Category management firm Bridgethorne has called on FMCG suppliers to address their e-category management, as online sales outperform brick and mortar sales, and research shows that up to 70% of in-store sales are influenced by an online search.
The company has released a report called Winning Online By Embracing E-Category Management, encouraging stores to enhance e-store strategy in order to influence the shopping experience across all channels - not just online.
It also highlights that not enough suppliers are recognising how much e-category management differs from conventional category management and are therefore failing to build an optimum e-category capability.
Online Insight
Clare Adames, head of e-commerce at Bridgethorne, said, “We can see that suppliers are failing to extend their category management skills to e-commerce, meaning that they are not building insights from online shopper behaviour in order to understand shoppers, retailers and categories more fully."
“Success in the e-commerce space requires adapting to a different selling environment. Retailers will also be looking to their suppliers to demonstrate a clear understanding of online insight and shopper behaviour and how to grow their category online.”
E-Commerce Accessibility
Adames added that 56% of consumers use a mobile device to research products while at home, and 38% have used a mobile device to check inventory availability while on their way to a store.
“If the imagery and content of your products are not mobile friendly, then you are not ready for e-commerce," she said.
“Having an e-category management strategy in place where you work closely with the retailer will improve the user experience, making it easier for shoppers to find, select and buy your products. This will deliver the growth the retailer is seeking.”
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
