzRb65GpQ)

If you would like to read more about <a href="/blog/blog-why-integrate-social-media-into-your-marketing-strategy">advertising on social media platforms</a> or <a href="/blog/blog-get-the-most-out-of-pinterest-advertising">advertising specifically on Pinterest</a>, Channable has written a few <a href="/blog">blogs</a> on the subject.

Itching to get started with advertising on social media channels with Channable? <a href="/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sign up for a free trial account today</a> and <a href="/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">get in touch</a> with the team to schedule a free demo.

<em>Read this in <a href="/nl/blog/infographic-hoe-kun-je-jouw-social-media-advertising-synchroniseren-met-je-online-winkel">Dutch</a> or <a href="/de/blog/infographic-synchronisieren-sie-ihre-werbung-auf-social-media-mit-ihrem-online-shop">German</a>.</em>

How to sync your social media advertising efforts with your online shop [infographic]

There are many shipping methods, matching the different types of customers you have. Many consumers look for the most reliable shipping method, although the price also influences the choice of the chosen shipping.

For instance, many Americans prefer faster shipping over having the absolute cheapest option. Of course, delivery time is a determining factor to a certain extent. The large online retailers and their express delivery methods have made everyone, as consumers, more and more demanding in this regard. 44% of consumers perceive same-day delivery as a sign of trust and are willing to pay more for this method.

We understand that with so many options it can be overwhelming to make a choice and meet all the requirements demanded of your clients. However, we are here to help you make that choice! Below is a list of 6 key points to help you create a strategy that best suits your online shop.
<h2>6 key points to consider when creating your shipping strategy</h2>
**1. Carriers and shipping methods **

Not all products sold online today have the same characteristics. When considering the most appropriate shipping method for the items you sell in your online shop, you should not only focus on the product itself, but also on consumers. What kind of customers do you have?

Depending on the type of customer and the type of product, consumers will not be surprised to have to wait a couple of days until they receive their order. Therefore, a carrier with ultrafast shipments and very expensive rates may not be the best choice. Some customers will focus more on economic factors than on delivery time, while others will simply take what is presented. Our tip? Know your customers and their needs, and then offer the best method to meet their needs.

**2. Shipping costs**

Shipping costs are one of the most decisive factors when completing a purchase process. The US is a particularly demanding country with regard to shipping costs.

Free shipping is the best option to get customers to complete their purchase. However, you have to take into account certain factors so that absorbing shipping costs on behalf of the customer does not result in losing money.

Free but controlled shipping costs are an excellent marketing strategy to target who can access free shipping without a loss for your business. For example, shipping can be free or not depending on the location, weight, and total of the order.

In the US, a common practice is to offer free shipping when standard delivery is chosen or if a product is over $20, for example, but may require payment in other countries or for an expedited option.

When determining different methods, consider the all rates that carriers apply and stay within a margin that benefits your business.

**3. Automating the shipping process**

It is estimated that the average time spent processing an order is around 10 minutes. From the moment a new order enters the system until the package is ready to be picked up, the carrier must perform a series of tasks that many retailers continue to handle manually. However,<a href="https://www.sendcloud.com/process-orders?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog_channable" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> automating the shipping process</a> can save up to 3 minutes per order.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Shipping rules: configure custom shipping rules to detect the appropriate shipping method for each type of order.</li>
 	<li>Automated pick-ups: with an automatic shipping list you can instantly schedule a pick-up for your orders once enough have been placed.</li>
 	<li>Creating and printing labels: nobody should be “copy and pasting” or typing the addresses of clients separately. Automatically creating a label list is essential to help the flow of your products.</li>
 	<li>Documents, tariffs, and taxes: the bane of every retailer, customs and tax forms, invoices, and personal income tax / VAT. There are now tools available to automatically generate these documents.</li>
 	<li>Automated update emails: no longer will you have to worry about keeping the customer aware of the purchase process, as these emails are automatically sent at predetermined intervals, updating the status of the order at all times.</li>
</ul>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-20693" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/RApkF27KTUiHRZAaWDQv" alt="Emails seguimiento pedidos" width="2392" height="1028" />

**4. Tracking emails**

A satisfying shopping experience does not happen by just clicking a button and filling in some fields. Up to 90% of follow-up emails are opened and read. This presents an opportunity to promote other items, sell more items, and build customer loyalty.

One sneaky idea is to add related articles, banners, or information about your business in the mail with the shipping information. The chances of customers opening and seeing this information will be high.

![article-image-ckgijxfko06np0b07eik47qtn-9485.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/CThAg2SSRTSGcfClf5er)

**5. Return strategies**

67% of consumers read the return policy before deciding to buy from an online shop. For 84% of them, this is one of the most important factors when making a purchase online. It is important that the customer can access clear policies about the return period of a product and what are the options to return it. Your return policy must appear in a visible place on your website and be written in a clear and concise manner.

<a href="https://www.sendcloud.com/return-portal?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog_channable" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Create your own return policy with different methods</a> for different countries or types of shipping, offering options that fit the needs of your customers. Can you afford to offer free returns or should return costs fall on the customer? Depending on the nature of your products, you can also consider a subscription model that includes free returns to subscribers as an advantage of their membership.

Finally, it is important to create an organized and detailed return form. Collecting the reasons for each return, which specific products are returned and the reason. Just as you manage each order that leaves, you must keep track of each item that is returned.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-20703" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/3Y232MpQvJYUgOQLOhQ0" alt="Devoluciones de pedidos" width="1288" height="1103" />

**6. International strategy**

Many online shops want to take the international leap and introduce their business abroad. A good international strategy may begin with the <a href="/blog/blog-amazon-netherlands-whattoexpect-howtoprepare" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon EU seller programs</a>.
The most important points to consider for a good international sales strategy are the following:
<ol>
 	<li>Negotiating international rates is essential when agreeing with carriers on shipping rates abroad.</li>
 	<li>Transparency in shipping methods and delivery times is another factor to consider. Customers want to know the details about delivery time and shipping costs before making a purchase. This way you will avoid abandoned carts from unexpected expenses or duty tax fields that can appear at the last moment.</li>
 	<li>Applying for European legislation is essential when you are going to make international shipments within the European Union. <a href="https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/shipping-delivery/index_en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check with the official website of the European Union</a> to ensure that your shipping process meets the requirements.</li>
</ol>

How to create a successful shipping strategy

Get ready to reach more customers, sell more, and still relax this sale season.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15271" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/ISlJCWtBStiIPSmrlSvL" alt="" width="800" height="2133" />

Feel free to share this infographic on the social media network of your choice.

Channable offers connections to more than a thousand marketplaces and comparison websites around the world. Take a look at the <a href="/integrations">different possibilities</a> that you have in Channable and choose the ones that fit best with your online sales strategy this summer.

Tips for Summer Sale [infographic]

Bing may be responsible for a modest <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7.24% of the share from the search engine market in the UK</a>. But at the beginning of 2018 the search engine platform was counting, on average, <a href="https://secure.bingads.microsoft.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 billion monthly searches</a>. Therefore, there is no need for us to explain why there is definitely huge potential in using Bing Ads to reach your customers. Before telling you how to master Bing Ads and explaining to you how Channable can rock your Bing Ads, here is a little bit more insight into the service.
<h2>What are Bing Ads?</h2>
Bing Ads is essentially Microsoft’s version of Google AdWords. Similar to AdWords, Bing Ads is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising system. It is part of the web search engine called Bing. Signing up to Bing Ads is free, you’ll pay only when someone clicks on your Text Ads. As Bing says: “no click, no charge”.
<h3><em>Text Ads</em></h3>
Once you’ve created your Text Ads in Bing, they will appear on the top or to the right of Bing, Yahoo, and MSN search results.
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone wp-image-9920 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/NaT8jbT361rGWTIjudCA" alt="" width="600" height="405" />
<em>How a text ad appears on Bing.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Your ad position will be determined by different factors such as how high your bid is compared to your bidding competitors, your click-through rate or how closely your ad and website fit with the keyword. Similarly to AdWords, you can target your ads to geographic locations, times or days of the week, etc.</p>

<h3>**<em>Product listing Ads</em>**</h3>
Again, similar to Google, you can create Bing Shopping ads and use Shopping Campaigns to organize, manage, and bid for your Product Ads. Like with the Google Merchant Center, the Bing Merchant Center allows you to create Product Ads for each of your items. Product Ads showcase your items in a larger format with images, text, pricing, etc. Don’t mistake them with Text Ads (see the above picture for an example).
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone wp-image-9925 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/qnpjJuVmQty2PXRNFevY" alt="" width="600" height="405" />
<em>How a Product Ad will appear on Bing.</em></p>

<h2>Why should you use Bing Ads?</h2>
Of course, you don’t tell someone to “Bing” something but rather “Google” it. However, there are still good reasons for you to start using Bing Ads:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Bing Ads can connect you to millions of internet users that are NOT using Google.</li>
 	<li>The competition is lower than AdWords and therefore Bing Ads is known to be “cheaper” than AdWords.</li>
 	<li>If you're already using Google Adwords, you can easily sync your campaigns to Bing Ads, but this comes with constraints*.</li>
</ul>
* <em>Imagine you want to create a specific campaign for Bing, this option will prevent you from it. But if you are using Channable and our SEA tool, you can copy your ads’ templates to the Bing Ads generator and still manage your ads specifically for Bing exactly as you want them to be.</em>
<h2>Bing Ads within Channable</h2>
Maybe you already know that Channable has a <a href="/products/ppc-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special SEA</a> tool that enables you to create thousands of dynamic ads for AdWords based on the information in your product feed. Therefore we thought, why not offer a similar feature for Bing Ads!
Here a handful of reasons why it’s a good idea to use a tool like Channable to create your Bing Ads:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>The SEA tool is very intuitive and user friendly, which helps you to create your campaigns effortlessly.</li>
 	<li>Automatically create thousands of customized Bing Ads based on your feed with the ad template.</li>
 	<li>Everything will be updated automatically: Channable retrieves all new information from your feed daily or even up till every hour and updates your ads accordingly.</li>
 	<li>New items are automatically added, into the right campaign and ad group, and with the correct advertisement.</li>
 	<li>You decide which (dynamic) attributes you’d like to use in your text ad (i.e fluctuating price, brand, title or stock).</li>
 	<li>Create your own A/B testing template: generate different ad templates for your items in just a few clicks to see which ad performs better.</li>
</ul>
In Channable, there are two ways to easily generate your Bing campaigns.

1) As mentioned above, you can copy rules and templates from Channable’s AdWords generators into your Bing Ads generators. After that, you can fine-tune the ads for Bing, within Channable, in anyway you like.
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone wp-image-9926 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/EHzyTZGdT6adCDKTVPpg" alt="Bing Ads Channable" width="600" height="372" />
<em>Push thousands of custom ads for all of your items to Bing.</em></p>
2) Generate your campaigns for Bing from scratch, based on the feed containing all your items’ information. The first step in creating ads is selecting the level on which you want your campaigns to be generated (i.e. brand level - would create a campaign for every brand in your feed). The next step is to simply construct your Bing ad groups, ads, keywords and negative keywords. Channable’s Bing ads generators and templates make advertising with Bing simple and easy to implement.
<p style="text-align: left;">So, if you already know <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000528889-Dynamic-Ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how the SEA tool works within Channable</a> you can get started right away! If you don’t have yet a Channable account, <a href="/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up here</a>. If you do, <a href="/contact">contact us </a>to enable the Bing feature for you and start setting up your Bing campaigns, as it works pretty much in the same way! Awesome, right?</p>

Why you should consider using Bing Ads

**Sell in the land of watches and chocolate**
From 2012 to 2017, the e-commerce sector grew by 53% and this trend will continue over the next few years. Even if it took the Swiss a bit longer to use online marketplaces, nowadays Swiss consumers love to shop online. Last year, they spent almost 9 billion Swiss Francs (spread amongst only 8 million inhabitants) on the internet. In 2017, almost 20 percent of all online sales were made on webshops from abroad. According to <a href="https://blog.carpathia.ch/2018/02/20/vsv-gfk-zahlen-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carpathia</a> over the next three years, foreign trade is expected to rapidly increase by another 20 percent. Now is the perfect time to start an expansion into Switzerland. Do you want to jump on the bandwagon? You can profit from the success of international marketplaces and the trend of shopping from abroad if you join the Swiss market now.

<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-11682" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/FXBWIwi8TPeZ83bG49H2" alt="" width="900" height="512" />

**The Swiss particularities**
International online retailers are on the rise and are unstoppable. But, how do you conquer a market that is resilient? This is a question raised by many online retailers who want to sell their items in Switzerland. Swiss people like Swiss products but competition from abroad is increasingly putting Swiss online retailers under pressure. The Swiss online marketplaces have to compete with vendors and marketplaces from abroad. The online marketplace, Digitec Galaxus, is still the market leader but international players in e-commerce are catching up. Players such as Amazon - who only launched in Switzerland in 2018, Zalando and AliExpress were all in the top 10 top-selling marketplaces in Switzerland last year.

Foreign vendors must make an extra effort and offer good deals to convince Swiss citizens to commit to purchasing. Alongside logistical and administrative hurdles there are further obstacles such as insufficient product information. Product specifications must be communicated as clearly as possible, which can be solved easily with a feed management tool if international vendors want to successfully sell their goods and services in Switzerland.

**Climbing over the Matterhorn to reach the Swiss market**
Cross-border trade in Switzerland requires some knowledge in the areas of VAT, customs clearance and logistics. In many cases, it pays off to work with logistics partners who are specialized in offering tailor-made solutions.

**What are the most important points to consider when trading online from abroad to Switzerland?**
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**Language:**
Multilingualism is an important feature of Switzerland as there are 4 official national languages spoken in the small country. If your online shop is available in at least two languages (German and French are the majorities) you already have an advantage in the Swiss market.</li>
 	<li>**Currency:**
The goods and services should be offered in Swiss Francs. Not only the price but also the payment methods are decisive. According to the ecommerce news magazine, bill payment is the most popular method, but credit card, PayPal and PostFinance should not be missed. If you sell your products only on marketplaces, no need to adapt the currency on your website, because the sale will take place directly on the marketplace. Problem solved!</li>
 	<li>**Customs and shipping:**
When importing your products, you must complete a customs declaration for each parcel with the price of the goods in Swiss Francs. For each package there is an import and sales tax. That sounds pretty complicated and laborious? That's why there are logistic solutions that pick up orders in your existing warehouse in Europe and process the entire import customs clearance. You don’t need a warehouse or company location in Switzerland to offer customers the same ordering convenience as Swiss e-commerce retailers. For returns, you will receive a refund for the import duties. More information can be found at the <a href="https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home/information-companies/declaring-goods/importation-into-switzerland/courier-by-post--online-shopping--mail-order-company.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swiss Customs Administration</a>.</li>
 	<li>**Taxes:**
Value added tax (VAT) is very low in Switzerland. It amounts to 7,7% of the assessment basis. A reduced rate of 2.5% applies for certain goods (e.g. edibles, books, magazines and medications).</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-11793 aligncenter" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/c1WUFI3zTdSZU1cpjqzw" alt="" width="555" height="1024" />

**The most lucrative Swiss marketplaces**
The <a href="https://www.galaxus.ch/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digitec Galaxus AG</a> and <a href="https://www.ricardo.ch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ricardo</a> are the main Swiss marketplaces in the e-commerce market.
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**Digitec Galaxus**
Digitec Galaxus AG is the largest online marketplace in Switzerland. With about one million active customers, Digitec Galaxus is the #1 online store in Switzerland. It had 861 Billion revenue on the platforms digitec.cg and galaxus.ch in 2017. Both marketplaces offer a broad and growing sortiment. Digitec Galaxus works with established and select vendors. As a retailer, you pay no basic fees but will be subject to a sales commission, when you sell an item. For EU merchants Galaxus offers a customs clearance solution, the EU hub. Read more about <a href="https://www.galaxus.ch/en/page/become-a-merchant-12462">how to become a merchant</a>.</li>
 	<li>**ricardo**
ricardo.ch is more than just a marketplace, it’s an online auction house and has a very high reach in Switzerland. The listing of products on ricardo is free. You only pay a commission fee of 9% on each sale.</li>
</ul>
The following channels are also very popular in Switzerland: Amazon, Zalando, AliExpress, Wish, Facebook, Shopping.ch and Google Shopping.

Channable offers marketplace connections to Digitec Galaxus and ricardo, and links to many other Swiss online sales channels. With our tool you can adapt your product data according to the requirements of the marketplaces and list your products automatically on the channels.
Do you want to start selling in Switzerland? <a href="/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get started</a> and conquer the Swiss market!

How to conquer the Swiss online market

The first Black Friday was in 1951, the first Cyber Monday in 2005. While these days were mainly a US phenomena for a long time, in the last couple of years Europe also joined the hunt for perfect deals. In 2017, 91% of UK retailers offered Black Friday deals (as opposed to 81% in the US). In the EU, customers spent 508 percent more on Black Friday than they did on an average Friday. Revenues are increasing every year, so it’s the perfect time to join the bustle! With our 6 tips, you won’t miss out on the hordes of customers.
<h2>Get started</h2>
Everything starts with a plan. Think about what your marketing budget is, what your discount will be, which products are relevant for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and where you want to sell or promote: marketplaces, comparison websites, affiliate networks, social advertising, etc.
<h2>Be seen where it’s relevant</h2>
To reach as many potential customers as possible, you’ll want to be seen. This might already be a challenge on normal days, but for the kickoff of the holiday sales you'll be in need of additional exposure. Channable’s got your back! Decide which platforms are relevant for your business and get there with Channable. Easily send your product feed in to more than <a href="/integrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2500 marketplaces, price comparison websites and affiliate platforms</a>. One of the advantages of using a feed management tool for increasing exposure is that your product data (prices, stock, etc) on platforms are synchronized with your website. Pretty relevant during a period where you offer sale prices and stock level might vary, right?
<h2>Filter &amp; optimize your products</h2>
Depending on the platform, you have to decide if you really want to advertise all products - or only the ones that are on sale, top sellers or premium products. You could <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002827265-What-are-examples-of-common-rules-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">filter products</a> and only send e.g. products over €50 to Amazon. Or, how about automatically <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002827585-Rule-append-value" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">adding the word ‘SALE’ to every title</a>, or adding the original price into the description? That’s all possible without hassle. Learn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmI9QpxXZsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">how to optimize your product feed</a> before exporting it! Don’t forget to <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002817249-How-do-I-filter-items-using-rules-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">exclude items</a> that are out of stock.
<h2>Advertise anywhere</h2>
In addition to the people who are already browsing price comparison websites or marketplaces, you might want to reach the shoppers who haven’t decided yet and surprise them with your Black Friday deal. Think: Facebook Ads, Google or Bing Text Ads, Google Shopping or display ads through affiliates. How do you use them without spending days creating campaigns? Easy, with Channable you can adjust your product feed to the needs of the export platform, even set up entire search campaigns, ad groups and ads <a href="/products/ppc-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">with a few clicks</a>.
<h2>Show what you’ve got</h2>
It’s important to display the most recent stock level so that customers don’t try to order products that might be sold out. Many export platforms fetch product information once a day, even Channable does by default. That means that your stock level on export platforms can be a day old. To always have the latest stock information, Channable offers extra runs. This way your product information gets updated up to 24 times per day. Therefore, customers won’t leave your site disappointed after they realize that your product is sold out. Check out Channable’s <a href="/extra-runs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">holiday promotion</a> for extra runs! Note: Make sure the export platform allows multiple updates a day if you want to benefit from the extra runs.
<h2>Sell fast, send fast - The aftermath</h2>
Congrats, you’ve made it through Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and you’ve sold more than you expected! That’s awesome. The money has been made, now you have to please your customers by sending them their new goods as fast as possible. With Channable’s order connections, all your orders from various marketplaces can be imported automatically into your shop system . No more copy-pasting addresses, or manually updating stock numbers. A direct API-connection between your online store and the marketplace syncs everything automatically. At the time of writing, Channable supports order connections with Magento, Lightspeed, WooCommerce, Divide, Prestashop and Shopify shops. If you are not using any of the mentioned shop systems, you can connect your shopsystem to the Channable API. Read more about <a href="/products/marketplace-integrator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">order connections</a>.

Ready to begin the sale of the year? <a href="/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Start your Channable trial now! </a>

How you can get the most out of Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Running ads on <a href="/integrations/facebook-product-feed">Facebook</a> and <a href="/integrations/instagram">Instagram</a> is one way to go, giving you the chance to reach the right people this season. Learn more about the power of these platforms and how you can use your holiday catalog last-minute to create ads that capture attention in no time.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-18324" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/IwH0ymEoTZSg4xXmvVO9" alt="" width="800" height="1014" /> <img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-18330" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/vHOXIOzeRXegfDuB55Du" alt="" width="788" height="1024" /> <img class="aligncenter wp-image-18335" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Q9rRN1b6S92WOyWhhURM" alt="" width="800" height="1185" />

Last-minute Christmas Ads for eCommerce [infographic]

If you are working in <a href="/integrations/google-adwords-tool">Google Ads</a> or <a href="/integrations/microsoft-advertising">Microsoft Advertising</a>, you’ll no doubt know their character limits by heart: 30 for headlines and 90 for descriptions. But what does that look like visually?

We know you are busy people and don't have time to count each character - especially if you’re using dynamic fields in Channable’s ad generators. Therefore, Channable has included a visual warning in the SEA tool template builder for when you exceed the limit.

The visual warning will turn the field in question red and will notify you what the character limit is. Even better still, if the error occurs because you are using a dynamic field (those blue and pink ones), Channable will display which percentage of the values exceed the character limit.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15225" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/YkKyowfREGHumMMGggDy" alt="" width="1000" height="548" />

For instance, if you decide to use the title field as the headline 1, but 10% of your titles are longer than 30 characters, Channable will display a warning reading “Around 10% of values are longer than 30 characters”. This will save you jumping back and forth between the preview and the ad groups steps. To fix fields that exceed character limits, you can either create rules to shorten the values or use the handy back-up templates.

The character limit percentage warnings will be displayed in the ad template section AND the sitelinks section.

Make your ads more relevant, faster, and error-free with <a href="/products/ppc-tool">Channable’s SEA tool</a>. Curious to know more about how you can benefit from ad generation and Channable’s SEA tool? Get in <a href="/contact">contact </a>with one of Channable’s sales representatives for a <a href="/demo">demo</a>.


Be limited by characters no more!

Who doesn’t love a good old checklist to get themselves organized? At Channable, we want to make this summer season easier for you. Therefore, we have prepared a checklist with 10 relevant tips you can implement for your business.

Fill out the form below and grab the chance to download the full checklist!
<br><br/>
[form id="efcd23c2-b1d9-4276-a60f-24aa2b546dc4"]

Summersales checklist 2021 - 10 tips you shouldn't miss!

# How to stand out from the crowd?

## 1. Make use of user-generated content
Your customers can turn into your **best brand ambassadors**, so you should put a spotlight on them. Ask them to tag your brand on social media when posting pictures wearing your items; highlight it on the corresponding product page; showcase customer reviews; provide feedback on items; and more. Bottom line: **let your customers hype up your brand**.

## 2. Offer a crystal clear and flexible return policy
No one likes to see a product get returned, and yet - **offering a clear and free-of-charge return policy is key** and can definitely make the difference. According to Web Retailer, 88% of consumers surveyed rate [free return shipping as “important” or “very important”](https://redstagfulfillment.com/best-practices-e-commerce-returns/) to their purchase decisions. So while not offering free returns might save you money, it will also cost you, customers.

## 3. Diversify your online advertising channels
Now that you’ve put a lot of thought into website optimization, it’s time to **spread the word about your brand** and generate traffic to your site. Fashion retail is filled with opportunities to gain online exposure, whether your goal is to build brand awareness or increase conversions. Listing your brand on **fashion marketplaces** is a great way to benefit from the marketplace’s popularity among a large customer base, but there’s so much more you can do. Spend time enriching a marketing strategy that’ll support your business objectives. From **display** to **comparison websites** and **shopping ads**, there is a perfect advertising channel for each of your goals.

## 4. Brush up on your Social Media marketing skills
Rest assured - we didn’t ignore social media! And, as a fashion brand, you shouldn’t either. Especially if you’re looking to engage with younger customers. According to a global poll conducted by Ipsos, **67% of 18-24-year-olds and 60% of 25-34-year-olds [used Instagram at least once a day last year](https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-demographics/#General_Instagram_demographics)**. 

When it comes to fashion,** it’s all about being inspirationa**l. If you’re a lesser-known brand, it’s up to you to find users, not the other way around. Create appealing content and **power up your paid social ads** on Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, or TikTok. Have some extra budget to spend? Consider investing in **influencer marketing** to build strong brand advocates, but keep in mind that having a lot of followers on social media doesn’t always necessarily guarantee the best ROI. Think **quality-over-quantity**.

## 5. Automate your marketing efforts
Last but not least: **automation**. If you want to step up your marketing game and boost your productivity, you need to **equip yourself with the right tools**. [91% of marketers say marketing automation is very important](https://review42.com/resources/marketing-automation-statistics/) for the overall success of online marketing. 

There is a multitude of marketing automation tools. The most popular tools are usually related to email marketing and chatbots. But these tools do not offer solutions for some of the most time-consuming processes in eCommerce: listings integration with marketplaces, catalog management to create product ads for social media or price comparison websites, order management, or creation of relevant text ads; just to mention a few.

In order to help you to overcome all of these technical and tedious challenges, we have created the guide: “**Fashion & E-commerce in 2021: How to stay relevant and ahead of your competition**”. In this guide, you will find inspiration through relevant success stories, best practices, tips, and testimonials from some famous fashion brands. We hope this guide will help you implement marketing automation in your omnichannel strategy to get the best out of your fashion eCommerce.

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Fashion & eCommerce:5 Tips to help skyrocket your online visibility

Inflation is running at almost [9% in Europe](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/14675415/2-18082022-AP-EN.pdf/03725c05-b76b-8faa-b9b9-2d867781e735?t=1660739117989#:~:text=The%20euro%20area%20annual%20inflation,%2C%20the%20rate%20was%202.5%25) and shows no signs of slowing down. Driven by the conflict in Ukraine and increasing competition for natural resources, inflation can significantly impact our disposable incomes and influence our purchasing behavior. 

Businesses worldwide are worried about the impact of inflation on their bottom line, but what’s the reality? 

First, let’s look at what inflation is, why it matters, and its impact on consumer behavior.

## What is inflation, and why does it matter?

As you’ll know, if you’ve bought gas or shopped for groceries, prices are rising for almost everything. 

[Inflation](https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/basics/30-inflation.htm){nofollow} is a collective measurement of price increases over a set period. In Europe, inflation in Europe is running at 8.9% at the moment, compared to 2.5% in 2021. That means that during the past year, prices for goods have risen an average of 8.9% across Europe. Some inflation is OK (in fact it’s desirable), but too much inflation can damage an economy very quickly. 

Some countries have seen higher levels of price rises than others. You’ll also notice that some items have increased in price much more than others. That’s because inflation is an average that reflects the increase in costs of a specific set of goods that reflect national spending habits.

Inflation is measured according to the [Consumer Price Index](https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/july2022){nofollow}, which reflects the housing costs of the average person. 

It’s important to understand that inflation will affect us all differently. Some people, particularly those on lower incomes, will be affected more than those with larger incomes, for example. Those who drive will be hit harder than those who cycle.

On the surface, higher levels of inflation should translate into lower sales across the board. But that’s not the case. Here are three things every business and brand needs to know about the impact of inflation on our spending habits.

## Consumers don't stop spending immediately

Inflation may see our spending power reduced, but people that doesn’t mean we stop spending. 

Instead, we’re more discerning about where we spend our money and on what. The lesson? During levels of high inflation, there are winners and losers.

One example is sales of groceries that actually increase during periods of high inflation.

Why is this the case? George Rogers Clark, Professor of Management and Marketing at Yale explains [this phenomenon](https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/how-does-inflation-change-consumer-behavior) with a simple example: 

> "When people start eating out less at restaurants, they spend more on food products they’ll consume at home. Since I’m not spending $20 on fish at a restaurant this week, I can go to the store and buy not the cheapest fish, but one of the better fish.”

This anecdote is supported by [PWC](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2022/global-consumer-insights-pulse-survey.html){nofollow}, who found that 75% of respondents expect to maintain or even increase current levels of spending across most categories in the next six months. While prices will rise, the willingness to pay them remains the same. Economists call this "inelasticity", which means price changes don't affect consumer purchasing behavior. 

The important takeaway here is that inflation provides opportunities for some eCommerce players and threats to others. It depends on what you’re selling and who you are selling to. 

## If consumers change their shopping habits, they do so usually in five ways:
![4 habit changes copy.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/wTFlYcRQe6l6bH6WGAOj)
If consumers change their spending habits during economic downturns, they usually engage in what economists call "trading down" behavior. It means finding a cheaper and (subjectively) lower-valued alternative to a product they have previously purchased. 

A simple example is swapping your regular Starbucks coffee for a homebrew. The coffee beans and milk you buy at the grocery store, are substitutes for the more expensive Starbucks coffee. As a result, you’ve traded your coffee consumption down. 

## During inflation, trade downs operate in five ways:

### 1. Choosing lower prices or lower quantities

[McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-great-uncertainty-us-consumer-confidence-and-behavior-during-inflationary-times){nofollow} estimates that the most respondents (60%) who said they will "trade down" are doing so by reducing their quantities or pack sizes. The lesson is, they won’t stop spending on a product or category, but will spend less.

Retailers have quickly jumped on this trend. They’re using a selling method some call "*increasing the whole of the donut*". Essentially, you’re charging the same price for a smaller product. Imagine your favorite potato chips. The pack price is the same, but instead of getting 150g, you get 130g.

Have you ever picked up a chocolate bar and remembered it being bigger? It’s probably because it was bigger years ago. Same price, smaller product. Slimming down portion sizes may seem underhand, but for [Cadbury’s](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/28/cadbury-family-size-dairy-milk-bars-get-10-smaller-but-price-stays-the-same){nofollow} at least, it hasn’t affected sales. 

### 2. Switch to private labels and lower priced brands

A more extreme form of "trading down" involves substituting brands for lower-tier products. This particularly affects the luxury and premium goods industry, but also the entertainment and fashion sectors.

[An Ipsos survey](https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/knowledge/consumer-shopper/How-Inflation-is-Changing-Consumer-Behavior){nofollow} found that 35% and 33% respectively will buy cheaper brands, private labels or in-house brands from larger retailers. The cited McKinsey survey found that "only" 26% of respondents will change to cheaper priced brands or private labels.  

Procter and Gamble and Unilever, which offer generally premium brands have recognized this trend and responded by introducing cheaper, lower-tier products across many categories. 

In [a recent Reuters article](https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/procter-gamble-quarterly-sales-beat-market-expectations-2022-04-20/){nofollow}, Proctor and Gamble executives said that “for now consumers were switching to better-value premium products such as single-dose detergents or higher-priced diapers, adding they would focus marketing efforts on such offerings.”

### 3. Customers go after promotions and discounts

Customers are more willing to spend on goods with discounts and promotions during inflation. 

Professor Georg Rogers explains: 

> "One very clever thing Costco does is to offer a few cents discount on gas. People hate to pay for gas, so when gas prices go up a lot, they go to Costco more and end up buying a lot of other stuff." 


### 4. Shoppers will be more selective and research more

[FullStory](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fullstory-second-annual-us-digital-experience-survey-reveals-consumer-behavior-shifts-due-to-inflation-301570881.html){nofollow}, the digital experience intelligence company, and Ipsos have found that customers are researching products in more detail than ever before purchasing. Over half (51%) say they’re getting into the details for every purchase, to ensure they’re getting the best deal. 

Most of the research consumers do is aimed at cutting costs. 42% search online for coupons or discount codes. 33% are researching lower-priced alternatives, including discount brands.

Consumers also spent time checking out different retailers and stores to find the lowest prices. But is it a strategy that will work? 74% of 18-24 year-olds believe some retailers are doing a better job in managing increasing prices than others. 

![Header (1).png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/XdvALwFfTcGpZCDQwacS)

### 5. Delay purchases or buy in bulk

A significant portion of consumers are delaying purchases, says Morning Consult. Where they may have made impulse purchases in the past, they’re waiting – even if their incomes haven’t immediately been hit. The most affected sectors are, understandably, luxury/premium goods, dining out, entertainment, and fashion, says [PWC](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2022/global-consumer-insights-pulse-survey.html){nofollow}.

Almost two-thirds of US consumers (64%) are very concerned about their spending, and it’s influencing our consumer decisions. We’re less likely to load the credit card with debt, instead making considered purchases and searching for the best value.

Customers are seeking strong value signals from brands they chose, which means online retailers must adopt new pricing strategies, says [McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/five-ways-to-adapt-pricing-to-inflation){nofollow}. Instead of losing customers altogether, brands must build new relationships, addressing pain points while preserving customer value. 

## High-income millennials are top spenders during inflation
![Millenials top spenders.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/19ZYqGR6SHeg0NIA1OwT)

Ipsos, PWC, McKinsey, EY all agree that during times of high inflation consumers will increase their spending on necessities, such as groceries, and decrease spending on discretionary goods, such as electronics and fashion. 

Inflation will have a differing impact, depending on the age and income levels of customers. Millennials, who earn more than $100000 per year are willing to increase spending across all categories and are optimistic, says McKinsey. 

However, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers with an income below $5,000 are most likely to cut back spending to the bare essentials. 

## What can businesses do?

It’s critical that businesses understand that inflation will have an impact on demand, but that demand will still be there. During times of high inflation, brands must react and refocus their offer to customers.

Strategies could include cutting prices, promoting lower-cost options or increasing information so customers can compare alternatives. It’s also important to[ reflect changes in products](https://www.channable.com/blog/how-to-recession-proof-ecommerce-business) in your advertising strategies and creatives.

The key for every business is to find a strategy that continues to deliver customers. We can’t predict the future with any certainty, but those businesses who can ride out the tough times are best placed to embrace the benefits when inflation recedes and the recovery kicks in.

Channable provides digital retailers with the tools to rapidly create, roll out and manage product feeds across thousands of channels. Learn more about the potential of Channable to inflation-proof your digital marketing strategy.

Understanding inflation and its effects on consumer behavior

## There’s no place like home
March 2020. The whole world was holding its breath looking to what would happen next. With lockdowns in place all across the globe, people have been forced to spend most of their time at home. The saying “*Home, sweet home*” has never been more true. Many consumers have been using this extra time to start home improvement projects, both indoors and outdoors.

Over the past year, real estate experts witnessed an exodus from big cities to escape urban living and experienced a [surge in demand for properties with an outdoor space](https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/buy-house-demand-office-garden-balcony-a138776.html), whether it be a balcony, terrace, or garden. For home & garden retailers, these changes became a real opportunity to **attract and acquire new customers**.

## A burgeoning green thumb
These lifestyle changes called for new hobbies, one of which being **gardening**. Looking to ease the stress of difficult quarantines, consumers started investing time in creating a nice and cozy outdoor space for themselves. This led to an [unprecedented rise in outdoor furniture sales](https://www.criteo.com/blog/coronavirus-shopping-trends) with an increase of 1908% in the UK, 956% in Germany, 428% in the US, and 303% in France for 2020. But that’s not all. In the United Kingdom alone, the [most purchased gardening and outdoor products](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1172426/most-purchased-gardening-products-coronavirus-united-kingdom) were outdoor plants (35%), compost (31%), and seeds (24%). All around the world, 2020 clearly became the year of the green thumb.

## From offline to online commerce
As a home & garden retailer, it does not matter whether you sell furniture, decorative items, homeware, DIY, or garden products: you’ve had to respond to people’s insatiable desire to initiate home makeovers and transform their house or apartment into a cozy cocoon. But, with many stores having to close their doors multiple times last year, consumers were left with no choice but to **shop online**.

According to Google, [the percentage of online purchases for home & garden in the UK went from 48% in 2019 to 67% in 2020](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-gb/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/consumers-adapted-shopping-behaviour-covid). In an industry where seeing, touching, and testing a product is very important and a sales trigger, it was particularly reassuring and heart-warming for retailers to witness this **radical shift to online commerce**. At least for those who were well prepared.

![Capture d’écran 2021-04-09 à 09.25.06.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/VkUlPAAUQhCZB5JsmTDH)
<div align="center">*Online vs offline purchases year-on-year in the UK*</div>

## What challenges did the pandemic bring?

### Standing out when drowning in a sea of competition
The sudden shift to digital in the home & garden segment was an opportunity for retailers to capture new online audiences and increase sales. But, it also meant more competition. You probably had loyal customers who used to visit your brick-and-mortar store regularly but are now more likely to search for home & garden products on marketplaces and/or Google. This is where a thorough and well-thought-out omnichannel marketing strategy comes into play to gain visibility, trigger more clicks, and close sales.

### Adapting your marketing strategy to the seasons
Spring has finally sprung. This means your (potential) customers are starting to spend more time outdoors to do some gardening, start backyard DIY projects or host a BBQ party. Are you prepared to ride the wave of seasonal shopping intent? Use your own data history to see which products were most-sold during spring and summer in the last couple years, boost your new spring collection, make use of a keyword tool to find out what the current trending search terms in the home & garden market are, and push these items on your website and online ads to increase your CTR and sales.

### Utilizing the shopper’s senses in a digital context
Ever heard of **[sensory marketing](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/digital-marketing/what-is-sensory-marketing.html)**? It is a “*marketing strategy that seeks to awaken sensations and emotions in customers via all five senses*.” In home & garden retail, engaging senses like sight and touch is essential and helps consumers make a final decision. Of course, touch is not replicable online, but you should make it a point of focus to engage your customers’ other senses to enhance their shopping experience and interest. Here, **video marketing and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies** are your best bet to make up for the lost foot traffic.

With every challenge, there is a solution! In order to help your home & garden business stand out and beat the competition, we’ve laid out six best practices you should implement in your marketing strategy right now!

## 6 proven ways to optimize your eCommerce conversion funnel

To help you fuel your business growth this year, we’ve listed six marketing tactics to implement from a buyer’s journey perspective.

![Blog Headers _ Home and Garden_H&G_FunnelImage.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/8CPt4ozSTqOQ2mVO8X8f)

### Awareness phase

**1. Promote your products on multiple advertising channels**
As explained earlier, your customers are now a lot more likely to look for home & garden products directly on Google and online marketplaces, where your competitors may already be advertising. **Bottom line**: you need to be there advertising too! Successful home & garden retailers promote their catalog through [search](/blog/blog-channables-handy-google-ads-cheat-sheet) and [Shopping campaigns](/blog/blog-how-to-successfully-advertize-google-shopping) for Google, advertise on [marketplaces](/blog/blog-how-to-successfully-sell-on-the-top-ecommerce-marketplaces) and create [social media](/blog/blog-why-integrate-social-media-into-your-marketing-strategy) product ads. All of these are extremely popular online channels which will enable you to benefit from a huge amount of traffic and eventually reach a much wider audience to raise awareness about your brand and products.

> From inspiration to conversion, Channable helps us ensure our campaigns have the right message and optimized assets for each channel.

<div align="center">*Eli Ivens, Online Advertising Marketer at **[Intracto](https://www.intracto.com/en-be)**, agency managing **[Casa Shops](https://www.casashops.com)**' account.*</div>

**2. Step up your social media game**
Become a social media guru! Just like in the fashion sector, aesthetics is key when it comes to displaying your home & garden products. Since the pandemic hit, a lot of people have decided to undertake home improvement projects. And, unless they’re professionals themselves, they surely look for ideas and inspiration online. Instagram and Pinterest are great social media platforms to position yourself as an inspirational brand and are often used to create profitable influencer marketing campaigns. Both are filled with home decor accounts and pictures, so make sure you show your items in the most Instagrammable way possible. ‘Home Tours’, especially from well-known influencers, are also very popular on Youtube.

Last year, Google witnessed a notable increase in people searching for terms like ‘ideas’ and ‘DIY’ in the home & garden category. With spring finally here, the figures shown in the graph below should definitely repeat, which is reason enough for you to optimize your social media presence.

![Capture d’écran 2021-04-09 à 09.31.57.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/FyDyiTScS8WGZXEhzPdi)
<div align="center">*Worldwide interest in “ideas” and “DIY” search terms on Google in the Home & Garden category in 2020*</div>

### Consideration phase

**3. Offer a seamless user experience on your site**
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. So now is the time to woo your first-time website visitors! There are countless ways to do that: make your website easy to navigate; use appealing pictures; write clear and detailed product descriptions; highlight your customer reviews; give information about your delivery and return policy; offer world class customer service; etc. 

Of course, you shouldn’t forget about the users who have already visited your website before. Offer them a personalized and seasonal experience through artificial intelligence, and make sure to adapt your content to their shopping behavior by showing them items they are more likely to purchase.

**4. Strengthen your omni-channel retail strategy**
There will always be consumers who would rather buy home & garden items offline. But, it’s not about choosing between online and offline. It’s about bridging the gap between them and combining physical stores and online shops to offer a consistent experience to customers across different touchpoints. 

