HotWax Commerce Blog

Many young brands launch their businesses on Shopify, and for good reason! Shopify allows business owners to cheaply and swiftly create an eCommerce storefront to begin building a client base and fulfilling orders. However, as these businesses mature and expand into new channels, they often face a multitude of challenges, particularly related to order management.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced retailers across the globe to close their brick-and-mortar stores and quickly turn their focus to digital commerce. When this pandemic does end, whether in a few weeks or a year, retail operations will certainly not return to the pre-pandemic status quo. Most governments will continue to restrict large gatherings, and consumers will likely be apprehensive about shopping in-store for months to come. 

We are living in a mobile-first world. Millennials and GenZ have foregone the window shopping of their parents’ generations and are instead browsing storefronts on their mobile devices, constantly on the hunt for their next purchase. Studies show that, in the US, more than 50% of eCommerce website traffic comes from mobile, and this number jumps to as much as 80% in China. These numbers are only expected to grow year over year, yet surprisingly very few brands are prepared to meet and capitalize on this demand.

Everybody hates waiting in line. If you’re not convinced by your own personal experience, studies show that 32% of shoppers quit a long checkout line and search for a better shopping experience elsewhere. While some may order online instead, others will abandon their purchase altogether and head to a different store. This means every dollar you’ve spent on developing quality products and generating demand for those products has gone to waste. 

As the retail apocalypse continues to rage and some of the world’s most iconic brands retreat into bankruptcy, it’s time to start seriously re-evaluating and re-defining commerce. The future is clear to anyone that’s been paying attention: omnichannel retail.

Let’s cut to the chase: if you’re not already offering a pick-up in-store option, you should be. Premium retailers provide a variety of purchase, pick-up, and return options because, frankly, consumers are demanding unprecedented convenience and flexibility from their shopping experience. 

Brands across the world have heard the new buzz-word in the retail space: “unified commerce.” In this blog, we break down exactly what it means, why it’s often difficult to achieve, and why it’s the future of retail.