Times are shortening. Inflation does not give truce, purchasing power decreases and nothing indicates that the outlook will be reversed shortly. In this context, companies, of all areas, understand that improving their competitive situation in electronic commerce is key to weathering the storm.
It is that, in contrast to what happened with the traditional sale, the ecommerce has been able to "gambetear" the crisis and left airy throughout the year. In addition, it contributed to improving the cash position in key events such as CyberMonday, in which sales (for a total of $ 12,000 million) were 65% higher compared to the 2018 edition.
It also offered another feature: food and beverages, one of the items most affected by the rise in the cost of living, led the commercialization in quantity of units.
"In the markets where online purchases reach greater development, as in Europe, the United States, China or Japan, the sale of consumer goods is becoming increasingly important," Julieta Dejean, director of the Insights Division, tells iProUP from Kantar.
In the same vein, Marcos Pueyrredón, Global VP Hispanic Markets VTEX and President of the ecommerce Institute, affirms: "In 20 years of road already traveled in Argentina, we have achieved great maturity in many sectors of electronic commerce; mainly in those we consider traditional , like appliances, electronics and fashion. "
And he adds: "We also see that non-traditional items, such as delivery - with the landing and overcrowding of collaborative economy models or super apps - have matured very quickly. We observe the same with categories such as grocery (groceries), which went on to be the star in Argentina. "
According to Pueyrredón, volumes and penetration "mean that we are already talking about the challenge of overcoming 2 digits with sustainability and profitability."
Silvia Mielniczuk, Digital Portfolio & Martketing Communications of Napse states that, worldwide, through ecommerce, a turnover of more than 3 billion dollars was achieved, about 15% of total retail income. In Argentina, sales through this channel rose to $ 4,260 million.
On the other hand, Diego Darriba, Manager of e-commerce of Lenovo Latin America, maintains that web sales have very high potential: they grow at an accelerated pace and still represent little of the total share: "They are still in full expansion with triple-digit growth rates year to year. year, although they are low compared to US or Japan standards. "
The "claim" of the square meter
To the discussion about how physical stores will lose prominence, another has been added: how they should be reinvented. The majority of firms whose billing through the digital channel is greater than 10% of the total, leaves a good part of their deliveries attached to some type of format that involves their own or third-party premises.
"It is very interesting to see how physical stores have been crucial for the maturity of several categories. There is a claim of the square meter when added to the ecommerce value proposition through models of pickup store or drive thru (withdrawal from the auto), "says the VTEX spokesperson.
"Definitely, physical stores must fulfill the function of being strategic to achieve the sustainability and profitability of the company as a whole," says Pueyrredón.
For Mielniczuk, of Napse, although the local street still has a key role in consumer habits, "what is changing very rapidly is the type of complementarity between the physical store and the online store, more and more unified and interrelated, "he tells iProUP.
In addition, the executive remarks: "Customers also expect to interact with the company in the same way and with all possibilities through any physical or digital channel."
The ecommerce has matured and impacted the physical world, transforming the shopping experience, especially in those retailers that have offline and online branches.
"In these cases, a digital transformation of the retail business is taking place, since many processes of customer service, sales management and organizational culture need to be transformed," they say from VTEX.
The advance in the field of innovation opens the door to great opportunities for the purchase of products or services, both in an establishment and online, to be unique and personalized.
Omnichannel, keyword for what is coming
"We believe that the great challenge as a retailer go to a mixed model: improve both the physical and digital shopping experience," they express from Sommier Center. And they add that "although online stores continue to gain prominence, a large portion of consumers prefer to live the experience in the premises."
"The well-implemented omnichannel strategy increases customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, without losing sight of the operational efficiency and business objectives of each of the areas involved," says iProUP Ramiro Solana, Associate Director of Together Business & Consulting
What is omnichannel? That is, the integration of all existing channels of the company so that a customer who initiated a communication (or purchase process) by one of them can continue it in another. To a greater or lesser extent, the most important retail companies in Argentina are already working with this model in mind.
For Solana, consumers "want to combine a sensory experience in the branch with a digital one through the web and a social one. They ask, compare and comment on their purchases on social networks."
Emiliano Galván, VP of Wunderman, assures iProUP: "All channels are effective for various purposes, but each one must fulfill a role in a central strategy, since effectiveness will be given by an intelligent combination."
"We no longer have to think about a web client and another of the stores. It is the same. That is why we now use the same system both for those who buy online and for those who do it in stores," Carlos tells iProUP García, executive president of Garbarino.
On the banking sector side, from the ICBC they assure iProUP: "Omnichannel became a fundamental strategy so that customers can opt for the route that allows them to use their products and communicate effectively."
Santiago Martínez, BGH Sales Director, tells iProUP that the current focus of the company is the development of Marketplaces: "These digital spaces modify the sales landscape and consumer options.
In his vision, "the future is omnichannel, with limits between" on "and" off "that will become more diffuse. It is a huge challenge for the physical store."
For the executive of Napse, "the main challenge of the sector is to switch to retail so that the customer lives it as a service. Becoming a provider that not only solves the delivery of a good but also makes life easier for you."
"Customer loyalty no longer only goes through discounts. To that we must add the convenience of not reloading data again, for the confidence in the security of the transaction and the personalization of the offer. Without neglecting all the positioning brand, social and transparency of the organization, "he says.
"Both the online store and the physical store - Mielniczuk continues - will continue their convergence and growth. The channels will be hybrid, the complementarity between the two will be the strategy that prime and digital resources will be included within the physical stores, as already happens in several stores ".
For his part, Marcos Pueyrredón says: "We are at a turning point for the next big leap in ecommerce growth in Argentina," and highlights three key challenges:
1. - "Continue to grow in quantity, quality and maturity of marketplace models"
2. - "Deepen omnichannel strategies and channel integration"
3. - "Professionalize human capital, but not only of those who manage the web channels but of the entire company: from the CEO to the one who delivers the products"
Experts agree that there is no future for either store, neither the physical one nor the virtual one, if they are not integrated and differentiates.
"Behind any type of interface, be it a click, a touch or the voice, there will always be a consumer of meat and bone, and a brand or trade trying to meet the demand for a product or service," Pueyrredón concludes.