The pandemic has shed new light on the importance of specific services. It is the case of Click & Collect, which has become essential for contactless retail and is a good solution for consumers inclined to shop online but who would rather pick up their order in-store to avoid any potential issues with *sometimes* quite unreliable couriers. If, on the contrary, you’re looking to attract more customers to your physical shops, consider allocating some of your marketing budget to [Local Inventory Ads](/blog/local-inventory-ads-show-your-physical-store-stock-on-google) to increase web-to-store traffic.

### Conversion phase

**5. Optimize your checkout process**
Checkouts are where most of your dropouts exist in your sales funnel. Thus, offering a simple, transparent and fast checkout process is key. Keep in mind that [extra costs are the number one reason why shoppers abandon their cart](https://sleeknote.com/blog/cart-abandonment-statistics#5). With an average basket size likely to be higher in home & garden retail than in other sectors, you really do not want to disappoint your customers with hidden fees!

Offer a guest checkout procedure (no one likes to have to create an account); use a checkout progress bar; prevent shipping cost surprises; display cart contents plainly; use autocomplete to speed up the process; etc. While all these tricks contribute to optimizing your checkout process and reducing cart abandonment, you should still implement a strategy to win back shoppers.

**6. Make use of email marketing to re-engage cart abandoners**
Did you know that the [global average cart abandonment rate across all devices is 75.6%](https://truelist.co/blog/shopping-cart-abandonment-stats/#:~:text=European%20countries%20have%20the%20lowest,to%20avoid%20shopping%20cart%20abandonment.)? A very high number, you’d think. Until you find out that this rate is ten percentage points higher on mobile. A sign that a lot of websites are not mobile-optimized enough, among a multitude of other reasons. 

An efficient way to re-engage cart abandoners is to make use of email marketing. In fact, [48% of emails on cart abandonment are opened](https://truelist.co/blog/shopping-cart-abandonment-stats/#:~:text=European%20countries%20have%20the%20lowest,to%20avoid%20shopping%20cart%20abandonment.), which is a good chance for you to win back some customers looking to pamper their home and garden! Set up an automated email series to notify them immediately that they left items in their cart, and show them these items with a clear call-to-action to return to your site and complete the process. You can also decide to incentivize them with a temporary discount to trigger a sale.

Want to boost your online presence significantly this year and make sure all of your products find a new home on time? **[Get in touch with us](/contact)** to find out how Channable can help you take your marketing to the next level!

Home & Garden Retail: how to profit from the sector’s eCommerce boom

The retail sector is an exciting place right now, with shifting consumer behaviors and evolving technologies requiring brands to be agile, creative, and future-looking. 

Some of the major trends affecting the industry, from social commerce to personalization, to diversification in terms of market, channel, and audience, present significant challenges for new and existing brands - but these pale in significance with the opportunities on offer.

What's more, retail is no longer a siloed experience. It’s about connecting the dots between channels, customers, and personalized experiences. 

So how can retailers tap into a sustainable strategy as a way of connecting the right products to the right audiences and drive revenue for their business? 

> 
“Retail means change. Hardly any other sector is experiencing changes as strongly as today’s retail industry, which has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade and continues to evolve quickly.” - **Deloitte, “The New Retail Operating Model of the Future”**

## There’s no one-size-fits-all retail strategy

In this guide, we're sharing the emerging trends and insights to support you in your strategy in 2023 and beyond. 

Get a sneak peek into our guide to learn insights and tips from key advertisers, and how they can empower retailers worldwide to opt for a sustainable strategy that works for your specific niche. You'll learn:

-  Key trends in retail for 2023 including social commerce, retail media, personalization, and more

-  Insights to understand your customers, embrace digitalization, and testing 

-  Tips on including Conversion Rate Optimization in your retail strategy

## Get the guide now and gain competitive advantage in retail
[![Web-site-BLOG-image.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/GtQibz2QeiMjUpx77UGF)](https://www.channable.com/downloads/ultimate-guide-retail-2023)



Announcing our new e-book "The ultimate guide to retail in 2023"

This article gives you everything you need to succeed with Bol.com. From target markets and features such as price stars, to how you can best incorporate Bol.com into your online marketing strategy and reach your audience.

## Bol.com and the price stars hierarchy

### Price stars

Bol.com utilizes a price stars scoring system for their ads ranging from 1-5 stars. This number is assigned to your prices via Bol.com and determines your rank compared to other sellers. 

This ranking system gives you an overview of the competition and shows exactly how competitive your prices are or if they need to be adjusted to stay attractive and move up the ranks. 

Simply put, **your item is competitive** if you rank 4 or more stars. If you get 5 stars, then your price is the most competitive compared to the market as a whole. 

In your sales account, you have an overview of the price valuation of your items and can see what price you can advertise on in order to get a better price valuation. Including each price stars rank and relevancy for your items:
![Header_v4-17.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/GW5hM5nbT7aK28vWQzx5)
**Pro tip**: Items with 1-price star are not visible on the marketplace which means your product price deviates too far from the relevant market price.

## Winning the Buy Block

Bol.com's yellow Buy Block is the center of attention on every page. 97% of customers end up purchasing their items from the Buy Block and the fact is that retailers who hold this position will earn more than competitors.

So how do you win the Buy Block? In addition to your price and price stars ranking, Bol.com takes multiple factors into consideration such as your delivery times, reviews, customer satisfaction ranking, and other conditions.

Your price and price stars ranking are the quickest factors to optimize and are the ones you have the most control over, especially with a [repricer](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator/repricer) and [marketplace integrator](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator).

A Buy Block position is never guaranteed. For popular product categories with multiple sellers, it can be very difficult to attain this position.

And while you may not be guaranteed to win the Buy Block all of the time, you can definitely increase your chances by optimizing your ads.

### Keep your price competitive on Bol.com

Our repricer is one of the few on the market that allows targeting for a specific price stars rating. This way, your price will never go higher than the boundary set by the selected price stars.
![Visual flow chart_Price Stars_EN.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/BxiZPch7QfODNfWhqkP6)
A further explanation of the feature can be found in our [Help Center](https://helpcenter.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7151094266258-Bol-com-repricer-Price-stars?_ga=2.148559102.897135202.1666082932-363199183.1656404651).

## 4 advantages of using the Bol.com Repricer in your strategy

**1. Competitive prices equal more clicks and conversions**
If you advertise at a competitive price, your ad will be viewed and purchased more often. Regardless of your industry, the higher the price stars, the more often your ads convert across all categories.
 
**2. Increased conversion boosts your ad position**
Looking long term on Bol.com, increased conversion rates lead to a better position for your ads/items. This means more sales boost your items higher in the search results. This makes your ads more visible so that it ultimately sells even better.
![Header_v5B-18.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/bZusubtFSzfjopJJd9lw)

**3. A higher ranked item increases your chance of the Buy Block**
Coupled with a reliable, fast delivery record and merchant score, a high conversion rate will lead to a higher ranking. 

All this determines whether or not you get featured in the Buy Block. And this is where you want to be because 97% of customers end up purchasing their items from the Buy Block. This is making it worth optimizing your items and ads to move higher up the ranks.

**4. Higher ranking Bol.com ads = better Google ads for free**
The higher your ranking on Bol.com, the more relevant your items will be perceived on Google and promoted via Google Ads at no extra cost. 

This is a benefit that certainly pays off, attracting up to 50% more customers coupling Bol.com and Google Ads, according to a [whitepaper](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/content/uploads/2021/09/BOL-10139-Whitepaper_bol_Dit-is-het-effect-van-een-goede-prijs_v3.pdf) by Bol.com. 

## Drive growth by efficiently displaying your items

How often are your articles viewed? How do your delivery times and sale prices compare to the competition? These are important questions that need to be asked and the answers can be found in your sales account or [data management solution](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator), helping optimize your offerings to the needs of your audience.

The following **tips** will help you drive growth even further and jump ahead of the competition.

### Advertise volume discounts
If it's not possible to permanently lower a price and stay competitive because of shipping costs, a volume discount may be a solution. 

With a volume discount, you incentivize customers to buy more in one order, and can quickly build up larger sales. Ads that offer a volume discount can sell up to 30% more according to [Bol.com](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/content/uploads/2021/09/BOL-10139-Whitepaper_bol_Dit-is-het-effect-van-een-goede-prijs_v3.pdf).
![Header_v4-15.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/TFDRzn0XTXG9zKLIdcEq)
Bulk sales can be relevant for many items but there are legal restrictions depending on which regions you are selling in. Check out Bol.com’s [partner platform](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/hulp-nodig/aanbod/inrichten-volumekorting/) for all the details.

## Engage in promotions

Promotions are a powerful way to increase your visibility and sales via Bol.com with two main avenues to choose from:

**1.** Participate in promotions as part of larger Bol.com holiday campaigns such as Black Friday or Mother's Day where Bol.com makes a pre-selection of items to advertise based on relevance to the customer.

The advantage of participating this way is that the promotions are very visible to customers across the marketplace and are promoted by Bol.com. You can find more information [here](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/hulp-nodig/aanbod/promotie-in-bol-com-campagnes/).

**2**. It is also possible to independently create a promotion, whereby you determine the duration and range yourself. These promotions are highlighted using a promotion label and in most cases, Bol.com also uses additional resources to boost your visibility.
 ![Header_v4-14.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/bXOH6R5RHeuHclmChSuw)
Bol.com also incentivizes promotions. Check out their [partner platform](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/hulp-nodig/aanbod/promotie-in-bol-com-campagnes/) to see how much commission or discounts you could receive on your promotional offer.

### Put your articles in the spotlight

Do you want to stand out with a new item or draw attention to your best sellers? Then, link search terms your target audience uses directly to your items. This will help you rank higher in the search results and stand out from the competition.


## Is Bol.com the right fit for your eCommerce strategy?

Bol.com is an effective and established marketplace for businesses of all sizes.

For online retailers and advertisers big and small, Bol.com can be a lucrative marketplace to add to your marketing mix. And if you advertise and sell a significant amount of products online utilizing a [repricer](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator/repricer) and optimizing with a marketplace integrator like Channable, you can boost your ads across the board.

Channable can help give any online shop a boost in winning the Buy Block and a higher price stars rank. With real-time price adjustments, our all-in-one marketplace integration makes it super simple to set up, optimize and manage sales and ads. This will save you time automating updates for all your items and maximizing profitability.

Would you like to learn more about the benefits of introducing a [Bol.com repricer](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator/repricer) to your business? Contact us today to get started.

Bol.com | Everything needed to boost your online selling

<h2>What is a PIM?</h2>
PIM (Product Information Management) is a software solution that helps retailers manage product data in one system before publishing it to the desired selling channels. As retailers increase their digital market presence, brands are having to balance spreadsheet upon spreadsheet of data, which slows down their speed to market and can also be prone to human error. A [PIM solution](https://retail-assist.com/) helps teams that create product content to work together with ease, reduce errors, whilst also making it a much easier process for retail teams to use.

<img class="size-full wp-image-22467 aligncenter" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/32QbLxYiQOCgn9reth8i" alt="" width="1024" height="512" />
<h2>Why do I need a PIM?</h2>
Generally speaking, customers are tech-savvy. When they begin a search for a product, either online or offline, they expect to find the item they want, swiftly and easily.
When it comes to online marketplaces, customers have grown to expect a connected and convenient shopping process. Often, brands cope with managing product data in various spreadsheets, which then needs to be tailored for the individual requirements of each digital route to market. With a myriad of possible online marketplaces, the numbers of spreadsheets and the variations of product data are multiplied. It’s no wonder that with these endless possibilities, retail teams can make mistakes. However, these mistakes often either slow down the route to market or – worse still – get published. Distributing incorrect product data and giving an all-round negative customer experience.

A PIM creates one point of entry for all data management, keeping content central and allows <a href="https://omio-retail.com/go-with-the-workflow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">multiple teams to work on product data at the same time</a>, instead of a linear workflow. Because of this, PIM speeds up your route to market whilst also enabling retailers to reach new digital markets.
<h2>The difference between feed management and PIM</h2>
Feed management tools, such as Channable, and PIM systems are often confused. Whilst both include product data, a <a href="/products/product-feed-management-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">feed manager</a> enables you to generate new data feeds and send your product data to thousands of affiliate networks, online marketplaces, price comparison sites, and more, using information from your original feed. Feed managers do not modify your raw product information. Instead, they enable you to create optimized and updated information for the specifications of the marketing channels of your choice or your channel strategy.

So, what’s the difference between PIM and feed management systems? PIM systems enable users to centralize and modify raw product information, which can then be easily tailored to a specific selling channel. This enhanced product data can then be enriched and optimized for SEO, with a variety of attributes (such as photos, for example) added to create engaging product content. Feed managers can then be used along with a PIM system; once your product data is in order, you’d need to publish it out to the relevant channels, swiftly and easily. This is where feed management steps in.
<h2>PXM: The evolution of PIM</h2>
A PIM centralizes and manages product data. However, you may also hear people using the term PXM (Product Experience Management). A<a href="https://omio-retail.com/pxm-the-evolution-of-pim" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> PXM is an evolved, updated version of a PIM</a> and, instead of concentrating on just the data (as seen in a PIM), a PXM thinks about the people that use it, creating a tailored experience not just for the customer but the user of the software, too. Not all PIMs have PXM aspects but, for the solutions that do, teams are able to improve their workflow and their speed to market. For example, <a href="https://omio-retail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in OMIO</a>, multiple team members are able to work on the same product’s data at the same time, allowing for a more radial workflow rather than linear. It also ensures that the way a customer sees the product content, such as a description, on Amazon is different from Zalando, and again for the Instagram shopping page. No matter what the digital selling channel, all of these are managed by OMIO, through its direct integrations with Channable.
The main difference is that whilst PIM is an internally facing system, PXM is focused on the customer. Both systems collate information to then push to a marketplace, but PXM focuses on what makes a retailer popular with a customer, with optimum levels of product data, photos, and SEO-friendly content.
PXM keeps the customer at the heart of the solution. So, alongside these improvements in workflow, a PXM solution also allows product data to be tweaked and tailored so that the right description is entered for the right product, personalized for the right channel with the right cultural expectations and context. Mix these descriptions with an array of images and attribute sets and the customer experience is underpinned with a truly positive network, leading to improved conversions, superior customer satisfaction, reduced returns, and, ultimately, strengthened brand loyalty.
<h2>What are the benefits of a PIM/PXM?</h2>
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Take advantage of new marketplaces.</li>
 	<li>Increase speed to market.</li>
 	<li>Minimize errors + avoid product duplication = a better customer experience.</li>
 	<li>Respond quickly to social influencers and trends. If an influencer has been spotted with your products, the ability to update your product content to reflect this is paramount.</li>
 	<li>Work collaboratively across teams and gain a 360-degree view of product content.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://omio-retail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OMIO</a>, developed by Retail Assist, is proud to partner with Channable, helping retailers to future-proof their digital strategy. For more information on OMIO and how it can get your product data ready for the next decade of trading and beyond, visit our website <a href="https://omio-retail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.

What is a PIM and why might I need one?

In 2020, livestreaming shopping events generated over [$5.5 billion in sales in the United States](https://www.xliveglobal.com/marketing/early-learnings-shoppable-livestreams-hit-us-market-holidays){nofollow} alone — and those numbers are projected to reach a cool yearly $25 billion by 2023. That means that livestream sales could make up a stunning [20% of all eCommerce sales](https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/its-showtime-how-live-commerce-is-transforming-the-shopping-experience){nofollow} by the second half of this decade.


A huge spike in eCommerce was instantly noticeable at the start of the pandemic — soon followed by the massive resurgence of livestream shopping. Due to the subsequent lockdown measures, livestream shopping became the next best thing to the in-person experience. Livestream shopping allowed people to watch others try stuff out in real-time and provide instant feedback. That’s why livestream shopping hasn't gone away once the pandemic has subsided.


## What is livestream shopping?
If the term “live shopping” doesn’t instantly ring a bell, the Home Shopping Network probably does. Now, imagine that — but streaming live on the Internet, across all devices and platforms. Websites, mobile phones, and even Instagram; all of them are ripe for the next phase of social commerce.



But to truly understand livestream shopping, we need to go back a couple of decades — to the live shopping networks of the late 70s and 80s. The likes of the Home Shopping Channel and QVC took North America by storm first and, soon enough, the entire world. In a couple of years, regionalized versions of these channels would spring up globally.


They specialized in selling a couple of key product niches — beauty, fashion, and home goods. And just like any other channel, they had their recognizable hosts, occasionally joined by celebrity guests who would pitch their own products directly to consumers.

![Livestream-shopping](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/nV14kJboSmGN08zoPett)

Essentially, livestreaming shopping is almost identical to this — the format of the content is pretty much the same, but we’re watching it in different places. Social media platforms are there to take the place of TV networks, mobile phones are the go-to devices instead of televisions — and of course, “Buy Now” buttons that lead to the ecommerce portion of the experience have replaced the “Call Now” hotline prompts.


However, the crux of social selling remains identical — buyers still have a real-time feedback loop where they watch product demonstrations and reviews with the opportunity to ask any questions in real time. This digitization of the concept behind HSN and QVC is a huge business opportunity for any product-oriented company — and it’s about to transform the world of ecommerce.



## How did livestream shopping start?
The current iteration of livestreaming shopping was [popularized by ShopShops](https://www.modernretail.co/retailers/shopshops-founder-liyia-wu-qvc-china-livestream-shopping-fashion/){nofollow} — a platform created in 2016 by Liyia Wu, a Chinese American entrepreneur. Her knowledge and experience in the worlds of fashion, retail, and business led her to this extremely lucrative format, originally intended for Chinese travelers. Soon enough, her company would bring life to a $60 billion industry that's showing signs of rude health and robust growth. 


And once COVID-19 hit the Northern Hemisphere, it created the perfect storm for the adoption of livestream shopping among European and North American consumers. ShopShops has been at the center of this innovation, having expanded to various platforms like Instagram and reaching US buyers.
By the end of 2020, platforms like Shopify and Facebook Shops would enter the newly discovered market as well.

## Benefits of livestream shopping
Today’s world is more social than ever, thanks to the constant communication and content sharing we all enjoy through social media platforms. And this lifestyle has made livestream shopping the perfect conduit for online merchants looking to approach their target audience in a more personal, direct way.



[Data from Shopify](https://www.shopify.com/research/future-of-commerce/future-of-ecommerce){nofollow} has shown that the number of their merchants that have installed some kind of app for livestream shopping in 2021 was 61% larger than in 2020. And this lightning-fast rate of adoption is set to grow even more by the end of 2022.

All brands that rely on ecommerce are looking to invest in social commerce in one way or another — and in 2022, that pretty much means all brands, period. So, considering all of this — why is livestream shopping so hot right now? And why do so many business decision-makers believe it's the future of ecommerce?

![Livestream-shopping Data](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/IRZ34ghgQOKS12OZXhWG)

### Higher engagement and conversion rates

In all honesty, the jury is still out on how effective livestreams are at getting viewers to actually buy something. The most successful livestream shopping events capture up to 20% of the audience — but this depends on the quality of the demonstration and the product. [Some retailers](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/08/live-stream-shopping/){nofollow} aren’t getting the sales they expected from livestreaming just yet — but there’s a catch.

Even though the original iteration of live shopping comes from North America, right now, livestream shopping is still very much a niche in the western world. However, we can look to China for predictions on how the trend might grow in the future. It started out as a niche there as well, more than half a decade ago — but today, conversion rates among the core audience are absolutely huge; as high as 40%.


And even though we’re not sure about the conversion rates in Europe and North America just yet, one thing is certain — livestream shopping generates huge engagement rates, regardless of location. In fact, it’s becoming one of the best ways to entice social-media-focused Gen Z shoppers.

The [shoe retailer Aldo](https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/06/aldo-pilots-livestream-shopping-as-the-asian-trend-expands-into-canada-expert-commentary/){nofollow} is a prime example — they noticed a 300% engagement rate in just five days following a 2021 livestream shopping event. And a year before, Walmart piloted their own livestream shopping content on TikTok — [increasing their follower base](https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/09/walmart-to-host-a-new-live-stream-shopping-event-on-tiktok-following-successful-pilot/){nofollow} on that platform by 25% almost overnight.

### Low return rates

Return policies are one of the biggest hurdles in ecommerce — with the lack of a brick-and-mortar infrastructure, they’re a much bigger problem for online-only businesses.


Returns can be a huge drain on profit margins, destroy conversion rates, and in the end, threaten entire businesses. That’s why it’s important to note that one of the biggest upsides of livestream shopping events is a [much lower return rate](https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/topics/digital-commerce/livestreaming-update-coresight-debunks-5-common-myths){nofollow} compared to other online purchases. So, even if fewer people convert to paying customers — they’re still a more secure sale, and far less likely to return their purchased products.

The reason for this is simple — livestream shopping events provide the unique opportunity to educate the target audience in immense detail. Unlike someone that just looked at a couple of pictures on a product page and read the short description, livestreaming customers know exactly what they’re buying.

## How to leverage livestream shopping
As a brand, there are tons of ways you can start getting into livestream shopping right now. One of the most direct ways is to start hosting your livestream shopping events on your online storefront, if you have one. [Retailers like Nordstrom](https://press.nordstrom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/nordstrom-introduces-livestream-shopping){nofollow} have opted for this route — they now have their own livestream shopping channel, with experts and founders from famous brands like Giorgio Armani and Tom Ford.


Plus, besides giving you opportunities for valuable data capture and branding, self-hosting also means having the opportunity to replay the event as a “rerun” sometime down the line and generate new sales or repurpose the content in another way.

Naturally, harnessing the power of livestream shopping as a brand has its challenges as well. Today, most eCommerce companies use a variety of channels to advertise and sell a vast number of products — and while livestream shopping is an important channel, it’s not the only one.


In light of that, well-maintained data feeds are becoming increasingly important for eCommerce companies that want to stay effective, efficient, and ultimately — competitive. That’s why [product feed management tools](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool){nofollow} have become popular with brands that want an easy way to bring their data from various channels together into a coherent whole.


![Livestream-shopping-article-3.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/3jbHYx8mTReJsFNerTU7)

### Going social

There’s no social shopping in 2022 without social media — which is why using the built-in livestream shopping features of the major players like Instagram and Facebook is important. And that’s a great idea even if you have a self-hosted platform of your own — you can still livestream the events on Facebook and Instagram as well to maximize viewership.

Of course, YouTube is leading the way here — but Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and even more niche websites like Twitch are getting into livestream shopping as well. For instance, [Instagram Live Shopping](https://business.instagram.com/blog/instagram-live-shopping-reach-customers){nofollow} is now a built-in option for US-based creators and brands with business accounts — and Facebook Live Shopping works in a similar way.

### Leveraging different formats

Any successful livestream shopping event has two key elements: audience interaction and product demos. However, the rest of the details are up to individual brands — which opens up plenty of opportunities for unique and engaging content.

Home Depot has started livestreaming DIY tutorials — and beauty brands can do the same with makeup. Also, brands that rely more on influencer marketing can host Q&As and interviews. 


Just keep one thing in mind: no matter how the content is presented, it still needs to be entertaining. And that’s the main difference between livestreaming shopping and the home shopping networks of the 70s.


Today, audiences have dozens of cable channels to choose from when they watch TV — not to mention the infinite avenues of online entertainment.

So, they won’t watch something that’s not entertaining, regardless of their affinity towards a specific brand. If you’re going to captivate today’s short-attention-span audiences, you will need to create content that informs and entertains.

**Keeping it personal**

Even if a livestream is being watched by a million viewers, the people presenting your products should still keep it personal and treat the format as if they were speaking to a single individual. Addressing the viewership directly, with a lot of “you” is the way to go in the age of social media and personalized content.


Nike is an excellent example of this with its iconic “Just do it” tagline and its constant direct addressing of its customers.

Of course, the focus is still on the content itself — if you’re selling a beauty product, you need to paint a picture of what it's like to use it in everyday life. But it should be about how the viewer would feel; not about what the presenters are feeling at the moment.

## The future of eCommerce
Ecommerce is convenient and easy — but the lack of a human element and interaction means the experience still leaves something to be desired. 


However, livestream shopping fixes all of that by bringing people and the way they use the advertised products back into the center of online marketing. It gives just the right dose of human contact in an otherwise somewhat lifeless buying interaction.


Because of this, in the post-COVID era, livestream shopping and its future iterations will become one of the central pillars of ecommerce.

Livestream Shopping: Is it the future of eCommerce? 

Remember how we first used Facebook? Sharing our moods, feelings, or next holiday destination in a status, creating photo albums of our latest nights out and parties, posting adorably unambiguous messages on our friends’ walls for all the world to see. Ah, what wonderful times those were… this was about 12 years ago. But how has Facebook innovated?

Over a decade later, things look *very* different for the world’s most popular social media platform. Primarily focused on pure social interactions in its earliest days, [Facebook](https://www.channable.com/integrations/facebook-product-feed) gradually became an eCommerce powerhouse. 

With Facebook Shops, direct-to-consumer brands like yours can now create their own digital storefront and offer personalized content to potential customers. Looking for the right advertising channel to make Black Friday a success? Look no further.

## Let your brand’s true colors shine through

Black Friday is drawing nearer, and the last thing you want is to go unnoticed. As a retail business, you want to be known as a one-of-a-kind brand, not just as one seller among many others. And the holiday season presents a wonderful opportunity to get your name in front of potential customers. That’s exactly what makes Facebook (Shops) different. 

Facebook Shops will help you show off your brand’s personality to an engaged audience and enable you to stay top-of-mind. Want to know the best thing about it? You can create your online shop in no time and customize its design by choosing layouts and colors matching your brand identity. But these aren’t the only benefits of Facebook Shops. 

![FB_Shops_Pic.jpeg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/YSJH1JEDRMqFpBJDW89S)
<div align="center">*Example of a Facebook shop*</div>

While Facebook Shops will contribute to making your brand appealing and memorable, there’s still a lot more to it. As a retailer, you want to generate as many sales as possible during Black Friday (great point, captain obvious). Well, Facebook Shops can help you with that, too.

## [Social commerce](https://www.channable.com/downloads/social-commerce-2022)made easy
One of Facebook Shops’ greatest benefits is that it will let you kill two birds with one stone. Why? Because it enables you to build a single, unified shop presence across both the Facebook and Instagram family of apps and services (*Facebook Ads, Stories, Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.*). 

In other words, your brand will be exposed to billions of potential customers, which bodes pretty well for your Black Friday sales, wouldn’t you agree?

One advertising platform for two social networks, and a guaranteed personalized and seamless shopping experience. And just like when you’re in a physical retail store, you’re able to connect with your customers. 

Through Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram Direct, you can answer questions, offer support, provide tracking updates, and more. Having this connection with your customers helps you increase brand attachment and customer loyalty and retention. 

## Unlocking the potential of Facebook Shops
Here’s something that’ll put a smile on that face of yours - most Facebook users are aged between 25 and 34 years and this age bracket happens to have the biggest spenders. This makes the number one social network in the world incredibly efficient when it comes to high sales conversions. 

Whether you’re a retailer working for a small or large brand, rest assured: advertising with Facebook Shops doesn’t require much technical nous, nor does it require tons of manual work - on the contrary.

Although creating a Facebook Shop is the first step, you still need to promote and optimize it. And, since you wouldn’t throw a party without sending out invitations, we’d like to give you three tips on how you can skyrocket the performance of your Facebook Shop during Black Friday:

- Use tags leading visitors to your product pages in organic and paid posts
- Add links to the products you sell in your Instagram stories and Facebook live videos
- Include a Shop link on your Business page and Instagram profile

Ready to start advertising on Facebook Shops? We can help you get up and running in no time. If you want to know more about our tool and how it can significantly help retailers like you increase their visibility and sales this holiday, [check out our retail industry page](https://www.channable.com/industry/retail-ecommerce).

Why Facebook Shops can be your secret weapon this Black Friday

Microsoft Vertical Ads is the new way to go if you want to optimize your advertising strategy. Powered by dynamic data feeds, they offer a more personalized way to reach audiences in specific categories. 

Vertical ads focus on the information potential customers are looking for, persuading them to buy your product by presenting them with rich ad experiences that stand out from the crowd. But how does this work and what are the benefits for your business?

In this article, we will not only explain how they work, we will also offer you a step-by-step guide on how to use Vertical Ads with Channable.  

## What are Microsoft Vertical Ads?

Microsoft’s latest addition to their ad solutions are Vertical Ads. These ads are aimed at specific industries and use industry-specific dynamic data feeds to create ads on the Microsoft Audience Network. 

The belief that customers search for very different types of information in different sectors lays at the foundation of the new ad solution. A customer looking for a place to buy groceries will have profoundly different search criteria than a customer looking to book a cruise for the summer. 

For groceries, store location, opening hours or organic attributes might be important points, the person looking to book a cruise will be interested in departure and destination ports and peer reviews.

Microsoft Vertical Ads have been created to address the needs of specific industries like automotive, travel and financial services. They use search intent data, combined with a deep understanding of user needs, offering a richer ad experience to potential buyers.

![Cars for sale search.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/iRThKElbSr2u41BDV9vc)

As Microsoft explains: 

> “Using Microsoft’s audience intelligence, you can provide the appropriate content to the right audience at the right time and drive consumers towards being lead-ready by delivering the content that they have demonstrated interest in”. At this time, Automotive is the only industry in which Vertical Ads are globally available, but other industries are expected to be added soon.

## The power of Automotive Vertical Ads: Delivering high-quality experiences for advertisers
![Experience visual.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/VpxgDVNBQAG43CnWju8G)

For users in the automotive space interested to start using Microsoft Vertical Ads in order to increase their business, Channable has created dedicated templates to easily feed the right data directly from your database into the ads. The templates will ensure the correct data to automatically be displayed in the correct fields in the Ads, enabling customers to go live faster. 

The partnership between Microsoft and Channable enables the automotive industry to break through in this crowded marketplace, while minimizing the time and resources generally required to set up and manage automotive campaigns. As Nitin Hegde, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft stated: 

>  “Microsoft Advertising is committed to delivering rich feed-based vertical ad products that engage consumers and deliver high-quality traffic for advertisers. We’re excited to partner with Channable, who have built-in support for our vertical feed formats and have recently added in schema validation and support for Automotive Inventory Ads."

According to Nitin Hedge, with Automotive Inventory ads now generally available in over 90+ markets, customers of Channable and Microsoft Advertising should find it easy to get up and running and begin capturing high-quality leads from across the Microsoft Advertising network. 

## 4 reasons why adding Microsoft Vertical Ads to your advertising portfolio is a great idea

<iframe width="900" height="410" src="https://www.microsoft.com/en/videoplayer/embed/RE4XKPB?pid=11ab4f8e-8240-529e-f6ca-c32fcbcbc0a3video-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Automotive industry has been through some challenging times in the past years and unfortunately they are not over yet. However, advertising opportunities for the industry are plentiful. 

Research has shown that online searches for automotive are up 17% since 2020 and 48% since 2019 (source: Microsoft internal data, US, January 2019 - December 2021) on the Microsoft Search Network, and Search was the most used digital channel across automotive buyers.

This means that there are many opportunities to reach automotive shoppers in the search for their perfect ride. Imagine what adding personalized contextual ads can do for their experience and decision making process! The benefits of Vertical Ads in this process are clear:

### 1. Richer experience

In Microsoft Vertical Ads, automotive sellers can increase the click-through-rate (CTR) by offering a richer experience by showcasing good images with timely and relevant information. 

Displaying mileage, price, trims, color and other details at a first glance helps potential buyers to shorten the customer journey and decision-making process. 

Furthermore, the setup of these ads already enhances engagement before the audience has even clicked the ad.  

### 2. More volume

With these ads, it is much easier to reach car shoppers that are closer to the transaction stage of the customer decision journey where they make a purchase. 

Reaching them in the stage where they are making comparisons is the best time to connect, leading to higher volume. 

### 3. Saving time

Vertical Ads save marketers valuable time, as they eliminate the need to create individual ads for the Microsoft Audience Network. 

Data and images can be uploaded in bulk and will automatically create audience ads or search ads. If your potential buyer has shown interest in specific items, Microsoft will match the items in your feed by using AI. The feeds are easy to set up. 

### 4. Better results

No keywords are required for these ads, as Microsoft AI dynamically generates them. You can use feeds to generate your ads faster, also ensuring accuracy as inventory and prices change. With tracking templates and conversion goals, you can optimize your Microsoft Vertical Ads. 

Tracking templates can be added at different levels; account, campaign, ad, ad group, keyword or feed item. By using URL tracking, you will know precisely how visitors got to your website. 

Standard performance reports can be downloaded by navigating to **Reports** > **Reports** > **Performance** > either **Campaign**, **Ad**, or **Keyword**, and feed item reporting is also available for Vertical ads.

In general, the results in Automotive are very positive. A 2021 internal report by Microsoft showed that advertisers running Automotive Ads on average saw the following results: 

-  6-15% incremental click rate lift
-  3-8% conversion rate lift
-  28-40% lower cost per click than their corresponding non-brand targeted text ads 

Paul Schuurhof, Performance Lead Automotive Mediaventions, [Gaspedaal](https://www.gaspedaal.nl/){nofollow} is pleased with the results: 

![Quote.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/zEU7PcrDS2MuRONhCQOg)

## How to create Microsoft Vertical Ads with Channable – a step-by-step guide

Adding new data feeds through Channable is very easy. Below, you will find a step-by-step guide to set this up for your Vertical Ads: 

1. Go to “feeds” and click on “add new feed” 
 ![pasted image - 0.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/ORXO2jpTS6ogsVw567zi)

2. Search for “Microsoft Vertical Ads” and select it.
![pasted image - 01.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/X2H4vlrmRNmYA4vM0vs1)

3. Choose the country you want to target and select “Automotive Inventory Ads” as the market. Next, give your feed a name and click “Continue”.
![pasted image - 02.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/MtJRz1zWROaMbvCAHGnf)
 
4. There is no need to set a category. You can skip this step.
![pasted image - 03.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/GbOchnhZRxCS5P8o7P3K)

5. Use the rules to optimize your ads.
![pasted image - 04.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/hOfXtrsQUCnciJd9UYan)
 
6. Map your fields to the required fields. When you are done, click on “Save and run”
![pasted image - 05.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/jmgnj4XNTsanIeoy6bU1)

7. Check the quality of your feed and try to implement the recommendations.

![pasted image - 06.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/XBXS8hhGSvOtQfyqZKOl)

8. Check the preview of your feed and copy the created feed URL into Microsoft Vertical Ads.
![pasted image - 07.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/rof62BGPR1K1yfjbD8Qk)

After completing these steps, you are set up for success and ready to start enjoying the benefits of Microsoft Vertical Ads. As soon as the Ads for other categories (Travel and Finance) are released, templates will be made available for those categories as well. 

Why wait? Get a head start on the competition and start enjoying the benefits for your business now. Learn more on [the website](https://www.channable.com/).

> If you are not a Microsoft Advertising customer yet, we have partnered with Microsoft Advertising to offer you an introductory coupon to get started. Please visit [Contact sales - Microsoft Advertising](https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/support/contact-sales?s_cid=en-us-acq-onemsft-src_mpn-sub_0-flx_verticalads) and submit the form.  

Microsoft Vertical Ads: How to use them with Channable

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of how best to use your ad dollars, you should also track return on ad spend (ROAS).

Let’s explore what these two metrics are, how each is calculated, and how they can be used together to more strategically assess your performance and adapt your marketing campaigns.

## The difference between ROI and ROAS

One of the more common mistakes marketers make when it comes to tracking ad performance is treating ROI and ROAS as interchangeable. In fact, these two metrics measure different things.

ROI is the ratio between your net income and your total investment, while ROAS determines the revenue earned for every dollar spent on advertising. 

In other words, ROAS asks: How many sales dollars does one advertising dollar generate for your business? 

To calculate ROI, you subtract the initial cost of an investment from its ultimate value, then divide this figure by your total cost. Finally, you multiply the result by 100 to express the final figure as a percentage.

![Roi_v1-01.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/IArSsC4lTgmrpM0XfdiK)

While the similarity of these equations might support the idea that ROI and ROAS are comparable, they actually illuminate different aspects of your digital marketing strategy. 

ROI is best used to get a general understanding of a campaign’s success and how it will impact your profits in the long term. 

ROAS yields a more immediate, short-term view of how distinct ads or campaigns are performing.

## Identifying the ideal ROI or ROAS

Here’s where it gets more complicated. While aiming for a [ROAS of 400% or higher](https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/roas/) and an ROI [of 10% or higher](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-a-good-roi) is considered good practice, the ideal number will vary from business to business and depend heavily on the market and your unique profit margins.

![Roi_v1-06.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/atoOF8YSJiBgQix3aUP0)

Rather than focusing on an ideal percentage for either ROI or ROAS, your organization can benefit from tracking how each relates to and impacts different campaign goals. 

This will help strengthen your marketing strategy in areas like target setting, segmentation, and more.

## The benefits of tracking ROI and ROAS

- **More actionable insights** 
By tracking both ROI and ROAS, you can see how individual campaigns are impacting your bottom line and adjust accordingly. For example, you can choose to reduce ad spend on products with low engagement and reallocate those funds to higher-performing items.

- **Strategically segmented campaigns**
Monitoring ROI and ROAS will allow you to be more intentional about how you execute your marketing plans and diversify how you scale your campaigns. Rather than investing ad dollars solely based on intuition, you can segment your products or services based on how much revenue they generate and customize your strategy for each item or category.

- **Opportunities to build conversion revenue**
Counterintuitively, a higher ROAS isn’t always better. In certain situations, you might want to incur a lower ROAS to increase the converted value or revenue from ads. The table below illustrates how a higher ad spend can lead to a lower ROAS but ultimately produce more revenue. 

![Roi_v1-07.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Mf26t9WfTUmeYQgF58Ev)

- **Better evaluation models**
By factoring in CLV, you gain a better perspective on the ROI range you can expect, which in turn helps you decide on the ROAS you’re comfortable with. For instance, services with subscription pricing models tend to require lower initial ROAS targets, because they generate a higher CLV. On the other hand, luxury goods demand higher upfront ROAS targets, because their CLV potential is ultimately lower.

## How ROI and ROAS elevate your marketing strategy

For practical examples of how ROI and ROAS work together to inform successful marketing strategies, consider two of Channable’s customers. 

For instance, Toppy uses integrated metric tracking to implement their innovative marketing plans.
 
Toppy‘s business model is highly seasonal. Using Channable’s fully integrated product suite, they track both their ROI and ROAS to analyze conversions and compare sales across different time frames. 

This allows them to recalibrate their ROAS targets to offset any seasonal dips in revenue.

![Roi_v1-08.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/421sW7RJS5iqI6L5cMU9)

Similarly, Suitable, a longstanding merchant of sustainable quality menswear, calculates their ROI and ROAS [across multiple points of sale](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/suitable-retail-use-case-channable-insights) and automatically aggregate all of that data into a single sales metric. 

They can then make quicker, more informed decisions about where their digital ad dollars go.

This is where the value of tracking these metrics really lies. It’s not all about achieving a fixed, ideal ratio of ROI or ROAS, but being able to modify your strategy quickly and effectively to meet the evolving dynamics of today’s eCommerce marketplaces.

## The bottom line

ROI and ROAS aren’t interchangeable, but they can work together to help you build more powerful, productive, and personalized digital marketing campaigns.
 
By considering these two metrics in tandem, you’ll not only get a more holistic view of your ad performance, you’ll be able to tailor your ad spend to your—and your customers’—specific needs.

## Discover the value of ROI and ROAS with Channable

Check out our integrated, customizable [Insights & Analytics tools](https://www.channable.com/products/channable-insights), and learn how you can empower your eCommerce growth through smarter, data-driven marketing. 

Or [sign up](https://www.channable.com/signup) for a free account to explore our solutions and chat with an expert digital marketing professional today.

How ROI and ROAS can impact your digital marketing strategy

Nothing quite demonstrates this more than the concept of eCommerce personalization. These days, technology like [AI-driven algorithms](https://www.channable.com/smart-categorization) tailor the front-end site to an individual’s personal needs. The most common instance of this is the use of algorithms to recommend products that are most relevant to the customer.

This isn’t new. In fact, these improvements are so widespread that Semrush reports that up to 51% of eCommerce companies are already using AI to provide a seamless experience in 2022.

Are you new to the world of eCommerce personalization or looking to brush up on your knowledge? Well, this article will cover everything you need to know, from the benefits of such a technology to the specific implementations you may want to explore.

## What is eCommerce personalization?

In short, eCommerce personalization is all to do with dynamic content. That is the sections on your website that display different content depending on the user. Personalization solutions inform the website of which content to show, based on the data they have collected in their customer database.

The customer data must come from legal sources such as purchase history or browser cookies, and cannot be bought from third parties (refer to this [NDA example](https://www.pandadoc.com/nda-template/) for the legal specifics). As such, only established online stores can generally explore an extensive personalization strategy.

This goes beyond simple user customization, where the customer designs their own product or experience. Rather, with personalization, the website is doing this on the customer’s behalf.

Therefore, an enhanced experience is delivered without the customer having to input anything on their end – ensuring a seamless process for the end user.
 
## How personalization gives you the competitive edge

In short, personalization solutions allow online stores to better fulfill their customer’s wishes.
To illustrate this, a study by Gartner revealed that by 2023, customer satisfaction will grow by 25% in organizations that use AI.

