e-Commerce in Portugal: from illusion to mainstream
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 4:03 am
At a time of unimaginable challenges, the pandemic crisis has had a negative impact on businesses and has shaken dreams and projects. But it has also created opportunities for companies to embrace new models and, like the phoenix, be reborn with greater vigor and agility.
In addition to the negative consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are several opportunities that have blossomed during this unusual time for companies. In fact, many organizations are taking advantage of this moment to reinvent themselves, whether in terms of production processes, their offering and portfolio, or in the digitalization of processes.
In the field of digitalization, there was a 40% increase in internet access : in addition to more people being online , these users are spending more and more time connected. During lockdown, people are looking to spend their free time on the Internet and, therefore, are available to carry out various types of activities, such as watching webinars and live broadcasts, reading the news, making video calls, online fitness , among others.
Daily habits and human behavior have changed radically. Consequently, consumer habits have adapted to the new reality and the purchasing process has evolved. Now, online is not just the beginning of the israel whatsapp number database process, it is, in many cases, the entire process. It was from this perspective that the concept of e-Commerce gained a new dimension, no longer representing an activity of a few organizations but becoming the most used channel by any company.
Is this a temporary change or is it here to stay?
Recent studies show that businesses have accelerated their adoption of digital technologies by an order of magnitude of five years in eight weeks. Supermarkets and retailers in general have transformed the online environment into their main business. Service providers ( personal trainers , nutritionists, doctors, etc.) have found a way to keep their businesses active online , not to mention education, which has migrated en masse to distance learning.
A historic evolution that will certainly leave its mark!
Customer behavior and preferred interactions have also changed significantly. And we can already say that the increase in the use of digital services is here to stay . This means that companies will have to focus on competitiveness and ensure that, in this new phase, their digital channels are equal to or better than those of their competitors.
E-Commerce in Portugal: how to prepare for this paradigm shift?
Many managers think they arrived late. The truth is that they did not arrive early, but that does not necessarily mean they arrived late. Those who are starting their projects still have enough time to develop them and achieve successful results. It is keeping up with this evolution of business, cultural and social reality that results in efficient business management.
Online Store vs Marketplace
The starting point should be to focus on a strategic structuring of the online sales plan : an online store or a Marketplace . Just as entrepreneurs were forced to decide whether to invest in a physical store or sell through multi-brand stores, these professionals will now have to analyze the pros and cons of each option and, quite possibly, adopt both solutions.
On the one hand, the Marketplace offers faster business launches and outsourcing of logistics. On the other hand, and combined with sharing the same space with other competitors, costs are higher compared to an online store .
In turn, the online store offers greater independence, greater personalization of the experience and greater capacity for scaling. However, it requires greater effort and greater knowledge to launch and grow the business.
Any of these options is viable. It all depends on the company's strategic objectives and available resources. They can also coexist, depending on several factors, such as the portfolio available in each channel or the market.
Provide an excellent shopping experience
Just like in physical stores, the shopping experience is extremely important for the success of the buying and selling process.
However, the importance of temperature, light and olfactory sensations are replaced by good usability and organization of content, speed of delivery, return policy and checkout experience . Keeping an eye on these aspects is essential to be successful in e-Commerce in Portugal and, therefore, it is advisable to ensure:
Good delivery times (up to 5 working days or ideally deliveries within 24/48H);
Well-written and organized information, so that anyone can understand and understand how to navigate the website ;
Accept returns and do not charge for them;
Simple checkout process with multiple payment methods and free shipping.
All of this represents a substantial difference in sales.
Taking care of brand management
E -commerce is another essential channel for a brand’s 360º coherence, regardless of the medium. In this sense, it is necessary to adopt a set of procedures, especially in communication, that take the digital strategy to another level. Care with the image, the tone of communication and the commercial policy are concerns that should be considered the focus of the entire brand strategy. Do not forget that the price online is crucial, considering that it is a medium where it is very easy to make comparisons. However, an aggressive commercial stance should not be adopted online , as in other channels - the so-called omnichannel strategy. The brand is only one, regardless of the channel .
Furthermore, online is such a dynamic medium that marketing and sales can “blend together”. But it is important not to fall into the temptation of achieving short-term results, which could result in a lack of coherence in brand management.
Automate processes
Investing in e-Commerce in Portugal is more than just creating an online store ! Let's face it, it's not enough for a street store to just open its doors and voila. In e-Commerce, it's necessary to attract relevant traffic to the online store , in addition to what was mentioned above.
After building the online store and defining the strategic issues (brand, experience, logistics, etc.), we must focus on putting e-Commerce on everyone's lips, preferably among the business' target audience. It is also important to obtain recurring traffic and, to do so, contact must be maintained through the automation of these interactions. Having a welcome sequence, lead nurturing sequence , shopping cart abandonment sequence, receipt sequence (with up-sell / cross-sell ) are some examples of actions to optimize these processes.
