When it comes to e-commerce marketplace dominance, Amazon is in a league of its own. With 44% of all product searches starting on their site, and owning nearly half of all online retail sales in the United States, competing against Amazon can feel like a modern-day David vs. Goliath battle.
However, it is possible to win in this fight against the giant if you focus on the areas where they are weak. For example, battling head-on with Amazon on price or inventory is a fool’s errand; it would require a massive investment that even some of the biggest retailers in the world can’t make. Instead, you can leverage technology to deliver the things that customers really value—easy search, helpful advice, contextual experiences, efficient delivery and confidence-building communications.
One other area where you can differentiate your brand is in curating a unique selection of products that shoppers can’t get anywhere else. Many of the most successful brick-and-mortar retailers are succeeding by providing this type of experience for their customers, and it’s easy to do so using today’s technology.
And remember that your customers love information, so be sure to communicate often—using email and text messages—about their orders, when they will ship and be delivered, etc. This may seem simple, but it’s something that too few brands are doing—and it’s a major differentiator for those who do.