Consequently, companies late to adopt personalization tech will be fighting an uphill battle against their competitors. Their websites will be less receptive, harder to navigate, and will produce an outdated customer experience.
 
Over time, the companies that embrace hyper-personalization will grow their market shares, until the tech is seen as the ‘industry standard’ or ‘new normal’.
![Ecom_v4-02.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/IULNN9SYSNSGZ9HHxeBr)

## Benefits of eCommerce personalization
So what are the specific advantages of pursuing personalization for your eCommerce business?

### Improved brand image
Every retailer, whether online or based in a brick-and-mortar store, will understand the importance of building their brand image. In doing this, you are building a recognizable style for your customers, which hopefully they will come to love. It helps your brand to stand out from competitors and ensures a high-quality experience.

When done successfully, a quality brand image can drive inbound marketing effects, bringing new customers directly to you. In addition, they are more likely to engage with your marketing deals, [social media content](https://www.channable.com/blog/blog-why-integrate-social-media-into-your-marketing-strategy), and newsletters. This will ensure a steady revenue stream as new clients keep returning to become loyal customers.

### Higher sales conversion rate
A study by Martech company Netcore found that personalization in eCommerce boosted the KPIs of over 200 retailers.

Retailers reported a 45% sales conversion rate, along with a lower cart abandonment rate and a higher average order value.

Why is personalization able to achieve this? It’s because it preempts the sort of content that audiences want to see before they search for it. In many cases, it may recommend products and services that a customer didn’t even know they needed until that point.

In terms of boosting the sales conversion rate, this mostly comes from innovations at the checkout stage. For instance, offering alternative products that may be more relevant to the customer, such as multipacks or budget brands.

### Access to customer analytics data
It goes without saying that for an eCommerce personalization strategy to be effective, it must collect data from its customers. This is how the algorithms know which content is most relevant for the individual and personalizes it.

But another benefit of this is that it provides online stores with a database of information on their customer demographics. This connects them to their customer base more than any anecdotal insights could ever provide.

For example, if the data shows a company has a mostly corporate customer base, it could inform their marketing team’s efforts. In this case, it may be best to target LinkedIn as that largely matches the corporate demographic. Likewise, it could identify potential B2B clients for your networking strategy (if that interests you, take a peek at this [financial proposal sample from PandaDoc](https://www.pandadoc.com/financial-services-proposal-templates/)).

To give another example, a company may find that their customers are largely based in Spanish-speaking countries. In this instance, they may want to implement Spanish language options on their website. Additionally, it could help shape their product inventory, by stocking products popular in those regions.

### Enhanced customer experience
As a combination of all the above factors, personalization is likely to deliver an overall better customer experience.

In the short term, this provides increased product engagement and revenue for the operating store. Over the long term, it will improve customer retention rates and foster a quality brand image. One such benefit of this is that your loyal customers will recommend your store to their friends and family, thus marketing your products by word of mouth.

To sum it up, personalization offers better outcomes for both consumers and businesses. It’s a real no-brainer for online stores in 2022.
![Ecom_v4-03.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/ZDTbRReDRfSqLibyR4Gq)

## Aspects of personalization to consider
By now, you hopefully understand the benefits of pursuing hyper-personalization in eCommerce. But what elements are necessary to create a personalization strategy that delivers?
 
### Recommend relevant products
The most obvious application of personalization tech is the use of algorithmic segmentation.
This works by first collecting customer data on several relevant factors, such as:

- Customer age/gender
- Type of account (personal, small business, or enterprise)
- Purchase history (average spend, frequency, and type of products bought)
- Browsing history (what products were viewed, engaged with, and for how long)

From here, your customer base can be sorted into various groups. This can inform your [recommendations process](https://www.channable.com/products/channable-insights) to push the most relevant products to relevant customers.

For example, a person who has bought a set of porcelain plates may be interested in seeing other premium cookware. On the other hand, a customer who bought a set of cheap paper plates might be more interested in seeing party products.

Your recommendations algorithm may be used across your online store. Besides including a ‘For you’ section on the homepage, you might show more specific recommendations at the bottom of product pages, or even at the checkout.

### Push localized content to target customers
Localized content is another way to boost engagement with your website’s visitors.

It works by showing dynamic content to a customer based on where in the world they are. This can be used for distributing useful information on marketing deals or promotions, for instance. Here are a few specific examples:

- A customer in Texas may be shown a banner that reads “Come visit us at our local store in Houston”. By doing this, the online retailer creates a connection with the customer, instilling the image they are a ‘local business’.
- If you have a customer browsing from Canada, you may show them a banner that reads “Canada Day special: 2 for 1 on selected ranges”. Again, this suggests your business is local and strives to provide the best service it can for its Canadian users.
 
### Targeted discounts
eCommerce personalization can go one step further than simply recommending products on a customer’s location. Rather, it may tailor content, deals, and promotions to the individual customer themselves.

One great example of this is the targeted discount. Essentially, an online store looks at what a customer is likely to buy next. This is usually done by looking at recurring products in their purchase history or repeat visits to a specific product page.

Once the ideal product has been identified, the online store can start offering discounts on that product alone. The customer will think “How useful!” and is highly likely to complete the sale. On top of that, they may buy other products at the same time or return frequently to check for other relevant offers.

### Navigation adjustment
Once a customer has visited your website multiple times, a pattern of their behaviors will emerge. For instance, what product pages do they most frequently visit? Or are specific products viewed at a certain time of day?

To help your customers find what they are looking for, you can implement navigation adjustments in your personalization strategy. That might simply be a banner that acts as a shortcut to their common pages, with the wording “Looking for this?”.

Additionally, algorithms may identify that a customer is doing their Christmas shopping. In this case, a navigation pointer to delete browsing history or send the item in discreet packaging may be favorable.

### Checkout optimization
Finally, eCommerce personalization helps customers over the line at the last stage of the sales process: the checkout.

Useful integrations here include:

- Offering alternatives to products in their baskets, such as a budget or premium option
- Showing a “Customers like you also bought…” section
- Providing shortcuts to autofill preferred delivery and payment options
- Informing the customer of specific targeted discounts they may have missed
- Taking them directly to their preferred authentication services (such as [PandaDoc, Adobe Sign, and DocuSign](https://www.pandadoc.com/blog/adobe-sign-vs-docusign-comparison/))
![Ecom_v4-04.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Mo51wXMHRBmWHxuZ39qW)

## The power of personalization
Ecommerce personalization is an immensely useful tool for online stores to connect with their customer bases. 

As a retailer, it allows you to provide a service that is more bespoke, more relevant, and more accessible. The result? Enhanced customer experiences and better KPI outcomes for your business.



Understanding eCommerce Personalization For a Better Competitive Edge

Any business with a strong digital marketing strategy will know the importance of personalization. By working with user data, companies can deliver tailored messages and experiences that help to attract and retain customers. [90%](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/future-of-marketing/creativity/marketing-personalization-statistics/) of the best marketers have said that personalization improves profitability.

However, consumers are increasingly wary of companies that collect and use their personal data without their consent. These concerns have led to more stringent privacy regulations, such as GDPR and Google’s plan to end third-party cookies on Chrome. Businesses have to be careful to follow these regulations and make their customers feel safe and valued.  

Striking a balance between personalization and privacy is, therefore, a crucial part of any digital marketing strategy as more and more business takes place online. Whether you're a small business owner or a marketer at a large corporation, learning how to find the common ground will let you develop effective strategies that respect your customer's privacy.

## Why are privacy and personalization such big issues for companies?

Every business that works online, from software services like [PDFPlatform](https://www.pdfplatform.com/) to eCommerce advertisers, has to consider how to protect their customers' data. At the same time, however, data collection techniques such as cookies and tracking pixels have become integral to digital marketing strategies, with personalization used for a better competitive edge.

User data allows adverts and marketing messages to be tailored specifically to the customer. Whether this means that they directly address the user through bespoke content or a target demographic that is more receptive to certain marketing, modern digital marketing strategies have to take personalization into account. 

However, with high-profile data breaches and scandals making headlines, consumers are more cautious about who they share their personal information with. Companies need to be transparent about how they collect and use data or risk losing consumer trust.

There are also legal implications for companies that fail to protect user privacy. Many countries have enacted data protection laws requiring businesses to obtain user consent before collecting data and to allow users to opt out of data collection. Failure to comply with these laws can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.

As well as this, there is a risk of consumer backlash if companies are perceived to be using personal data in an intrusive or unethical way. This can lead to negative reviews, social media backlash, and even boycotts, which can harm a company's reputation and bottom line.

Therefore, it's more important than ever that you find the right balance between the demands of privacy and personalization. But how can you do this in your digital marketing campaigns?

## How to strike a balance between privacy and personalization

Having the right company mindset is invaluable in finding the right middle ground between privacy and personalization. You have to be sure that protecting customer privacy is at the center of every action involving user data.

However, there are three key principles that will ensure that you can see the [benefits of personalization](https://www.channable.com/blog/understanding-ecommerce-personalization) in your marketing campaigns while also prioritizing privacy:

![Privacy-p3.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/wORLuQoOQL4PO2RYcEfA)

### Start preparing for the end of third-party cookies

In an attempt to address rising concerns about privacy Google will be ending the use of third-party cookies on Chrome in 2024. This will help put consumers at ease, but will make personalization that much harder.

Without the use of third-party cookies to guide the way, companies will have to find other methods to attract and retain customers. This may mean relying on first-party cookies to improve site optimization or gather data on user experience or it could mean getting to grips with Google’s Topics API which will form part of their Privacy Sandbox.

Consider adapting your strategy now to prepare for the change. Think about setting up enhanced conversions for web with Google, encouraging user accounts to help you collect data, as well as things like newsletter creation. Get your team together and start brainstorming ideas.

Whatever strategy you choose, it’s important to get ahead of the change and start putting things in place now. This way your business will be best placed to continue to deliver a personalized service while protecting your customers’ data.

### Be transparent with customers

Customers want to know what data you collect about them and how you will use it. By being transparent, companies can build trust with their customers and reassure them that their personal data is being used ethically and responsibly.

You should provide clear and concise explanations of your data collection practices on your website and your marketing materials. This could include details about what data you are collecting, how it is collected, and how you'll use it. However, keep this simple, short, and snappy!
 
Say, for example, that you offer free downloads of a [settlement letter template](https://www.pandadoc.com/settlement-agreement-template/) and ask for an email address to send it to. You should be upfront about if you will use that email address in the future. A customer who receives unexpected marketing emails after a simple download might become frustrated and unlikely to use your platform again.

###  Put your customers in the driving seat

As well as being transparent, you should give customers full control of how much data they want to share with you. You can do this by allowing customers to access, edit, and delete their data, as well as opt out of data collection altogether.

While [personalized PPC adverts](https://www.channable.com/blog/create-personalized-ppc-ads-improve-ctr-roas) can be effective, some customers can find them unsettling; it is good practice to include a visible opt-out button in these marketing materials. This demonstrates your commitment to privacy while it also improves customer experience.

By giving your customers control over their data, you’ll be able to both improve your own data privacy practices and visibly demonstrate how much you value privacy to your customers.

As well as this, you should provide regular updates to customers on their data usage policies and any changes that may impact users' privacy. This could be done through email notifications, blog posts, or other communication channels.

Transparency is key to building trust with customers. By being transparent about data collection practices, companies can balance personalization and privacy to ensure their customers feel comfortable sharing their data.

## Keep optimizing your personalization

![Privacy-p2.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/2CNf6NIvTXuOeAQkjAmX)

You should always test your marketing strategies and find areas to improve. As well as helping to improve your marketing success rates, this will ensure that you are using customer data effectively.

Marketeers should use data analysis to identify areas where they may be collecting unnecessary data and adjust their practices accordingly. Similarly, you could find out what level of personalization is most effective for your customers. This allows you to avoid using personal data when it isn't leading to positive interactions.

## Privacy and personalization: a reconcilable set of demands

Finding common ground between personalization and privacy may seem challenging. While personalization can enhance the customer experience and improve marketing success rates, businesses must also ensure they respect customer privacy. Failure to do so can result in loss of trust, legal repercussions, and reputational damage.

However, you can reconcile these important demands of any digital marketing strategy. The three key principles of transparency, customer control, and continuous optimization can help companies strike the right balance between personalization and privacy.

By keeping these in mind when designing your digital marketing campaigns, you can build trust with your customers, respect their privacy, and deliver personalized experiences that will keep them coming back.





Privacy And Personalization: How to Find Common Ground in Your Digital Marketing Strategies

## Which Nordic industry predominantly relies on the utilization of agencies, in your observation?

**Thomas**: The scope for digital marketing agencies is getting increasingly broad. Where it used to be primarily B2C companies selling physical products who had the biggest need for an online presence, we are now seeing more and more diverse companies venturing towards agencies for help. 

This stretches out to service providers, and even to B2B sellers who are acknowledging that even professionals start their search for new suppliers on Google. 

For these B2B companies, digital marketing was never a main area of focus, meaning they now often need to seek help from the agencies who deal with this stuff on a daily basis.


**Daniel**: Among industries that rely on digital marketing agencies, eCommerce stands out. The constantly changing eCommerce landscape requires businesses to tap into the specialized knowledge of these agencies, focusing on data feed optimization and PPC management, allowing them to flourish in the intensely competitive online environment and boost visibility, customer interaction, and in the end, increased revenue.

## What vertical do you see most of our Nordic agencies active in?

**Thomas**:If I would highlight a specific vertical as a Nordic trend, it would be Consumer Electronics. Advertisers in the Consumer Electronics vertical tend to be selling the exact same products as their competitors, so just being present online is no longer enough to properly stand out from the crowd. 

For these companies, the quality of ads has become increasingly important to get ahead of the competition, and this is often where agencies are able to step in and assist.

**Daniel**: When looking at different verticals, the Retail Fashion sector is definitely unique. It has a lot of seasonal changes and trends that are always moving. 

This makes it important for Nordic fashion brands to stay updated and be ready for what's next. Working with skilled professionals helps these businesses make sure their advertising strategies match the latest styles and changes in the market. This way, they can keep attracting customers and stay successful in a world that changes with the seasons.

![IImage 1.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/4F5P4pNwSoyiErRSgxzF)

## What advertising formats/channels do you see most Nordic agencies using via Channable?

**Thomas**: Google Shopping is by far the most utilized channel by agencies. This is maybe a bold statement, but anybody with even a basic understanding of online marketing can create a simple Google Shopping feed - But it takes an expert to create a great one! 

In an industry where quality is often the determining factor for whether your ad is shown or not, a simple feed is not enough anymore… A great feed is a must!

**Daniel**:I would say that price comparison sites such as Prisjakt and Pricerunner are particularly popular. These sites enable businesses to display their products in direct comparison with competitors, allowing customers to easily evaluate prices and features. 

To efficiently manage multiple clients and feeds across these platforms, utilizing a tool is essential. By leveraging these tools, agencies can streamline their clients' advertising efforts and keep them happy.

## What are the most profitable Nordic eCommerce channels according to you?

**Thomas**: I believe any channel could be profitable if it is done in the right way, and as long as the quality of the data you are pushing out is up to par.

In the Nordic market, I would consider Google Shopping to be one of the most effective channels to be on because this is where the majority of consumers are. 

If we were looking towards a different market such as Benelux, then I think online marketplaces become a lot more relevant, with [Bol.com](https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/) being one of the best channels to achieve success.

**Daniel**:  It's tough to pinpoint the most profitable Nordic eCommerce channels, as it really depends on each client's unique situation. However, any channel can be a winner if it's tailored for your business. 

That being said, I do notice that [Google Shopping](https://www.channable.com/blog/google-shopping-optimization) and price comparison sites tend to be successful for many businesses across the board. So, while it's important to look at individual needs, these channels are worth considering as they've proven to be effective for a wide range of companies.

## What are the most popular social media advertising channels in Nordics eCommerce according to you?

**Thomas**: The most popular [social media channels](https://www.channable.com/downloads/social-commerce-2022) for advertising are difficult to pinpoint because it all comes down to the persona you are chasing. 

If I look at advertisers in the fashion industry, then we are primarily looking towards channels like Instagram and TikTok, where the visual aspect plays a big part in making the sale. 

If you are appealing to a younger generation, then perhaps Snapchat is the best approach to take. If you are looking to target women in particular, I would recommend Pinterest. 

**Daniel**: Determining the most popular social media advertising channels is challenging because the right choice depends on your target audience. In the past, [Facebook ](https://www.channable.com/integrations/facebook-shops)and [Instagram ](https://www.channable.com/integrations/instagram)have worked well for a lot of businesses. 

![Image 3 .png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/XOOG9lyWQXCet21SSPAb)

Lately, we're seeing platforms like [TikTok](https://www.channable.com/blog/tiktok-dynamic-showcase-ads-setup-channable) making a big splash in advertising. So, it's important for businesses to think about who they want to connect with and choose the social media channels that work best for their audience in order to get the best results.

## What surprised you the most recently in the Nordic digital advertising sector?

**Thomas**: In conversations I have with Nordic agency specialists, it is becoming more and more likely that the conversation is about a B2B advertiser who is finally acknowledging that Digital Marketing is the way forward for them. 

This trend of B2B companies steering towards eCommerce is definitely caused by the Covid pandemic, but I am positive that it will never revert fully to the now outdated method of bulky catalogs in the mail. 


**Daniel**: I've noticed a shift in focus among [agencies and advertisers](https://www.channable.com/blog/smarter-ecommerce-marketing-strategy-agencies). Instead of primarily concentrating on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), there's a growing trend toward emphasizing Profit on Ad Spend (POAS). 

This change is surprising because it indicates a shift in mindset from simply measuring top-line revenue to evaluating the actual impact on the bottom line. It highlights the importance of considering not just the revenue generated by ads but also the profitability of those campaigns.

## What is your top learning from last year within the Nordics eCommerce industry in terms of channels and formats?

**Thomas**: Quality is so important when it comes to top-performing ads in the Nordics. Anybody can be present online, but it is the high-quality ads that really stand out in the crowd. 

**Daniel**: It's really interesting to see how businesses are changing their strategies to better match their overall goals and financial objectives, taking a more well-rounded approach to measuring their advertising success. 

When I think about the top lesson from last year, I'd say the importance of diversification and flexibility really stands out. Businesses that can adapt and try out different channels and formats have a better chance of succeeding. 

By using a variety of advertising channels and formats, companies can reach their target audiences and stay strong in a world where market conditions and customer preferences are always changing.

![Image 2.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/mQom6iOtQK8GFmuDdOxf)

#### Key takeaways from the Nordic eCommerce industry

- The scope for Nordic digital marketing agencies has broadened, with diverse companies, including service providers and B2B sellers, seeking help from agencies.
- eCommerce is a prominent industry that relies heavily on digital marketing agencies for specialized knowledge in areas such as data feed optimization and PPC management.
- Consumer Electronics and Retail Fashion are verticals where Nordic agencies are active, emphasizing the importance of high-quality ads to differentiate from competitors.
- Google Shopping is the most utilized channel by Nordic agencies, highlighting the importance of creating high-quality feeds for better visibility and ad performance.
- Price comparison sites, such as Prisjakt and Pricerunner, are popular channels for Nordic agencies to manage clients' product displays and optimize pricing and features.
- The profitability of eCommerce channels depends on factors like market-specific channels, quality of data, and tailored strategies that align with business needs.
- Social media advertising channels vary based on target audience and industry, with Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat being popular for fashion and younger audiences, and Pinterest.
- The Nordic digital advertising sector has witnessed B2B companies recognizing the significance of digital marketing and eCommerce, likely due to the impact of the Covid pandemic.
- There is a shift from focusing solely on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to emphasizing Profit on Ad Spend (POAS), indicating a greater focus on bottom-line impact and profitability.
- Quality is crucial for top-performing ads, and Nordic businesses need to prioritize high-quality ads to stand out in the competitive online landscape.
- Diversification and flexibility are key lessons from the previous year, as Nordic businesses need to adapt, try different channels and formats, and remain agile in response to changing market conditions and customer preferences.

Want to read more eCommerce insights and trends from the Nordics as well as other regions? Then sign up to our newsletter by filling out the form down below. Also, don’t forget to check out our recent report:

<p style="text-align:center;"><a style="display: inline-block; padding: 12px 24px; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: .0625em; text-transform: uppercase; background: #e54692; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;" href="https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023">Report: State of eCommerce for agencies - Building a better Marketing Strategy</a></p>

Nordic eCommerce trends and insights - Presented by Thomas and Daniel

It has been calculated that 72% of internal search engines don’t meet users’ expectations. If you use a smart search engine, you can get conversions to go up – and by a lot. As an example, remember that the customers who use the Doofinder smart search get up to 20% more sales.

So, what is a “smart” search anyway? Let us explain that to you.

## The 5 aspects that make an internal search engine a powerful weapon for sales
You already know that the search bar for your e-commerce site must:
- Have a size and colors that make the user see it as soon as they land on your website.
- Be located at the top of the screen (in the right corner or in the center), because that is where people are used to finding it.
- Include predefined text inviting the user to search for something. 

But that’s not enough. If you want the search to help you sell more, what you need is for it to be an advanced internal search engine. Or, as we like to say, it should be a “smart” search.

One that uses artificial intelligence to better understand your customers and improve the shopping experience. Because happy customers = higher conversion rates. Let’s see how this can be done.

### 1. It learns from your customers in order to better serve them (personalized search results)
To explain this to you, we are going to put ourselves in John’s shoes. John is a regular customer on a clothing e-commerce site. Not long ago, he was looking at the anorak jackets on the site because he was going to take a skiing trip – and he ended up buying one.

A few days later, Pepe visited the website again. He went to the search bar and wrote “boots” in the field.

And the **first results that he got were snow boots**. By taking into account the products that he was looking at and that he clicked on, the search engine (which remembered John) thought that the boots that he was looking for were probably snow boots.

And what would have happened if John had been looking at mountaineering equipment? In that case, when he typed “boots” into the search box, it would have shown him boots for climbing first.

Thanks to artificial intelligence and automatic learning, the search engine is able to better understand each user so as to personalize the search experience and **give customers just the product they were looking for**. 

In just a few clicks, that user can have the product they are looking for in their shopping cart (and you get another sale).

### 2. It knows what you’re thinking
When someone connects to your shop, what they want to do is find the product they are interested in as soon as possible.

And that is much easier if your search engine offers suggestions to automatically complete search queries.

Take a look at the DosFarma website (one of Doofinder’s customers) as an example. Look at what happens if you write “gel” in the search bar:

![Captura de pantalla 2021-02-24 a las 11.47.37.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/PvbNgbA3QXeAj1VwLgp1)

When we do this, the search engine gives us the option to go directly to hydroalcoholic hand sanitizer gels and to shower gels.

### 3. It “forgives” you for your spelling mistakes
Anyone can have a lapsus. For example, suppose that you have an online computer shop. A customer (let’s call him Mark this time) connects with the intention of buying a Xiaomi cell phone. Of course, as people are **never too sure about how to spell the brand’s name, he writes “Shaomi.”** The results? Xiaomi cell phones appear.

And that is because the search engine, which is quite smart, knows what brand people are looking for when they write “Shaomi” (or “Chaomi” or “Xaomi”).

But we can make things even more difficult for the search engine. What would have happened if Mark had searched for “Xiaomi cell phone” but you call these products “smartphones” in your descriptions? There’s still no problem because the [search engine is able to understand synonyms](https://www.doofinder.com/es/blog/ventajas-funcionalidad-sinonimos-doofinder-buscador-tienda-online).

### 4. It never leaves you with empty hands
Let’s go on with the previous example. After looking at different cell phones on your site, Mark finally decides on a Xiaomi model and it’s in his cart.

What would happen if he suddenly remembers that he’d also better update his headphones? He goes to the search engine again and writes, “Xiaomi wireless headphones.” The problem is that you’ve just run out of those headphones and there are none in stock.

In that case, a normal search engine would only tell Mark that there are no products that meet his search criteria. Or, worse yet, it would show him the product pages for Xiaomi headphones because, as it is not connected to your [product feed](/es/blog/infographic-feed-producto-marketing), it cannot know that you haven’t got any in stock.

But remember that we aren’t using a normal search engine but instead a smart one. And what a smart search engine does is **show Mark the wireless headphones by other brands that you do indeed have in stock**, because it understands that he may also be interested in them.

Thus, it’s very likely that Mark will decide not to wait and buy an alternative make when he sees that there are brands available that are compatible with his new cell phone. 

### 5.It studies the users and helps you to improve
Up until now, we’ve only touched upon how a smart search engine can improve the customer’s experience. But, can it help you to improve your sales strategy?

For example, by offering you data like:
- What product pages get more clicks when appearing in search results.
- What products have a greater conversion rate (to show those products first amongst the results) and what products have a lower conversion rate (a sign that you have to write a product description that is more attractive or that the price is too high, for example).
- [The products that customers are looking for and that you don’t have in your catalog](https://www.doofinder.com/en/blog/searches-with-no-result) (if you don’t sell raincoats on your ecommerce site but a lot of people are looking for them, those are lost sales).
![Dashboard_Doofinder.gif](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/kwfB4STQmig0JdWG4sA2)
That data, in addition to the [basic KPIs for your ecommerce site](/es/blog/blog-metricas-esenciales-en-ecommerce), can be quite useful to you for decision making.

## Has your internal search engine passed the test?
As you have seen, the search bar of your ecommerce site plays a fundamental role in your sales. If the search experience is positive, **your customers will feel more comfortable and your conversion rates will rise sky high**.

For example, we were telling you before that increases in sales reach 20% for Doofinder customers.
But we know that perhaps you prefer to find that out for yourself. In that case, you can click here to [download Doofinder and try it for free for 30 days on your online shop](https://app.doofinder.com/es/signup?mktcod=OUTR). If you aren’t convinced, you just have to uninstall it when the free trial period has finished. And if you find that it works for you... then get ready to sell.

How to design the perfect search bar to sell more with your e-commerce site

The word that best encapsulates this past year—both in eCommerce and beyond—is “**transition**.”

Not only have we begun to adjust to a largely post-COVID world, but we’ve also had to adapt to a number of social and political changes. The wake of the pandemic has left widespread economic uncertainty, rising costs, and volatile labor markets. 

Rising global tensions and the outbreak of war in Ukraine have led to international trade disruptions and shaky supply chains. 

And a general demographic shift—as members of Gen Z increasingly join the workforce and flex their new buying power—has spurred renewed reflections on how consumers value and evaluate preferred brands.

![Ecommerce_v2-03.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/NN09jFGlTG5PitADQEyJ)

Together, these transitions have landed us in a charged eCommerce landscape where it’s difficult to predict what’s just around the corner. 

Rather than trying to steer this ship through unfamiliar waters, the wisest voices in our industry are taking cues from consumers themselves and letting buyer behaviors and expectations take the helm.

So, what does this mean for the coming year—and how can retailers and marketing teams prepare to weather any potential storms? Below are four top eCommerce insights and observations to ease the way into 2023.

## 1. The division between online and offline shopping is breaking down.

Going into 2022, [many eCommerce giants](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-10-11/amazon-amzn-wayfair-w-online-shopping-bets-aren-t-paying-off?leadSource=uverify%20wall) bet big on digital, predicting that the elevated online shopping numbers of the early COVID-19 era would hold. That hasn’t necessarily come to pass.

It’s true that eCommerce [sales surged](https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/04/ecommerce-sales-surged-during-pandemic.html#:~:text=E%2DCommerce%20Boom&text=More%20than%2020%20years%20later,to%20%24815.4%20billion%20in%202020.) at the height of the pandemic, thanks to stay-at-home orders, consumer stimulus payments, and reduced opportunities to spend on experiences like dining out. 

![Ecommerce_v2-04.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/zz4b4mbzRyaavyiHrB3i)

This trend drove many brick-and-mortar shops to [bring their goods and services online](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever) on an accelerated timeline that shattered all records and forecasts. 

On the whole, interest and activity in eCommerce has since stayed strong, and the industry itself has [continued to grow](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/e-commerce-at-the-center-of-profitable-growth-in-consumer-goods).

And yet, as many analysts have pointed out, reports on the death of in-person shopping have been [greatly exaggerated](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevendennis/2022/03/31/what-we-often-get-wrong-about-e-commerce-and-why-it-matters/?sh=69c355e11bfb). Purchases at physical stores still account for [almost 90%](https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdf) of all retail sales.

> It turns out that eCommerce and in-person commerce aren’t at odds after all. In fact, the boundaries between these two shopping experiences are growing increasingly thin.

With more small, local businesses adopting digital transformation—and, conversely, digital-native companies like Allbirds and Warby Parker opening physical retail stores—many brands are finding that online and offline initiatives can work in tandem to fuel their growth.

The most forward-thinking among them, including Bonobos and Starbucks, are tweaking their omnichannel marketing strategies to build a hybrid model, ensuring their online and offline customer experiences fit seamlessly together. 

That way, they don’t have to choose between remote and in-person audiences and experiences—they can channel the best of both.

## 2. The rise of Gen Z means more social selling and more social consciousness.

Members of Gen Z—the segment of the population born between 1997 and 2012—are now coming into their own, with an estimated [$360 billion](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-17/gen-z-has-360-billion-to-spend-trick-is-getting-them-to-buy?leadSource=uverify%20wall) in collective disposable income.

There are several characteristics that set Gen Z apart as consumers. For one thing, they tend to rely on [social media platforms](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1252593/global-social-media-product-discovery-by-generation/) more than search engines to discover new products, and they’re [far likelier than any generation before](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260868/social-media-influence-on-shopping-by-generation-us/) to purchase a product after seeing it on a social channel.

That means, for today’s marketers, social selling isn’t just quicker, cheaper, and more accessible than traditional advertising, it’s also the best way to connect with the next generation of buyers.

![Ecommerce_v2-05.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/9Y5h8u8GQiWah4IRL2Cb)

Another key consideration with Gen Z is their heightened commitment to social and environmental causes. That extends to the way they shop, with a substantial number willing to [boycott brands](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefffromm/2022/07/20/as-gen-zs-buying-power-grows-businesses-must-adapt-their-marketing/?sh=7fd2029b2533) that don’t meet their ideological expectations. 

One [recent Deloitte survey](https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/at/Documents/human-capital/at-gen-z-millennial-survey-2022.pdf) shows that 64% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for an environmentally sustainable product, versus a cheaper but non-sustainable alternative.

## 3. For businesses, recession-proofing is key.

While it’s too early to say that a recession is a sure thing, it’s not too early for eCommerce retailers and business owners to heed the warnings and get their profit margins in order. A few [basic tips and strategies](https://www.channable.com/blog/how-to-recession-proof-ecommerce-business) can help merchants along the right track, including:

- **Keep operations as efficient as possible**: This includes looking for opportunities to automate key workflows with tech-forward tools and optimizing any and all ad campaigns.

- **Market intentionally**. For example, use [data and analytics](https://www.channable.com/products/channable-insights) to define an ideal audience, track shopping and spending habits, cut products that aren’t hitting desired margins, and boost products that are. Prioritize channels that offer a higher return on ad spend.

- **Take full advantage of available marketplaces**: This also means finding smaller, niche marketplaces that cater to a specific, dedicated audience and, importantly, take a smaller cut from each sale.

- **Keep teams nimble and up to speed**. Fast-evolving technology, paired with the effects of the Great Resignation and a dearth of qualified labor, are leaving many eCommerce and marketing teams scrambling to keep up. Lean on industry experts and tech partners that offer [built-in learning resources](https://www.channable.com/channacademy), intuitive platforms, and hands-on customer support.

Among other things, a looming downturn means that a race to the bottom with pricing is no longer sustainable. Now is the time to be strategic.

## 4. Breakthroughs are coming.

If there’s a silver lining to all this talk of recession, it’s that economic hardship tends to be a breeding ground for new ideas and inventions. One strongly suggested New Year’s resolution for eCommerce professionals is to embrace them.

There’s a tendency during uncertain times to take a conservative approach, protect existing assets, and avoid any form of risk. 

But research has found that encouraging entrepreneurship and experimentation not only helps build a [thriving business culture](https://hbr.org/2020/03/building-a-culture-of-experimentation), it also [yields better business results](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckswoboda/2020/06/22/in-business-as-in-life-the-greatest-risk-is-doing-nothing/?sh=6406774f1828). 

The key is to experiment with the right kind of advanced technology at your back and to use concrete data and intelligence to your advantage.

![Ecommerce_v2-06.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/rcktfrFtQ2iwPRSSVHFP)

There’s a wealth of cutting-edge eCommerce solutions already on the market and an untold number on the horizon. Keep an eye out for those that will drive efficiency and effectiveness—and maybe even stimulate ideas of your own.

## The bottom line

As we navigate a growing number of transitions and uncertainties heading into 2023, make them work for you and your business. Use the tools at your disposal to ensure you’re listening to your customers—and building strategies that meet their needs.

## What does 2023 hold for Channable?

This coming year, Channable is going all in on innovation. We’re investing in a team of creative thinkers and mapping out new products and features that will help eCommerce marketers thrive.

[Sign up for a trial account](https://www.channable.com/signup) to explore our platform and learn more about our emerging solutions—or [browse our open positions](https://jobs.channable.com/?&_ga=2.145258231.231850655.1671033140-2099800567.1660231302) to join our growing team and help bring them to life.

What to expect from eCommerce in 2023

## Even though the U.S. is currently navigating a period of economic uncertainty, there’s no doubt about it; eCommerce continues to grow 

In Channable’s latest report, [The State of eCommerce for Agencies](https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023/), we shared that social media ad spend is expected to reach a global, record-breaking high of [$262 billion](https://www.statista.com/statistics/271406/advertising-revenue-of-social-networks-worldwide/). Consumers are still buying, and marketing efforts are accelerating to grab their attention. 

In order to stay flexible and adaptable, agencies need to be smarter than ever about their digital marketing strategies. 

Below, we explore the biggest eCommerce challenges they’re experiencing and some best practices they can put into place. 

## Key learnings

- eCommerce continues to grow despite economic uncertainties, presenting opportunities for digital marketing agencies to overcome eCommerce challenges.

- Digital marketing agencies face challenges in navigating consumer diversification across multiple channels, marketplaces, and formats in the eCommerce landscape.

- Navigating different selling requirements across channels is crucial for digital marketing agencies to address eCommerce challenges and capture consumer attention.

- Managing omnichannel selling for multiple clients is a complex eCommerce challenge that requires adaptation to changing consumer preferences and behaviors.

- Measuring campaign success is an important aspect of overcoming eCommerce challenges, with the need to shift metrics and utilize advanced tracking systems.

- Understanding GA4 eCommerce and its implications is essential for digital marketing agencies to tackle eCommerce challenges and leverage new opportunities.

- Best practices play a significant role in addressing eCommerce challenges, including optimizing product data, catalogs, and feeds, and enhancing customer trust and reducing friction in the shopping experience.

- Automation is a valuable solution for digital marketing agencies to overcome eCommerce challenges, offering time and resource savings while improving campaign management and results.

## eCommerce challenges for digital marketing agencies 
Today, digital marketers are facing distinct eCommerce challenges. Consumers continue to diversify their attention and preferences across an ever-growing number of channels, marketplaces, and formats, and inflation has impacted the number of available marketing roles and the size of digital marketing teams. 

> Across the board, marketers are expected to do a lot more with less resources.

### 1. Navigating different selling requirements 
On average, a consumer interacts with [20 channels](https://internetretailing.net/as-shoppers-interact-with-brands-on-20-different-channels-marketers-struggle-to-keep-up-study-finds-23106/) before making a purchase. If your clients choose not to promote on a certain channel—or you don’t have the resources or capabilities to offer them the opportunity to promote on that channel—it’s a lost chance to snag the consumer’s attention. 

The more channels where a brand establishes a presence, the greater their chances of conversion. 

But each of those channels has its own set of selling requirements, making the process of building and managing multiple channel connections technically difficult and time-consuming. 

For example, [Amazon](https://www.channable.com/integrations/amazon-product-feed) has a very complex product taxonomy, which is different from [Walmart’s](https://www.channable.com/walmart-api) or [eBay’s](https://www.channable.com/integrations/ebay). 

If the product data doesn’t meet the requirements, then the listing won’t be readily visible to consumers. This becomes even more complex when you’re dealing with large inventories. 

![eCommerce Marketing.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Qo4sEdxETUDnam94WZMp)

Digital marketing agencies manage individual channels across brands with thousands of stock keeping units (SKUs). That’s a lot of manual labor and a greater potential for errors to occur. 

It's easy to lose track of order management because of the sheer volume of data to process, including ever-changing variables like price, inventory, and promotions. 

### 2. Managing omnichannel selling for multiple end clients 
In addition to tackling the different selling requirements, agencies also have to manage feeds for multiple clients. Imagine keeping all the requirements straight, then turning around and having to repeat the process for dozens and dozens of clients. (**It’s complex!**)  

Meanwhile, with the rise of social commerce continuing to drive audience diversification, Gen Z and Millennial consumer preferences are changing. 

They’re seeking out more personalized experiences and prefer video content on [newer platforms like TikTok](https://www.channable.com/blog/tiktok-dynamic-showcase-ads-setup-channable), where personalization is emphasized. In fact, the number of TikTok users is expected to rise to over [1 billion by 2025](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1327116/number-of-global-tiktok-users/). 

Omnichannel strategies always need to include new, different social media platforms to reach diverse audiences, amplify brand awareness, tap into viral marketing potential, and cater to individual platform preferences. 

Otherwise, agencies risk losing out on key customer segments which, in turn, could put their own client revenue at risk.

### 3. Measuring campaign success
Even the measurements of success are becoming more complicated. Most companies who used to rely on return on investment (ROI) as a basis for success started to focus more on return on ad spend (ROAS), which yields a more immediate, short-term view of how distinct ads or campaigns are performing. Now, companies are shifting again—away from ROAS and towards profit on ad spend (POAS).

POAS takes both cost and order combinations into account allowing more visibility into the total conversion value of the customer lifecycle. 

However, this metric requires a more advanced tracking system that is capable of attributing profits to specific ads or campaigns, in addition to a team that is knowledgeable about these metrics and feels confident in their calculations.

eCommerce marketers have also been preparing for the transition to GA4 by [exporting data](https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/reporting/core/v4) and setting up [eCommerce events](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12200568) in the Google Tag Manager container. 

GA4 will have codeless event tracking and enable marketers to have a unified view of website and mobile data in the same property, but the switch from UA to GA4 is still a structural overhaul. Understanding GA4 eCommerce will require different approaches to the data sets, plus the time and resources spent on the new learnings, setup, and implementation. 

## Top 5 best practices for  eCommerce challenges 
![Top 5 best practices for  eCommerce challenges .jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/PSrwchzkRgiENr3BH72E)

As we’ve demonstrated, managing multiple eCommerce feeds across multiple channels and marketplaces is a daunting task, but there are best practices to guide you. 

First and foremost, it's essential for products to be accurately listed across channels and marketplaces. Optimizing product data, product catalogs, and product feeds helps you develop a more effective approach to overall campaign optimization. Each of these elements play a critical role in your campaigns’ success.

By understanding the differences between them, you can better allocate your time, resources, and efforts. 

Automating the creation and optimization of ad campaigns is another way your team can quickly scale their efforts, optimize campaigns based on real-time performance data, and personalize campaigns based on consumer behavior, preferences, and demographics—all while continuing to cut back on manual tasks. 

### 1. Increase customer trust, drive sales, and improve product discoverability through optimized product data
Optimizing product data is all about paying attention to the details and helps improve the accuracy of product information, which can drive more sales and improve product discoverability. 

Here are some tips: 

- Use descriptive and accurate product titles that include relevant keywords people are using to search for the product.

- Provide complete and detailed product descriptions including features, benefits, and specifications such as size, color, material, and any other relevant information.

- Use high-quality product images that are clear, well-lit, and show the item from multiple angles.

- Keep pricing information consistent across all channels and clearly communicate any discounts or promotions.

### 2. Increase customer trust and reduce friction in the shopping experience
Optimizing the product catalog is all about organization. This ensures a user-friendly, intuitive shopping experience that helps increase consumer loyalty and retention. Below are some tips for optimizing product catalogs: 

- Ensure that products are categorized correctly and all relevant attributes are included to help consumers find your products when they’re filtering search results. 

- Use a hierarchical structure, such as subcategories, to make the catalog easier to navigate.

- Include consumer reviews and ratings on the product pages to help potential buyers make informed decisions about quality and suitability.

- Make sure the product catalog has a mobile-friendly design and fast load-times.

- Continuously test and refine your categorization as you track consumer behavior and identify areas of improvement.

### 3. Improve product visibility and performance
Optimizing product feeds is all about requirements. It involves preparing and formatting product data so it’s compatible with the rules of different channels and marketplaces to increase product visibility and performance. Check out some tips for optimizing product feeds: 

- Regularly review and update the product data to remove any out-of-stock items, update pricing information, and add new products.

- Use standardized product identifiers, such as global trade item numbers (GTINs), to help improve the accuracy of feeds.

- Localize product feeds if your clients are selling products in multiple countries or regions by providing translations of the product data. 

- Consider using a [feed management tool](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) to switch to a dynamic feed setup and streamline the process with product data mapping, feed formatting, and channel-specific optimization.

