Tips for a sustainable e-commerce management after the pandemic

Covid-19 has changed the game of the business world forever. While quarantine-induced online spending has reached a historical peak, more and more people believe that the surge in demand for e-commerce will be the new normal even in a post-pandemic world. It is crucial for e-commerce businesses not to dwell on the profit they harvested during the past months, but to rethink their business operation strategies to protect the market shares they acquired.

1 - Make good use of social media

While there are 3 billion people in the world actively using social media, more and more businesses are targeting it as the next battleground for acquiring market share. And indeed, it is the cheapest and most convenient way to stay connected with your customers and grasp their needs, especially during the pandemic crisis. However, just owning a business social account s not enough. To make it a weapon for marketing, you need to aggressively engage with your potential clients by posting interactive content such as polls or interesting quizzes. Also, it is crucial to choose the platform that works best for you. Each social media has its own culture and targeting users. For example, researches show that Instagram has experienced a sudden rise in millenials and is more friendly to organic marketing campaigns, while Facebook is more popular among the 30-49 age group and favors paid-ads a lot more. Short-video apps like Tik-Tok and reels can also be a good channel for e-commerce. If you're not sure which platform to pay attention to, it is always helpful to try several and analyze your data stemmed from different social websites and focus on the ones that bring more traffic and with higher conversion rates.

2 - Keep investing in supply chain

During COVID-19, the correlation between a strong supply chain management and a business' ability to survive is even more evident. Companies who adjusted their supply chains in real-time in response to the demand surge ended up profiting and flourishing. Supply chain management involves multiple procedures from production, storing to distribution and all aspects are equally important. How do you get your goods delivered to your consumers in the shortest time with the lowest cost? How can you make better use of your warehouse capacity to save money? How do you keep your inventory at a suitable level? It is never too late to upgrade your supply chain system, whether it's by internal optimization or by outsourcing to a reliable logistics partner. A fast last-mile delivery, a user-friendly item-return procedure, and the flexibility in shipping options are all key factors that you should consider if you want your business to stand out from the crowd.

3 - Build up your own website

Building up our own website is no longer a challenge nowadays. You don't need to be a coding or technical expert. Various platforms are helping you to create a well-functioned website at a minimum cost. All you have to do is drag and drop the website elements you desire provided by the platform. And the subsequent benefits can be tremendous. Owning a company website allows you to market your products without any distractions. It saves you from the headache of popping up next to those similar items with lower prices and better promotions, which happens a lot if you're sharing a platform with others. Your website is all about you and your products, where you can easily customize your product galleries and storefront to make it more innovative. It is also a good portal to improve your brand recognition. Customers are much more likely to remember your company's name and style from the design of your website and differentiate you from your competitors.

4. Leverage on technology

Technology is and will continue to be the main fuel behind the e-commerce revolution. Features that are most valued by customers nowadays such as personalization, optimal research, and auto-subscription are all driven by technological advancement. To take advantage of technology, you don't need to invest substantially. Some simple development can do the trick. For instance, the adoption of a chatbot will greatly shorten the response time to your customers. The faster you respond and follow up, the more likely they will purchase from you. A chatbot can handle 24/7 requests with no time difference and can be especially helpful if you are selling in a wide area.