Gagan Mehra - Practical Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/author/gagan-mehra Independent analysis and strategy for online merchants Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:15:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4 Clienteling Personalizes In-store, Online Shopping https://www.practicalecommerce.com/clienteling-personalizes-in-store-online-shopping Thu, 10 Dec 2020 21:22:11 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=364546 "Clienteling" enables shoppers and personnel in physical stores to interact with online channels, such as web, mobile, and social. Saks Fifth Avenue, for example, has used clienteling for over five years. With clienteling, in-store associates to access an application that provides info about a shopper. The result is merchants can better serve customers and drive higher average value orders.

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]]> Pros and Cons of Composable Commerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/pros-and-cons-of-composable-commerce Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:50:07 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=362256 The term "composable commerce" refers to joining multiple components to meet a merchant's specific needs. Example use cases include multiple sales channels, cost control, specialization, and the need for modular construction.

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]]> 25 Global B2B Exchanges for Supply Chain Diversity https://www.practicalecommerce.com/20-leading-global-b2b-exchanges-source-products Wed, 29 Apr 2020 15:21:03 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=195632 The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted supply chains, forcing distributors and retailers to find alternative product sources.  Global B2B exchanges have existed for years. What follows is a list of 25 leading B2B exchanges.

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]]> 5 Tips to Overcome Covid-19 Supply Chain Disruptions https://www.practicalecommerce.com/5-tips-to-overcome-covid-19-supply-chain-disruptions Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:09:36 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=193037 Covid-19 has disrupted the supply chain by shutting down manufacturers and suppliers in China, the U.S., and elsewhere. This post suggests five ways to overcome this challenge.

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]]> Innovative Ideas to Automate Ecommerce Tasks https://www.practicalecommerce.com/innovative-ideas-to-automate-ecommerce-tasks Fri, 01 Nov 2019 12:32:22 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=185576 This post is the second in a series that focuses on innovation in ecommerce. My objective is to highlight improvements that can help merchants. The first post addressed advancements in drone delivery. In this installment, I'll review progress in ecommerce automation, to streamline routine tasks.

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]]> Will Drone Delivery Help Ecommerce? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/will-drone-delivery-help-ecommerce Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:55:42 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=183494 Drones are already used for delivering products in Iceland and medical supplies in Tanzania and Rwanda. Denmark, France, and The Netherlands are soon to follow.

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]]> Common B2B Mistakes, Part 5: Accessibility, Mobile, Localization https://www.practicalecommerce.com/common-b2b-mistakes-part-5-accessibility-mobile-localization Mon, 29 Jul 2019 13:19:56 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=180182 This is the fifth and final post in a series in which I address common mistakes of B2B ecommerce merchants. For this installment, I’ll review mistakes related to accessibility, mobile usability, and localization.

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]]> Common B2B Mistakes, Part 4: Shipping, Returns, Inventory https://www.practicalecommerce.com/common-b2b-mistakes-part-4-shipping-returns-inventory Tue, 02 Jul 2019 13:56:03 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=178670 This post is the fourth in a series in which I address common mistakes of B2B ecommerce merchants. The first post addressed mistakes related to catalog management and pricing. The second described user management and customer service failures. The third post discussed glitches from shopping carts and order management systems. For this installment, I’ll review mistakes related to shipping, returns, and inventory management.

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]]> Common B2B Mistakes, Part 3: Shopping Carts, Order Management https://www.practicalecommerce.com/common-b2b-mistakes-part-3-shopping-carts-order-management Tue, 14 May 2019 12:50:07 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=175647 This post is the third in a series in which I address common mistakes of B2B ecommerce merchants. For this installment, I’ll discuss mistakes related to shopping carts, checkout, and order management.

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]]> Common B2B Mistakes, Part 2: User Management, Customer Service https://www.practicalecommerce.com/common-b2b-mistakes-part-2-user-management-customer-service Wed, 10 Apr 2019 14:33:18 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=173210 This post is the second in a series in which I address common mistakes of B2B ecommerce merchants. The first post addressed B2B mistakes in catalog management and pricing. For this installment, I’ll review mistakes related to user management and customer service.