### 4. Automate the creation of advertising campaigns
Using a feed management platform to automate the creation of your ad campaigns provides your team with more reliable data, greater ability to track more complex metrics like POAS, and more time to focus on strategy instead of manual tasks. 

For example, a pay-per-click (PPC) solution allows you to automate the creation of campaigns in one place across different formats like responsive search ads (RSAs) and dynamic search ads (DSAs), while adhering to the rules of different channels and marketplaces. 

You’re also able to utilize reporting and optimize the campaigns on an as-needed basis by: 

- Automating bidding strategy
 
- Ensuring you have proper audience segmentation 

- Utilizing all ad placements 

- Retargeting based on real-time performance data 

## 5. Take a realistic approach to automation
While dynamic feed setup can offer more flexibility and customization options for campaigns, digital marketing agencies may first need to invest some dedicated time and resources to fully leverage these capabilities. 

But the benefits of automation result in so much time- and resource-savings that—simply put—it’s more than worth it in the end. 

For example, [once Savvy Revenue started using](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/automation-enables-ppc-strategy-savvyrevenues-ad-campaigns) a dynamic feed setup and PPC automation solutions, they saw a 50% decrease in campaign creation time and a 50% decrease in monthly hours achieved for eCommerce stores with more than 10,000 SKUs.

Likewise, Roots Network established a multi-market PPC strategy for their client Otrium, an online fashion outlet that sells hundreds of thousands of products across nine markets throughout the U.S. and Europe. 

Once the PPC strategy was put into place, Roots Network went from allocating eight full-time employees to manage Otrium’s feeds to only two full-time employees and saved approximately 50% of their time on feed maintenance across their client base.

Those are just two examples of the many [success stories](https://www.channable.com/success-stories) digital marketing agencies have with a dynamic feed setup. 

## Put best practices into action with Channable
At Channable, we’re a partner that understands the unique challenges of digital marketing agencies. [Sign up](https://www.channable.com/signup) for a free demo account today, and [subscribe to our newsletter](https://share.hsforms.com/1oUSMiLQXSQOi4b1EM8iiJw2g6hv) and stay up to date on the latest eCommerce news and trends. 


eCommerce Marketing: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Agencies

### UK eCommerce trends and insights - Presented by Rodney and Ohudy, 2023

Following the launch of our [Global Insight Report](https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=dive-campaign&utm_content=blog&utm_term=en), filled with key figures and useful information about the eCommerce sector, we wanted to bring you trends and insights relating to the UK market.

We had the opportunity to interview Rodney Johnson, our Senior account Executive UK and Ohudy Luna, our UK & International Customer Success Manager on the UK digital marketing agencies and eCommerce landscape. 

They provide valuable information on various aspects of the UK market, including popular advertising channels, industry trends, and the impact of tools like Channable. 

Let's dive into the interview to discover their perspectives.

### What verticals do you see most agencies active in within the UK market?

**Rodney:** In the UK agencies are particularly active in the fashion and apparel, home & garden, and consumer electronics sectors. These industries have a strong presence in the UK market, and agencies play a crucial role in helping them navigate the digital advertising landscape.

**Ohudy:** I agree with Rodney and as we aim to provide a responsive platform that makes it easier for them to manage their marketing campaigns, I’ll add that for most of them, the biggest benefit in adopting Channable is the level of stability, standardization, and consolidation of their product information and the value and growth that this can unlock for them. 
 
And although the tool may seem overwhelming at first due to the wide array of functionalities, our customer support team is always available to help guide agencies successfully set up their clients’ campaigns.

![IImage 3.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/5HkIXFAsRSqVgE5ujcKX)

### Are there any specific industries that use agencies more frequently?

**Rodney:** In my observation, large consumer brands with a direct-to-consumer (D2C) omnichannel strategy tend to utilize agencies the most. These brands often require specialized expertise to effectively manage their diverse digital marketing channels.

**Ohudy:**  In addition to the industries Rodney mentioned, I have noticed a broadening range of specialized agencies that target a niche market such as musical artists, airlines, and hotels. 

### Which advertising formats and channels do you see most agencies using via Channable?

**Rodney:** Gold standard channels for agencies using Channable include Google Shopping, PPC text ads, meta ads, and Instagram. We are also witnessing rising stars such as Amazon ads and TikTok ads/shop gaining traction.

**Ohudy:** To piggyback on Rodney's comment, our API is crucial in sending information to GMC and getting notifications whenever errors occur, making it a winning strategy in managing setting up and managing Google Shopping campaigns.


![varrious.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/m9nzi7mwSjC5KBvt89Iw)


### What are the most profitable e-commerce channels, according to your observations?

**Rodney:** Pureplay marketplaces like Amazon and eBay remain at the forefront of profitable eCommerce channels. In terms of search acquisition channels, Google, meta search engines, and Amazon rank high in generating revenue for brands.

**Ohudy:** In addition to Amazon and eBay, Google, meta search engines, and Amazon itself also contribute significantly to the profitability of eCommerce  channels.

### Moving to social media advertising, which channels do you see as the most popular?

**Rodney:** Meta tends to be the most popular social media advertising channel. TikTok is also gaining traction, particularly among younger users.

**Ohudy:** Meta, specifically Instagram and Facebook, dominate the social media advertising landscape in the UK. However, TikTok's appeal lies in its relevance to younger demographics, emphasizing the experiential aspect over pure data.


![image 1.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/5C2FSgVVQe2K0xJST7d1)


### What has surprised you the most recently in the digital advertising sector?

**Rodney:** Two developments have caught my attention. Firstly, the rise of "Retail Media". The term has been around for a number of years, primarily driven by the successful global Amazon ads business, but it has been gaining prominence recently and we now see other marketplace channels, such as Walmart USA and BOL.com in the NL, adopting this approach with their dominant local market presence. 

Secondly, It's interesting to see how brands are shifting their focus from platforms like Meta and reallocating their social media budget spend towards channels like Tik Tok ads and Tik Tok shop.

### Could you both share your top learnings from last year in terms of channels and formats?

**Rodney:** One of the biggest learnings for me was the post-COVID shift in digital marketing agencies' strategies. With consumers dominating e-commerce marketplaces during the lockdown, agencies that were previously focused on Google and social media platforms have started creating e-commerce marketplace services and dedicated teams. This shift aligns with the rise of "Retail Media" and the changing ad spend budgets for advertisers. By leveraging these channels, significant revenue and sales can be generated. 

**Ohudy:** That's an excellent observation, Rodney. From my perspective, last year, we witnessed a scenario that was polarized when it came to budgets. Some businesses faced recession and budget cuts, leading to a cautious approach. On the other hand, less established brands were making big investments to take advantage of the changing landscape. It became evident that businesses needed to respond to the situation rather than simply reacting to it. This empowered them to refocus their strategies and find new opportunities for growth.

**Thank you both for sharing your valuable insights. It's been a pleasure discussing the digital advertising sector with you, Rodney and Ohudy.**

### Eager for more?
You can find more data-driven insights over and beyond the UK in our [Global Report](https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=dive-campaign&utm_content=blog&utm_term=en)here. 

And if you want to** stay ahead of the curve** and get fresh insights directly into your inbox, scroll down and subscribe to our newsletter.

[Interview] UK eCommerce trends and insights - Presented by Rodney and Ohudy, 2023

As you probably already know, Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) have [replaced Expanded Text Ads (ETAs)](https://www.channable.com/blog/responsive-search-ads) in Google Ads campaigns. While Google Ads will still serve your Expanded Text Ads, you’re no longer able to create new ads or edit existing ones. 

This means that Responsive Search Ads are now the default ad type for Search campaigns in Google. But what does this mean for your Google Ads performance? 

There’s no data to suggest that the performance of your Expanded Text Ads will drop, but without the ability to optimize existing ads or create new ones (for seasonal offers, new products, etc.), there’s a chance it might. 

With this in mind, Google has been pushing advertisers to switch to Responsive Search Ads, claiming that the ones who do can achieve up to [10% more clicks and conversions](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10434300).

But did you know that RSAs are not the only ad type that you can make use of in Google Ads?

Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) are a beginner-friendly ad type that use your website content to target your ads, saving you time when creating your ad campaigns. 

Wondering which ad type is better for your digital marketing strategy? We’ve got you covered. 

This guide will explain everything you need to know about the differences between Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads, the benefits of each ad type, and which one is right for your business. 

Before we dive into the differences, let’s take a quick look at each ad type and how they work. 

## What are Dynamic Search Ads?

![how DSAs takes content from your website.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/EYEujnSsCirQpcK5qbNw)

Dynamic Search Ads are a dynamic ad type, ideal for advertisers with multiple landing pages and/or products. Instead of manually creating individual ads for specific keywords, Dynamic Search Ads automatically generate ads based on the content of your website. 

This means that when someone searches for terms related to your website's content, Google’s algorithm serves ads that match the user’s search queries. 

For example, if a user searches for “eco-friendly running shoes” and this search is matched with a product page on your e-commerce website, the DSA will link to that page. 

## Benefits of Dynamic Search Ads

Setting up Dynamic Search Ads is generally simpler than traditional keyword targeting. You provide Google with the URL of your website, and their system takes care of the rest. 

There are a number of benefits to this automated approach: 

- Dynamic Search Ads cover a broader range of search terms which you may not cover in your keyword campaigns, allowing you to reach more people. 
- DSA campaigns save you valuable time by creating the ads for you, eliminating the need to write a number of ad headlines and descriptions. 
- Marketers can focus more on perfecting their website's user experience and content, as Dynamic Search Ads handle the intricacies of ad creation and management. 
- When a customer’s search matches your product or service, Google Ads will dynamically generate an ad leading to the most relevant page on your site, which can help to increase conversions. 

Now let’s see how Dynamic Search Ads compare to Responsive Search Ads.

## What are Responsive Search Ads?

Responsive Search Ads are a text ad format offered by Google Ads, designed to provide advertisers with greater flexibility and customization in their ad campaigns.

Unlike traditional text ads where advertisers create a single ad with a fixed headline and description, Responsive Search Ads allow advertisers to provide up to 15 headlines and up to four descriptions.

![Responsive Search Ads.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/jlPEadkAQPutTRHMkgkj)

Google’s algorithm tests different combinations depending on the specific search queries, helping your ads become more relevant to what potential customers are looking for, which can lead to higher clicks and better campaign performance.

## Benefits of Responsive Search Ads

Even though advertisers have less control over ad combinations, Responsive Search Ads bring a number of advantages for digital marketers: 

- RSAs remove the hassle of manually setting up different ad combinations, saving you the time usually spent on creation, testing and analysis. 
- Ad combinations are based on a user’s search history, past clicks and search query, allowing you to serve more personalized and relevant ads. You can also tailor your headlines and descriptions to your (potential) customers’ locations, regular locations, or locations of interest.
- RSAs are optimized depending on the user’s device type, meaning you can test shorter headlines and descriptions on mobile devices to help increase your click-through rate. 
- Google automatically tests different versions of your ads, quickly understands which combinations drive results, and serves top performers to increase click-through rates.
- More headlines and descriptions mean that you can compete in more auctions and match more search queries, increasing your potential reach. 

## Dynamic Search Ads vs Responsive Search Ads: A quick comparison

Here’s an at-a-glance look at the main differences between Dynamic Search Ad and Responsive Search Ads:

<table markdown>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Dynamic Search Ads</td>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Responsive Search Ads</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Provide 2 descriptions but no headlines.</td>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Provide up to 15 headlines and up to 4 descriptions.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Google automatically generates headlines relevant to the user’s search terms based on your website content.</td>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Google automatically generates ad combinations based on the headlines and descriptions you provide.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Displays ads that are relevant to your entire website or specific pages.</td>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Displays ads based on the user’s search query and your ad copy.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Broadens your reach by covering search terms that you’re not already targeting in your keyword campaigns.</td>
<td style=""border: 1px solid #cccccc;"">Broadens your reach by matching more search queries thanks to the different ad combinations.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

## When should you opt for Dynamic Search Ads vs. Responsive Search Ads?

Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads are both designed to streamline and optimize your search advertising campaigns. Deciding which one to choose depends on your advertising goals and the nature of your business. Let's explore when to use each ad type:

### When to use Dynamic Search Ads

As Dynamic Search Ads are easy to set up and manage, they’re perfect if you’re just starting out with online advertising or don’t have the in-house expertise to launch a more hands-on campaign. 

Here are some other reasons why you might use DSAs: 

- If you have a large and frequently changing inventory of products or services, such as an [online marketplace](https://www.channable.com/blog/blog-how-to-successfully-sell-on-the-top-ecommerce-marketplaces). DSAs automate the process of creating individual ads for every product or service you offer.
- If your website's content changes frequently, such as new products or seasonal promotions, DSAs can adapt to these changes without requiring you to edit ads manually.
- If you want to discover new keyword opportunities and incorporate them in your main search campaign. 

### When to use Responsive Search Ads

![Combining Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/kvzYXwROuLcoP2bq4Jw5)

If you want a bit more control over your ads and would like to test the messaging, a Responsive Search Ads campaign is the way to go. Here’s why: 

- While RSAs provide flexibility, you still have some control over what variations are shown. You can "pin" specific headlines or descriptions that you want to be included in the ad.
- RSAs allow you to experiment with different ad combinations to find the most effective messaging.

### Combining Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads

Luckily, it’s not either/or when it comes to choosing between Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads. 

Using both DSAs and RSAs together can provide a comprehensive approach to your Google Ads strategy. Experts recommend using RSAs as your “always-on” campaign as you can target specific keywords and optimization happens in real-time. 

DSAs, on the other hand, can complement your RSAs campaign by helping to fill in any keyword gaps, which can grow your reach and drive additional traffic to your website. 

As with any advertising strategy, it's important to continually monitor and optimize your campaigns based on performance data.

## Want to manage all your ad campaigns in one place?

Channable provides the perfect platform for managing your Dynamic and Responsive Search Ads, enabling you to generate, test, and implement effective ads. [Sign up for a free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup).

Dynamic Search Ads vs. Responsive Search Ads: Choosing the Right Strategy 

<h2>An update on the Channable team</h2>
Channable is a company of 110 employees, who normally work together every day in the Channable HQ in the heart of Utrecht. Getting them all, including 30 support employees who answer the phone every day, to work from home is a challenge. For the health of all “Channablers”, and everyone around them, working from home was encouraged and prioritized immediately and has successfully been rolled out. Although the team is no longer physically together, every possible medium (WhatsApp, chat, video calls, and email) is being used to support one another through this period.

As you can imagine, having Channable's technical support team work from home comes with some consequences. **Waiting times on the phone may be longer and we would, therefore, like to ask you to only call with urgent questions.** By sending an email, you can expect an answer from us faster. The team is working as hard as possible to provide you with the service you are accustomed to.

Thankfully, for all newcomers, Channable’s Customer Success and Support teams are still able to assist you with the setup of your account. The Business Development team is also still available for demos. Job applications are welcome as procedures are running as normal and <a href="https://jobs.channable.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vacancies</a> are open. <a href="mailto:support@channable.com">Contact us by email</a> for more information.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21525" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/zxdcxzbQTTy34RjjQu6A" alt="" width="800" height="404" />
<h2>Insights &amp; tips from the eCommerce industry to help you out</h2>
This pandemic affects everyone, including the eCommerce industry. For example, Channable recorded an increase of more than 100% in the number of orders via its <a href="/products/marketplace-integrator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">order connections</a>, compared to February 2020.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-21495" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/CWebPNxcT42fuf635jon" alt="" width="600" height="405" />

You might think that online stores are profiting from many physical shops closing their doors and a general influx of people ordering online more, but this is not always the case. There is a good chance that as an online retailer or online marketer, you have had to adjust your daily activities. In response, Channable has collected some insights and tips from the industry that could help you keep afloat over the coming period.

**1. Honestly communicate shipping times**
Are you struggling to keep up with all the orders? Or is your purchased stock stuck somewhere and you’re not going to receive it anytime soon? Then it is possible that you can no longer keep to the ‘order today, delivered tomorrow’ promise. Communicate this well to your customers to avoid disappointment. They will certainly understand the situation but try to keep them informed.

Channable's <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011722853-Rule-date-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">date rules</a> can be used to quickly set a delivery time for a specific period. This means you don't have to manually adjust and reset everything when the time will come you can continue with your standard delivery times.

**2. Limit hoarding**
Speaking of limited stock, if you notice that customers are bulk buying some of your products, it might be helpful to set an order limit for certain products. For example, with Channable you could set up a rule where you only send a certain percentage of your products from your inventory.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21500" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/mCzKEHA9S22WC73PTOYU" alt="" width="1332" height="589" />

For example, you only forward 80% of the actual stock number, if the stock is higher than 10.

In addition, if you’re advertising on Google Shopping or a marketplace with Channable’s APIs, consider utilizing the <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040097273-What-are-the-schedule-settings-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">extra runs</a> add-on that refreshes your data up to 24 times a day. This ensures that stock level is more frequently sent to the marketplaces, which can provide you with some peace of mind.

You could also strategize to limelight on certain products and limit ones that are not doing as well right now. Dutch online marketplace Bol.com already encourages this, as it gives priority to products that are currently important. <a href="https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/amazons-actions-to-help-employees-communities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon does it</a> as well. Other types of products will not be delivered or will be delivered later.

**3. Free shipping**
If it’s a possibility for you, offer free shipping as an incentive for customers to purchase from you. This could also be free shipping from a certain minimum order amount. Set this up easily with one of <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002827265-What-are-examples-of-common-rules-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Channable's common rules</a>.

**4. Minimize spreading the virus through packaging**
<a href="https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to the RIVM</a> (The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and Environment), the virus is generally spread through human contact. The chance of becoming infected through contaminated packaging is very small, but not entirely ruled out. Tell your customers that after opening their package, it’s best to immediately throw away the packaging material and the box and wash their hands.

Several studies are still ongoing on the survival of the virus on products and surfaces, but better to be safe than sorry!

**5. Selling on different channels **
Now that more purchases are being made online, it may be a good idea to look into new opportunities. For example, consider selling on a channel that you have not previously sold or advertised on, such as the newly launched Amazon Netherlands. Channable has direct connections with <a href="/integrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">over 2500 different</a> comparison sites, marketplaces, affiliate networks and other channels. So, you have plenty to choose from.

**6. Surplus of time on your hands? **
Find yourself with a lot more time leftover because you’re working from home, or because some of your work has been canceled? Then it’s a good time to pick up things that may have been put off for a while or that you have always wanted to try. For example, experiment with the advanced options of Channable, such as <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001176014-How-can-I-use-Analytics-data-in-my-feed-" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">linking Google Analytics data</a> to your data feed. Or try out generating expanded text ads, sitelinks, keywords, and Shopping campaigns for Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising with <a href="/products/ppc-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Channable PPC tool</a>.

Channable has a lot of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCedQy4vlTzy18C1N9AK1EFQ/featured" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">online tutorials and webinars</a>, with which you can broaden your knowledge and gain new insights.
<h2>In the meantime...</h2>
We hope these insights help you get through this time as well as can be expected. Of course, everyone's health is most important, and from everyone at Channable, stay safe and stay strong!

Do you have any questions regarding this blog? Please <a href="mailto:support@channable.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contact us</a> or view the articles in our <a href="https://support.channable.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">help center</a>.

The effect of the current pandemic on eCommerce and Channable

Recently, under the auspices of AMA-New York's Catalyst for eCommerce Series —co-sponsored by Channable—four experts gathered to give their best shot at answering it. The event took a long-range look at the future of AI in eCommerce, tackling the moment's most-hyped subject from a variety of angles. 

Read on for five key takeaways on eCommerce's bright, shining, somewhat scary, and comprehensively AI-facilitated future.

## 1) Generative AI is a very different beast from legacy AI

The first thing it's important to note is that marketers have [been using AI in eCommerce for at least a decade](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/09/09/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-marketing/?sh=1476e88e697f). As [Hunter Hartwell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/hhartwell/), Partner at Glasswing Ventures, pointed out, this legacy AI was "deterministic in nature." 

Marketers would turn to a machine algorithm to solve a problem with a concrete, objective answer—say, the best way to disperse ad inventory or position a banner ad. 

What makes generative AI "earth-shattering," per Hartwell, is its ability to generate new content whole-cloth—to take in pre-existing material and spit out something that didn't previously exist, whether that's advertising copy or a quarterly report. It's this distinction that is at the root of all the exciting developments in AI-facilitated eCommerce right now.

## 2) If you think you know what "personalization" means in an eCommerce context, think again

Right now, in the [dying days of the third-party cookie](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/third-party-cookie-phase-out), personalization in an eCommerce context takes on a few familiar forms—say, the sunglasses you look at once which then follow you around the internet for a month. 

These techniques aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but the level of personalization facilitated by AI in eCommerce—as sketched out by the panelists—does suddenly make them look old-fashioned.

Per [Cara Schlanger](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-schlanger-3230953/), current freelance consultant and former Senior Vice President of Global Marketing & eCommerce at Williams-Sonoma, "hyper-localization and hyper-personalization" are the future. Already, she pointed out, there are lifestyle companies offering radically [personalized experiences](https://www.channable.com/blog/understanding-ecommerce-personalization), like skincare brands that can analyze your skin type and then recommend the best product, or home decor brands that let you test out products in a virtual version of your own living room.

But that has nothing on what's coming next—what Schlanger describes as the "personalized upsell." 

In the not-too-distant future, according to Schlanger, AI will have the ability to analyze a customer's shopping cart and (if available) their past preferences and then actually invent a customized product on the spot to sell to them. [Kapil (Kap) Sharma](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kapilnsharma/), Technical Lead at Wipro, even floated the idea of personalized influencers designed specifically for individuals or households—fake people spun up via AI to get consumers on board with a brand. 

## 3) Marketers aren't getting replaced by robots any time soon—but AI in eCommerce will change their job responsibilities drastically 

It's true, as Schlanger pointed out, that "some disciplines [within marketing] may disappear" in the near future. At the same time, though, Sharma says, "with AI the power of the marketer goes up quite a bit.” 

Marketers can be marketers rather than data jockeys—that's exciting to me," Schlanger said.

In other words, instead of wasting time on repetitive manual tasks—like bugging the guys in the data science department to pull specific reports—marketers can quickly generate that information themselves and put it to creative use. "A single marketer can now wear several hats," said Hartwell, rapidly generating campaigns and reports and ad copy, A/B testing on the fly, compressing weeks of trial-and-error into a playful afternoon.

## 4) AI in eCommerce might soon change almost everything—but no matter what happens, brands will always matter

All panelists were at pains to point out that AI will always just be a co-pilot: brands will always matter, and in fact they might matter even more in a world of AI-facilitated deep-fakes and unreliable, fly-by-night drop-shipping companies. 

Schlanger brought up the experience of finding a too-good-to-be-true product on Instagram and then—when it arrives in the mail—promptly discovering that it actually was too good to be true. "Brands continue to matter," she said. "AI just allows us to move faster and smarter and to better-understand what the customer wants."

In the context of AI in eCommerce, humans will likely always be at the wheel, shaping the inputs, and the brand voice. Now, they'll just be navigating with a much more powerful vehicle.

## 5) Setting up in new markets will soon be a breeze

Launching a brand in a new market is currently an involved ordeal, requiring not just language skills but also a deep awareness of what resonates with a given population. AI is set to turbocharge that process by enabling companies to "go global faster," in Schlanger's words. 

As Hartwell pointed out, using AI in eCommerce will allow marketers to translate the copy and tweak the product design "so it fits different trends in different countries." Instead of laboriously rolling out a brand market-by-market over a period of years, brands can effectively hit a few buttons and at least experiment with other markets—even if it doesn't work, AI lowers the cost (and thus the stakes) of brand expansion.

In fact, Channable is already allowing brands to [go to market faster](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) and gain global visibility in record time. 

By tapping into the power of AI, it lets brands [categorize millions of products](https://www.channable.com/blog/smart-categorization-digital-marketing) while connecting them to thousands of new markets, at a speed that would’ve been impossible just a few years ago. 

Sign up today for a [free customized demo](https://www.channable.com/demo).

5 Trends to Know About the Future of AI in eCommerce

## The importance of health and fitness continues to grow
Keeping fit during the pandemic is important for both your physical and mental health. Not only can it enhance your mood and energy levels; staying fit helps to fight the effects of the virus. Experts at the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) even [advised people to prepare to fight the coronavirus](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52076856) as they would prepare for surgery; by staying fit and healthy. 

With gyms closed, team sports canceled, and health fitness all the craze, working out at home became the only option. Despite gyms temporarily reopening, home gym equipment sales saw a [massive increase of 5813%](https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-exercise-equipment-sales-spike-5800-as-brits-cancel-gym-memberships-145959385.html) for items such as spinning bikes, running shoes, resistance bands, and weights. 

However, this was not the case for all segments of sporting goods. The general public was more careful with spending, especially with apparel. Within the confines of your own home, you can work out in your pajamas, old clothes, or a bin-bag as long as you feel comfortable.

With home workouts set to stay in 2021, it begs the question: 
## Why will customers choose your sporting goods business over your competitors?
All the sporting goods winners of 2020 shared two essential qualities; their ability to adapt and their ability to scale. It’s important to note that the order; to adapt then to scale; is key to their success.
### The ability to adapt
Let’s tackle their ability to adapt first. The definition of adaptability is “*the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions*” - it’s obvious that having this quality is very useful considering the goings-on that occurred in 2020 and that will extend into 2021. 

The sporting goods winners of 2020 are masters of adaptability which is why they’ll keep winning throughout 2021. They continually adapt their product catalog in terms of products, pricing, titles, descriptions, sales, images, and more. Doing this enables them to not only follow trends but to anticipate and, in some cases, create them as well. 

Sporting goods winners push items with popularity spikes caused by the pandemic; adjust titles, descriptions, and prices of their available items to create popularity spikes of their own; as well as set-up seasonal product launches well in advance to ensure they’re the first to show the right items at the right times. And these only scratch the surface of their online marketing strategies.
### The ability to scale
Their ability to adapt is not enough alone; being able to scale up and down is vital.  The definition of scalability is “*the capacity to be changed in size or scale*” - this one might not seem quite as obvious but it’s vital for maintaining a healthy reputation and contributing to a better user experience on the channels you are selling on. 

Availability is a huge issue for sporting goods businesses during the pandemic. Alongside adapting product catalogs, sporting goods winners can cleverly scale their catalogs up and down in terms of products and stock depending on the trends caused by the pandemic.

Sporting goods winners scale-up by selling on the most appropriate marketplaces, expanding their product catalog with relevant items, and increasing stock of popular items. While at the same time scale-down by stopping selling on poorly performing marketplaces, contracting their product catalog by removing irrelevant items, and decreasing stock of unpopular items. 

![guy-training-home.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/5oBACo7QLCguGzW9SfUB)

### Sporting goods winners and automation
As stated, all sporting goods winners of 2020 share two essential qualities. However, this can be refined further. In order to achieve these qualities, all sporting goods winners of 2020 share one essential method; automation. In fact, all successful businesses in every eCommerce sector use feed management software to adapt and scale up or down. Especially those who have profited the most during the pandemic. 

Establishing comprehensive strategies for adapting and scaling is a sophisticated process that takes time. Though, there are four simple things you could and should be doing with a feed management tool immediately. 

1.  **Categorize your products**

As mentioned, the sporting goods industry is unique as certain categories are performing well while others struggle for sales. Categorizing your products correctly will ensure the most popular categories (such as home workout equipment) are displayed correctly on each channel and thus easy to find and buy. 

With Channable, you can also take advantage of [smart categorization](/blog/smart-categorization-google-shopping) which makes the process of categorizing easier on platforms such as Google Shopping and Facebook. 

2. **Accurate stock counts**

A feed management tool allows you to utilize rules to exclude items from being shown on marketplaces for various reasons such as stock levels. Once an item’s stock levels reach zero, it will be automatically excluded from being shown. 

For many marketplaces, Channable is able to retrieve orders and update stock levels in real-time. This is possible through [fully-integrated API connections](/products/marketplace-integrator) which are directly synced with your online shop and the export channel. 

3. **Flash sales and reductions**

Due to the pandemic, the general public is looking for the best deals. And, considering health and fitness is a crowded market, advertising the best-priced option will generate lots of interest in your products. Flash sales and price reductions on both popular and unpopular items are working well for the sporting goods winners. Everybody loves a deal and that’s one thing the pandemic can’t change. 

Using Channable, setting up basic sales with specific dates is very simple. Once you’re more experienced, you can use the powerful if-then rule system to set-up more sophisticated sales and promotions. One example a Channable client used is they set a rule to reduce the price of running shoes by 10% when the weather was above 15°C. Taking advantage of Channable’s 3rd party data integration possibilities and the general public’s excitement at being able to workout outdoors. 

4.  **Clear images and detailed specs**

One positive of the pandemic is that the general public’s interest in being healthy has increased. This has led to many people exploring the world of fitness and sporting goods retail for the first time. Having clear photos, descriptions, titles, and general specifications will make your products more reliable. 

Channable ensures that all of the required information for a product is filled in before it’s added to the export channel using a quality-check. Alongside this, changing descriptions and adding more info about your product takes next to no time due to the tool’s user-friendly design. 
## Adding Channable to your marketing strategy
All of the above and more can be achieved through one simple-to-use tool offered by [Channable](/how-channable-works).

If you would like to learn more about the sporting goods businesses that are using Channable, fill in the form below to download the one-pager. You’ll find testimonials, customer results, and more detail about the tool itself. 
<br><br/>
[form id="6dbcf12f-e531-4de7-a279-752936ba4bf7"]


Home-workouts are booming in 2021: how can you stand out in a crowded market?

At the end of June 2022, Google will “sunset” [expanded text ads](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1704389?hl=en-GB){nofollow} (ETAs). While it will still display ETAs, you’ll no longer be able to create them. Instead, advertisers will have to use [responsive search ads](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7684791?hl=en-GB){nofollow} (RSAs) for campaigns.

**In fact, they’ll be the only standard Google search campaign available.**
 
The shift marks another transition for digital advertisers to new ways of working – with the deadline approaching, you’ll have to move fast.
 
In this article, we explain what the shift to RSA means. We describe how you can seamlessly manage the transition and share some best-practice tips and expert guidance on how to optimize campaigns.

## The end of Expanded Text Ads 🏁
 
Google has announced that digital marketers will no longer be able to create ETAs from the end of June 2022. But why?

Google claims it’s down to the changing way we search – with an estimated 15% of search queries every day never seen by Google before.

The shift is also about incorporating machine learning and AI into search. Put simply, Google thinks the algorithm that powers RSA stands a better chance of connecting you with a customer – and they could be right.
 
> “On average, clients using RSAs saw an increase of 13% in clicks, 16% in conversions, 6% in conversion rate, and a decrease of 2% in CPA,” Google reports of its own experiments. 
 
The shift to RSAs shouldn’t be news if you’re a digital marketer. It’s been the default option in Google Ads since 2021. Since then, Google has been making it harder and harder to set up ETAs.
 
Since launching in 2018, RSA has had mixed reviews. For example, a 2019 A/B test by Josh Colbeck published in Econsultancy found that “there were only a small number of campaigns in which the Responsive Search Ads performed better than the Expanded Text Ads”.

Some digital marketers are skeptical of the change. “I think the shift is bad news for marketers that want to eke maximum performance out of their campaigns,” says Alex Bussey, Digital Marketing Specialist at Red Evolution. 

While it’ll make it easier for beginners to roll out semi-successful ads, handing control of your headlines over to a machine learning algorithm will significantly impact your ability to focus your messaging,” Bussey says.
 
The system changes the headline and description to find the winning combination, measured in CTA and conversion rate.

While marketers may not like it, the change is inevitable.
 
If you’ve never used it before, RSA works simply. Google automatically serves an ad headline and a description to a user from a set of up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions.
 
The system does all the work, making it perfect, right?
 
Not so fast… Some digital marketers prefer the control of ETAs. This is why Google is giving a little back, enabling users to “pin” specific headlines to descriptions. Doing so means they’re always displayed together. 

This is especially important in regulated markets and for specialist products and services that face controls on their ads.

## Can I still use ETAs? 💻
 
While from 1 July 2022, you’ll no longer be able to create new ETAs, you’re still able to use existing ones.
 
That means Google will still display your ETAs for the foreseeable future (although it’s highly unlikely to be forever!). If you’re worried about the impact the transition to RSAs could have on your advertising, we recommend creating the ETAs you think you’ll need before the deadline and pausing them. Some agencies are already taking this step.

> “We have had to shift our digital marketing plans to testing our ETAs hard over the next few months, at least whilst we still can,” says Meg Baldwin, Digital Manager at Group of Seven.  “We are also introducing some evergreen ETAs that we can use in the future whilst we focus on testing and improving our RSAs.”
 
OK, so you don’t need to create hundreds for each ad group, but having a selected few enables you to test combinations and compare their impact with RSAs.

If you’re familiar with the system, this shouldn’t take long and could help you improve digital marketing efforts.

## What does the end of ETAs mean for digital advertisers? 📢
 
The shift to RSAs will affect digital marketers in several ways.
 
- **You’ll have less control over your ads **– Google’s algorithm will make decisions about how your ads are displayed. This will reduce (but not entirely remove) control over ads.

- **You’ll have to learn a (slightly) different way of working **– Creating RSAs is a slight change from creating ETAs. Don’t worry, we go into detail below.

-  **You’ll need to get creative with copy** – RSAs need more copy to work, including 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. That’s a lot more words and work.

- **Pinning is crucial to performance** – By pinning certain headlines to ad copy, you can (sort of) use RSAs to create ETAs. It’s essential for those in regulated markets who require ad approvals.

- **ETA impressions may fall **– It’s understandable that Google will want to accelerate the shift to RSAs, so you’ll likely see ETA impressions fall. Monitor the key indicators to see the impact.

- **RSA impressions may rise **– RSA ads aren’t new; you may already be using them. You may see a boost in performance after 30 June.

- **You should review and refine ad groups regularly** – OK, so this should be standard for everyone but if you’re shifting to RSAs, monitor performance and review and refine ads as necessary.

## 5 things every advertiser should do to deal with the end of ETAs 

<iframe width="1046" height="588" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rSBSk01Z1tc" title="Google Ads Responsive Search Ads - Learn how to create the best RSA's with this proven method!" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

You may already be using RSAs in combination with ETAs or be totally new to the system. Whatever your experience with ETAs and exposure to the platform, **here are 5 things every advertised should do before 1 July 2022**: 

### 1. Activate responsive search ads (if you haven’t already)
 
RSAs are the future (whether you like it or not), so it’s a good idea to get started ASAP. You should aim to create RSAs for each ad group that you have.
 
When creating RSAs, you’ll need to generate more content than you have for ETAs, including:
 
- 15 headlines
- 4 descriptions
 
While you can refresh your existing ETAs, you should go further. Why? Because Google can – and will – use different headlines with descriptions (unless you add pins, something we describe later).
 
It’s critical that all headlines and descriptions work together – and that involves a lot of testing. If you complete all available options, that’s thousands of potential permutations you’ll need to review.
 
Our advice: put some time aside to do this before launching RSAs!

### 2. Prioritize ‘pinning’
 
We’ve mentioned it a lot, but “pinning” should be a priority for any digital marketer.
 
Google enables you to “pin” certain headlines to certain descriptions. This essentially overrules the algorithm.
 
At a minimum, the system will display two headlines and one description, and in some cases can display up to three headlines and two descriptions, but no more.
 
Pinning can help you to achieve several things:
 
- You can ensure there’s a CTA for every ad
- You can pin headlines to specific positions to avoid repetition or customer confusion
- Leave space for the Google algorithm to work
 
Some experts have suggested you can effectively use pinning to create RSA ads that are as controlled as ETAs. One way to do this is to leave spaces blank (removing the option for Google to swap out fields).
 
In the short term, this may work, but there are implications for ad strength (which we talk about later). It may also impact the success of your ads, so be careful. Why is this the case? Because Google is confident in its algorithm to learn and develop. Pinning removes the power from the system, which could harm you.
 
### 3. Understand ad-strength
 
[Ad-strength](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9921843&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1655995835831181&usg=AOvVaw0TZhpunD3paGLrOeZruT5B){nofollow} is Google’s mechanism for providing feedback on ads and helping to shape them for customers.
 
You can see Google’s calculation of the strength of your ad. It will show you a range of feedback about how effective it considers your content to be.

> “RSAs are significantly different from their older cousins and require a different approach,” says Bussey. “You want to think about high-impact copy that gets the message across in 30 characters and stands alone. I’d also recommend spending some time working out how to game the 'ad strength' system.” 
 
While you’re creating your ad, you’ll be able to see whether it’s excellent, average, or poor. The system also provides some guidance on how to improve your ads.
 
The system will offer advice on how to improve your ads in real-time as you’re writing them. Experienced digital marketers may be tempted to override the advice, but it’s worth listening to any feedback from the channel owner.
 
**Google will make several suggestions, including whether you should:**
 
- Add more headlines or descriptions for better performance
- Add unique headlines and descriptions
- Unpin some assets
- Include more keywords in headlines or descriptions

![RSA template.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/dnB9yMnAQkijsf1RUdS3)
 
Should you listen to them? It’s up to you ­– but you should never ignore them. If you’re having issues with the system, there could be several reasons why your ad strength isn’t showing, including:
 
- The final URL is missing
- Missing ad group
- Missing keywords in an ad group
 
Ad strength can, and will, change. It often happens when the keywords for campaigns have changed, so we advise you to regularly review it. 

### 4.  Focus on performance
 
Digital marketers are judged on the performance of campaigns, and we’re not going to lie, there is less information about the impact of RSA campaigns.
 
RSA is about serving users with dynamic ads, but its dashboard doesn’t provide a huge amount of information on the combinations that are generating the most clicks. This can make it a challenge (read: impossible) to leverage these insights to other channels.
 
We can see the success of each ad unit, but not the specific combination.
 
You might think clicking on “Asset Details” will give you more information. It does, but it’s missing critical data for you to be able to assess impact.
 
Going down a level, you can check out an Asset Performance Rating. You can see which of your ads is classified as Low, Good, and Best.
 
You can use the performance rating system to sketch out what you think are the best-performing permutations, but it’s certainly not simple to see. 

> “The shift to RSA's from ETA's is an interesting one. I imagine some marketers will be skeptical as with any sudden and uncontrollable change made by Google. However, the results we have seen for our clients have led to an increase in CTR and CVR and a decrease in CPA across the board, so there are clearly benefits of the change,” says digital marketing expert Anna Simpson.

### 5.  Prepare stakeholders and customers for the transition to RSA 

If you’ve not used RSAs before, you’ll have to learn some new skills. If you’re using ETAs alongside RSAs, you’ll already be aware of the challenges.

![Responsive search ada.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/1uUgDVz7Q5OCDzyUMORV)

If you’re working for an internal group of stakeholders or external clients, you should advise them of the change and prepare them for the potential impact.
 
Here are some of the key things to communicate to stakeholders and customers:
 
- The change is happening – from 1 July, you won’t be able to create new ETAs
- Performance may dip initially, but as the system improves so will your ads
- You’ll need to create more assets for digital ads and need client approval
- You’ll need to regularly review and refresh ad creatives
- It’s critical that experts ensure every ad has a CTA
- You’ll have less information on campaign performance and successful ad permutations

## The future is bright for RSAs 💡
 
We’ve focused on some of the challenges digital marketers face with the ETA switch-off, but there are positives.

RSA harnesses the power of machine learning to help improve ad placement. Over time, the system will learn about you, your customers, and the search terms that matter. This should translate into more effective ads, delivering greater CTAs and a higher ROAS.

Channable provides the perfect platform for managing RSAs, enabling you to generate, test, and implement effective ads. Learn more about Channable [here](https://www.channable.com/how-channable-works).

Interested in learning more about RSAs and how to leverage them in your ad strategy? Register for our live webinar in collaboration with Google and get all the ins and outs from experts. 

[![PPC Social Landscape .png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/EnBxAHDTRuxeOTo1V4Vg)](https://www.channable.com/scale-responsive-search-ads)

The rise of Responsive Search Ads - What digital marketers can do

Across Amazon, there's a boom in customer buying during peak season. This period is a golden opportunity for sellers as it's often their most profitable time of year. By anticipating these peaks, keeping inventory well-stocked, and running strategic promotions, sellers can seriously boost their sales during this busy time. 

This guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to navigate Amazon's peak season. We'll provide you key dates and essential tips to help you take advantage of this high-stakes period. So, grab your calendars, and let's dive in! 

## When is Amazon’s peak season? 

Amazon’s peak season typically runs from October to January and coincides with major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. This time of the year also includes major promotion windows such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Super Saturday. During this time, people tend to buy more, leading to a surge in orders for sellers on Amazon.

## Key dates for Amazon sellers in 2025

Amazon's peak season is a golden opportunity, but savvy sellers can capitalize on year-round sales spikes by strategically timing promotions and optimizing listings for seasonal holidays and trends. Here are the most important dates that you need to add to your marketing calendar:

### January

While holiday shopping takes center stage in December, many retailers extend the savings into the new year with discounts. Keep in mind that consumers are now accustomed to these post-holiday sales and have come to expect attractive deals throughout January. Unsurprisingly, products that support healthy New Year’s resolutions, like fitness equipment and health food items, often experience a surge in sales during this period.

