Optimising brand.com is key for credibility, transactions, and consumer retention. Essential for elevating operations and sales, enhancements needed include UI/UX, seamless payment gateways, gamification, and interactive video, among others.
The evolution of digital marketplaces has revolutionised access to a wide spectrum of products and services. From everyday necessities to specialised items, everything is now conveniently available at our fingertips. This transformative shift has not only altered consumer behaviour, but has also set new expectations of how brands interact with consumers, emphasising convenience and a broad array of choices.
The rise of digital platforms like Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, and others underscores the central role online marketplaces play in our daily routines. These platforms, complemented by emerging channels, such as social commerce, live commerce, and chat commerce, have redefined convenience and are now integral to modern consumerism.
Despite the clear benefits of online marketplaces, such as low setup costs, quick entry into the market, and the diverse range of brands and price points that make them an appealing option for everyday shopping, these platforms do not overshadow the relevance of first-party or self-owned online sales channel, like brand.com. Originally popularised by the direct connection and trust we fostered during the blogging boom of the 2000s, these channels continue to offer strategic advantages, especially for brands seeking to establish a distinct market presence, as it allows brands to showcase authenticity, which is crucial for cultivating long-term customer relationships and loyalty.
Despite the advantages of brand.com, it is still necessary for business owners to actively develop and optimise their brand.com. This is crucial not only for building brand credibility and enabling transactions, but also for engaging and retaining consumers. Maintaining a brand website remains essential, providing added value to business operations, boosting sales, and enhancing conversion rates². The key question then becomes:
User Interface and Experience (UI/UX)
According to Forbes, 38% of people will disengage with a site if its design does not capture their interest³. Therefore, compelling UI/UX design is crucial, involving intuitive interfaces, harmonious colour schemes, and responsive layouts that adapt seamlessly across devices.
Stanford University research supports this, noting that 75% of people judge a brand’s credibility based on its website design⁴. These features not only enhance the aesthetic appeal, but also improve functionality, making navigation effortless and boosting user engagement.
Payment Gateway Integration
A payment gateway serves as a crucial intermediary between brand.com and the issuing bank of a customer’s account, ensuring transactions are secure, accurate, and efficient. Nowadays, it extends beyond traditional functions to cover various digital payment options, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and customer experience.
According to Xendit, modern consumers expect flexible, hassle-free shopping that payment gateways facilitate by enabling payments anytime, anywhere, from any device, thus increasing Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) through loyalty and repeat purchases⁵.
For businesses aiming to expand globally, payment gateways can also be invaluable in a different way, supporting multiple currencies and automating transactions for faster checkout experience and improved cash flow.
Loyalty Programme and Gamification Strategies
Gamification enhances the e-commerce experience by incorporating game-like, such as points and rewards, which motivate consumer engagement and loyalty.
Implementing gamification strategically with the right resources can also significantly reduce cart abandonment and convert previously churned visitors into loyal consumers. Given that 50% of online purchases are now made on mobile devices⁷, it is also important to design your gamification elements with a mobile-first approach. This consideration ensures that you effectively capture this significant market segment, maximising the impact of your gamification efforts and driving sustained engagement across all user interactions.
Gamification can take various forms, including spin-to-win pop-ups, claw machine games, to quizzes. For example, Base, a local vegan skincare brand from Indonesia, uses a quiz to help consumers identify their skin type and recommend products with specific ingredients to improve their skin condition.
This quiz-based test gamification is popular among fashion and beauty brands to tailor their offerings to consumer preferences and needs. This innovation is effective because, according to Global Cosmetic Industry, 58% of consumers are more likely to purchase from stores that offer online quizzes, enhancing the shopping experience by suggesting products suited to their unique demands⁹.
Interactive Video Content
The power of interactive and shoppable video content cannot be underestimated in this digital-first world. By engaging users with dynamic content that they can interact with and purchase from directly, brands can significantly gain higher conversion rates of up to 60%¹⁰. This approach not only makes the shopping experience more engaging, but also leverages visual storytelling through user-generated content (UGC) and reviews, making your website as engaging as your socials.
To enable this dynamic, shoppable video experiences, SIRCLO, through SIRCLO SWIFT, collaborates with Firework, a leading platform on your brand.com, in short-form video and live commerce technology. This technology is particularly effective in creating immersive, media-rich, environments that drive customer interaction and loyalty.
A notable example of this in action is with 9to9 Indonesia, an online retailer specialising in fashion and lifestyle products. By leveraging Firework’s capabilities, 9to9 Indonesia has successfully enhanced its brand.com, making it not just a shopping destination, but an engaging brand experience that resonates with its audience.
Parting Words
In today’s competitive market, having a strong online presence through a self-owned online sales channel like brand.com is not just beneficial — it’s imperative. As time is of the essence and the digital landscape waits for no one, invest in your brand.com, harness its full potential, and secure robust growth with a lasting competitive edge.
Through SIRCLO SWIFT, principal and big brands can harness state-of-the-art technology and engage in strategic partnerships with major e-commerce platforms, such as Adobe Commerce, Magento, and Shopify. This collaboration ensures robust and efficient online platforms. For small and medium-sized enterprises, our collaboration with Shopify allows seamless integration with SIRCLO’s SWIFT Hub, streamlining digital transitions and driving substantial traction.
Take action today with SIRCLO SWIFT or SWIFT Hub to secure a leading edge in e-commerce, and don’t let the future pass you by.
References
SIRCLO’s Internal Data, as presented by Muliadi Jeo, Chief Technology Officer, SIRCLO.
https://broadly.com/blog/benefits-of-a-website-for-small-businesses/
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/#sources_section
https://www.xendit.co/en-id/blog/7-most-popular-payment-methods-in-indonesia/
https://blog.smile.io/4-ways-gamification-makes-loyalty-a-mobile-first-game-changer/