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]]> Common B2B Mistakes, Part 1: Catalog Management, Pricing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/common-b2b-mistakes-part-1-catalog-management-pricing Sun, 10 Mar 2019 09:00:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=171238 This post is the first in a series in which I address common mistakes of B2B ecommerce merchants. For this installment, I'll review errors related to catalog management, pricing, and user experience.

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]]> 4 Safeguards to Prevent Credit Card Fraud https://www.practicalecommerce.com/fraud-cardgen-cfm Tue, 12 Feb 2019 19:08:16 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=170104 Ecommerce merchants continue to rely on credit card payments for orders. Credit cards are convenient and fast, but they also come with risk. Merchants in the United States lose approximately $190 billion a year to credit card fraud. In this post, I will explain how to minimize credit card fraud.

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]]> 10 Tips for Successful Cross-border Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-tips-for-successful-cross-border-ecommerce Fri, 25 Jan 2019 17:37:31 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=169138 Cross-border ecommerce sales have grown dramatically in recent years. The industry is collectively learning dos and don'ts for penetrating international markets. In this post, I'll offer 10 tips to expand your ecommerce business into new countries and regions.

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]]> 22 Cloud Storage Sites https://www.practicalecommerce.com/15-Cloud-Storage-Sites Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:22:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=163373 Cloud storage is gradually replacing on-premise options. The benefits of cloud storage include:

Access from multiple locations. Once the data is in the cloud, it can be accessed from anywhere.

Expand or ...

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]]> Blockchain Vendors with Solutions for Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/blockchain-vendors-with-solutions-for-ecommerce Thu, 27 Sep 2018 13:54:14 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=161690 Blockchain uses are evolving, with many new vendors and participating merchants. The key benefits include lower costs, increased security, improved tracking, and enhanced convenience. In this posit, I'll list examples of vendors that use blockchain technology in their products.

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]]> 14 A.I.-powered Apps for Personalization, Higher Conversions https://www.practicalecommerce.com/14-a-i-powered-apps-for-personalization-higher-conversions Wed, 22 Aug 2018 15:09:29 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=159284 Artificial intelligence can provide a competitive advantage to a merchant. Leading ecommerce platforms integrate with many third-party apps that use artificial intelligence. In this post, I will list a variety of third-party, A.I.-driven apps for Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce.

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]]> 58 Leading Online Marketplaces Worldwide https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecommerce-marketplaces-worldwide Mon, 23 Jul 2018 14:19:09 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=157445 In this post, I will list all major worldwide marketplaces — B2C and B2B. I have categorized the marketplaces by their home continent.

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]]> 10 Ways That Artificial Intelligence Helps Merchants https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-artificial-intelligence-helps-merchants https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-artificial-intelligence-helps-merchants#comments Wed, 21 Mar 2018 13:37:02 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=149444 The term "artificial intelligence" refers to software that learns from experience. It mimics the human mind in that it changes responses based on data.  Self-driving cars and voice-enabled devices rely on artificial intelligence. Retail businesses can also benefit. In this post, I'll list 10 use cases of how artificial intelligence helps merchants.

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-artificial-intelligence-helps-merchants/feed 2 Staying Ahead of Fake Product Reviews https://www.practicalecommerce.com/staying-ahead-fake-product-reviews Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:00:51 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=147922 In the competitive world of online commerce, not every merchant is honest. Some post fake positive reviews for their products to entice shoppers. Others post fake negative reviews of competitors' products to dissuade potential buyers. Both are examples of product review fraud. It's dishonest to competitors and, also, to shoppers that rely heavily on the reviews. If a retailer does not stop the fraud, shoppers could lose trust in the reviews and cease purchasing from the site.

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]]> The Rise of Human-free Retail https://www.practicalecommerce.com/rise-human-free-retail https://www.practicalecommerce.com/rise-human-free-retail#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2018 01:33:20 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=147065 A few days back the first Amazon Go convenience store opened, in Seattle. Shoppers can simply pick up the items they want to purchase and walk out. There is no need to stand in lines and go through checkout. Will Walmart, Target, and other competitors implement a similar technology? The answer is likely "yes." In fact, other companies are doing it already.