- January 1st: New Year's Day

### February 

February is marked by two major retail events: Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine's Day. Get ready for touchdown sales in the lead-up to Super Bowl Sunday when jerseys, team gear, and party supplies fly off the shelves. Then, love takes center stage on Valentine's Day with chocolates, flowers, and jewelry on people’s shopping lists.

- February 10th: Chinese New Year
- February 11th: Super Bowl Sunday (US)
- February 14th: Valentine’s Day 

### March 

March bursts onto the scene with warmer weather and a calendar full of global celebrations. From honoring amazing women on International Women's Day to the green-themed fun of St. Patrick's Day and the chocolatey joy of Easter, sellers can benefit from one of the many key dates in March: 

- March 8th: International Women’s Day
- March 10th: Mother’s Day (UK) 
- March 17th: St Patrick’s Day
- March 29th: Good Friday
 - March 31st: Easter Sunday

### April 

During springtime, cleaning supplies and lighter clothes for the new season are popular picks for Amazon customers. If you sell planet-friendly products or gardening supplies, you should plan special promotions around the following two dates: 

- April 22nd: Earth Day
- April 26th: Arbor Day

### May 

In May, Mother’s Day is another popular gift-giving holiday, making it a good time to promote products that mothers would appreciate, such as jewelry, clothing, and spa products. In the US there’s Memorial Day, which sees increased sales in outdoor products such as grills, pool floats, and camping gear.

- May 12th: Mother’s Day
- May 27th: Memorial Day (US)

### June 

June is the first official month of the summer season so expect shoppers to be in the market for swimwear, sunscreen, and travel gear. Pride Month also begins so it’s a good time to promote products that celebrate diversity and inclusion such as rainbow-themed products or LGBTQ+ books. Finally, Father’s day is the perfect opportunity to advertise gifts for men, such as tools, electronics, and outdoor gear.

- June 1-30: Pride Month 
- June 16th: Father’s Day 
- June 20th: Summer Solstice

### July

![Amazon Prime Day.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/JpWOf1opT22JAB2DRvsg)

July marks a major event for Amazon sellers: Prime Day. This annual two-day event, exclusive to Amazon Prime members, features deep discounts and deals across various product categories. Similar to the holiday season, Prime Day presents a golden opportunity to attract millions of enthusiastic shoppers seeking exclusive bargains. 

July TBC: Prime Day

### August / September 

August signals the start of the back-to-school season, a time when parents and students gear up for the new school year. With shopping lists filled with essentials like stationery kits, backpacks, lunch boxes, and even electronic gadgets, it's a prime time to promote your back-to-school offerings. 

### October 

Scary costumes, eerie decorations, spooky treats. There’s only one big holiday in October: Halloween. Sellers who are dedicated to Halloween merchandise often have sales on their products weeks in advance, offering a chance to grab them at discounted prices before the big day.

- October 31st: Halloween 

### November  

Amazon’s traditional peak season gets underway in November, with Black Friday reigning as one of the biggest shopping days of the year. This global retail phenomenon, originating in the US, sees retailers worldwide offering significant discounts to ramp up sales. Many sellers now extend this marketing event to a 'Black Week', offering deals throughout the week leading up to Black Friday.

- November 11th: Singles’ Day 
- November 28th: Thanksgiving (US)
- November 29th: Black Friday

### December 

![Amazon peak season holiday period.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/SboYGga0SFqZt8Yb1x5o)

December ushers in the peak of the holiday shopping season, with Amazon shoppers scrambling to find the perfect last-minute gifts. The season culminates in post-Christmas sales on Boxing Day and beyond, offering another chance for shoppers to snag amazing deals before the end of the year. 

- December 2nd: Cyber Monday
- December 5th: Sinterklaas (The Netherlands)
- December 21st: Super Saturday 
- December 26th: Boxing Day (in Canada and the UK)

## Top tips for Amazon sellers to prepare for peak seasons

![How to prepare for Amazon peak season.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/kCyPghnZQ4O1g1bSf8Gc)

Peak season on Amazon can be quite challenging for sellers, with lots to manage. You'll need to be prepared to handle the increased demand and ensure your products are easily discoverable by potential buyers. Here are four helpful tips to get you ready for success during this crucial period:

### 1. Forecast your sales volume

While referencing your sales from the previous year is a good starting point, it's not the only factor to consider when estimating sales for the upcoming peak season. Look at sales trends over several past peak seasons to help you identify patterns for potential growth or decline. Additionally, consider any external factors that could impact your sales: are there any new market trends that could influence demand for your product? Are people buying more or less based on the current state of the economy? 

### 2. Create a stock order plan

Once you have your sales forecast in hand, the next step is to create a stock order plan. The goal is to have just the right amount of stock on hand during peak times. You don't want to run out of popular items, but you also don't want to be stuck with a warehouse full of unsold products. Here's a handy tip: consider using the Just-in-Time (JIT) principle. This means ordering goods from suppliers to arrive just before you actually need them. This helps keep inventory levels low and reduces the risk of having too much or too little stock on hand.

### 3. Optimize your product listings 

During peak season, the competition for shoppers' attention is fierce. That’s why you need to take steps to make your product listings stand out:

Think about crafting catchy titles that accurately reflect your product and include relevant keywords.
Showcase your offerings with high-quality images that capture different angles and highlight key features. 

Encourage customer reviews, as they build trust and influence buying decisions. 
Clearly list your product's benefits using easy-to-read language, and sprinkle relevant keywords throughout your descriptions for better search visibility.

For even greater efficiency, consider exploring tools like Channable's [Amazon API](https://www.channable.com/integrations/amazon-api-integration), which can help synchronize your product information and stock across various platforms. This helps to ensure consistency and saves you time managing listings individually.

![Optimize listings and schedule PPC campaigns.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/zId6EUq8SuiA3gQ6zqQe)

### 4. Plan your PPC campaigns in advance

To avoid missing out on any sales over the peak season, you’ll definitely want to run PPC campaigns such as [Amazon Sponsored Product ads](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-sponsored-products). But don’t be tempted to set up all of your campaigns a week before. By planning your PPC activities in advance (keyword research, ad schedule, strategic budget scheduling, etc.) you can make sure that you’re set up for success. 

Tools like [Channable's Amazon PPC tool](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads) can streamline this process, especially when managing campaigns for multiple products and languages at scale. Our [Amazon Repricer](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-repricer) automatically adjusts your prices in real-time to match (or beat) your competitors, while our bid tool automatically adjusts your bids based on real-time data, such as keyword performance and ad performance (ACoS, ROAS, etc.)

## Get the most out of Amazon’s peak season with Channable 

At Channable, we have a number of different products to help Amazon sellers maximize their success during peak seasons. From [feed management](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) and [smart categorization](https://www.channable.com/products/smart-categorization) to PPC optimization, our tools can help you optimize your product listings and create Amazon advertising campaigns at scale. 

[Sign up for a free trial](https://www.channable.com/signup) to learn more about how Channable can help you grow your brand on the Amazon marketplace.

A quick guide to preparing for Amazon's peak season

Entering the eCommerce space can be quite daunting for some. Once established, many take a well-deserved breath but are not quite sure what their next steps should be to maintain growth or reach the next level. 

On this topic, we had the privilege to interview [Andrew Lolk](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlolk/){nofollow}, Founder of digital marketing agency [SavvyRevenue](https://savvyrevenue.com/). 

In this interview, Andrew shares his story and breaks down the path he sets for his clients to achieve the advertising goals they desire.

## Topic covered

- **The power of specialization:** Learn how SavvyRevenue focuses on one area, Google Ads for established eCommerce businesses, to create the best ad strategies.
- **The importance of conversion rate optimization:** Discover how investing in a consistent conversion rate optimization program can greatly impact your eCommerce business's performance.
- **The challenge of attribution:** Understand the difficulties businesses face in tracking and attributing their marketing efforts, and the need for performance reporting to make informed decisions.
- **The significance of understanding your business model:** Determine which marketing channels, whether push or pull strategies, are best suited for your eCommerce offerings and resonate with your target audience.
- **The limitations of automation:** Explore the pros and cons of automation in online advertising and why it's crucial not to solely rely on automation algorithms for optimal performance.
- **The future of marketing:** Gain insights into the evolving landscape of marketing, including the challenges posed by data protection and the need for marketers to adapt their strategies to changing data access and targeting limitations.


## Can you tell us your backstory and how you got started?

**Andrew**: Pertaining to my career, the most interesting thing about me is that I'm originally from Denmark and never went to college or any higher education as part of my journey. 

This was mainly due to the fact that when I finished my mandatory military service back in 2009, I jumped right into online marketing. After doing that for a few years, I realized that there was nothing I could go back and learn from university that I had not already experienced in the field.

So I decided to just keep going and creating media websites, mostly for affiliate marketing. After doing that for a while, I then started with Google Ads and played around with buying domain names. 

One memorable story that really ended up changing the course of my career was when I bought around 40 domain names for affiliate marketing, and one of the owners of the domains called me and asked what I was doing with all these websites? 

We ended up having a good conversation and wishing me luck. As the conversation came to a close, one piece of advice that he shared was to get out of Denmark, joking that the taxes were too high. 

Six months after that conversation, I moved to Malta and started my own business. Within those first three months, I was able to furnish my apartment, which was my first company goal. 

![Traveler.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/d151IsPWSJGvzkJG5iO2)

Directly following those first three months, a friend reached out and said he was starting a Google Ads agency in the US, asking if I wanted to come out and help train his team. Of course, I said yes, but what started as a one-week training trip turned into three months. 

Ultimately, I became a third-party owner in an agency based in the US and Nicaragua with over 150 employees.

After living and working in Nicaragua for 6 years, where I met my wife and had my two children, I eventually sold out in 2017, moved back to the States, and ended up starting a new agency all over again - just differently.

## That’s an amazing story! Tell us what was the “aha moment” that led to the idea for your current company. 

**Andrew**: At the last agency, we would do everything for everyone, primarily Google Ads, but also SEO, online marketing, and website building. After that experience, I knew how hard it was doing marketing for everyone so I focused when I had the opportunity to start something new. 

> SavvyRevenue was created out of this hyper focus, we had one type of business that we wanted to specialize in and master. That was Google Ads, for established eCommerce businesses.

The idea was to do one thing first class and that was create the best ad strategies in eCommerce, without spreading ourselves too thin – and we knew the clients would come.

## What do you think makes your company unique?

**Andrew**: Part of the push that led to creating SavvyRevenue was that I did not want to go back into the advertising world meaning I did not want to feel the tension you often get between clients and the agency. Because of our choice to specialize and focus, that tension has fallen away and we have a very good relationship with our clients.

> Everything we do is product-focused.

A driving factor to this balance in our relationships is that everything we do is product-focused. We let our abilities speak for themselves, we don't have salespeople, and we don't have a CEO or managers from outside the industry. 

Everyone in the company is knowledgeable in eCommerce and knows the pains many digitally-native brands face. Simply put, we enable clients to make informed decisions and achieve better results.

## Can you share a story about a funny mistake you made when first starting out? What lessons or takeaways did you learn from it?

**Andrew**: It would have to be from early on when we were first starting to grow. But before we jump into the story, I want to say for context, that I had been used to running and working in larger agencies. 

Ok, now time for the story. When we started out with SavvyRevenue, it was just me and co-founder Filip Lindblom. So I wanted to get up and running, and we hired four people in the course of a few months in Q4. 

I knew that as you grow, some things get easier and some get harder. But since our target market was eCommerce, in hindsight, Q4 was not the optimal time to be onboarding, with Black Friday, the holidays, and January sales.

It worked out in the end but it was very difficult to onboard our new people because: 

- I was not in Denmark to work with them in person
- We didn’t realize that onboarding in a small business is way more labor intensive than in a larger company just because of resources and time 
- There's a lot more impact because every person is essential 

The lesson learned is not to hire during busy periods for your business unless you have the resources to allocate to them. I had to remind myself in different situations that we were not a hundred-person company anymore and make decisions accordingly.

## What ad strategies are eCommerce businesses implementing to adapt to the influx of online shopping?  

**Andrew**: The hardest thing for many advertisers has been figuring out not only what is performing well but also what has been performing poorly.

![Funnel.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/5q5ZIiWRzWnRcG8vycBn)

In many industries, online advertising has been doing great due to the circumstances. We've all seen positive numbers, but now reality is setting in and a lot of businesses have been shutting down or struggling as things shift around. 

Some companies have been able to ride the wave and keep the momentum going. These companies are the ones that have added more products to diversify their offerings and were not COVID-dependent products. 

A good example is apparel; it’s doing really well right now but was not performing during COVID. 

The ones we have seen with the most success are the ones who went back to business basics instead of just pushing into outdoor goods because it was popular over the past few months as an example.

## Can you name some tools or software that can empower growing businesses to be more effective and successful?

**Andrew**: I would say It's not really a tool; we work with a lot of mid-level eCommerce businesses. We do not normally work with the giants in the industry and we do not handle the Mom and Pop shops. We work with purely digital eCommerce businesses. 

> The most crucial tool we find in this category of clients is tracking their performance.

The most crucial tool we find in this category of clients is tracking their performance. We need to track everything that they do, but once they reach a certain level of scale, this gets very difficult manually. Think about tracking, Facebook, YouTube, Google, SEO, and the website along with affiliate ads running; they are all measuring different things, a different attribution.

When you get to this point, you don't know what’s contributing to what or where success is coming from especially with European privacy protection laws such as cookie consent and GDPR. 

We also know now that metrics such as email open rates were not giving us the best indication of performance. So performance reporting and knowing where that performance is coming from is key.

> Performance reporting and knowing where that performance is coming from is key

Having a strategy and an opinion on what you do with attribution can really help. It doesn't have to be technical, you just need to really choose what to measure across the board so that you can compare performance. 

Just knowing we are tracking this from this marketing channel and knowing what the outcome is, helps in making informed decisions and tracking success.

## What are the best strategies eCommerce businesses can implement to increase conversion rates?

**Andrew**: Start with just being a good eCommerce business, building on your product base, having good logistics, and selling products on margins you can profit on. 

Once you get past the business basics, my number one piece of advice is to **[invest in a consistent conversion rate optimization program running at all times. 

Just investing a little bit of your marketing budget into conversion rate optimization can have a huge impact on your performance. 

> Conversion optimization is constantly testing and improving everything on your website; this could be visibility, usability, making the website convert better, optimizing images, and even just better reviews.

To implement this, all you need to do is change your mentality. Many marketers will happily spend a million on advertising, but nothing on analyzing in detail the impact of that spend with conversion rate optimization. This will put you ahead of the game if implemented correctly.

## What's an approach you used to help a client achieve greater results?

**Andrew**: The fluffy part is we try to go in and define what the issues are for our clients. From an online marketing perspective, it's about finding and highlighting segments of a product catalog or inventory that are over and underperforming. 

![Savvy-Revenu-Article.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/0gvMp5szSdmL5HUN5qsg)

Let's say you have 10,000 items; finding the 20% of products that are performing and converting the best is the key. You need to make sure your top performers show first and are prioritized. 

We never let our clients show their products evenly and leave it to chance to get those clicks. Segmentations and prioritization are key and actually work great with the shift to automation.

## What are some of the major challenges you face and that advertisers are dealing with today?
 
**Andrew**: The biggest issue in my experience is attribution. We see it so often that businesses do not know what is coming from where. This is essential data needed to make informed decisions on strategy. 

> Consistent conversion rate optimization is key.

This goes back to the previous answer where I think consistent conversion rate optimization is key. 

But this is a very tough issue to solve and we’re not the magic bullet that solves all their problems with one simple solution. It takes constant monitoring and adjusting to find the sweet spot.

## What are the most important things you need to create a successful ad strategy for your eCommerce business?

**Andrew**: Understanding your business model and what marketing channels work for that business model is imperative. 

![Push & pull.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/saekBHzHSrSFeQWo1i8g)

There are two main methods you can implement. One is **push marketing** (traditional marketing) in which you try and push your message to your audience – think radio, TV, and billboards. 

The second one is **pull marketing** (attracting people that show an interest in your product or have intent to buy). This can be targeting people on Google or even people walking into a mall. By their behavior, you know they have an intent to buy.

> Do not just chase whatever tactic or strategy you hear from across the room.

There's an inherent desire for marketers to use both [push and pull marketing](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/push-vs-pull-marketing){nofollow} methods thinking that they will increase results if they just use more channels. This is mainly because businesses see the success of others and think that if they copy their strategy, they will see similar results.

But you have to keep in mind what method fits your offerings. In eCommerce, if you have a pull product strategy, you have a lot of different products that you use to pull people into your store. Think Nike shoes; a lot of people want Nike shoes and a lot of businesses offer Nike shoes. 

![03 Feed visual - 7 ways to overcome the fear.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/9D1vSgeTmqGSkQfEbUND)
> Don't just chase whatever tactic or strategy you hear from across the room and make sure you choose channels and strategies that work for your offerings and resonate with your target audience.

If you have a push business, you have something unique that you need to make people aware of for them to find you. You must have a good overall packaging of the experience. The same marketing strategy will not work for both types of products.

If you're a pull company, you don't have to be that creative; everyone sells Nike shoes, and even if you have an amazing ad and creative for that product, it's still only 1 out of your 10,000 items and you cannot give everything your attention. 

That is why you need to **focus on your conversion** (logistics), building out a flywheel that you do things that make your business better. 

If you have a push business, you have to be really good at the creative, the experience, and overall upselling of your products. 
		
## A lot of people promise success with various methods and strategies. What is something you see being implemented that you don't believe in or doesn't work?

**Andrew**: This is a double-edged sword. The overall idea of automation is both the best and worst innovation that has happened to online advertising. 

Let's take a [Google campaign](https://www.channable.com/blog/responsive-search-ads) as an example. You can create a campaign that will do well without much effort. It will perform well enough for their business and because the automation is doing something for them, many feel that this is all they need to do. 

I refer to this as (**the pasta on the wall effect**) where you just throw all your products into the automation algorithms and whatever does well will stick. 

But what if half your products fall off the wall? Is this a good or bad thing? Considerable parts of your business may no longer be advertised and you need to find out what is stopping them from performing well. 

> Automation tells you they are not profitable or that they are performing well, but why? This is not where you should stop. This is the baseline of where you should begin in regards to optimizing your performance. 

Don’t accept poor performance – **automation is not smarter than you are** – it’s only the baseline of what can be achieved.

## What do you see trending in the next few years in the marketing space?

**Andrew**: In general, I think that it's going to get harder before it gets easier, and maybe that's vague, but I’m referring to data and data protection. 

How are we going to make up for data disappearing as marketers? It's getting harder and harder for the little guys and there are a lot of things right now skewing towards the big players: they have more data,  more resources, and more access to data. 

> Marketers are going to have to learn how to optimize other parts of their advertising funnel to make up for this lack of targeting.

Marketers are going to have to learn how to optimize other parts of their advertising funnel to make up for this lack of targeting. I honestly don’t know what the future holds, but advertising strategies are going to have to adapt as the rights of individuals and data access will change.

## What advice would you give advertisers that are struggling to reach their audience in the right way at the right time?

**Andrew**: Too many people don’t look at marketing from the right angle. There is a barrier to entry for each platform/channel, but once you learn how the platform works either via an agency, freelancer, or in-house, you still have to tie it into your business. 

If you are then still having issues with your marketing goals, you have to find the source. 

And this is usually not a problem with the chosen marketing channels, but something in your business model that needs to be fixed, such as the push or pull strategies. 

Don’t give up if things get tough; there are always avenues to pursue and [eCommerce is everchanging](https://www.channable.com/downloads/key-trends-ecommerce-digital-marketing), so don’t be afraid to try something new.

## How can our readers further follow you online?

**Andrew**: I'm primarily active on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlolk/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/AndrewLolk). You can follow me there if you’d like more of my insights.

## Key takeaways from this interview

- The most crucial tool to success is performance reporting and knowing where that performance is coming from
- Invest in a consistent conversion rate optimization program
- Don’t chase whatever tactic or strategy you hear from across the room
- Choose an eCommerce ad strategy that fits your products
- Optimize every part of your advertising funnel, not just ad spend

Enjoyed the insights provided by Andrew? Stay connected and check out all the resources we have available on our [blog](https://www.channable.com/blog).

The future of eCommerce advertising: ad strategies and insights with Andrew Lolk

The fashion industry is hugely lucrative, with global revenue predicted to reach [$770.9 billion in 2024](https://www.statista.com/outlook/emo/fashion/worldwide). But while this figure continues to be made up of sales from established high street names and their glossy brick-and-mortar stores, it is also driven by businesses with a significant digital presence.

Of course, fashion industry marketing strategies vary significantly depending on the type of product being sold, competitor analysis, pricing, and more. Whether sales are predominantly digital or physical will also have a huge bearing on your fashion marketing strategy. Whatever approach they take, marketing for fashion brands remains hugely important. In fact, it is crucial if they want to secure a piece of the growing eCommerce market. 

The fashion industry is currently one of the biggest players in the eCommerce business. As consumer behavior continues to evolve, eCommerce has grown to play an increasingly prominent role for retailers. Whether it’s across mobile devices or desktop computers, [fashion and eCommerce](https://www.channable.com/blog/fashion-ecommerce-tips-improve-online-visibility) appear to be growing in tandem with one another. Today, [almost 21%](https://www.statista.com/topics/9288/fashion-e-commerce-worldwide/#editorsPicks) of worldwide fashion sales are the result of eCommerce transactions.  

The reasons for the growing importance of eCommerce to the sector are numerous. From the rise of [eCommerce personalization](https://www.channable.com/blog/understanding-ecommerce-personalization) to enhancing [data-driven performance](https://www.channable.com/blog/blog-analytics-insights-for-better-performance), there are several reasons why fashion brands are increasingly devoting resources to their online sales channels.

## Digital and other developments
Getting your fashion industry marketing strategies right depends on you remaining abreast of the latest trends and developments in the sector. ECommerce shoppers and those who visit physical stores behave differently - so engaging with them and getting them to convert also requires brands to act differently. 

Below, we’ve outlined some of the major trends we’ve identified around eCommerce and fashion - and how you can take advantage of them:

### Personalization: 
Fashion consumers are craving personalization from retailers. [Research by Accenture](https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/a-com-migration/pdf/pdf-166/accenture-retail-fashion-personalization-pov.pdf) has found that 81% of shoppers are interested in personalized products but, aside from luxury brands providing personal shopping assistants, this has proven difficult for most retailers to deliver - until now.

ECommerce in fashion has created a multitude of opportunities for fashion brands to tap into the personalization trend. For example, data pertaining to your customer’s location, time and past shopping habits can all be incorporated within your fashion marketing strategy. Retailers can leverage real-time [insights & analytics](https://www.channable.com/products/channable-insights) so their website and product recommendations are more engaging to customers on a personal level. 

This is all made possible at scale with automation. With a data feed management solution, you can highlight top sellers, manage ad spend, and even dynamically [update prices](https://www.channable.com/products/channable-insights/segmentation) or descriptions, to optimize your sales and engagement.

### Sustainability:
Another noticeable trend within the industry is sustainability. Many shoppers are asking for more environmentally and socially sustainable fashion options, with [51%](https://retailnext.net/blog/retail-impact-europes-move-towards-sustainable-fashion) of shoppers willing to pay up to 10% extra for items sustainably made or shipped.
![Image_01 (7).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/QxcHyYFdSCq9ioCDN1A5)
ECommerce can help the fashion industry to embrace this trend. With eCommerce product listings, it becomes easier to place the sustainability credentials of your clothing and other apparel at the front and center of your product listings. This can also be incorporated within other elements of your fashion marketing strategy. For example, if your potential customers care about sustainability, consider whether you can [optimize your keyword strategy](https://www.channable.com/blog/final-url-keyword-level-dynamic-keyword-insertion) so your fashion ads reflect this.

### Mobile shopping: 
The rise of fashion eCommerce doesn’t mean that shoppers are only looking for items using their laptops and desktop computers. Increasingly, mobile is playing a prominent role for consumers, with research by AI platform, Syte, finding that [81%](https://www.syte.ai/ebooks/product-discovery/state-of-ecommerce-discovery-2023/) of fashion shoppers used their mobile devices to complete transactions.

Check whether your eCommerce site or payment gateway is working effectively on the smaller screen. Also, are your ads optimized to reach them via mobile devices? Whatever the product, eCommerce now depends on [omnichannel and multichannel marketing](https://www.channable.com/blog/omnichannel-and-multichannel-marketing). That’s why we included adopting a mobile-first approach as one of our key tips for [how to optimize your return on ad spend](https://www.channable.com/blog/return-on-ad-spend).

### Innovation:
ECommerce in fashion has moved beyond simply having an online portal for shoppers. In the current market, consumers expect cutting-edge solutions to be a part of their shopping experience, from [AI](https://www.channable.com/blog/ai-ecommerce-trends-to-know) to augmented reality. 
![Image_02 (5).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/QsJF47DHQPs7g26V2gM5)
Although it may be possible for fashion brands to employ some of these innovations in their brick-and-mortar stores, eCommerce platforms represent a natural fit for many of these solutions. Virtual try-ons, social media integration, and more can all be employed by retailers exploring more innovative fashion industry marketing strategies.

## eCommerce fashion industry marketing strategies: Our top tips

Fashion retailers hoping to boost sales with their eCommerce marketing should do more than simply be aware of the latest trends. That’s why we’ve put together the below tips to help you with your fashion industry marketing strategies. 

### 1. Explore all relevant marketplaces
You might have your own website, but is that the only place your eCommerce sales could come from? Might they be driven by [Amazon Ads,](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-sponsored-products) [Google Shopping Ads](https://www.channable.com/blog/google-shopping-ads), or an entirely different marketing channel? Ensure you are advertising your fashion items across all relevant channels. Missing out on engaging with customers, means missing out on sales.

### 2. Maintain an overview of your ads
While it’s a good idea to post marketing materials on all relevant channels, this does present a challenge for fashion brands. How can they manage all these ads? The right third-party solution can help. With Channable’s [PPC tool,](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool) for instance, brands can boost their visibility and maintain an overview across ads and campaigns to save time and scale.


### 3. Use high-quality images
Visuals are important for any product - but this is especially true for the fashion industry. Good-quality images can add trust and credibility to your brand - while convincing customers to convert. [Dynamic creative optimization](https://www.channable.com/products/dynamic-image-editor?utm_term=product%20image&utm_campaign=uk-ie-search-en-generic-prospecting+%5Bppc-tool%5D&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=9335244591&hsa_cam=21133291670&hsa_grp=158968278223&hsa_ad=694831436879&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-299056558709&hsa_kw=product%20image&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnei0BhB-EiwAA2xuBopMvZgfbhIFuXhyNlfHO6NBQ-6aImrtj9b0Idja9MnKApFKU06QOhoCYSoQAvD_BwE)can also align the visuals and text you use to ensure your ad has an even greater impact.

### 4. Understand your customer
Every customer is different - it’s important for fashion marketing strategies to reflect that. Recently, there has been an [eCommerce revolution](https://www.channable.com/blog/multichannel-ecommerce-solution), where the lines between search, commerce, and social have become blurred. Where is the best place to direct your advertising spend in this new digital-first landscape? Where and how can your customers be reached?

Make sure that your fashion product ads are directed to the right customers and via the right channels. The fashion industry is highly competitive and the eCommerce landscape is increasingly complex. Make sure you leverage data and third-party tools to gain a real understanding of what your customers want and how best to engage them.

## Use Channable's multichannel eCommerce platform to reach fashion consumers today

Amid the many different fashion industry marketing strategies around today promising to boost your sales, only our eCommerce solution combines the power of cross-channel listing, advertising, and insights to engage with your customers on their dynamic, multichannel buyer journey. 

Are you looking to better market your fashion products to consumers? Channable could be the right fit. 


Fashion industry marketing strategies: eCommerce trends and tips

In this guide, we'll give you an overview of Amazon Sponsored Products and explain why they can be an asset to your multichannel eCommerce strategy. 

We'll cover everything from setting up campaigns to optimizing bids and managing your budget. By the end of this article, you’ll be well-equipped to use Amazon Sponsored Products to drive more traffic to your product pages and increase sales.

## Key strategies for maximizing Amazon Sponsored Products campaigns

- Amazon Sponsored Products are cost-per-click (CPC) ads that promote individual product listings. 
- As Sponsored Products are featured at the top of search results, they offer sellers increased visibility and higher conversion rates.
- Best practices include focusing on high-traffic keywords, using negative keywords, optimizing product detail pages, starting with automatic targeting, and monitoring results.
- Amazon recommends starting with a daily budget of $10 (or the equivalent in your currency) to keep your ads visible throughout the day.
- Automation tools can help to streamline tasks like updating listings, optimizing bids, and analyzing performance.

## What are Amazon Sponsored Product Ads? 

Imagine you're browsing Amazon looking for a new pair of headphones. As you type in your search term, you notice some products at the top of the results page with a little label that says "Sponsored". 

These are Amazon Sponsored Products, which are cost-per-click (CPC) ads that blend in with organic search results and promote individual product listings.
 
Amazon Sponsored Products work by matching a visitor’s search terms with relevant products. When a potential customer clicks on a Sponsored Product ad, they’re taken directly to the product detail page on Amazon where they can learn more about it and make a purchase.

In 2023, Amazon announced that Sponsored Products Ads would also start to appear on [premium apps and websites](https://advertising.amazon.com/blog/sponsored-products-expansion) such as Pinterest, BuzzFeed, Hearst Newspapers, Raptive, Ziff Davis, Lifehacker, and Mashable. 

### How do Sponsored Products Ads work? 

![How do Sponsored Products Ads work.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/TAPV4J4zQkGhVCqWDMLg)

You choose the keywords that best match your products and set a bid – the maximum amount you're willing to pay for each click on your ad. 

When a shopper searches for a keyword that matches your ad, your product listing has the potential to appear at the top of the search results page or even within the product page itself - usually in the related products section. 

The beauty of this approach is that you only pay for clicks, meaning you only invest when someone actively engages with your ad. This makes it a cost-effective way to reach a wider audience and boost your visibility on Amazon. 

*Just an FYI, you need to be an Amazon Seller to launch Sponsored Product Ads. Not an Amazon Seller? Check out our [handy guide to get started selling on Amazon](https://www.channable.com/blog/blog-a-quick-guide-to-selling-internationally-on-amazon).*

## Why Amazon Sponsored Products are important

Sponsored Products are a win-win for both advertisers and shoppers. Advertisers can reach a wider audience and increase their sales, while shoppers discover new and relevant products that they may have overlooked without the ads.

In highly competitive product categories, Amazon Sponsored Ads offer a powerful solution to elevate your brand and products, especially if you're a new seller or your listings have lower review counts or overall visibility. 

Are you already an Amazon Seller? Here are some of the main benefits of using Amazon Sponsored Product Ads:

- **Increased product visibility**: Sponsored Products have a prominent placement on Amazon search results pages, giving your products a higher visibility compared to organic listings. This top-of-the-page positioning makes your products more likely to be noticed by shoppers, increasing the likelihood of clicks and conversions.
- **Enhanced brand awareness**: When shoppers click on your Sponsored Products ads, they’re taken directly to your product detail page - giving potential buyers an opportunity to learn more about your brand and your product offerings. 
- **Higher click-through rates**: Sponsored Product Ads are served to people who are actively searching for your products, allowing you to reach potential customers when they are most likely to click and buy.
- **Cost-effective advertising**: Sponsored Products campaigns are based on an auction-based model, where you bid on specific keywords that match your products. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, and you can control your ad spend by setting a daily or lifetime budget. 
- **Boosted conversion rates**: According to Amazon, sellers see an [average weekly 50% increase in units ordered](https://sell.amazon.com/advertising/sponsored-products#:~:text=ASINs%20see%20an%20average%20weekly%2050%25%20increase%20in%20units%20ordered%20within%20the%20first%20year%20after%20launching%20a%20Sponsored%20Products%20campaign.) within the first year after launching a Sponsored Products campaign.

## Limitations of Amazon Sponsored Products 

While Amazon Sponsored Ads can be an effective way to increase product visibility and sales, they also have some limitations that sellers should be aware of:

- **High costs**: Amazon Sponsored Products ads can be expensive, especially in competitive product categories. The cost-per-click (CPC) can vary depending on the demand for your keywords, the competition from other sellers, and the overall search volume. If you’re not careful, you could easily overspend on your advertising campaigns.
- **Competition**: Amazon is a crowded marketplace, and many other sellers are using Sponsored Ads to promote their products, making it difficult to stand out from the competition and get your ads to show up in front of potential customers.
- **Time commitment**: Setting up and managing Sponsored Products campaigns can be time-consuming, especially if you’re new to the platform and don’t have a dedicated ads manager. You’ll need to research keywords, optimize your bids, and track your campaign performance.

## How to set up an Amazon Sponsored Products campaign

Ready to get started? Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your first Amazon Sponsored Products campaign:

1. Log in to your [Seller Central](https://sellercentral.amazon.com/) account and navigate to the Advertising tab. From there, select Campaign Manager and then click the “Create Campaign” button. Under “Choose your campaign type”, click “Sponsored Products”.
2. Write a descriptive name for each campaign, such as “Q3_BackToSchoolPromo” or “LaptopCase_KeywordTargeting” 
3. Choose individual products or groups of products, depending on how many products you want to promote. 
4. Select the keywords you want to target. Make sure to include descriptive keywords relevant to the product and its category.
5. Set your daily budget (how much you’re willing to spend each day on clicks) and the campaign duration (how long your ads will run).  
6. Decide if you want to target search terms or serve ads based on product interests, demographics, or if a customer has viewed a product before. 
7. Choose your bidding strategy: fixed bids will use your exact bid, while dynamic bids will lower or raise your bid depending on whether your ad is likely to lead to a sale.
8. Click “Launch Campaign” to push your ads live.  

## Amazon Sponsored Products: 7 best practices

Getting Sponsored Products to work for you is about putting together a smart game plan that covers everything from choosing the best keywords to constantly optimizing your campaigns. 

Here are some best practices to improve the performance of your Sponsored Product Ads:

### 1. Focus on high-traffic keywords 

These are keywords that are more likely to lead to clicks and purchases. You can find these keywords by using [Amazon's Search Term Report](https://advertising.amazon.com/API/docs/en-us/bulksheets/2-0/bulksheets-search-term-report) and analyzing which keywords are generating the most clicks and conversions. Examples include: “​​protective laptop case”, “noise canceling wireless headphones”, and “insulated travel mug”. 

### 2. Use negative keywords and negative product targeting

Including negative product and brand filters in your campaigns ensures that your ads aren't displayed for irrelevant search queries or product pages. Negative keywords and product targeting can include competition keywords, brand names, [ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Numbers)](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-asin-what-is-it-how-to-create), and generic keywords. For example, if you sell running shoes, you might exclude keywords like "shoes" or "athletic shoes" because these keywords could attract clicks from people who are not specifically interested in running shoes.

![Optimize Amazon product detail page for Sponsored Products.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/B7efRZo2Q3C1JDH6nwaQ)

### 3. Optimize your products and detail pages

When shoppers click on your ad, they land on your Amazon product detail page. That’s why it’s important to keep the quality of your product information high as detail pages directly impact your ad performance and sales. Improvements you can make include: keeping your products competitively priced, creating a strong product title, selecting products with high reviews, using at least 4 high-quality product images, and including a list of bullet points of your product’s key features. 

### 4. Start with automatic targeting

If you’re new to Amazon Sponsored Product Ads, it’s a good idea to select the automatic targeting feature as it’s the easiest and quickest way to get started. With automatic targeting, Amazon automatically matches your ads to keywords and products, saving you time compared to manual targeting. 

### 5. Switch to manual targeting

Once your automatic campaign has had time to gather data, it can provide valuable insights into which search terms are generating conversions and which are not. This information can be applied to your manual campaigns to refine your targeting and boost sales. Manual targeting gives you more control over which keywords you target, allows you to set custom bids, and enables you to target specific products or entire categories. 

### 6. Set a realistic daily budget

Before you set up your Sponsored Products, make sure you establish a monthly budget for your Amazon Ads campaigns. This will help you come up with your daily budget. Amazon recommends a minimum daily budget of $10 (or the equivalent in your currency) to keep your ads live throughout the day. 

![Amazon Sponsored Products campaign performance.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/DrkNFpxLQW2iXqMftSq7)

### 7. Monitor your results

You can generate several reports to measure the performance of your Sponsored Product Ads. The “Placement Report” provides insights into your ads' performance across different placements on Amazon, while the “Performance Over Time Report” gives you an overview of your clicks and spend to track your average cost-per-click and total spend over time. Use these insights to make informed decisions about whether you need to increase your bid to boost your placement or cut low-performing keywords.

## How automation can help with Amazon Sponsored Products

![Amazon Sponsored Products PPC automation tool.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/TwlE1YQVRp6QSF2KCuxN)

Want to supercharge your Sponsored Products campaigns? Tap into the power of automation.  These powerful tools take care of mundane tasks, like automatically updating product listings, optimizing placements, and analyzing performance. 

There are a number of different ways to automate your Sponsored Products campaigns, but some of the most common include:

- **Using a product feed management tool**: Listing your products, matching them with Amazon product categories, and managing the stock count is time-consuming and error-prone if you do it manually. A [product feed management](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) tool can help you to keep your product information up-to-date and consistent across all of your eCommerce platforms. 
- **Using PPC automation tools**: [PPC optimization](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads) solutions specifically tailored to Amazon Sponsored Product Ads allow you to easily create complete ad campaign structures for multiple products and languages at scale. 
- **Using campaign and keyword automation rules**: You can set up rules that will automatically adjust your bids, add or remove keywords, move keywords between campaigns, or blacklist certain keywords based on specific criteria.
- **Using bid automation tools**: There are a number of tools available that can automatically adjust your bids based on real-time data. This can help you to maximize your return on investment (ROI) and avoid overspending. 

Amazon Ads is part of Channable's [Multichannel ecommerce platform solution](https://www.channable.com/), making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how [Channable] (https://www.channable.com/blog/mastering-marketplace-dynamics) can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!] (https://www.channable.com/signup)

Everything you need to know about Amazon Sponsored Products

Bol is king, even with recent competition from Amazon, bol made a staggering 5.5 billion euros in sales in 2022, with bol partners accounting for 65% of the total sales volume.

So, how do you become a partner on bol, and tap into the immense online market potential of the Netherlands and Belgium? 

Before we dive into the details, let’s first learn a little bit more about the platform and how it works.

## What is bol? 
 
Bol is the largest online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium. It’s an online marketplace where customers can buy a wide range of products, including books, electronics, clothing, home goods, and more. 

Bol functions as both a direct retailer, selling products from its own inventory, and as a platform for third-party sellers to offer their products to customers.

Whether you're an established retailer or a budding entrepreneur, understanding how to sell on bol can provide a significant boost to your online sales strategy. 

Why you might ask? Keep reading to find out.   

##  Benefits of selling on bol 

![Benefits of selling on Bol.com .jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/51jp3SeJQYy1mO1DcZf3)

In times of rising digital advertising costs, selling your products on an [online marketplace](https://www.channable.com/blog/blog-how-to-successfully-sell-on-the-top-ecommerce-marketplaces) can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience and drive sales and bol is no different. 

Here are some of the benefits of selling on the bol marketplace: 

- As one of the biggest and most popular online shopping sites in the Netherlands and Belgium, bol gives you access to more than 13 million active customers.

- Bol is a trusted marketplace, meaning that Dutch and Belgian shoppers will be more likely to purchase your products via the platform versus your webshop.

- Bol has no set-up costs or hidden fees, you only pay a commission per sale (CPS). 

- Bol has a simple and intuitive set-up process which allows you to get your products live on the platform with minimal technical hassle. 

## What do you need to sell on bol? 

The first thing you need to do is make sure that your products fit within an existing product category. Bol has the following product categories:

- Books

- Music, Movies & Games

- Computers & Electronics

- Toys, Hobby & Party

- Baby & Toddler

- Health & Beauty

- Clothes, Shoes & Accessories

- Sports, Outdoor & Travel

- Office & School

- Food & Drink

- Living, Cooking & Household

- DIY, Garden & Animal

- Car, Motorbike & Bicycle Accessories

For every item that you want to list on bol, a valid EAN/GTIN code is required, or an ISBN for books. 

### What is an EAN/GTIN code?

An **EAN** (European Article Number) or **GTIN** (Global Trade Item Number) code is a special barcode used to uniquely identify products. An **EAN** code has 13 numbers, while a **GTIN** code has 14 numbers. 

### Where to get valid EAN/GTIN codes

If you’re selling existing products, normally you’ll receive the EAN/GTIN codes from the producer or supplier. Alternatively, if you’re selling your own products or white label products, you’ll have to purchase new EAN/GTIN codes. 

You can purchase official EAN/GTIN codes from the following websites:

- GS1.nl

- EAN-barcode.nl

### Delivery, return, and customer service requirements 

Before you go ahead and make a partner account, you should also make sure that you can fulfill the following conditions:

- You must also be able to deliver the products within 1 to 8 working days.

- All products are eligible for free returns within 30 days of their sale.

- You must be able to handle customer questions, cancellation requests, and returns within 24 hours (otherwise your performance score will be impacted).