In addition to the negative consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are several opportunities that have blossomed during this unusual time for companies. In fact, many organizations are taking advantage of this moment to reinvent themselves, whether in terms of production processes, their offering and portfolio, or in the digitalization of processes.
In the field of digitalization, there was a 40% increase in internet access : in addition to more people being online , these users are spending more and more time connected. During lockdown, people are looking to spend their free time on the Internet and, therefore, are available to carry out various types of activities, such as watching webinars and live broadcasts, reading the news, making video calls, online fitness , among others.
Daily habits and human behavior have changed radically. Consequently, consumer habits have adapted to the new reality and the purchasing process has evolved. Now, online is not just the beginning of the israel whatsapp number database process, it is, in many cases, the entire process. It was from this perspective that the concept of e-Commerce gained a new dimension, no longer representing an activity of a few organizations but becoming the most used channel by any company.
Is this a temporary change or is it here to stay?
Recent studies show that businesses have accelerated their adoption of digital technologies by an order of magnitude of five years in eight weeks. Supermarkets and retailers in general have transformed the online environment into their main business. Service providers ( personal trainers , nutritionists, doctors, etc.) have found a way to keep their businesses active online , not to mention education, which has migrated en masse to distance learning.
A historic evolution that will certainly leave its mark!
Customer behavior and preferred interactions have also changed significantly. And we can already say that the increase in the use of digital services is here to stay . This means that companies will have to focus on competitiveness and ensure that, in this new phase, their digital channels are equal to or better than those of their competitors.
E-Commerce in Portugal: how to prepare for this paradigm shift?
Many managers think they arrived late. The truth is that they did not arrive early, but that does not necessarily mean they arrived late. Those who are starting their projects still have enough time to develop them and achieve successful results. It is keeping up with this evolution of business, cultural and social reality that results in efficient business management.
Online Store vs Marketplace
The starting point should be to focus on a strategic structuring of the online sales plan : an online store or a Marketplace . Just as entrepreneurs were forced to decide whether to invest in a physical store or sell through multi-brand stores, these professionals will now have to analyze the pros and cons of each option and, quite possibly, adopt both solutions.
On the one hand, the Marketplace offers faster business launches and outsourcing of logistics. On the other hand, and combined with sharing the same space with other competitors, costs are higher compared to an online store .
In turn, the online store offers greater independence, greater personalization of the experience and greater capacity for scaling. However, it requires greater effort and greater knowledge to launch and grow the business.
Any of these options is viable. It all depends on the company's strategic objectives and available resources. They can also coexist, depending on several factors, such as the portfolio available in each channel or the market.
Provide an excellent shopping experience
Just like in physical stores, the shopping experience is extremely important for the success of the buying and selling process.
However, the importance of temperature, light and olfactory sensations are replaced by good usability and organization of content, speed of delivery, return policy and checkout experience . Keeping an eye on these aspects is essential to be successful in e-Commerce in Portugal and, therefore, it is advisable to ensure:
Good delivery times (up to 5 working days or ideally deliveries within 24/48H);
Well-written and organized information, so that anyone can understand and understand how to navigate the website ;
Accept returns and do not charge for them;
Simple checkout process with multiple payment methods and free shipping.
All of this represents a substantial difference in sales.
Taking care of brand management
E -commerce is another essential channel for a brand’s 360º coherence, regardless of the medium. In this sense, it is necessary to adopt a set of procedures, especially in communication, that take the digital strategy to another level. Care with the image, the tone of communication and the commercial policy are concerns that should be considered the focus of the entire brand strategy. Do not forget that the price online is crucial, considering that it is a medium where it is very easy to make comparisons. However, an aggressive commercial stance should not be adopted online , as in other channels - the so-called omnichannel strategy. The brand is only one, regardless of the channel .
Furthermore, online is such a dynamic medium that marketing and sales can “blend together”. But it is important not to fall into the temptation of achieving short-term results, which could result in a lack of coherence in brand management.
Automate processes
Investing in e-Commerce in Portugal is more than just creating an online store ! Let's face it, it's not enough for a street store to just open its doors and voila. In e-Commerce, it's necessary to attract relevant traffic to the online store , in addition to what was mentioned above.
After building the online store and defining the strategic issues (brand, experience, logistics, etc.), we must focus on putting e-Commerce on everyone's lips, preferably among the business' target audience. It is also important to obtain recurring traffic and, to do so, contact must be maintained through the automation of these interactions. Having a welcome sequence, lead nurturing sequence , shopping cart abandonment sequence, receipt sequence (with up-sell / cross-sell ) are some examples of actions to optimize these processes.