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/rise-human-free-retail/feed 2 Tips for Selling and Buying on B2B Exchanges https://www.practicalecommerce.com/tips-selling-buying-b2b-exchanges Tue, 09 Jan 2018 14:56:36 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=146108 In "20 Leading Global B2B Exchanges," my previous post, I shared B2B marketplace options for buying and selling products. In this post, I'll offer pointers on using those exchanges. Selling on a B2B exchange is an easy and inexpensive way for suppliers to get started with ecommerce. A supplier does not typically need its own website to list products on exchanges.

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]]> 9 Startups That Are Disrupting Inventory Management https://www.practicalecommerce.com/9-startups-that-are-disrupting-inventory-management Tue, 07 Nov 2017 13:45:14 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=143520 The sweet spot for inventory management is to spend the minimum amount to have adequate stock for customer orders. There is no shortage of software to help with this. But ...

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]]> 10 Retail Blockchain Vendors https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-retail-blockchain-vendors Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:31:23 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=142963 In “10 Ways Blockchains Can Benefit Merchants,” my previous article, I addressed potential uses for blockchain technology. In this post, I’ll describe 10 service providers that already use that technology.
Blockverify
Blockverify ...

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]]> 10 Ways Blockchains Can Benefit Merchants https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-blockchains-can-benefit-merchants https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-blockchains-can-benefit-merchants#comments Thu, 05 Oct 2017 13:50:00 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=142368 The Internet is buzzing with how blockchains can solve problems and disrupt multiple industries. But what exactly is a blockchain and how can it benefit merchants?
A blockchain is a “distributed ...

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-ways-blockchains-can-benefit-merchants/feed 1 105 Leading Social Networks Worldwide https://www.practicalecommerce.com/105-leading-social-networks-worldwide https://www.practicalecommerce.com/105-leading-social-networks-worldwide#comments Wed, 27 Sep 2017 14:00:05 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=86264 Much has changed since 2015 when we last updated our list leading social media sites. Many more social networks have been launched. Some have been discontinued. This post will list all leading English-language social networks as of Sept. 2017. It will also indicate social networks that were added since the 2015 article, by placing “(New)” beside the name.

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/105-leading-social-networks-worldwide/feed 112 Can Personalization Save Shopping Malls? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/can-personalization-save-shopping-malls Sun, 10 Sep 2017 13:32:57 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=141582 The rise of ecommerce is impacting shopping malls. Traffic and sales are down significantly. 2017 has been a particularly bad year for brick-and-mortar retailers, with hundreds of announced store closures.
In ...

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]]> Using Google Home for Voice-enabled Shopping https://www.practicalecommerce.com/using-google-home-for-voice-enabled-shopping Fri, 11 Aug 2017 13:07:08 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=140408 My previous post, “10 Alexa Skills for Shopping (and Selling),” focused on Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, and the burgeoning number of third-party apps and APIs — “Skills” — for that technology.

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]]> 10 Alexa Skills for Shopping (and Selling) https://www.practicalecommerce.com/10-alexa-skills-for-shopping-and-selling Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:57:34 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=139880 In “The Growing Adoption of Voice Commerce,” my previous post, I addressed how Amazon’s Alexa is the leading voice-based assistant.
I mentioned in the post that Amazon now offers Alexa Voice ...

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]]> The Growing Adoption of Voice Commerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/the-growing-adoption-of-voice-commerce Sun, 02 Jul 2017 12:33:12 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=138993 Three years ago, in “Voice Commerce Ready for Prime Time?,” I presented the pros and cons of voice-activated transactions. Since then, voice commerce has grown significantly, with the adoption of ...

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]]> Intelligent Ways to Manage Fraud https://www.practicalecommerce.com/intelligent-ways-to-manage-fraud https://www.practicalecommerce.com/intelligent-ways-to-manage-fraud#comments Thu, 08 Jun 2017 12:07:53 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=138089 Fraud continues to impact online merchants. Some experience chargebacks, while others experience various forms of return fraud. Fraud hurts not only merchants but also consumers, as merchants often increase prices ...

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