- You can provide customer support via telephone between 9:00 and 17:00. 

## How to start selling on bol

![How to start selling on Bol.com .jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/m8IwVcaEQmuf98YnBqTE)

Before you can create a partner account on bol, you need to make sure that you’ve been registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce or the Belgian Chambers for at least 10 weeks.  

Already have a Chamber of Commerce number? Great! Then you’re ready to start selling on bol. Follow these steps to get started: 

### Registration and account setup

**Create a seller account**

Go to https://partner.bol.com/sdd/registration/start and create your seller account. You’ll need to enter your contact details and business information. Once this process is complete, you’ll receive a verification code by post to your business address. 

**Activate your account**

Once you’ve received your verification code, head to the bol partner login page and enter the code to activate your seller account.  

**Add your store details**

Before you can start listing your products, you’ll need to provide the following information: brand name, logo, store description, banking info for payments, as well as your return address and settings.  


### Product listings 

Once you’ve created a partner account and completed all the necessary admin, you’re ready to start adding your products to the platform. There are a couple of ways to do this: 

**1. Add products individually**

When you’re in the partner portal, click “Artikelen” and then “*Artikel per stuk toevoegen*” to add products one by one. Make sure to have your EAN/GTIN code, product images, descriptions, and specs at hand. We’d recommend this option if you only have a few products in your catalog. 

**2. Add products in bulk**

To upload multiple products at once, select “Artikelen” and then “*Artikelen toevoegen in bulk*”. This option allows you to upload up to 2500 products via an .xlsx file. 

Once the Excel file is uploaded, you can map the data to make sure the correct fields are filled. We’d recommend this option if you’re planning to add a number of products to the platform. 


**3.Add products via an integration partner**  

Tools like [Channable](https://www.channable.com/integrations/bol-com) allow you to connect your webshop data directly to marketplaces like Bol.com. Not only can you add products in bulk, but an integration partner removes the need to manually update your product offerings or stock information thanks to real-time updates. 

We’d recommend this option if you prefer to manage your stock and orders in one location. 

### Fulfilment options
Bol offers three different fulfillment options for partners: 

**1. Logistics via bol**: Bol handles the storage, packaging, and shipping. This option gives your products access to bol's Prime-like service ‘Select’, which ensures faster delivery and higher conversion rates. 

**2. Send via bol**: If you send your packages from the Netherlands, you can make use of this service to send your products with attractive shipping rates. You can either get your orders picked up from your warehouse or deliver them to a drop-off point. 

**3. Fulfillment by partner**: You manage the storage, packaging, and shipping. If you prefer to keep all your eCommerce operations in-house, then this is the best option for you.  

## How much does it cost to sell on bol? 

![How to start selling on Bol.com .jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/AtSiyhB0QSDS1VhoqdCA)

Creating a store and listing your products on bol comes at no cost. You only pay a fee when customers buy your products. The commission you pay for every item you sell is based on two things: 

A fixed amount, which is determined based on the sales price of the item
A percentage of the sales price, depending on the product category

The fixed amount ranges from €0.20 to €3.00, while the percentage of the sales price can range from 3% to 14%. You can find a full list of Bol.com’s commission rates [here](https://partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/hulp-nodig/financien/de-commissie/commissietarieven/) (in Dutch). 

Let’s say you’re selling sunglasses at €40, the commission structure would look like this: 

- €0.85 fixed fee

- €5.32 (13.3% of €40)

So for every pair sold, you would pay a total commission of €6.17, leaving you with €33.83.

## Tips for boosting sales on bol 

As with all marketplaces, optimizing your product listings can help to increase discoverability and drive sales. Here are some guidelines you can follow: 

- **Product title**: Craft clear and concise titles that include essential information like brand, product name, and key features such as color, size, etc.  

- **Product description**: Write detailed, engaging descriptions that highlight the benefits and features of your products. Include relevant keywords to boost search visibility.

- **Images**: Upload high-quality images showcasing the product from different angles, photos of models wearing your product if applicable, and photos of the box / packaging.  

- **Videos**: Product demonstrations and unboxing videos can be great ways to engage potential customers and showcase the features of your product.  

- **Price:** Take a look at your competitors and set competitive pricing if possible. If your product is more premium, focus on why your customers should spend more on your product in the description. 

- **Shipping times**: Customers on bol expect fast shipping times, sometimes even next day delivery. If you promise fast delivery, make sure you keep to your promise to avoid being penalized.  

- **Reviews**: Encourage customers to leave reviews on the platform to improve your visibility and help potential buyers with their purchasing decisions. Consider sending an after-sales email with details on how to leave a review. 

## Are you ready to start selling on bol, the leading marketplace in the Netherlands and Belgium?

Discover how Channable can help you upload your products in minutes, manage your listings, and automate the ordering process.  

[Start your free trial today](https://www.channable.com/signup).

A Quick Guide to Selling on bol.

Amazon is a truly global marketplace, generating an astonishing revenue of over [$574bn](https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AMZN/amazon/revenue#:~:text=Amazon%20annual%20revenue%20for%202023,a%2021.7%25%20increase%20from%202020.) in 2023. One key benefit of Amazon is that small businesses can compete with the world’s leading brands—including Amazon itself—by using [Amazon PPC software](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads). To do that effectively, you’ll need an Amazon advertising strategy.

Amazon offers sellers [a range of tools](https://advertising.amazon.com/resources/whats-new) to connect with customers, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads. Whatever product you’re selling, Amazon can help you sell more—but to achieve this, [experts agree](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-automation-multichannel-mix-interview-jeff-cohen) your Amazon ads strategy needs to focus on increasing visibility, ensuring ads are engaging, and delivering an ROI. 

Here’s our guide on how to create a killer Amazon advertising strategy.

<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZPEBxWFltw8?si=F81QnP-lj3JjZwTE" width="100%"  frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

## Understanding Amazon advertising

Before we begin creating an advertising strategy for Amazon, it’s essential to understand the fundamentals of the Amazon advertising platform.

Amazon isn’t just a marketplace; it’s a search engine. An incredible [50% of product searches](https://searchengineland.com/50-of-product-searches-start-on-amazon-424451) are performed on Amazon—that’s almost double that of Google. For many buyers, Amazon is the first—and only—place they’ll go to buy a product.

Amazon ads differ in several ways from other PPC platforms(like Google Ads). We can split Amazon advertising into three types:

1. **[Sponsored Products](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-sponsored-products) –** are the most common ads, accounting for around 80% of ad spend. These adverts promote specific products and are keyword-targeted, meaning they must be optimized for search queries. Sponsored products appear alongside organic results and are clearly marked as ‘Sponsored’.
2. **Sponsored Brands –**  As the name suggests, this is exclusively for brand owners who want to promote a brand or a product range. You get greater control, including the ability to create custom headlines, logos, and products.
3. **Sponsored Display –** Sponsored Display ads feature on Amazon and across the internet (through retargeting) to reach customers based on their interests and browsing behaviors.

Amazon Ads is constantly iterating and improving. Recent updates have included integrating AI to promote sponsored brands and incorporating ads within Amazon Prime. Like other online advertisers, Amazon is increasing its usage of video ads and has created templates to make ad generation easier.

The Amazon advertising platform provides detailed campaign metrics in real-time that enable markets to monitor, review, and refresh campaigns. Inside the Amazon dashboard, you’ll find essential data points, including ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale), CPC (Cost Per Click), and impressions—as well as details on total spend and customer orders.

## How to build a basic Amazon marketing strategy

![keyword research.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/hNDhL1aBTWJUMV5hjJg8)

Here we’re going to walk you through the fundamentals of creating an Amazon marketing strategy. The basic building blocks of your Amazon ad strategy should include:

- Identifying keywords
- Selecting the right channels and setting your budget
- Targeting options
- Crafting compelling ad content

### Identify keywords

Like other search engines, Amazon uses keywords to identify the most relevant products. Before creating your Amazon ads strategy, you’ll need to identify relevant keywords that your customers are using. 

While Google makes this process simple (through its Keyword Planner tool), you’ll need to use a third-party tool to help your targeting. 

Channable offers advertisers a simple solution. Our [Amazon Ads connection](https://helpcenter.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/13023403620754-Amazon-Ads-Keywords-and-Negative-Keywords) enables you to quickly identify and incorporate keywords (including negative keywords) into your campaigns. Alongside brand keywords (like *Apple*, for example), you can include phrases (*best water bottle for camping*), exact matches, and broad keywords (terms that Amazon considers close to the keyword or keyphrase).

Like SEO, you should aim to identify keywords, including long-tail search terms – that will drive customers to your products.

### Select channels and budget

Most sellers focus on Sponsored Products, targeting customers with individual products relevant to search queries and Sponsored Brands that promote a range of products. In each case, you’ll need to bid for a position, competing with a potentially global range of advertisers.

Amazon ad budgets can range from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands – and will depend on your market, size, and goals.

When you begin Amazon advertising, you may want to experiment with a handful of products until you learn the system. This will help you to learn about what works and what doesn’t without wasting your precious advertising budget.

### Targeting options

Once you’ve identified your keywords, channels, and budget you’ll need to decide how you want to connect with customers. 

Amazon offers advertisers the choice between manual and automatic targeting options for product ads.

- **Manual targeting:** Here, you’re going to need to do the work! You can target specific products, categories, brands or other relevant product features and keywords. You can dig into the details (price, Prime delivery, etc.) to engage your audience.
- **Automatic targeting:** Amazon will use its algorithm to display your ads to potential customers using four criteria (Close match, Loose match, Substitutes, Complements). For example, your advert for a sleeping bag could appear to someone interested in purchasing a tent.

Each option has positives and negatives. Manual targeting gives you ultimate control but demands significant knowledge and insights into your customers and their behavior. Automatic targeting is a simpler solution, but Amazon isn’t infallible, and it may make mistakes in where and when it displays your products, which could inhibit sales and exhaust budgets.

[![PPC.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Wa2tAP7jQceAnStbTGyY)](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool)

### Crafting compelling ad content

![compelling content.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/x529WWZySvSDWEsMJB0v)

Advertising can increase engagement, but high-quality content drives conversions. [Amazon’s product description editor](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) enables (almost) anyone to [create compelling ads](https://www.channable.com/blog/best-practices-creating-amazon-ads) that ensure your products and brand stand out. 

In September 2023, Amazon announced it would introduce artificial intelligence to help sellers create product descriptions, following the lead of eBay and Shopify. This could take much of the hard work of creating descriptions but could result in generic content that includes errors.

The best Amazon product listings are clear and simple. They include keywords in the title and throughout the content, which improves conversion and organic ranking position. In addition to detailed product descriptions, customers value the validation that comes through genuine customer reviews, videos, and original imagery.

## Advanced Amazon advertising techniques

If you’ve followed the guide this far you have the fundamentals of an Amazon advertising and marketing strategy. However, several advanced advertising techniques, including dynamic bidding, DSP, and A/B testing, can increase your likelihood of making a sale.

### Dynamic Bidding Strategies (DBS)  

Amazon’s DBS gives the company control of your budget and bids to increase the likelihood of a sale. Instead of setting a fixed budget per click (and running the risk of losing out on a sale to a higher-paying competitor), DBS enables them to be flexible. This strategy uses Amazon’s power and insights but doesn’t guarantee a sale, so advertisers should exercise caution.

### Amazon DSP

The Amazon Demand Side Platform  (DSP) allows advertisers to reach customers outside the Amazon platform. You can use static ads displayed across third-party platforms or through streaming TV and video platforms provided by Amazon. These tools are primarily useful for companies who are seeking to brand building.

### Amazon A/B testing

As the name suggests, Amazon’s A/B test function enables advertisers to explore which page is better at generating conversions. Using the platform, marketers can test two iterations of a product description or page to learn which works best. This 

## Measuring and analyzing Amazon ad performance

Amazon provides advertisers with massive amounts of detailed data on campaign cost, performance, and conversion rates. You can gain critical insights from Amazon advertising Reports that can be configured to provide the data you need and filter out information you don’t.

Some of the key Amazon advertising campaign metrics to monitor are:

- Click-Through Rate (CTR) 
- Conversion Rate
- Cost-per-click
- Return on ad spend
- ACoS

Advertisers should ensure they set aside time for regular reviews where you’ll assess performance, audit ads, and identify areas for improvement and optimization.  Amazon's reporting tools should provide you with insights that can inform strategy adjustments. 

### Optimizing campaign elements

Amazon listings—like websites and webpages—should be optimized to deliver the best user experience. The data and insights you receive should be used to continually improve product titles, descriptions, and advertising copy. 

Alongside performance data, you should update content to reflect changes in the market and the priorities of your buyer personas. Tools like Amazon’s A/B testing solution enable you to iterate and improve campaign elements. 

### Managing Amazon advertising changes

In addition to regularly adjusting campaigns to improve performance, you’ll want to ensure that your advertising strategy reflects industry best practices and uses all the features of the Amazon platform. 

You can find the latest updates to Amazon Ads on its news feed. One of the most exciting trends for advertisers is the increasing use of video. Customers are 64% more likely to buy a product after seeing a video, studies have found – with Millenials and Gen Z preferring video to written content – something Amazon is taking advantage of by introducing more videos to its platform.

To use video as part of their ad campaigns, advertisers must be part of Amazon’s brand registry, where you can access its video maker tool. As mentioned, Amazon is experimenting with AI to enable faster generation and iteration of product ads. 

Staying current with the latest improvements is critical to improving ad performance.

## Delivering sustainable results through Amazon advertising

![Channable's Amazon Solution.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/N3EGFEByQlmrKf8waxAs)

Advertising on Amazon can connect your business and brand with millions of potential customers – but you’ll need to develop a strategy that delivers long-term success. It’s vital that you understand how Amazon ads work when developing campaigns, including how to identify keywords, create compelling content, and take advantage of advanced features. 

It’s critical that you continuously test, learn, and adapt Amazon advertising strategies to deliver the best results. The most successful advertisers use data and insights to drive improvements – they also use the latest marketing tools to help them. 

<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N73rUbBF1kA?si=9QwCHf9LBqfjn5aV" width="100%"  frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

[Channable](https://www.channable.com/nl/producten/marktplaats-integraties) makes it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. With Channable's Amazon Solution, advertisers can easily create thousands of ads from their product listing and optimize ad campaigns based on performance data at scale.

Amazon Ads is also part of Channable's end-to-end marketplace solution, making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how Channable can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!] (https://www.channable.com/signup)

Taking your Amazon Advertising Strategy to the next level 

Enter competitive PPC analysis: a powerful technique that unlocks the secrets behind real-world campaigns. By analyzing your competitors' PPC efforts, you can uncover missed opportunities, identify gaps in your own strategy, and ultimately transform your campaigns for maximum success. 

## What is competitive PPC analysis? 

Competitive PPC analysis involves examining and understanding how your competitors are using paid advertising. It's essentially a chance to learn from their strategies and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your own [PPC campaigns](https://www.channable.com/blog/ppc-best-practices). This analysis usually focuses on the following key areas:

- **Ads:** Analyzing headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to see what messaging works well.
- **Keywords:** Discovering the keywords competitors are using to attract customers, giving you ideas to expand your own keyword list.
- **Bids:** While you won't see exact figures, you can get insights into how aggressively they're bidding on keywords.
- **Landing pages:** Seeing where people land after clicking a competitor's ad. This can help you design landing pages that are more likely to convert visitors into customers.

## Why is competitive PPC analysis important? 

By learning from your competitors' PPC efforts, you can make data-driven decisions to improve your own campaigns and gain a competitive edge. Here are some other benefits of conducting a competitive PPC analysis: 

### Craft stronger ads and landing pages

By analyzing your competitors' ads and landing pages, you can see what kind of messaging resonates with your target audience. You can learn from their successes (compelling headlines, clear calls to action) and avoid their mistakes (confusing landing pages, weak offers). This can help you create more effective ads that grab attention and landing pages that convert. 

For instance, if you sell eco-friendly cleaning products, your analysis might reveal that your competitors’ ads are focusing on generic features like “no plastics” or “natural materials” but not on benefit-driven messaging like “reduce your footprint”.

### Improve your PPC strategies 

By keeping an eye on your competitors' strategies, you can see what tactics are trending and what's working well in your industry. This helps you stay informed about the latest PPC trends and allows you to adapt your campaigns accordingly. 

For example, imagine you run an eCommerce store selling athletic wear. Through competitor analysis, you notice several competitors are having success with video ads showcasing their clothing in action. You might then decide to incorporate video ads into your strategy. 

### Discover hidden opportunities 

Competitor analysis can reveal gaps in the market. Maybe your competitors are focusing on certain keywords but neglecting others. Maybe their landing pages lack a key element that could boost conversions. This gives you the chance to identify these opportunities and tailor your campaigns to fill them. 

Let's say you sell fitness watches and you discover that your competitors are all focusing on keywords like "fitness watch" and "running watch", but not "heart rate monitor watch." As your competitor analysis reveals a gap in the market for this long-tail keyword, you can include it in your campaigns and reach a new audience. 

[![PPC.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Wa2tAP7jQceAnStbTGyY)](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool)

## Top 5 PPC competitor analysis tools for eCommerce brands 

It’s important to equip yourself with the right tools before tackling competitor analysis. Here are 5 tools that every advertiser should use: 

### Tools for paid search competitor analysis

**1. Google Ads Auction Insights**

The [auction insights report](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2579754?hl=en) lets you compare your performance with other competitors who are participating in the same Google Ads auctions as you are. This report provides six different statistics: impression share, overlap rate, outranking share, position above rate, top of page rate, and absolute top of the page rate. Here’s a brief description of the most important insights:

- **Impression share and top of page rate:** Impression share tells you how often your ads are shown, while Top of Page Rate indicates how often they appear at the most prominent spots on the page - in comparison with your competitors. 
- **Overlap rate:** This shows which competitors you regularly encounter in the same auctions. A high overlap rate suggests that you're competing for the same audience.
- **Position above rate:** This lets you see how often a competitor's ad outranks yours in shared auctions. This might indicate a difference in bidding strategies or the quality score of your ads. 

**2. Google’s Keyword Planner**

![PPC keyword competitor analysis.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/bJ0PNbQXQa27m05AeJLH)

Although this free tool by Google is not specifically designed for competitor analysis, it can still be a valuable asset. For instance, if you enter a competitor's website URL in Keyword Planner, you can see a list of relevant keywords they might be targeting. This helps you to: 

- **Identify potential gaps:** Keyword Planner helps you discover keywords that you or your competitors might be missing. You can also filter by competition level, allowing you to uncover keywords with lower competition. 
- **Refine your targeting:** You can also discover long-tail keywords with high intent that your competitors might not be focusing on, allowing you to attract users further along in the buying journey.

![PPC bid competitor analysis.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Bi1JobrYTcasq1sbHDA3)

**3. Ahrefs**

[Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) goes beyond basic keyword research, providing a powerful suite of features for in-depth PPC competitor analysis, such as: 

- **Paid keywords report:** This report allows you to enter a competitor’s URL and see what keywords they’re bidding on, the estimated cost-per-click (CPC) per keyword, and which keywords send the most paid traffic to your competitor’s website.
- **Ad position history:** This chart allows you to see your competitors ad copy, giving you inspiration for headlines, unique selling propositions, and calls to action. 
- **Low-cost keywords:** Ahrefs paid keywords report also enables you to find relevant, low-cost keywords to add to your PPC campaigns.

**4. Google Ads Transparency Center**

This free resource allows advertisers to search for specific businesses or browse by category to see the Search and [Display ads](https://www.channable.com/blog/google-display-ads-best-practices) they're running across Google Search, YouTube, and Discover, allowing you to: 

- **Explore ad details:** Dive deeper into individual ads to see the format (text, image, video), timeframe it ran, and estimated impressions.
- **Learn targeting strategies:** Discover the criteria advertisers use to reach their target audience, including demographics and interests.

### Tools for paid social competitor analysis

**5. Meta Ad Library**

The [Meta Ad Library](https://transparency.fb.com/en-gb/researchtools/ad-library-tools/) is a free tool that lets you see the ads other businesses are running on [Facebook](https://www.channable.com/blog/enhance-facebook-conversion-rates) and Instagram. It's a goldmine of information for advertisers, helping you stay on top of industry trends and get inspiration for your own campaigns. This comprehensive tool allows you to: 

- **See all of your competitors’ ads:** Simply enter your competitor’s brand name in the search bar and get a list of all the ads they’re running.
- **Filter by location:** Allowing you to get insights on your competitor’s global marketing strategy, such as the specific messaging or creative they use per country.
- **Get specific ad details:** Besides an ad’s start date and end date (if applicable), you can also see the different variations of a particular ad.
- **Understand targeting strategies:** You can see details about who sees each ad, such as age ranges, gender, and how many people they might reach. 

## How to conduct a competitive PPC analysis in 5 steps 

Staying ahead in the PPC game requires knowing your competition. A competitive PPC analysis helps you understand their strategies, identify potential gaps, and ultimately, refine your own campaigns for maximum impact. Here's a breakdown of the process in five easy-to-follow steps:

### 1. Identify your main PPC competitors 

It might sound obvious, but it’s important to know who you’re up against. Start by brainstorming your main competitors. Then, take your top keywords and search them on Google to see which companies consistently appear in the results. Finally, use tools like Ahrefs or Google Ads Auction Insights to reveal the full list of competitors targeting the same keywords as you. 

![competitor ad analysis.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/k9psVaKRjGQ3XdGdkEys)

### 2. Analyze competitor ads 

Now that you’ve identified your main competitors, the next step is to analyze the ads they’re running. What keywords are they bidding on? What messaging are they using in their ad copy? What offers are they promoting? If you notice “free shipping” or “free returns” featuring prominently, it could suggest that these offers are resonating with the target audience. 

### 3. Assess competitor keyword strategy 

Understanding your competitors' keyword strategy is crucial. Look at the types of keywords they're targeting (broad, long-tail, etc.) and analyze their keyword mix. Make sure to note down any relevant keywords that you’ve not included in your own campaigns. Once you have a list of new keywords, start to test them in your campaigns and regularly monitor the results. 

### 4. Review competitor landing pages

The next step is examining how competitors craft their landing pages for conversions. By dissecting their landing page strategies, you can identify best practices to implement on your own landing pages. Here are few things to keep an eye on: 

- Headline and value proposition
- Visuals and overall layout
- Call to action 
- Social proof (customer testimonials or reviews)

### 5. Monitor bidding strategies and estimated costs 

Google Ads' Auction Insights can reveal if competitors consistently appear in the top ad slots. If you’re constantly being outranked, it could suggest that your bids are too low, or that your ad quality score is low. Ahrefs can take your analysis one step further by providing you with estimated cost-per-click per keyword. This data can be used to inform your bidding strategies going forward. 

## Simplify your Google Ads with automation!

Facing the challenge of creating thousands of ads with the right headlines and descriptions? Struggling to keep your ads updated with constant stock and price changes? Feeling overwhelmed trying to stay in control of your ad campaigns and performance? These common pain points can make managing effective advertising campaigns feel impossible.

Our [Google Ads automation tool](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/google-ads) can take the load off! It uses your product feed to automatically create dynamic ads, ensuring they're always updated! 

Here’s how it works:
1. **Easy ad creation**: Create one template, connect it to your data, and let our tool do the rest.
2. **Quick asset addition**: Efficiently scale the integration of assets into your campaigns in just a few simple steps
3. **Real-time updates**: Stock or prices change? Your ads update automatically—no manual work required.

Jump quickly into creating highly-targeted and accurate ads, making sure your brand stays relevant at all times.



Outsmart the competition: How to master competitive PPC analysis

If we've learned something from the past couple of years, it’s that change is the only constant— this is true of strategies we assumed we’d stick to, expectations we have of our workflows, and the way consumers shop, buy, and interact with brands. 

So, how are brands adjusting to these new changes in an ever-evolving digital-first world? And what’s trending in the world of retail to embrace this shift?

Here at Channable, we’re always looking for the latest strategies, insights, and trends that shape the retail world.

This is why a couple of months ago, we attended [Shoptalk](https://shoptalk.com/){nofollow} in Las Vegas, US, one of the world’s biggest e-commerce events. Shoptalk is where thousands of retail changemakers come together every year to create the future of retail. 

The Shoptalk agenda covered the latest technologies, trends, and business models, as well as the rapid transformation of what consumers discover, shop for and buy—everything ranging from apparel and electronics to beauty and grocery. 

What did we learn from the event and how can European brands and agencies benefit from these up-and-coming ways of selling online? Read on to learn all about it. 

## Trend #1: Exploring new forms of digital selling 

As a brand, **staying on top of the latest forms of digital selling will be pivotal to your success **in the coming years. This is why being where your customers are shopping for products and services is essential. Here’s what you can expect in terms of formats:


### Social commerce

Social commerce is the strategy you can tap into to market and sell your products via social media platforms. Sales through social media channels worldwide are expected to nearly triple by 2025 so this is definitely an opportunity many brands should leverage. 

To get started, you can use platforms like Instagram, Meta, Pinterest, and [TikTok](https://www.channable.com/blog/tiktok-dynamic-showcase-ads-setup-channable) as each of them offers a unique set of features to place your products in front of potential customers. 

A Statista study shows that 30% of e-commerce companies are already selling on social media and 12% plan on selling on social media platforms in 2022. 

![Untitled-1.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/e8ZH5RpQXWFIazN7Xndb)

While online marketplaces and shopping sites are created as shopping spaces, **social networks also provide an opportunity for brands to create a community**.

As influencers engage with their online communities, they are leading the way in this regard. As a result, e-commerce companies are increasingly collaborating with them to market their brands.

This is particularly true for Gen Z, who expect a convenient shopping experience catered to their digital lifestyle. 
![Untitled-2.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/KqIrGw2mQRuXChzbXLX4)

Experts in marketing and retail talked about this topic at Shoptalk, focusing on understanding consumers’ preferences and behaviors, and how they shape product and marketing decisions. 

### Live commerce

Already well-established in Asia, live commerce, also known as live shopping, is now predicted to become more prominent across other regions including Europe. **Live commerce enables brands to sell their products online through live video while shoppers interact with them in real time**. 

The movement has been pioneered by the Chinese retail giant Alibaba in 2016 when they launched Taobao Live, opening a new chapter in retail. 

While the Asian market is already advancing quickly in this space, it’s important to look at how retailers like Alibaba have managed this innovative approach – they simply linked up an online livestream broadcast with an e-commerce store to allow viewers to watch and shop simultaneously.

Ever since, live commerce has quickly established itself as a key tactic in sales campaigns for key events like Valentine’s Day or Singles’ Day—major shopping events in China—and, as a reliable way for increasing customer engagement and online sales. 


“In 2020, the first 30 minutes of Alibaba’s Singles’ Day pre-sales campaign on Taobao Live generated an impressive $7.5 billion in total transaction value. Today, the value of the Chinese live commerce market is expected to reach $423 billion in sales by 2022,” states McKinsey.

Similarly, Amazon Live is also using the same model through their free live streaming app that’s aimed at brands and influencers who want to interact with shoppers in real time. 

![Untitled-4.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Fc0UPvgQ5OISGPdVAiSq)

We already know that [videos](https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/){nofollow} are a key format in the buying process: 96% of users turn to videos to learn more about a product, while 88% of users are convinced to make a purchase after watching a video. Combine that with an influencer or personality with an established community, and you’ve got yourself an engaged audience for the right market. 

If you’re keen to experiment with this format, [livestream shopping](https://www.channable.com/blog/livestreaming-shopping) events are already mainstays on platforms like Amazon, TikTok, and Meta.

For instance, in 2020, Walmart streamed their “[Holiday Shop-Along Spectacular](https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/12/17/you-can-now-shop-walmart-on-the-hottest-place-on-the-internet-tiktok){nofollow}” on TikTok in collaboration with 10 popular creators. The event had a bigger audience than expected and helped the retailer increase its TikTok follower base by 25%.

What does this mean for other regions in the world? 

Tapping into live shopping while continuously using deep learning through social media listening, data analyses, and behavior tracking can really create a new “[phygital](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/06/30/phygital---what-is-it-and-why-should-i-care/?sh=45bc7723587a){nofollow}” experience, where there is no longer just a physical or digital world, but a completely connected one. 

### Visual search and video shopping

The reason why many brands continue to move their marketing budgets in this direction is simple — digital advertising offers a scalable and direct way to reach consumers online.

So as a marketer, you’re presented with a challenge: How do you benefit from the reach provided by digital advertising without disrupting your potential customers’ shopping experience?

This is why **retailers are looking to incorporate even more video content into their marketing and advertising strategies in 2022**. 

At Shoptalk, Connie Chan, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz referred to this phenomenon as “[Shoptainment](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2022-03-28/shoptalk-2022-retail-s-future-is-on-social-video){nofollow},” the overlap of videos on social media made to entertain and an opportunity to make a purchase.

On the other hand, Google is also betting big on this trend. Google sees YouTube and Google Shopping as their most important shopping platforms to provide an immersive and seamless shopping experience. 

In the future, it’s most likely that text ads won’t get priority anymore as Google will focus more on putting visual, image, and live video shopping and advertising at the forefront. 

The bottom line? As the online consumer journey will get longer and will include more touchpoints, managing this whole journey will be more effective if it’s done in a more automatic way. 

## Trend #2: The cookie-less future is (almost) here 

As Google states, [cookie tracking](https://blog.chromium.org/2020/01/building-more-private-web-path-towards.html){nofollow} has become more and more invasive.

But first, what are cookies, really? According to WIRED, the technology in question is called [FLoC](https://www.wired.com/story/google-floc-privacy-ad-tracking-explainer/){nofollow}, or Federated Learning of Cohorts. It aims to give advertisers a way of targeting ads without exposing details on individual users by grouping people with similar interests together.

**Third-party cookies have always been crucial as they serve personalized ads, and retargeting, and enable advertisers to conduct a detailed analysis**. While they are not perfect, they offer an easy way to capture usable data. Losing cookies will have massive consequences on audience sizes and targeting ability. 

As third-party cookies deprecate in 2023, marketers face many challenges in creating hyper-targeted, measurable digital marketing campaigns.

But retailers are experimenting with how to replace cookies, and there are alternatives outside of Google's Floc. 

In the future, Google intends to use artificial intelligence (AI) modeling to understand users, identify the ads with the highest conversion level, and identify which users are the most valuable.

AI modeling, however, requires a lot of information. Google will need more “signals” to identify users and conversions. And the most valuable signals will be each customer’s personally identifiable information (PII). This consists of customers’ last names, email addresses, and physical addresses.

What does this mean, practically? 

A Hubspot article explains: “If someone looks for your product on Google, then clicks on your ad, and goes to your website, Google now has all the information it wants. However, without cookies, it’s no longer possible to store the anonymous identifier for that user. If that same user returns to your website later and converts, there’s no way to connect the original ad viewed to the conversion.”

With Google pushing back the implementation of its privacy changes to 2023, advertisers will have time to start planning and testing alternatives. In general, there seem to be six major alternatives considered by advertisers: 

- [Google's Sandbox environment](https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-sandbox/){nofollow}

- First-party data from other sources such as physical stores, your own website, etc

- Location and contextual targeting 

- Traditional media channels like the TV will play a bigger role

- Blockchain

- AI technology like building your brand’s marketing strategy on proprietary post-purchase question streams


## Trend #3: - Creating highly personalized customer experiences

We’re heavily experiencing a culture of change for many retailers who’ve long held a mentality anchored only in brick-and-mortar shops. 

**As a retailer, you need to create an interwoven journey that’s relevant to your target consumer **— and define your channel ecosystem, in a way that provides a personalized experience along that journey. 

For instance, Care/of, a subscription service that delivers a portable package of high-quality daily vitamins to its customers, has come up with a lifestyle quiz for their customers in which they receive a personalized list of daily vitamins and water-soluble supplements. 

![Untitled-3.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/2iyleoFHQxueNU9x1pVt)

Care/of presents detailed information regarding the reasons behind its vitamins and supplement recommendations in an entertaining, personalized, and engaging way, but the final decision about the consumption amount always stays with the clients.

**Start creating personalized experiences that speak directly to your audience** – think quizzes, on-site interactions, and other snackable formats – that can help you get to know your audience better and offer them the experiences they want. 


## Trend #4: - Retail Media

Retail media advertising provides a straightforward way to shop, especially when the ads are relevant to consumers’ interests and purchase behavior.

Retail media is becoming increasingly relevant today. Not only is it growing rapidly but it’s also estimated to account for 25% of all digital spending by 2026 (=$100B). Retail media dollars will be shifted or generated from: 

- Organic growth in digital ($24B)

- A shift from other digital channels (11B)

- A general shift in trade ($21B)

**Retail media is experiencing significant growth across the US, EMEA, and APAC** because it fits perfectly what a retailer wants, what a consumer wants, and what an advertiser wants – all in one package. And for advertisers, retail media also gives access to first-party data owned by the website owner.

Take Walmart, for example. Walmart’s retail media network is second only to Amazon’s in terms of volume and revenue, with 150 million customers visiting either Walmart or its online portal every week. 

According to Walmart Connect, 35% of shoppers research items on their website before buying them in a physical store. Their omnichannel approach, which closes the loop between the app and physical stores, enables brands to accurately attribute in-store conversions to digital campaigns. 


## Trend #5: - Managing product data is essential

Providing a personalized and localized (visual) shopping experience is key, and social platforms already allow brands to do this. For that, however, [managing your product data](https://www.channable.com/industry/retail-ecommerce) is important.

Combining different types of data will become highly important to provide a truly personalized and localized experience (e.g product, behavior, and COVID data). 

When you start advertising through third parties, such as comparison sites and affiliate networks, you will notice that compared to what you have on your webshop, these platforms require your product information in various formats. 

This is why modifying your product feed information to match requirements is key. However, if you want to make use of several third parties, this requires multiple, different product feed configurations. This can become overwhelming so ensure that the product data you manage is always done in an automatic way. 

From improving productivity and scalability to reducing mistakes and getting your products to market as soon as possible, being on top of your data will be a key strategic element to look out for this year and beyond.

## Takeaways 

The dimensions of e-commerce are increasing fast – and implementing these up-and-coming strategies will play a key role in keeping up with this momentum.

Instead of banking on ads alone, leading companies are investing in more interactive activities to create a more engaging relationship with their customers.

At the same time, the consumer journey is no longer linear either – what starts online can end up in-store and the other way around. Therefore, understanding and defining your omnichannel approach will become increasingly vital as we move through 2022 and beyond. 

With these strategies, you can start increasing your revenue and retention and impact your brand awareness by always staying top of mind. 

Want to create more engaging shopping experiences for your customers and learn the latest strategies in the industry? We’re always sharing articles and insights on the blog. Check it out! 


Exploring new forms of digital selling: 5 ways that are reshaping retail

With the growing focus on safer and more transparent eCommerce, the EU has introduced the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) to enforce new standards for online sellers. These regulations mandate that marketplaces and sellers share specific information about product safety and accountability, aiming to protect consumers and streamline responsibilities.
 
For online businesses, this means adapting to new requirements for uploading product and operator information—yet the specific compliance steps vary across marketplaces. Here’s a breakdown of what the DSA and GPSR require and how Channable is working to support businesses in staying compliant.

## What is the Digital Services Act (DSA)?
The [DSA](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package) introduces strict measures to combat illegal content, promote transparent advertising, and curb disinformation on online platforms. For online sellers, this means ensuring that detailed contact information of a responsible economic operator within the EU is available to consumers.
 
This information includes the operator's name, address, phone number, and email, making it easier to track product accountability. Sellers on platforms like social networks, app stores, and marketplaces are required to ensure this information is complete and accurate.

## What is the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)?
The [GPSR](https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/eu-product-safety-and-labelling/product-safety/general-product-safety-regulation_en), effective from December 13, 2024, replaces the previous General Product Safety Directive for non-food products, introducing new packaging and online listing requirements.
 
When selling online, businesses need to include certifications and documents showing compliance with safety standards for specific product categories. This can involve uploading certifications like CE marks or images showing product safety labels, allowing marketplaces to easily verify safety standards before products reach consumers.

## How marketplaces handle DSA and GPSR compliance
Not all marketplaces are implementing the changes the same way. Here’s a look at two main approaches:

1. **Direct datamodel integration**: Some marketplaces, such as Amazon, OTTO, Allegro, and Zalando, have chosen to add fields directly in their datamodels to capture the DSA-required information. This includes fields for manufacturer/importer contact details, which can be filled with static values or set to vary by item. In Channable, these fields are available in the Build step, allowing sellers to easily manage compliance for each product.

2. **Creating an economic operator profile**: Other marketplaces, like Miravia and bol, ask sellers to create a profile for the economic operator within their seller environment. This profile, which includes essential contact information, receives a unique ID that can be linked to products. For sellers using Channable, this ID can be added in the Build step, streamlining the process through Channable's rule engine.

## GPSR compliance and safety documentation
To comply with GPSR, sellers need to provide category-specific safety documents and product labels on marketplaces. These safety files, such as CE certifications or product safety warnings, appear as fields within Channable’s Attributes section.
 
This simplifies compliance by integrating safety labels and certifications directly into product listings, ensuring visibility and accessibility for buyers across multiple platforms.

## Current challenges and ongoing support from Channable
While some marketplaces are well-prepared for DSA and GPSR requirements, others are still defining their processes, leading to variations in implementation. Channable’s team is actively tracking these updates and adapting our platform accordingly.
 
For those marketplaces that have clarified their requirements, Channable provides tools for users to manage compliance with minimal friction. As we learn more about how marketplaces like TikTok Shops and others plan to support these changes, we’ll update our platform to ensure users can maintain compliance efficiently.

## Navigating compliance with Channable: Simplifying DSA & GPSR requirements
Adapting to new regulations like the [DSA and GPSR](https://helpcenter.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22175644897042-Staying-compliant-with-DSA-and-GPSR-regulations-with-Channable) may seem daunting, but with the right tools and support, online sellers can ensure compliance and build trust with consumers. Channable is committed to providing users with solutions that simplify these processes, from data model integration to seamless profile management.
 
As we continue monitoring marketplace changes, our goal remains to support sellers in navigating these evolving requirements—empowering businesses to focus on growth while meeting the latest standards in product safety and transparency.

DSA & GPSR explained: Essential compliance for online sellers

## Maximize your marketing ROI in 2025
As new consumer trends and marketing technologies continue to reshape digital advertising in 2025, marketers must adapt their strategies to remain visible online. Here are our 12 most highly recommended online advertising and marketplace tactics for maximizing your marketing ROI this year.

![01_Image.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/TbxjTeLeRtyyl3FZHKZZ)

## 1. Create a buzz with new product launches and collaborations
Start by updating your product feed on social commerce platforms like Facebook Catalog to include new artwork and descriptions. Then, you can run targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach shoppers interested in the latest products.

Influencer marketing will still be a valuable asset in 2025, but it’s important to do it the right way. Say one of your clients has collaborated with an influencer on a new product launch, and they plan to promote the collab on both TikTok and Meta.

 Supercharge that campaign by adding the influencer’s name as the “Influencer” attribute in your feed. This helps you create a more targeted campaign that maximizes name recognition.

Here's an example of some updated product feed attributes for social commerce with Channable:
![Tip 1 - T1 (2).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/I6jBkvLnQsmoJ9cRi6I8)

## 2. Auto-update fast-moving inventory to keep promotions current
**[Quick wins]** If your product goes out of stock, Google won’t serve your ads promoting it. To prevent this from happening, use Channable’s Update Every Hour add-on and our Google Content API. They’ll keep your inventory reporting current at all times.

Digital marketing agency dreifive, for example, uses Channable’s API connection to Shopify for its client, the skincare retailer [Korres](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/maximizing-google-shopping-feed-performance-with-automation). 

The API lets dreifive set “if-then” rules to create a clean data flow from Shopify to Channable to Google Shopping and Meta dynamic product ads. Also, the API automatically inserts lifestyle or mood images (where available) instead of using packshots.

This makes for a cleaner feed with more complete and more attractive product information. dreifive estimates that they’re also saving one to two hours of work per week thanks to the automation, which saves them from having to manually manage Korres’ shopping feeds in Google’s Merchant Center.

## 3. Automate product categorization with machine learning
Major platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart reorganize categories from time to time. This puts you at risk of having your product miscategorized, making it harder for shoppers to find.

To optimize your ROI, use Smart Categorization, which uses machine learning to make sure your products are characterized properly as soon as they enter your feeds.
![Tip -3.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/VoGp6wZvTuul5ABblj5x)

## 4. Get the most out of your product description copy
**[Quick wins]** From price changes to availability status, it’s crucial to keep your product descriptions up to date at all times.
 
Say you’re advertising for a sneaker retailer with daily drops at 10 a.m., designed to bring in the most ardent sneakerheads. Your daily product feed might look like this:
![Tip 4 - T1 (1).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/AzglYx8R8Ctmjfi30TkB)

For the 10 a.m. drop, perfect your product feeds with copy such as:
![Tip 4 - T2.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/6MHEmJazQhqWVnIoiz0Y)
## 5. Use multiple powerful attributes
A great strategy for making your products more discoverable is to enhance your product feeds to create space for more product attributes and enhance discoverability.

Be sure to add multiple eye-catching phrases to your feed to make it easier for shoppers to find what they’re looking for. For example, your original feed might look like this:
![Tip 5 - T1 (1).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/7CReYMzURU2Hsoi4oQKQ)

Here’s an example of how you can enhance those same attributes:
![Tip 5 - T2 (2).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/BZa38WDKRi2qsuQbjz8j)

## 6. Automatically revamp images at scale
Dynamic Image Editor gives you an easy, scalable way to automatically improve your product images. Say you want to add a fresh background to your existing product images. 

Simply choose a new background in Dynamic Image Editor, then drop the new and improved image into your dynamic product ad templates.

Update those templates once, and the new image will appear across supported channels and campaigns.

![Tip 6 - 2.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/lS4jXUUdRqm2nVme4Oxy)

If you want to incorporate higher-quality product images (for example, from a recent editorial shoot for Instagram), simply replace “Default Image URL” with a new attribute, “Instagram Image URL” that contains the link to those Instagram-ready lifestyle images.

## 7. Streamline peak sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday

![Tip 7.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/paCldMs4S9qgNyaDHkzZ)

**[Quick wins] **Want to get even more out of special offers and discounts during peak sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year? Automation is key. 

With the right approach, you can update products once to reflect a special offer, and instantly syndicate the new info across multiple channels.

To drive more sales, you’ll want to do more than “just” update your prices. Adding language to your descriptions like “Limited-time only” helps create a sense of urgency and persuade shoppers to grab this deal while it lasts:

![Tip 7 - T2.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/kCis2wX2TPq6Uv6vSe9z)

To avoid making promises that you can’t keep, try using ad copy such as “**20% off plus more, all week**” or “**Daily deals—check back each day!**”

## 8. Showcase curated collections on Meta

**[Quick wins]** Facebook and Instagram collections are great options for showcasing products. 
Curated collections for Instagram Shopping, for example, help shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for. 

Use specific headings such as “Gifts for Her Collection,” “Gifts for Him Collection” or “Holiday Gift Collection.” Then use those collections as the foundation for shoppable posts and stories.

![Tip 8 - T1 (1).jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/qt5xAVhQwGwtGFXSTnVe)

## 9. Reprice the smart way on Amazon with rules-based automation

Offering the right price at the right time is crucial for keeping ahead of your competitors. [The Channable Repricer](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator/repricer), which is fully integrated into Amazon’s marketplace management workflow, helps ensure your pricing is always optimal.
 
Simply choose the products you want to put on sale and set easy-to-understand “if/then” rules for automatic repricing based on factors like competitor prices and target profit margins. Automatic repricing also lets you run targeted promotions on Amazon knowing that you’re offering products at the smartest prices to satisfy both shoppers and your clients.

The results speak for themselves: Before switching to our repricing solution, digital marketing agency [050media](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/050media-success-story-repricer) found that **40% **of their DIY retail client Tooltopper’s products were ineffectively priced. Since switching, they’ve secured a **5%** margin increase for their client with automatic dynamic pricing.

## 10. Drive local business and cater to last-minute shoppers

When this year’s holiday shopping season approaches, cater to last-minute shoppers and draw business to your clients’ brick-and-mortar locations by adding phrases like “Shop In-Store for Last Minute Beauty Gifts” or “Visit Our Nearby Stores for Instant Gift Shopping.”

![Tip 10.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/40fUEhdSC2t0LGJTEmug)

Then, double-down on local inventory with Google’s Local Inventory Ads feature. Local inventory ads showcase products available in nearby stores, encouraging shoppers to visit in person. You can also customize them to geographic areas closest to physical stores, so they’re displayed to customers most likely to shop there in person.

## 11. Stop ads from being disapproved by Google and Meta

As online shopping continues to thrive this year, you’ll want to do all you can to minimize the chances of ads being disapproved by Google or Meta due to errors. Here are a few best practices to achieve the best results:

- Keep your feeds structured and organized, so they’re easier to update and optimize.
- Use Channable’s Feed Quality Score and Errors report to automatically ensure that product feeds meet all platform requirements. It flags any errors and proposes fixes, including hyperlinks that pinpoint the issues.
- Use the Feed Quality Scores tool to improve accuracy and relevancy, which lowers cost-per-click and boosts your advertising ROI.
- Make sure your feeds support the proper display of promotions, sales and discounts, which is especially important during peak shopping periods.
- Keep your product data consistent across all platforms and channels. This helps your clients avoid complaints due to incorrect product information.

## 12. Manage all your feeds and clients in a single dashboard

As a digital marketer or agency, you’re not just managing across products and feeds – you’re managing across clients, campaigns, and expectations. Channable’s Dashboard gives you a centralized hub with an overview of quality scores by feed and account.

![Tip - 12.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Lb6iQteKSN6zgWzNyCRZ)

It also gives you a centralized view of quality scores by project and client. And you can copy successful rules across feeds, so you can apply your winning strategies from one campaign or client to the rest of your portfolio.

## Ready to achieve more in 2025?

Combined with your experience and instinct as a digital marketer, the twelve tactics above will help you achieve more and maximize your ROI throughout the year. 

Do you want to take the next step towards online marketing excellence in 2025? Learn more about how Channable can power all of your campaigns. Best of all: For a limited time, your first product feed is on us.

Discover how the right tools and automated solutions can boost your ROI!


Navigating the Multichannel Maze: 2025's Top 12 Online Advertising Tactics

In this episode of Channable's eCommerce Partner Talks podcast, you will listen to an insightful discussion covering everything you need to know about Amazon Ads from three different perspectives:

- **Amazon's take**: Discover how Amazon, the e-commerce giant itself, views its advertising products and their impact on sellers and shoppers.
- **Artefact's expertise**: Gain valuable insights from Artefact, a leading marketing agency, as they share their strategies and tactics for Amazon PPC success.  
- **Channable's automation insights**: Learn why it can be a game changer to create and optimize your Amazon advertising campaigns at scale. 

Listen to the full-length podcast of Channable’s eCommerce Partner Talk Amazon Ads

<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5z9yt0nbqvnv4fxdZNPbMm?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe>

*More information about [Amazon Ads automation](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads) at scale with Channable*

Amazon Ads is part of Channable's end-to-end marketplace solution, making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how Channable can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!] 


Podcast: eCommerce Partner Talk exploring Amazon PPC automation

Amazon is known around the world as an eCommerce giant - but consumers may not necessarily be aware that it is an advertising one too. 

Based on revenue, Amazon is the third-largest digital ad platform in the world, behind Google and Facebook, with reach that extends beyond its own site, recently announcing that it will now place sponsored product ads on Pinterest, Buzzfeed, and other third-party sites.

As further evidence of Amazon’s reach, **half** of all US adults admit that they start their product searches on the site. In other markets, the figure is even higher, with 65% of shoppers in Germany starting their searches on Amazon. 

Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in the increasing adoption of Amazon Ads across all markets in Europe. 

Since you’re here, we know you get it, that while it is necessary to advertise on Amazon to grow, scale, and expand your audience, achieving this depends on being able to optimize your advertising campaigns at scale. That is, of course, where agencies and marketers come in, below, we explain exactly how to do this. 

## Your Amazon Ads options
Amazon Ads offers several different products and the right one for you will depend on your goals and ambitions. Advertisers can choose from sponsored brands, products, or displays, as well as multi-page stores, or video/audio ads. 

Goals may include awareness, such as sharing your brand story, conversion, or strengthening loyalty. 

- **Sponsored displays**, for example, can help create brand awareness, drive purchases, and even strengthen loyalty with relevant audiences. Brands can engage with audiences browsing specific detail pages, whether this is on the Amazon home page, on Twitch, or on third-party apps and websites. 

- **Sponsored branding**, on the other hand, makes use of creative ads that appear in relevant Amazon shopping results. This works by allocating cost per click budget to relevant search terms. Shoppers can get to know your brand by driving traffic to the brand store. 

- **Sponsored products**, help boost sales of individual products by generating ads from your product listings and offering automatic targeting so you can start advertising with no experience necessary.

Depending on the size of the advertiser, many are starting to realize that Amazon is no longer a nice to have, but an essential element of the entire media landscape. 

As such, there’s been a growing awareness that using Amazon Ads is about more than simply launching a campaign and watching orders roll in. But whatever the specific goal you’re looking to meet through Amazon Ads, data is likely to help you achieve it. 

## Challenges and opportunities
Even with the huge benefits available to advertisers using Amazon Ads, there are challenges too. 

This includes balancing organic and paid initiatives, gathering reviews, prioritizing owned channels over Amazon, and evaluating product mixes, as well as pricing and competitor analysis. 

Nuances in languages can also really make a difference if brands work with native speakers to determine which keywords to focus on.

However, these challenges shouldn’t stop you from accessing the wealth of opportunities that Amazon Ads provides. These include the way that the marketplace brings branding, display ads, organic listings, and paid listings together as part of a single platform. 

As long as you are willing to invest the necessary time to understand the platform and the relevant tools in detail, or hire the right team, Amazon Ads offers a way to manage campaigns holistically. 

Of course, not all advertisers will have the skills to optimize their campaigns with Amazon Ads. If that’s the case, it may be a good idea to work with a third-party ad consultancy instead. 

They may have the expertise to combine data management and digital marketing to help advertisers craft a go-to-marketplace strategy, set up and launch their campaigns, and manage their portfolios more effectively.

## Agencies and automation
Amazon Ads can play a leading role in the optimization of a brand’s campaign but only if the right solution is employed. Third-party agencies can leverage their knowledge to help brands here. For example, they can advise brands to use a sponsored display, sponsored branding, or sponsored products, depending on which is most likely to help them achieve their goals.  

Another major upside to working with an agency, is getting access to the latest expertise. Amazon’s advertising platform can be complex and a little daunting if you have a vast catalog of items to sell. 

An agency can guide you and make things easier to digest. An agency will help with strategy development, data analysis, and optimization to help you achieve a better ROI. Agencies can also help with time schedules and financial budgets. 

Working with third parties can help brands unlock the secrets of Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. That’s why so many brands choose to work with [Channable](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads). Our customers are characterized by their large assortment of products, which can make both campaign creation and campaign optimization challenging. 

[![PPC.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Wa2tAP7jQceAnStbTGyY)](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool)

Our simple, automated solution allows brands to automate all aspects of campaign creation and optimization. It means they can easily apply advanced strategies while remaining in control - without doing all the manual labor

Tooling like that provided by Channable is not just great for advertisers either. It can help improve the experience for sellers and customers too. 

To stay ahead of the competition, Amazon sellers must constantly optimize their strategies and advertising efforts - but across thousands of products and multiple countries, this adds up to a time and resource-intensive process. 

Fortunately, Amazon Ads is part of Channable's end-to-end solution, so you can enjoy automated campaign optimization and reach your goals.

*To find out more about the world of Amazon Ads and hear from industry experts like Amazon’s Mike Vroegh, Daniel Stenitzer from [Artefact](https://www.artefact.com/), and our very own Jochem Timmers be sure to check out our [eCommerce Partner Talk](https://www.channable.com/blog/ecommerce-partner-talk-amazon-ads). You can hear about Amazon PPC automation in more detail and how agencies and tools can help you optimize your campaigns.*

eCommerce Partner Talks Exploring Amazon Ads PPC Automation

<h3>Tips on how to select the products for Amazon</h3>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a> is a marketplace with a very high sales potential, but how can you sell on it in a profitable way? The key to success is to choose the right products to display on the platform. Indeed, it is very likely that some of your items are not performing well on Amazon, while others sell like hotcakes. It is fundamental to carefully select the products you want to sell on Amazon. We’ve written a few tips on choosing which products to sell on Amazon:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>**Easy to ship products**
By choosing to sell small and light products, you can lower the shipping costs in your ads. The shipping cost has a big impact on the purchase decision of the customer; the lower it is, the more likely you are to sell the product.</li>
 	<li>**Products with prices that are not too low**
Amazon charges a cost-per-sale fee (CPS), which means you pay a fee every time you sell a product. Therefore, advertising a cheaper e.g. €2.00 product is not very profitable. Try to sell only products that are worth selling, taking into account the commission.</li>
 	<li>**Specific and targeted products, containing relevant and complete information**
It is much easier to sell a product called "15-inch MacBook Black Cover" than "Laptop Cover". Why? Even if the second title matches with many keywords used in the Amazon queries, it will hardly ever correspond to what the user is really searching for. Always try to give a complete description of the product, by listing its model, its color, its size, and so on, so that users already have an entire overview of the item before clicking on it. Of course, this depends on your familiarity with the products you want to sell. If they're already being sold on Amazon, this could mean that the content has already been provided by another supplier</li>
 	<li>**Products that match customers' wishes**
In order to give you a little insight into what sells best, Amazon created a "bestsellers" corner on its website. In this feature, all the top-selling products are listed by category. If you can advertise these items at a lower price than other merchants, then you’ll be sealing the deals!</li>
</ul>
In order to only send products with the highest selling potential, you will need a good tool to filter between the products that are going to be sent to Amazon and those that aren’t. Channable’s <a href="/products/product-feed-management-tool">data feed management tool</a> could save you loads of time here. How?

The biggest challenge for selling on Amazon is to get your product information right in order to meet the requirements of Amazon. Channable’s smart rules enable you to very easily optimize your product information to meet Amazon standards, which is extensive. Examples of how to use the rules can be found below.
<h3>Attribute builder for completing mandatory information</h3>
It can take a whole day to modify your information to Amazon’s standards by yourself, especially when you're selling products in many different categories. That is why Channable developed an attribute builder for Amazon. This feature helps you to easily match your product information with the requirements of Amazon. Here is an example of a shop with many different categories in Channable:

![01_Amazon Profit_Image_01_EN.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/znz60SAR1Kjeo0xJQAlf)

Once you click on one of these categories, you will see the different mandatory attributes in red (see example below). In order to help you, Channable provides you with a description of the required information needed for that column. You just have to click on the title, and you will see a suggestion of what the accepted values on that column are. You can then either map this column with a field from your feed (i.e. color field) or add a static value (i.e. if you sell only products for women, you can fill the column Department with “women”).

![02_Amazon Profit_Image_02_EN.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/xckAEMknTGOXpWyeSFvl)

<h3>Filtering products based on their size</h3>
The above tips can be applied to an example feed from an online cosmetics shop. Based on the above, only products that are worth more than €10.00 with a maximum size of 30 cm will be sold on Amazon. This restriction can be implemented with the following rule:

![03_Amazon Profit_Image_03_EN.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/jzQJvqWZS7S7lAcGnvoy)


By excluding these products, they are not permanently deleted from the feed, instead, they are just not sent to Amazon. If one of the products costs €9.00 today, it will be excluded. But if tomorrow its price increases to €11 on your online shop, it will be automatically sent to Amazon.
<h3>Filling in missing information with the rules</h3>
As mentioned above, products with complete information sell better. Complete missing information can also be done in the Channable tool:

![04_Amazon Profit_Image_04_EN.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/fDrNezQWSZSimSbAz6Ay)


In the example above, the field "color" was not filled for all the shop’s products. A rule can be created in the tool to retrieve this information from another field e.g. "description". This rule allows you to find a certain value in the product information and copy it to an individual field that is recognized by Amazon.

It is also possible to create rules based on the results in Analytics. This allows you, for example, to exclude products with a low conversion rate.

Now that you know how to implement a good strategy on Amazon, you can start filtering your products and selling them on the top eCommerce marketplace!

Amazon Ads is part of Channable's end-to-end marketplace solution, making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how Channable can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!](https://www.channable.com/signup)

Easy ways to make more profit on Amazon

## Amazon Ads marketing strategies: best practices with Jochem Timmers

Amazon Ads have become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to expand their reach within the eCommerce landscape. On this topic, we had the privilege of sitting down with Jochem Timmers, Amazon Ads product owner at Channable, to delve into the realm of Amazon Ads best practices. 

From marketing strategies to campaign structures, Jochem shared invaluable insights that can empower businesses to enhance their online presence and bolster their sales, so let's jump on in.

## Benefits of Amazon Ads

### Q: Can you explain the key differences between Amazon Ads and other major advertising platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

**A:** [Amazon Ads](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool/amazon-ads) differ from platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads in that they are tailored specifically for the Amazon marketplace. 

While Google and Facebook ads target users at various stages of their online journey, Amazon Ads focus on users who are already in a purchasing mindset. Amazon Ads are displayed within Amazon search results and product pages, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

### Q: What are the main types of Amazon Ads, and how do they cater to different marketing goals?

**A:** The main types of Amazon Ads are Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display.

![Amazon-Ads-blog-header-03.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/n2ouYrm4R8SR8PrEzfgQ)
 
- **Sponsored Products** are the most used, with around 80% of ad spend going to this type of ad, it promotes individual product listings and is keyword-targeted.

- **Sponsored Brands** is exclusively for brand owners and promote a brand or product range, featuring a custom headline, logo, and products.

- **Sponsored Display** reaches customers both on and off Amazon, using targeting options based on interests and behaviors.

### Q: How important is keyword research in Amazon Ads, and what tools or best practices do you recommend for effective keyword research?

**A:** Keyword research is crucial in Amazon Ads to ensure your ads appear for relevant search queries. 

Tools like Amazon's own "Amazon Keyword Tool" and third-party tools like [Helium 10](https://www.helium10.com/), and [Jungle Scout](https://www.junglescout.com/) can help identify high-converting keywords. 

Consider competitor analysis and monitoring search terms in campaign reports for refinement. Once you know which ads are performing well, Channable can help you boost them even further with Rules to focus and increase ad spend for more visibility and sales.

### Q: Can you discuss the concept of "Product Targeting" in Amazon Ads and provide an example of how it can be used effectively?

**A:** Best practices for "Product Targeting" involve displaying your ads on specific product detail pages. For instance, if you sell a brand of hiking boots, your ad could appear on a related hiking backpack's detail page. 

This method leverages complementary or competitive products to reach a relevant audience and with automation rules can be a very effective way of targeting with your ads.

![Amazon-Ads-blog-header-04.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/10ym6pwlQnuFm8nJLqnX)

### Q: How does Amazon's algorithm determine the placement of ads on the platform? What strategies can advertisers use to improve their ad placements?

**A:** Amazon's algorithm determines ad placements based on relevance and bid amount. Advertisers can improve placements by optimizing keywords, targeting, and bids. High-performing ads and products often receive better placements due to increased conversions and relevance.

### Q: What role does product content optimization play in Amazon Ads? How can advertisers enhance their product listings for better ad performance?

**A:** Product content optimization directly impacts ad performance. High-quality images, clear titles, informative bullet points, and engaging product descriptions enhance both organic and ad-driven traffic. 

Optimizing content improves the likelihood of conversions once users reach the product detail page. All of this can be optimized and organized with a solution like Channable.

### Q: How does audience targeting work on Amazon Ads? What are some best practices for identifying and reaching the right audience for a product?

**A:** First of all it's good to state that audience targeting is only possible with Sponsored Display ads. Audience targeting on Amazon Ads involves refining targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. 

Best practices include analyzing past customer data, utilizing Amazon's targeting options, and leveraging third-party data sources for more granular audience segmentation. For Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands, keywords and product targets are the only targeting methods.

### Q: Can you discuss the concept of "Sponsored Brands" and explain how it differs from other Amazon ad formats?

**A:** "Sponsored Brands" are ads that promote your brand and product range and are only available to brand owners. They appear at the top of search results and allow you to direct shoppers to a custom landing page or Amazon Store. 

Sponsored Brands are more focused on brand awareness and consideration compared to product-focused Sponsored Products.

### Q: Amazon offers both manual and automatic targeting options for campaigns. When would you recommend using each approach, and what are the advantages of each?

**A:** **Manual targeting** is recommended when you want precise control over targeting, such as bidding on specific keywords or products. This method can be a great choice when you know which of your ads are performing best and want to boost their performance further with specific targeting.
 
**Automatic targeting** is useful for gathering data on converting search terms. Manual campaigns require ongoing optimization, while automatic campaigns leverage Amazon's algorithms for targeting. 

This can be a good way to launch a campaign and gather data to see which ads and products are performing well, before moving them to a manual campaign for more specific targeting.

### Q: What are some effective ways to measure the success of an Amazon Ads campaign? Which key performance indicators (KPIs) do you consider most important?

**A:** Key performance indicators (**KPIs**) for measuring Amazon Ads success include Click-Through Rate (**CTR**), Conversion Rate, Cost-Per-Click (**CPC**), Total Advertising Cost of Sales (**TACOS**), Advertising Cost of Sales (**ACOS**), and overall Sales. 

The most important KPIs depend on campaign goals, such as visibility, sales, or brand awareness. All in all it's up to you to choose what is most important for you to measure and reach your goals.

[![PPC.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Wa2tAP7jQceAnStbTGyY)](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool)

## Amazon Ads Campaign Structures:

Amazing Jochem, thank you for all the information and insights, let's shift gears here a little and dive a little deeper into the technical side of things with campaign structure and strategy.

### Q: When setting up an Amazon Ads campaign, what are the different levels of structure that need to be defined? (e.g., campaign, ad group, keywords)

**A:** Amazon Ads campaigns have three main levels of structure: **Campaign**, **Ad Group**, and **Keywords/Targets**. The Campaign level sets the budget and targeting settings, the Ad Group level organizes ads by themes or products, and the Keywords/Targets level specifies the keywords or products the ad will be triggered by.

### Q: Can you explain the differences between "Sponsored Products," "Sponsored Brands," and "Sponsored Display" campaign types? In what scenarios would you recommend using each type?

**A:** For sure, as stated earlier when defining campaign types, "**Sponsored Products**" ads promote individual product listings and are keyword-targeted. 

"**Sponsored Brands**" ads promote brand visibility and feature custom headlines and multiple products, but can only be used by brand owners. 

"**Sponsored Display**" ads target customers both on and off Amazon and appear on product detail pages and other Amazon pages. When you use each type is up to you and your campaign goals.

### Q: How can a hierarchical campaign structure help in organizing and optimizing Amazon Ads campaigns? Could you provide an example of how you might structure a campaign for a new product launch and some best practices?

**A:** A best practice for a product launch is to create multiple campaigns for the product. Starting with an automatic campaign. After about two weeks you can create one or multiple campaigns with manual targeting.

![Amazon-Ads-blog-header-02.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/tja9bEF1TsKbFrkeAHMq)

You then move your best performing keywords and product targets to these manual campaigns and exclude them from your automatic campaigns using negative keywords. 

This way you have the ultimate control on how much you spend on keywords. This can be a time-consuming job, so automation is recommended.

### Q: Negative keywords play a significant role in refining ad targeting. How do you determine which negative keywords to use, and how frequently should they be reviewed and updated?

**A:** Negative keywords prevent ads from showing for irrelevant search queries, which can save you a lot on ad spend. Review campaign search term reports to identify irrelevant queries and add them as negative keywords. Regularly update negative keywords to refine targeting.

### Q: In terms of budget allocation, what strategies do you suggest for distributing budgets across different campaign types and products?

**A:** Allocate budgets based on the performance of each campaign type and product. High-performing campaigns and products should receive higher budgets. 

Consider distributing budget to campaigns with high ROI and potential for growth. This can be difficult to do manually, and is a great case for using Automatic targeting in the beginning to get an overview and see what ads are performing well.

### Q: What considerations should advertisers keep in mind when selecting bidding strategies for their campaigns? How does the choice of bidding strategy impact campaign performance?

**A:** When selecting bidding strategies, a best practice is to consider campaign goals and the competitive landscape. "**Dynamic bids - up and down**" is flexible and adapts bids for conversions. Use it for campaigns with varying conversion rates. "**Fixed bids**" offer control, suitable for campaigns with predictable performance and certain types of budget.

### Q: How do you approach optimizing the product content for better ad performance within a campaign? What elements should be evaluated and potentially adjusted?

**A:** Optimize product content by ensuring clear, compelling titles, high-quality images, informative bullet points, and accurate descriptions. Monitor product performance and adjust content as needed to improve conversion rates. Automation can be a lifesaver in this situation and can really help you boost and scale your ads.

### Q: Can you discuss the concept of "ad placements" within Amazon Ads campaigns? How can advertisers influence where their ads appear on the platform?

**A:** Ad placements determine where your ads appear on Amazon. Advertisers can influence placements by adjusting bids for **top-of-search** or **product page placements**. Strategic bid adjustments can improve ad visibility.

### Q: Dynamic bidding options, such as "Dynamic bids - up and down," offer flexibility in bid adjustments. When would you recommend using dynamic bidding, and what benefits does it offer?

**A:** Dynamic bidding options like "Dynamic bids - up and down" offer flexibility in bid adjustments. Use this option when you want to automatically optimize bids based on the likelihood of conversion. These options can help balance cost and conversion goals.

### Q: For Sponsored Brands campaigns, advertisers can feature multiple products in a single ad. How can advertisers optimize these ads to showcase their product range effectively?

**A:** To optimize Sponsored Brands campaigns featuring multiple products, showcase a variety of products relevant to the brand and use engaging headlines. Prioritize products that have high visibility and conversion rates. Test different combinations to find the most effective arrangement.

---

Thank you very much for all the info and insights Jochem, we've covered a wide range of Amazon Ads marketing strategies and campaign structures. 

Whether you're a seasoned advertiser or new to the Amazon marketplace, these insights can help you elevate your Amazon Ads game and drive better results. 

Amazon Ads is part of Channable's end-to-end marketplace solution, making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how Channable can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!] (https://www.channable.com/signup)

Stay tuned for more industry expert interviews and insights on effective marketing practices on the [Channable website](https://www.channable.com/blog) and stay connected by joining our newsletter for all your eCommerce news.

Best practices for creating Amazon Ads with Channable

This article will be your one-stop guide to understanding the different reports available on Amazon’s Seller Central. We'll dive into every essential report and explain the key metrics you need to track for success.

## What are Amazon Reports? 

Amazon Reports are essentially data dashboards for sellers on Amazon. They provide valuable insights and information to help sellers track the performance of their business. There are two main categories of Amazon reports:

- **Business Reports:** These reports focus on sales, traffic, inventory, and fulfillment. They include things like total sales, units ordered, number of visitors to your product listings, conversion rates, and how often your products win the "Buy Box" placement. By analyzing this data, sellers can identify trends, make better decisions about pricing and advertising, and improve their overall sales strategy.

- **Advertising Reports:** If you run advertising campaigns on Amazon, these reports will tell you how your ads are performing. You can see things like which keywords are driving the most traffic and sales, what your click-through rates are, and how much you're spending on advertising. This information can help you optimize your ad campaigns for better results.

## How to access Amazon Seller Central Reports

Here's how to navigate to the different reports available in Amazon Seller Central:

1. Log in to your [Seller Central account](https://sellercentral.amazon.com/).
2. Navigate to the Reports Tab in the top left corner of your Seller Central homepage. Hover over the "Reports" tab to display a dropdown menu.
3. Select the desired report type from the dropdown menu, e.g. "Business Reports," "Advertising Reports," "Payments Reports," or "Fulfillment Reports." 
4. Once you're within a category, you can choose the specific report you want. Most reports allow you to set a custom date range for the data you want to see.
5. Click on "Request Report" or "Download Report" depending on the report type.

## Benefits of using Amazon Reports 

![Benefits Amazon Reports.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/LXL9kJrROWmyf5K0zKWC)

Amazon Reports offer a crystal-clear view into every aspect of your business as a seller. You can track everything from sales and traffic to inventory levels and customer behavior. By diving into these reports, you can:

- Track total sales, units sold, and revenue trends to identify your top-selling products, peak sales periods, and customer buying patterns. 
- Analyze conversion rates, bounce rates, and traffic sources to understand how customers interact with your listings.
- Discover which keywords are driving the most traffic and sales, allowing you to refine your advertising campaigns and maximize your return on ad spend (ROAS). 
- Gain insights into your inventory levels, identify slow-moving products, and optimize your stock to avoid stockouts or overstocking. 

## Amazon Business Reports 

Amazon Business Reports provide insights into sales trends and the actions visitors take on your product pages. These are the reports that you should keep and eye on: 

![Amazon Sales Dashboard report.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/AKukgTMRsezMW5VhtFC1)

### Sales Dashboard

This date-based report provides a clear view of your orders and sales data, allowing you to compare your current performance to previous periods. These easy-to-read reports are presented in your currency and percentages, along with helpful graphs and tables for visual analysis.

### Sales & Traffic

This report shows how many people viewed your listings and visited your Seller page, along with your conversion rate - the percentage of viewers who turn into paying customers. You'll also see total sales, gross product sales (revenue before fees), and even how many units are typically viewed per customer session. 

### Detail Page Sales and Traffic by ASIN

This report provides the most in-depth look at individual product performance. It breaks down various metrics for each product and its variations (child [ASINs](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-asin-what-is-it-how-to-create)). This includes crucial data points like the number of product views and the conversion rate for each product. Here’s a breakdown of the key information that you can see in this report:

- **Sessions:** The number of unique visitors to your product page in the last 24 hours. 
- **Page Views:** The total number of views on your listing within a selected time period. This includes customers who viewed your listing multiple times so it might be higher than your sessions. 
- **Page Views Percentage:** The percentage of page views individual product ASINs receive compared to other products. 
- **Buy Box Percentage:** The percentage of page views where you owned the [Buy Box](https://www.channable.com/blog/win-amazon-buy-box-increase-sales). 
- **Units Ordered:** The total number of units ordered during the specified date range. 
- **Unit Session Percentage:** This is the most important metric in the business report as it shows your conversion rate: the percentage of units ordered compared to the number of page views.
- **Ordered Product Sales:** The total revenue for each product within a specific time period.
- **Total Order Items:** The total number of times a specific item was ordered within a selected timeframe. 

## Amazon Advertising Reports 

These reports give you crucial insights into how your keywords, search terms, and bids are performing. You'll see key metrics like clicks, cost-per-click (CPC), Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – all presented alongside your PPC sales and overall spending. 

### Advertised Product (Sponsored Products and Display)

These reports are designed specifically for sellers who run [Sponsored Products](https://www.channable.com/blog/amazon-sponsored-products) or Sponsored Display campaigns. They provide in-depth data for each individual product you're advertising. This means you can see how each ASIN is performing in terms of impressions, clicks, sales, and other key metrics.

### Attributed Purchases (Sponsored Brands)

Unlike Advertised Product reports that focus on clicks and impressions for advertised products, Attributed Purchases show which products are purchased as a result of your Sponsored Brands campaigns.

![Amazon Search Terms Report.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/6bYniXglSb2WCoucJmaC)

### Search Terms (all ad types)

As the name suggests, this report reveals the exact search terms customers are using to find your products on Amazon. It includes the following metrics: 

- Keyword Targeting and Match Type
- Search Term used
- Sales & Conversion rate for specific terms
- Click-Through Rate
- Cost-Per-Click
- Impressions

By identifying the most popular search terms, you can integrate them into your product listings, improving search ranking and organic visibility. Alternatively, you can flag poorly performing terms as negative keywords to prevent irrelevant clicks and ensure your advertising budget reaches the right customers. 

### Placements Report (all ad types) 

This report breaks down key metrics like impressions, clicks, sales, and ACoS for your campaigns across various placements. These placements could be:

- **Search Results:** Top of search (TOS), Search results page (rest of search)
- **Details Page:** Directly on a product's detail page

## Other types of Amazon Reports

There are more Amazon reports available beyond the ones we've covered. Let's explore a few more valuable reports to add to your seller toolkit:

### Return Reports

This report allows you to see how many returns you’ve received within a specified time period and the reasons why customers return your products. You can use Return Reports to identify trends such as return frequency or product-specific issues. Additionally, by pinpointing the root causes of returns, you can take proactive measures to improve product quality, listing accuracy, and customer communication - which can help to reduce your return rate. 

### Fulfillment Reports

These reports provide sellers with details of their sales, inventory, and shipments. You can find data on items shipped, inventory levels, orders processed, storage fees, removals, and reimbursements.

If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), there are reports to understand how your Amazon FBA business is running. There are several reports available, including Long-Term Storage Fee reports, Subscribe & Save Performance, Promotions Performance, Stranded Inventory, Returns, and Inventory Age & Health.

## Get the most out of Amazon with Channable 

At Channable, we have a number of different products to help Amazon sellers maximize their success on the platform. From [feed management](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) and [smart categorization](https://www.channable.com/products/smart-categorization) to PPC optimization, our tools can help you optimize your product listings and create Amazon advertising campaigns at scale. 

[Sign up for a free trial](https://www.channable.com/signup) to learn more about how Channable can help you grow your brand on the Amazon marketplace.


The ultimate guide to Amazon Reports

## What are online marketplaces, and what is their role in eCommerce?
An online marketplace is a virtual market where third parties provide products and services, but the marketplace processes the transactions. 
The marketplace acts as an "online department store" with a certain category range but (in the vast majority of situations) does not own the products that are shown and offered. On an eCommerce marketplace, real-time access to information about stock, price, delivery, and any other kind of product information is possible. 
Online marketplaces are a playground of opportunity. 
According to a recent study, [1 in 5 people](https://internetretailing.net/shoppers-now-five-times-more-likely-to-look-for-a-product-on-a-marketplace-than-on-a-brand-website-study-24025/) who look for products online start there. Another study found that [65% of customers](https://www.webretailer.com/everything-else/multichannel-selling-online-marketplaces/) are comfortable purchasing on a marketplace from a brand they have never heard of.
![What are online marketplaces.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/8k6hRgJDSPFUl7bbE1T4)
Therefore, the main challenge for sellers and the platform itself is the seamless and correct integration of product data into the online marketplace.
## Why should I list the top ecommerce marketplaces?
A closer look at the main reasons and motivations for shoppers to use eCommerce marketplaces offers a great starting point to align your online marketing strategy accordingly.
![Why do online shoppers buy on marketplaces?.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/QrXbaTc9QcaWW7LOlERs)
## Benefits of Selling on Online Marketplaces
The expanding number of services and offerings for retailers selling on online marketplaces displays many advantages in addition to the enormous incentive of improved visibility and exposure to the appropriate target groups:
![Benefits of selling on marketplaces.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/7xJCswRRGXB5zoBe4R1w)
## Top 10 Marketplaces to Sell Online in 2023
To help you with your research, here are ten of the top eCommerce marketplaces available. They are all distinctive in their ways. So use this guide to select the online marketplace that will help you stand out and earn like a pro based on your brand requirements, budget, and overall eCommerce goals. 
### 1- Amazon
![Amazon marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/VEMtoeH0TZKQ8Fo4YfPo)
We can't talk about online markets without discussing the current leader, Amazon. It is, without a doubt, the biggest eCommerce market in the country. After all, Bezos' supremacy is unbeatable. 
Amazon has a staggering 300 million users in its client base. There are a ton of potential clients perusing the online aisles at this time! 
In 2022 alone, Amazon's net sales increased dramatically, reaching an astounding $386 billion. 
Yeah, you heard that right. 
To begin selling on Amazon, simply create an account on Seller Central with your name, address, phone number, tax ID, and other necessary information, and then select the marketplace or marketplaces you wish to sell on. When authorized, your selling journey might begin after seven business days.
So, if you're trying to build a name for yourself in the online selling world, hitching your wagon to the Amazon train might just be the key to your success.
You might also like: How to make awesome listings on Amazon
### 2. eBay
![ebay marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/2nP1xmu2R1DgEVvNmPbu)
Ah, eBay! It is a legendary online store where auction thrills and the delight of finding a fantastic deal collide. 
Since its first introduction in 1995, eBay has grown from a website that only offers second-hand goods to one of the biggest eCommerce retailers in the world. The vendors who sell new and refurbished goods and are willing to auction them at higher prices do well in this marketplace. 
With eBay, you can join the marketplace without submitting any applications. Create an account by simply creating your first listing. With a whopping 183 million active buyers around the globe, you can bet there's an audience for almost anything you want to sell.

The best thing about eBay is that the eBay Seller Hub will assist you in running your business as easily as ever, even if you're a new seller without a website or setup. For instance, you might print your mailing labels and place ads on eBay.

### 3.Walmart
![walmart marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/4ikXaOeMT96zUrW1VXJY)
Now, we can't overlook the retail giant: Walmart!

It is one of the most prominent merchants in the world, having entered the eCommerce market in 2000. In 2022, Walmart's eCommerce sales skyrocketed to a whopping $102 billion.
Similar to Amazon, the Walmart marketplace is ideal for owners of small and enterprise-level businesses who wish to take advantage of the enormous traffic generated by these eCommerce giants and present their products to the appropriate market.
To sell at Walmart, you must submit an application. If approved, you can display your products to more than 110 million customers who shop online monthly.
In order to be accepted, you must have quick fulfillment capabilities, a large selection of high-quality products, and aggressive pricing. Remember that you can only sell as a seller or a drop-ship merchant, not both. Additionally, Walmart has its guidelines for drop shippers. As a seller, you can take advantage of this marketplace's massive amount of traffic.
### 4. Etsy
![Etsy marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/8QZWaOaWQmqo1Y0cNT1x)
Calling all creative souls! 
Etsy is the place to be if you have a talent for handmade, antique, or unique products. It's similar to a virtual artisan market where talented artisans display their products.
Unlike vendors on other marketplaces, Etsy sellers sell items independently of the Etsy brand. Customers need to know that when they purchase from you, they get your products, not those sold by Etsy.
Customers are brought to your unique Etsy storefront when they click on your brand name on product pages. Customers who click on your brand name will be redirected to your storefront, even if you don't have a website. 
This is a great way to establish your brand's identity and attract loyal customers. Etsy can give you an advantage if you're new to the industry and looking to increase awareness of your products and brand.
With 33 million consumers browsing for things like vintage apparel, jewelry, and handmade goods, you will surely find the ideal customers who will relate to your niche.
### 5. Shopify
![shopify marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/6lO5ewVgQP6Yql8ydHjj)
Do you yearn for the lovely sound of independence? That's what Shopify, a platform enabling vendors to build their online stores, offers.
If you want to create a website to sell goods, Shopify is a popular and highly recommended eCommerce platform. Over half of Shopify store owners receive repeat business annually, and the platform holds a market share of nearly 11%.
Your website, blog, SSL certificates, abandoned shopping cart recovery, and many other benefits are included in the standard Shopify charge that you must pay. Shopify doesn't charge a one-time setup fee or any other unforeseen costs. You can use Shopify's 14-day free trial to sell, ship, and accept international payments.
Shopify is known for its beginner-friendly features, allowing sellers to customize their storefront to look like their website. It also provides a selection of Shopify apps that can be used to personalize your store.
### 6.  Alibaba
![Alibaba marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/K4ST1xRtQIuhoAcovW2R)
Welcome to the land of opportunity, where the dragon of online commerce, Alibaba, reigns supreme. It is a Chinese global corporation with technology, e-commerce, and retail expertise. It is among the biggest online retailers in the world.
The business operates marketplaces for C2C (Taobao), B2C (Tmall), and B2B (Alibaba.com). Every year on China's Singles' Day, which is the biggest online and offline shopping day globally, Alibaba breaks sales records without fail.
Alibaba is a B2B platform. The best-selling products are typically those that can be mass-produced and sold at wholesale prices to restock inventories for businesses.
### 7.Facebook Marketplace
![Facebook Marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/C36KokeBRgGz7VbsGdKd)
Let's now explore the thriving Facebook Marketplace, where social media meets e-commerce.
In October 2016, Facebook introduced the Facebook Marketplace to encourage users to participate in its platform and facilitate the buying and selling of goods. Amazingly, Facebook Marketplace provides assistance to small business owners without charging them a listing fee. Anyone can launch a Facebook Marketplace company without any prior e-commerce experience. 
For online sellers to be present on Marketplace, Facebook has also worked with online selling systems like Shopify. There are specific requirements and rules that you must abide by as a seller on Marketplace, but there are no listing costs.
### 8. Newegg
![Newegg marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Wa5rmBITOCNoBtBDepX0)
Newegg is a haven for all things electronics, making it a go-to destination for tech-savvy shoppers. It is an excellent fit for seasonal sellers because electronic products are frequently in demand throughout the holiday season, such as around Christmas and Black Friday.
By giving sellers access to marketing and merchandising services, Newegg enables you to attract the most relevant traffic to its site. Over 20 million Newegg customers can see your products through banner advertisements and email marketing campaigns. As a result, this increases your likelihood of growing your sales.
Similar to Amazon FBA, Newegg also established its own fulfillment alternative called Shipped by Newegg (SBN) to streamline your shipping procedure. When there are orders, Newegg will keep your inventory before packing and shipping. This is one of the greatest platforms for merchants who are prepared to expand but lack the financial means to handle drop-shipping right away.
### 9. Rakuten
![Rakuten marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/hnKx3dASS69KHamkS7M7)
Rakuten is a Japanese e-commerce giant with a global reach. This company is often called the "Amazon of Japan" because it sells a diverse range of products across many different categories. Rakuten stands out for its customer incentive program, Rakuten Super Points, which encourages customers to purchase. 
Here's a statistic that will catch your attention: 
In 2022, Rakuten's marketplace generated astonishing gross product sales, surpassing [five trillion yen](https://rakuten.today/blog/rakuten-five-trillion-yen-gms.html). 
Within the Rakuten ecosystem, there are a lot of transactions happening. Therefore, joining Rakuten's active marketplace could be wise for your company if you're trying to penetrate the Japanese market and increase your international presence.
### 10.  Nextdoor
![Nextdoor marketplace.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/YjBHsAT2QDKFnUXgi90G)
On Nextdoor, you can sell things and share information with your friends and community. It serves as a forum for neighbors to communicate about neighborhood events, from promoting a party to raising concerns about trash collection. 
Nextdoor offers more than just a community forum; it gives users a free online marketplace. Like Facebook Marketplace, there is no listing fee, but you must meet your customer in person to complete the deal.

## Over To You
Selling online is becoming a must rather than a choice. 
Marketplaces are your platform if you want to broaden your exposure, connect with the proper target market and new audiences, and earn money from products and services that make your life as an online retailer easier. 
At the same time, marketing automation makes selling your products on marketplaces simpler than ever. 
Your online sales will increase thanks to Channable's deep integration, direct data exchange, automatic product updates, feed administration, and PPC tool, which also helps you save time that you can use to develop your ultimate eCommerce strategy. 
[Contact us](https://www.channable.com/contact) to learn more about how feed management and PPC tools can be the asset you've been searching for! 
Up until the point at which you are ready to activate your first export feed, you may even test out Channable's features with a free trial account.

- [How to increase sales in the marketplace.](https://www.channable.com/blog/optimize-marketplace-sales)

The top 10 Best online E-Commerce marketplaces in 2024

## Channable and EasyAds collaboration for your growth

EasyAds will remain a separate entity but operate and support its customers exclusively on the Channable platform.

> I'm really happy that after months of preparation, we are now able to start this collaboration with EasyAds. As I see it, we are combining the best of both parties for their customers: Channable technology with the EasyAds knowledge and skills that they've gathered over the years. 
**Rob van Nuenen, Co-founder & CEO at Channable.**

By coupling [EasyAds](https://www.easyads.eu/en/) with Channable's market-leading technology, EasyAds will be able to provide more options and capabilities to support their customers powered by Channable's "new engine."

![Easy_ads_acquisition_blog_header_V1.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/SXjQcvKTCmpdEaunhDOs)

> With this collaboration, we will be able to help our customers grow and be even more successful. We believe that good technology should be the base and that the implementation determines the success for our clients.
**Martin Veenendaal, Managing Director at EasyAds.**

As a European market leader, Channable takes its next step in providing its solution, services, and technology to anyone wanting to scale their online presence and eCommerce business.

> As a well-established eCommerce partner, EasyAds will further expand its services for existing and new customers who are in need of successful and carefree implementation on the Channable platform.
**Martin Veenendaal, Managing Director at EasyAds.**

### Channable defines itself as a connector, empowering users. 

Connections define Channable on all levels. On a product level, we connect [feeds](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool), channels, and [ads](https://www.channable.com/products/ppc-tool) in a single platform. On a service level, we connect [advertisers](https://www.channable.com/industry/retail-ecommerce) and [agencies](https://www.channable.com/industry/digital-marketing-agencies) to the right audience. On a cultural level, we connect people, giving them the support and [solutions](https://www.channable.com/signup) to grow.

Consisting of over 230 professionals and more than 30 different nationalities, Channable started in the Benelux, evolving into a global company with offices in Berlin, New York City, Utrecht, and Logroño. For more information, go to https://www.channable.com/.

We hope this collaboration between Channable and EasyAds will enable us to further our vision of an all-in-one platform for greater visibility, smarter ad campaigns, and more personalized marketing.

The Channable Team


EasyAds is now powered by Channable

The eCommerce industry is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging at a lightning-fast pace, and it can be overwhelming for digital marketers to navigate. However, there are trends that stay steady and that we see our users adopting.

## Top eCommerce channels on Channable

Channable's analysis showed that our [platform's](https://www.channable.com/signup) top eCommerce channels in terms of usage are: 

- Google Shopping
- Bol.com
- Amazon

The most popular industries using our solution: 

- Home & Garden
- Fashion & Apparel
- Sporting & Outdoors 

Another trend our users adopt is PPC automation for improved online presence and ad spend. Many advertisers also use automation to boost quality scores, with an average improvement of 10.5% in Facebook Quality Ranking. 

Detecting errors and using data/ insights can be useful for digital marketers who want to stay ahead of the curve and keep their ads running at 100% across all eCommerce channels.

Read all out data and insights directly in the report
<p style="text-align:center;"><a style="display: inline-block; padding: 12px 24px; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: .0625em; text-transform: uppercase; background: #e54692; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;" href="https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023/">Dive into the report</a></p>

## Growing trends

As social commerce continues to grow, marketers are also adopting newer platforms like TikTok to account for the preferences of Gen Z and millennial consumers. 

This is just one example of the fast-paced trends that require constant attention and testing. Using a feed management platform to centralize campaigns and collect first-party data is crucial, as it enables businesses to identify top-performing campaigns and streamline performance.

Attribution is also a significant challenge for eCommerce businesses, with some companies shifting towards a profit on ad spend (POAS) strategy to gain visibility into the total conversion value of the customer lifecycle. 

Automation has also proved successful for agencies like [Artefact](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/artefact-increased-their-clients-ctr-by-19-through-automation-and-precision-marketing) and [ClickBoost](https://www.channable.com/success-stories/delivering-a-higher-ctr-and-better-roas-for-clickboosts-clients-ppc-campaigns-video), who experienced a **19%** increase in click-through rate (CTR) and **25%** increase in return on ads spend (ROAS).

## Strategies for Agencies and Marketers

Despite the growth of online shopping, consumers are re-discovering in-store experiences, presenting an opportunity for marketers to explore options like augmented reality to enhance interactive experiences. 

Marketers should be smart about their strategy and pick channels wisely. Instead of creating a campaign for every social channel, it's important to focus on the media that will best benefit the brand.

With Q4 always on everyone's minds, it's important to take the time to rest and relax, but also to prepare for the biggest selling period of the year. 

Applying best practices early on will give businesses the resources they need to succeed during the holiday season. Encouraging clients to decide on their core channels and allocate resources early on will allow teams to focus on holiday campaigns by the end of the summer.

Staying up-to-date with digital marketing trends is crucial for businesses to stay relevant in the ever-changing eCommerce landscape. 

Using a feed management platform to centralize campaigns and collect first-party data is essential, as it enables businesses to identify top-performing campaigns, streamline performance, and gain an overview of all campaigns. 

Read all the trends, insights, and numbers in our interactive report: "The State of eCommerce for Agencies: Building a Smarter Marketing Strategy." 

Dive into our data and start discovering trends you can use below!


<p style="text-align:center;"><a style="display: inline-block; padding: 12px 24px; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: .0625em; text-transform: uppercase; background: #e54692; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;" href="https://reports.channable.com/agency-insights-2023/">View the full report</a></p>



The State of eCommerce for Agencies: Building a Smarter Marketing Strategy

Amazon is the largest retailer in the world. Yes, you read that right, in the world.

In 2022, Amazon generated a whopping [$220 billion from online store sales](https://www.forrester.com/blogs/amazon-sales-and-profit-analysis-for-2022-top-10-insights/), and third-party sellers account for [more than 60% of Amazon sales](https://sell.amazon.com/blog/amazon-stats). 

Whether you’re an established retailer or a budding entrepreneur selling products out of your apartment, listing your products on Amazon can help you reach millions of customers. 

This guide will cover everything you need to know to get started, including product feed requirements, fees, and charges, as well as tips to optimize your product pages and boost sales. 

Let’s jump right into it. 

## The basics of selling on Amazon

If you want to start selling your products on Amazon, the first thing you need to do is set up your [Amazon seller account](https://sell.amazon.nl/en). We’d recommend doing this as soon as possible as Amazon’s verification process can take a couple of weeks.

### Amazon pricing plans

The next step is choosing your pricing plan. Amazon has two selling plan options: individual or professional. 

![Amazon seller pricing plans](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/lpkbvBR8Q465KsnxhWoq)

Deciding which plan to choose depends on how many items you think you’ll sell per month. If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month and want access to advertising, we recommend signing up for the professional plan. 

### Amazon fulfillment options  

Amazon offers two main fulfillment options for sellers: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM). Here’s a brief explanation of both:

1. **Fulfillment by Amazon**: Amazon handles the storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service. When you select this option your products will display the “Prime” badge and be eligible for Prime’s one-day delivery.

2. **Fulfillment by Merchant**: You manage the storage, packaging, shipping, and customer support. If you prefer to keep all your eCommerce operations in-house, then this is the best option for you. You can still sell to Prime customers if you can provide 1-to 2-day shipping with [Seller Fulfilled Prime](https://sell.amazon.com/programs/seller-fulfilled-prime).  

### Amazon’s fees

Here are a couple of fees on Amazon that you might need to pay as a seller:

- **Amazon referral fees**: This is the commission you pay for every item you sell. It changes depending on the category, but usually falls between 12% to 40%. For most products, the referral fee is around 15%.

- **FBA fulfillment fees**: If you sell using FBA, you’ll be charged a fee for each product sold to cover the costs of getting the order ready and shipped. The amount you pay depends on the weight and dimensions of your product.

- **FBA storage fees**: Every month you'll be billed for inventory storage. This charge is calculated based on the average amount of space your inventory occupies in Amazon's fulfillment centers.

## How to sell internationally on Amazon

Do you already sell your products in multiple countries? Or fancy maximizing the growth of your Amazon sales by selling internationally? Amazon makes it easy for sellers to sell internationally from one single account. 

### 6 steps to selling internationally on Amazon

![6 steps to selling internationally on Amazon.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/frkwYr2KRmOZqdC0K3PR)

1. **Register for a unified seller account**
Amazon offers a "single sign-on" (SSO) method for sellers. This allows you to use a single seller account to create and manage offers across the international Amazon sites. With SSO, you can handle international shipments and customize your sales strategy across these platforms using a unified login.

2. **Analyze what products you can sell on Amazon**

Each country has different legal and commercial requirements for the sale of products. You should keep these in mind as a seller if you want to expand your business internationally:

- Taxes and tariffs 
- Intellectual property rights
- Export controls
- Brands and label
- Environment and safety

Amazon has a [help page](https://sellercentral.amazon.es/gp/help/external/201468410?language=en_US) where you can learn more about tax and regulatory considerations for selling internationally.

3. **Create international listings**

Managing new listings and keeping product information current on Amazon can be complex, especially with a dynamic product catalogue. A streamlined solution is integrating your online catalogue with Amazon through [marketplace integration tools like Channable](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator). 

This enables easy optimization, including adjusting prices, applying discounts, enhancing titles and descriptions, and removing out-of-stock items—ensuring that your product information remains consistently updated.

You can also copy existing listings from one Amazon marketplace to another if you have linked the accounts. Amazon has a tool called ‘translate your products’ in its seller central making it easy to have your listings in a number of different languages.


4. **Create an account for international payments**

There are three options for receiving international payments for the sale of your products:

1. Open a bank account in the country where you plan to sell. 

2. Use the Amazon currency converter to receive payments directly in your main bank account.

3. Use the Hyperwallet service, which allows you to receive payments in the currency of your country or region by linking it with your bank accounts.

Currently, Amazon accepts bank accounts in the U.K., U.S., and all the countries in the Eurozone. Refer to [Amazon’s help center](https://sellercentral.amazon.es/gp/help/external/200497780?language=en_US) to check the types of currencies for each region, and learn how to [set up the Hyperwallet service here](https://sellercentral.amazon.es/help/hub/reference/external/G7S55VWDZ9SQCUEX?locale=en-US).

5. **Define your international sales strategy**

When you're stepping into an international market, it's helpful to think about the ‘4 Ps of Marketing’, which you can use as a starting point for your international marketing and sales strategy.

1. **Product**: [Assess the demand for your top-selling products](https://amzscout.net/blog/high-demand-products/){nofollow}  in the market you intend to expand into. If you're uncertain about demand, consider launching multiple products and see which ones are popular with Amazon’s customer base. 

2. **Price**: Check out how much your competitors are selling the same product for, and then set your price accordingly. Make sure to take the following costs into account: shipping, customer service, currency conversion, translation, taxes and tariffs, etc.

3. **Place**: Optimizing product listings, using Amazon's fulfillment services, and targeting relevant categories can help to improve the visibility of your items, making it easier for potential customers to find and purchase them. There are even[ smart categorization](https://www.channable.com/smart-categorization) features to help you manage large catalogs and work more efficiently.

4. **Promotion**: Increase the incentive to buy your products by using smart promotion techniques such as free shipping, seasonal discounts, 2 for 1 offers, etc. You can also boost the exposure of your items by using [Sponsored Products](https://advertising.amazon.com/solutions/products/sponsored-products), part of Amazon ad's cost-per-click advertising service. 

6. **Manage orders via FBA or a marketplace integrator**

As we mentioned earlier, if you choose FBA, Amazon handles the collection, packaging, and shipment of your products on your behalf, ensuring the safe delivery of your shipments to your customers' doorsteps.

Amazon currently offers its logistics service to vendors in Germany, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

![Manage Amazon orders via a marketplace integration tool.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/bthFdcucRCWGVNfP8eSl)

If you prefer to keep your order management in one place, you should consider a [marketplace integration tool](https://www.channable.com/products/marketplace-integrator)—especially if you use PrestaShop, Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce for your online store.
With a marketplace integrator, you can automatically send all your orders from Amazon directly to your eCommerce platform, where you can manage everything from one place. 

## Choosing the right product(s) to sell on Amazon

Amazon holds great sales potential, but how can you turn a profit? The key is picking the right products to sell. Some items might not do well on Amazon, while others are very popular. So, choosing wisely is crucial. Here are some tips to help you decide what to sell on Amazon:

### Easy to ship products 

Opting to sell small and lightweight products can reduce shipping expenses. For example, if you sell a product that fits in a mailbox package (such as jewelry, small electronic gadgets, or phone cases), your shipping costs will be much lower. 

The shipping cost significantly influences customer purchase decisions: the lower it is, the higher the likelihood of selling the product. Even better if you can absorb the shipping costs and offer free delivery, as [83% of shoppers will be more likely to buy from you](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/retailers-must-deliver-on-fulfillment-to-drive-conversions-a-new-study-by-arvato-reveals-668024593.html). 

### Affordable selling price 

![Amazon product price point.jpg](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/r4tGVLoERPGfgJjwfuwJ)

Unless your plan is to sell luxury products at a high price point, we’d recommend selling products in the €20-50 range. This is a good price point for ‘impulse purchases’ which is hugely beneficial when you’re just starting out, as most customers tend to hesitate when buying pricier items from unfamiliar brands.

This price range also gives you the opportunity to achieve a healthy profit margin, even after COGS, Amazon’s seller fees, and advertising costs. Most products in this price range should have fairly low production costs, too. 

### Descriptive product titles and descriptions

It’s much easier to sell a product called "15-inch MacBook Black Laptop Cover" than "Laptop Cover". Why? Although the second title might match various keywords that users search on Amazon, it’s likely to get lost in a sea of results.

Always try to give a complete description of the product, by listing its model, color, size, and so on, so that users already have an entire overview of the item before clicking on it. 

The same goes for product descriptions: write detailed, engaging descriptions that highlight the benefits and features of your products, and include relevant keywords to boost search visibility.

## Are you ready to start selling on Amazon, the world’s largest retailer?

Discover how Channable can help you upload your products in minutes, manage your listings, and automate the ordering and ads process.  

Amazon Ads is part of Channable's end-to-end marketplace solution, making it even easier for advertisers to access the benefits of Amazon PPC adverts. Learn how Channable can optimize and accelerate your Amazon PPC campaigns and how you can manage thousands of ads across marketplaces. [Sign up for a free trial today!] (https://www.channable.com/signup)


A Quick Guide to Selling on Amazon

More and more brands are jumping into paid social advertising. Compared to more traditional marketing channels, such as television, social media is accessible for all types of budgets. Indeed, social media advertising is a must if you want to quickly reach a new target audience. These marketing channels are incredibly profitable and versatile. <a href="/products/ppc-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">In a similar way to search engine advertising</a>, social media gives advertisers the ability to create marketing campaigns by selecting performance targets at relatively low costs.
<h3>Consider your target audience</h3>
It's important to know that all major social media offer advertising options, but that doesn't mean you should use them all. For example, <a href="/integrations/instagram" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a>, <a href="/integrations/facebook-product-feed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a>, <a href="/integrations/snapchat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Snapchat</a> and Pinterest are appropriate for companies that are B2C, compared to Linkedin which would be more appropriate for B2B.
<blockquote>**Tips for choosing which social media to place your ads on:** When you think about where to advertise on social media, look at which ones work well organically for your brand. Organic would be publications that you don't pay for. Social networks where your content naturally touches fans’ heartstrings are an obvious choice for your first social advertising campaigns.</blockquote>
<h3>Define the goals of your campaigns</h3>
There are different marketing goals for your social media promoted campaigns depending on what you want to accomplish. With your social advertising campaigns, you can do the following:
<ul markdown>
 	<li>Increase brand awareness (and increase your customers/followers engagement)</li>
 	<li>Send traffic to your website and generate leads</li>
 	<li>Convert internet users interested in your products (with the retargeting option)</li>
</ul>
<h3>What kind of budgets?</h3>
The advantage of advertising on social media is that you can create a campaign for any budget. Unlike a marketplace, there is no fixed amount to pay per month. On most social networks, you bid for your ads to be shown. You can specify a budget to get a certain result like an amount of clicks or to maximise your daily budget. When you create your ad, the social media ads manager provides you with a recommended bid based on your business objectives.
<blockquote>**What influences the bid recommended by the social media ad manager?** The costs of your ads for social media advertising is based on a mix of different aspects such as the quality of your ad, your objectives, the target audience, the country where you want to advertise, or even the day or period selected.</blockquote>
<h3>Which social networks to choose?</h3>
When choosing where to place your ads, **it is also useful to know which social media networks are most popular with your target audience**. Below, you can read about different social media networks including their audiences and properties.
<h4>Facebook the giant</h4>
As the network with the largest user base, Facebook is the number one social media in the world. It is therefore difficult to skip it in your strategy. Facebook is an excellent platform to start social advertising on. In addition to having enormous audience potential, Facebook has the advantage of being visual and offering multiple audience segmentation options. For example, with the pixel system, you can reach internet users who have already visited your website and/or application via retargeting. Above all, you can target audiences according to their interests, affinities, location, etc.
If you have already implemented <a href="/integrations/facebook-product-feed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook Dynamic Ads</a> and want to improve the performance of your campaign, a feed management tool like Channable could help you. This will ensure that your Facebook ads are always up to date, you can pause products ads with no stock, and you can check the quality of your feed before sending it to the Facebook business manager.
<h4>Instagram is not only for influencers</h4>
Instagram is an extremely visual social network, where users ‘like’ a vast number of images. An advantage of using Instagram is that it belongs to Facebook. Therefore, to advertise there you can use the same feed as the one prepared for Facebook. This social network is very popular among new generations between the ages of 12 and 35.
<h4>Snapchat shows that your brand is on top of industry trends!</h4>
Snapchat is relatively new compared to Facebook or Instagram. Its audience is very young and eager for technology. Nearly three-quarters of young people aged between 18 and 24 use the application. The tone on Snapchat is rather relaxed, fun, and informal.
<h4>Pinterest is not only an inspiring site</h4>
Think of Pinterest as a product search engine where you can do visual advertising, a bit similar to [Google Shopping](https://www.channable.com/integrations/google-shopping-feed). The particularity of Pinterest means that users might not directly buy your product and the conversion time is longer than on other marketing channels. On Pinterest, users are looking for inspiration and ideas. They can therefore "pin" an image that interests them. Your ad will appear right between the pinned posts.

Bear in mind that the majority of Pinterest users are women between 25 and 50. Pinterest is the place to be if you are an advertiser in an industry that relates directly or indirectly to marriage, cooking or fashion.
<h3>A concrete guide for creating ads for social media</h3>
Most of these platforms have an ad manager for creating, organizing and managing your campaigns on social networks. Create ads by sending your product information in a product data feed. <a href="/fr/blog/infographic-flux-produit-marketing-digital" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">For those who are not familiar with this term</a>, it is simply a file that contains all your product information. Often the format of the file is an XML.

<img class="size-full wp-image-14706 aligncenter" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/575MiNSXiEEpELmGugv1" alt="Create XML for Facebook business manager with Channable" width="567" height="106" />

However, by using this type of "manual" method, it makes managing ads very difficult and tedious. Imagine that every time your product catalog or product information changes (e.g. a new collection or pricing during sales), some products are out of stock or you want to create campaigns for only a part of your catalog, you will have to create a new feed and reset your campaigns each time.

This is where data feed management tools come in.
<h3>Why use Channable to advertise on social networks?</h3>
Product feed management tools simplify the integration and management of your catalog on multiple platforms. With Channable, you can import your product information to enable advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Pinterest.

<img class="size-full wp-image-14705 aligncenter" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/qyz7LWhSUWs3ZZQvzeDa" alt="social advertising with Channable" width="1587" height="450" />

Not only are all your social media feeds prepared and optimized in the same interface, but they can also be directly synced with your online shop. Simply import your product data into Channable and create new feeds for the social media network of your choice. Then, your feeds will be updated (with the information available on your online shop) every day in Channable to ensure you always have the most up-to-date ads!
<blockquote>In summary, you centralize all your product information in a single interface so that it is updated every day on all platforms where you advertise! Channable contains all the information about the data and formats you need to submit to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Pinterest!</blockquote>
So, what are you waiting for? If you would like more information, do not hesitate to email to us at <a href="mailto:support@channable.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">support@channable.com</a>.

Why integrate social media into your marketing strategy?

## Why should I use Facebook Dynamic Ads? 
Facebook’s Dynamic Ads are a highly relevant and effective way to retarget those that have visited your Shopify and ultimately help to drive conversion. With Facebook Dynamic Ads, you can create a single campaign that targets consumers who have expressed interest on your Shopify website. For example, when a consumer adds a product to their cart on your Shopify website, you can dynamically serve them an ad for the same product. 

If you’re convinced Facebook Dynamic Ads can help drive conversions on your Shopify store, keep reading to discover how to easily create a Product Feed for Facebook (and Instagram) Ads using data from your Shopify store. 

## Optimized and complete product feeds are key for successful Facebook dynamic product ads

There is a direct correlation between how well your Facebook product catalog is optimized and the success of your Dynamic Product Ads. A high-quality Facebook data feed will enable your items to be more visible on Facebook and will also encourage users to click on your ads. 
Creating a Product Catalog is actually the first step of building Dynamic Product Ads on Facebook. 

Your product feed must be properly set up and follow Facebook’s strict format including complete product information for required fields. It’s possible to generate a Facebook Product feed manually by exporting a XML or CSV file from Shopify. However, the raw product data in this file isn’t suitable for uploading directly to your Facebook Catalog. This raw product feed export needs to be manually optimized and formatted to fit Facebook’s requirements. 

Keep in mind, the product information in this feed is static and reflects information at the time of export only, so it’s important to regularly update the feed to avoid advertising products that are out of stock or discontinued. Completing this manual process regularly can be a time consuming and tedious task, especially if you have a large collection of products. 

Alternatively, when using a 3rd party [Feed Management solution](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool) like Channable, you can optimize your feed in just a few clicks using powerful rules. Channable refreshes your Facebook Product Feed with the latest [product data from your Shopify store](https://www.channable.com/integrations/shopify) up to every hour, ensuring your Facebook Product feed remains updated and reflects the latest stock, price and promotional information. 

## Channable, the solution to create and optimize your Facebook product catalog using your Shopify product data
![facebookpartner.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/7xo5X4HTQPKVYHFaYaVe)
Channable’s Feed Management Solution is the easiest way to create, optimize, and take control of your product data for Facebook and 2500+ ad platforms, marketplaces, affiliate networks and other marketing channels. Channable offers an intuitive solution to create and enrich your Facebook product catalog. As a Facebook Marketing Partner, Channable enables you to: 

### Fetch Data from your Shopify with Built-in Shopify Plugin 
Channable has a built-in Shopify Plugin that enables you to integrate your Shopify data to Channable in only a few clicks. When connected, the Plugin ensures that your product information is automatically synchronized between your Shopify store and Channable, keeping your Facebook feed updated. 

### Built-in Facebook product feed template
Channable gives you access to more than 2,500 up-to-date feed templates, including the Facebook and [Instagram](https://www.channable.com/integrations/instagram) template. This Feed template ensures you meet all of Facebook’s required fields and avoids possible errors that hold your ads back from working properly. 

### Optimized ads for better results
Utilize Channable’s powerful rules to optimize, enrich and filter your product data. With Channable you have the power to ensure that your product data not only meets the channel requirements but is fully optimized and enriched, improving your ad relevance scores. For instance, use the master rules to announce a promotion or exclude products with a low profit margin. 

### Daily synchronization of your product feed
When product information changes on your Shopify store, Channable synchronizes all changes with Facebook (and all your other channels). This helps you to communicate the correct information across all channels and stay up to date, up to every hour! This allows you to avoid wasting valuable ad budget on out of stock products. 

### Free technical support
We know how challenging it can be to adopt new tools. Channable offers free technical support if you need guidance with the setup of your Facebook product catalog. Get your Dynamic ads live in no time! You’ll also receive free access to our training hub “The Channacademy”. 

### Channacademy, your personal learning center
Upskill in feed management, learn how to set up your first feed, how to set rules, and much to make you an eCommerce expert!

[tip]If you’re interested in using Channable to integrate your Shopify store and create Dynamic Facebook Ads, then check out the following steps:
1. First, create a [Free Trial account](https://www.channable.com/signup) in Channable.
2. Install the [Channable app](https://apps.shopify.com/channable?surface_detail=channable&surface_inter_position=1&surface_intra_position=1&surface_type=search) in your Shopify store in order to [import your products](https://helpcenter.channable.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011044739-Importing-products-from-Shopify) from the store to Channable. 
3. Once your import from Shopify is completed, it’s time to start the setup of your [Facebook Feed following these 6 simple steps](https://www.channable.com/integrations/facebook-product-feed).
4. Finally, when your Facebook Feed is complete, optimized and free of errors, you’re ready to go live! Just upload the product feed URL generated through Channable to Facebook Business Manager. 
5. Don’t worry, you won’t be charged until you actually activate your Facebook Feed, so you can use the free trial to get a feel of the Channable’s tool first. [/tip]

Creating an optimal Facebook Product Feed from your Shopify Store

We want to help you make the most of it. Below are actionable trends and strategies from our agency partners and experts including:

- Bennett Wissak, Director of Growth at [Maison MRKT](https://www.maisonmrkt.com){nofollow}

- Diederik Koonings, Platform Partnership Manager at [Channable](https://www.channable.com/)

- Bas van Wijk, Online Marketing Consultant at [Multiply](https://www.multiply.nl){nofollow}

- Robert Smit, Product Team Lead at Channable

Gain insights you can implement now to help your eCommerce strategy grow and understand some of the opportunities and benefits the holidays can bring.

## A positive outlook
Despite the uncertainty last year, [Adobe](https://business.adobe.com/resources/sdk/holiday-shopping-report-2021.html?faas_unique_submission_id=D8AE5E6B-93E5-F6A6-0BFF-65E7261D6F6A){nofollow} states that eCommerce sales still grew **8.6%** and a massive **44%** over 2019, the last pre-COVID season breaking over $200 billion in online sales for the first time in the US. 

In the Netherlands, [McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/survey-dutch-consumer-sentiment-during-the-coronavirus-crisis){nofollow} states that over **55%** of consumers have tried a new shopping behavior within the past three months, **23%** saying this change took place in either their retailers, store visits, or online shopping providers. This further strengthens the reason for an omni-channel strategy.
![RE.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/XiBdw2ToS2uaucG9e3Yg)

Even before the pandemic, online sales were trending up, with more people shopping online than in-stores. A whopping **142.2 million** shopped online, vs **124 million** in-store according to the [National Retail Federation](https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/thanksgiving-draws-nearly-190-million-shoppers){nofollow}.

While these trends are great news for online advertisers, consumers did face some challenges when shopping online including reasons such as: 

- Out of stock items

- Weaker season discounts

- Extended holiday sales period 

The last of which seems to start earlier and grow longer each year resulting in less focus and impact. 

**75% **of all retailers are offering discounts before Black Friday, and many retailers are extending Black Friday deals to last days or even weeks, as stated by research done by [Adobe](https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/www/us/en/adi/2020/pdfs/Adobe_Holiday_Forecast_Press.pdf){nofollow}.

## Key Black Friday strategies for your eCommerce ads
Acknowledging these trends, we want to help you prepare and avoid pitfalls, identifying some actionable strategies you can implement into your online advertising strategy this holiday season.

### 1. Prevent out of stock ads
![Step 1- checking stock.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/rgTNrImTBWlKLutogmgu)
Are your ads displayed when and where you need them? With more than **20%** of eCommerce revenue generated in the holiday season, making sure your items and ads are up to date is imperative.

Normally, ads are updated once every 24 hours on feed based platforms such as **Google** and **Meta** (Facebook and Instagram ads). 

With a [data feed management solution](https://www.channable.com/products/product-feed-management-tool), stock updates can be scheduled more frequently, leading to **fewer out of stock ads**, and syncing your items better across platforms, enabling a smoother omni-channel ad strategy.

### 2. Test emerging platforms in your omni-channel strategy
![Step 2 A- omnichannel strategy.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/WU0Jio27TGqHQFCrCsdL)
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" are wise words for many aspects of life, but not eCommerce. What worked six months or a year ago, may not have the same results or relevance now. Audiences, interests, and attention are constantly shifting. Your ads and online strategy should also be flexible enough to adopt new trends and test platforms.

Bennett Wissak, Director of Growth at [Maison MRKT](https://www.maisonmrkt.com){nofollow}, states that they are always testing new channels in their client's marketing mix to reach better results.

Maison MRKT takes a holistic approach when selecting channels and never ties itself to a single platform. This approach enables the agency to be fluid with ad spend and maximize success in a given timeframe. 

![Step 2 B- Holistic approach copy@2x.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/rVka7nI8TvSdMdPprW8y)

While they're currently, focusing on [Meta](https://www.channable.com/integrations) and [Google](https://www.channable.com/integrations/google-shopping-feed), they've also seen performance pick up on other channels such as [TikTok](https://www.channable.com/blog/tiktok-dynamic-showcase-ads-setup-channable), [Pinterest](https://www.channable.com/integrations/pinterest), and [Snapchat](https://www.channable.com/integrations/snapchat) as well.

The biggest breakout campaign type they have recently seen is [Performance Max](https://www.channable.com/blog/performance-max-campaigns) from Google. Performance Max uses machine learning to serve ads across Google’s entire network including search, shopping, YouTube, Gmail, and more. They have been pleased with the results so far.

On the marketplace side, Diederik Koonings, Platform Partnership Manager at Channable, says Amazon is a favorite for its massive **traffic volume**, **brand recognition**, and **ease of entry** (you don't even need a webshop to sell). That being said, Amazon is so massive it's hard to stay up to date on all its features. 
![Step 2 B- Amazon buy box.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/kcZBPcU8S5uN2pN5gcCw)

Diederik says, advertising in **multiple regions**, optimizing your bidding strategy for the [**Buy Box**](https://www.channable.com/blog/win-amazon-buy-box-increase-sales), and implementing **Amazon ads**, are a few ways you can benefit even more from this marketplace and Amazon's ecosystem.

### 3. Order management and automation
This can be seen as the other side of out of stock items, ensuring your clients get their orders on supported marketplaces. With a marketplace integrator, you can manage all orders in one place. No more **logins**, **multiple accounts**, or **multitasking** across platforms.
![Step 3 API INTEGRATION@2x.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Sr0UGXSHTXCBhq5f3tyQ)
Selling on multiple eCommerce marketplaces often causes a lot of time spent on order handling. A marketplace integrator is able to retrieve orders in real-time with API connections and fully synchronize all your marketplace orders on marketplaces, such as [Amazon](https://www.channable.com/integrations/amazon-product-feed) or [eBay](https://www.channable.com/integrations/ebay). 

This results in automatically sending all your order information, updated stock levels, shipping, and more directly to your online shop, where you can finally handle everything from one place.

### 4. Add social commerce and ads to the mix
![Step 4- 97- genZ@2x.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/bX3RXylBQpabrZbM4GPv)
Social platforms are becoming the starting point of the customer journey. On some platforms and regions, the customer never leaves the social channel and the entire transaction takes place in-app. 

This is now a crucial aspect of eCommerce and should not be ignored if you want to maintain growth and stay on top of trends.

- [97%](https://theinfluencermarketingfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/social-commerce-report.pdf){nofollow} of Gen Z consumers say they use social as their top source of shopping inspiration

- [⅓](https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/harris-insights-report){nofollow} of consumers use social to learn about a brand or company before purchasing

Robert Smit, Product Team Lead at Channable, quotes: 

> Selling on social media represents an exciting new opportunity for brands and retailers. Even if you start small to find your footing in the community, don't worry. Just make sure you have a presence and having a complete profile across the main players can offer credibility and brand awareness to a wide audience and is easy to set up.


Bas van Wijk, Online Marketing Consultant at [Multiply](https://www.multiply.nl){nofollow}, has found success with a mix of social advertising including Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Talking strategy, an example of a campaign that worked for Multiply, is a **dynamic re-marketing** campaign on **Facebook**. 

With this campaign type, you can show products that people have previously viewed on the website or placed in the shopping cart, without having made a purchase. Adding in a good discount, they will be more inclined to buy it.

### 5. Create a successful and unique ad strategy
![Step 5- money at the beginning of the month.png](https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/Ke4PEuTjqEFwzCL1cdgr)
Bennett and his team at Maison MRKT are always looking for innovative strategies to help their clients maintain and improve their performance. 

Two strategies worth highlighting are:

- **Use reach objectives**: In lower-funnel campaigns during Black Friday use reach objectives to maintain a low CPM. The idea is that the offer will speak for itself, so rather than trying to attribute sales to people clicking through their ads, they’ve gone after getting the message in front of the most people possible with very encouraging results.

- **Prorate budgets**: Focusing budgets at the beginning of the month can have a big impact. Costs are often lower earlier in the month, making retargeted audiences as large as possible. They then help prospects convert with automated catalog sales campaigns during the final week of the month when sales typically peak.
	
Bas shares that Multiply has found success with a few interesting strategies:

- **Banners**: In the run-up to special (holiday) days, make sure you already start creating awareness in the form of banners. You can do this through various platforms such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc). The average click price is cheaper than on the holidays themselves and you also make sure that your target audience knows that you are participating and may have some great sales.
 
- **Optimize Seasonal Bidding**: Use seasonal bid adjustments in Google Ads to optimize bidding during short sale periods (less than 7 days). 

- **Landing pages**: Create a holiday landing page in which you can already give a hint in the days prior to the sale and in which the most popular products can be found on the actual days. This can even be further extended by warming up your audience with a countdown for holiday sales by sending newsletters.

- **Local Campaigns**: Get more traffic to the shop with targeting via local campaigns, fully using an omni-channel approach by blending on and off-line.

Testing and analyzing are always essential though, as maintaining an omni-channel strategy is always shifting. 

## Key learnings
- Identify top performers and prevent out of stock items

- Test emerging platforms to see if they fit in your marketing mix

- Manage orders and automate where needed

- Include social commerce in your advertising strategy

- Do not settle and test new strategies and platforms for your perfect omni-channel strategy

Ultimately, there is no one silver bullet that will work for every business. But with so much to gain over the holiday season, it’s essential to think things through and see if there are easy ways to adjust your strategy and increase your online presence.

Want to explore more tips and trends? Check out the [blog](https://www.channable.com/blog) section of our website to find some inspiration.

Black Friday and the Holiday Season: Actionable tips and strategies for 2022

Facebook Shops is without a doubt a significant extension of Facebook's functionality when it comes to shopping. Previously, the eCommerce function for merchants consisted mainly of advertisements on Instagram in which products are tagged in photos, leading the user directly to an online store. With Facebook Shops, the social network has introduced a new digital storefront on both Facebook and Instagram, enabling social media users to discover relevant items and personalized recommendations within the social network.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-29278 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/3SNt6WPTIOgrImmGgqbc" alt="facebook-shop-example" width="398" height="746" />

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-29283 size-full" src="https://eu-central-1-enterprise-euc1.graphassets.com/AAg7wOEyuSfq2w8Bzgd1Xz/RLBQs84TdWID0CUOyQ0Q" alt="facebook-shops-instagram" width="396" height="745" />
<h3>Building a feed based platform economy</h3>
The integration of new levels into existing value chains is common in the platform economy. Facebook pursues a similar approach with Shops, which is not a complete store system, but rather a higher-performance front end with close links to Facebook's advertising ecosystem. A checkout function has so far only been rolled out in the US.

Facebook platforms are based on feeds for different purposes. While in the main app the shift from following friends’ activities towards a news and advertising feed has been predominant over the past years; Instagram is the home of one of the most profitable new professions of the past decade: influencers. The shopping potential on Instagram is therefore inherently high. If Facebook Shops can impact the eCommerce world in a similar way, the future of the new shopping option could be a bright one.
<h3>What’s so special about Facebook Shops?</h3>
Aren’t there already plenty of marketplaces and price or product comparison sites out there? Definitely, but Facebook Shops is on a whole new level of personalization.

As a social network, Facebook is able to predict much more accurately what the individual user likes and is likely to purchase. This allows for a more personalized and relevant display of product ads throughout the whole network and an individually composed product feed in the new Facebook Shops environment.

Access to a customer’s needs, wants, and preferences play a major role in today’s eCommerce. Something that is increasingly frequent is that product searches don’t start on Google anymore, but rather on Amazon - granting the marketplace a valuable form of customer access. Facebook, on the other hand, profits from another form of consumer insights. Following <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/433871/daily-social-media-usage-worldwide/#:~:text=How%20much%20time%20do%20people,minutes%20in%20the%20previous%20year." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recent statistics</a>, the average user spends 144 minutes per day on social media. That’s more than 2 hours of potential exposure to product displays. In the past, Facebook has used this opportunity mainly by offering advertisements on Facebook and Instagram via Facebook ads.

Although these advertisements drive social commerce as well, the range of offers is limited. In comparison, Amazon is based on a recommendation system, drawing on the full pool of data that a seller provides for his product catalog. Facebook ads can only show one concrete product that is currently being advertised by the retailer. This brought Facebook Shops into play.

Closely tied to the <a href="/integrations/facebook-product-feed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook product catalog</a>, Shops are based on enhanced catalogs that improve the possibilities of recommendation and the visibility of products. A catalog is a container that holds detailed information about the items that a merchant wants to advertise or sell across Facebook and Instagram. Category- and market-specific information allows customers to easily discover and consider a broad range of highly relevant products using search and filters in Facebook Shops.
<h3>Which role can Facebook Shops take over in the market?</h3>
Experts do not regard Facebook Shops as a serious competitor for Amazon when it comes to logistics and services. BUT, from a consumer perspective, Amazon is less inspiring than social commerce. The marketplace is ideal for finding and comparing a product you have been purposefully searching for. However, it is not particularly inspired by trends, fashion, or interior design, and it does not trigger the consumer to discover products that fit a certain lifestyle. This is where the strength of Facebook, and especially Instagram, lies.
In their feed, users will typically be exposed to offers from brands that they are already following, so the pre-selection of Shops content will be made by the consumer.
<h3>Who is the target merchant of Facebook Shops?</h3>
Facebook Shops can become a channel that makes simple store solutions with easy customer access available to merchants.

In the <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2020/05/introducing-facebook-shops" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">official announcement of Facebook Shops</a>, the new ecosystem is primarily presented as an offer for small businesses. However, big brands will also have to take a closer look at how Facebook Shops performs compared (and as an addition) to their own online stores. Especially with regard to data collection through Facebook, it will be interesting for all kinds of brands to see what performance and customer data can be acquired.

The new data management system of Facebook Shops makes it possible to comfortably import even larger data feeds. An easy way to generate the perfect product catalog for Facebook Shops is by using a feed management tool with an <a href="/integrations/facebook-shops" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook Shops integration</a>. Product data from the backend of a merchant’s online store (for example like a [WooCommerce feed](https://www.channable.com/integrations/woocommerce), [Shopify feed](https://www.channable.com/integrations/shopify), [Magento feed](https://www.channable.com/integrations/magento), Lightspeed feed, etc.) can be imported into the tool via a plugin and optimized until the ideal export feed for Facebook Shops is created.
<h3>Summary</h3>
<blockquote>Through its seamless integration into social networks and the use of detailed product pages, Facebook Shops offers an ideal setting for influencer products or additional ways to market a product.</blockquote>
The introduction of Facebook Shops brings a long-term opportunity for merchants to focus their offers even more on shopping activities that are fitted into the daily habits of users. Facebook can track the customer journey in an enhanced way and collect the data needed to target paid ads more effectively, which will also have an effect on CPC strategies.
The general trends in eCommerce will give Facebook Shops additional momentum. Customers will buy online and on mobile more often, and brands will want to avoid being too dependent on one big player such as Amazon. There will be room for new and innovative modes of shopping, such as offered by Facebook Shops.

Through its seamless integration into social networks and the use of detailed product pages, Facebook Shops offers an ideal setting for influencer products or additional ways to market a product for brands. Whether you are a small business or a renowned brand, Facebook Shops should not be ignored.

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