Re-Thinking E-Commerce
We learned how to sell something online more than 20 years ago. But not much has changed since then. The online shopping experience stayed the same.
Maybe there is something missing.
Maybe we should start to re-think E-Commerce?
Stagnation in the West, Innovation in the East
While the e-commerce user experience has largely remained the same in the West, much has changed in other parts of the world - especially in Digital China!
E-commerce in China has evolved into something completely different. And examples like SHEIN & Temu, which are now among the most installed shopping apps in Western app stores, prove that some of these strategies also work here!
During the Re-Thinking E-Commerce sessions, we will explore the latest retail trends in China and discuss what we can learn from them.
Three Ideas for re-thinking E-Commerce
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Discovery-Driven E-Commerce
E-commerce in the West is primarily "search-driven": it is all about making sure that customers can find what they want quickly and easily. What's missing: how do they find goods they don't even know they want? How can they be as inspired as when they browse a physical store?
Discovery-driven e-commerce is the answer: AI-curated product feeds, shopataiment and more...
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Social Retail
Going shopping with friends is a common use case in real life. But how do you do it online? How do you make online shopping a social experience? An obvious use case that we have largely ignored.
In the workshop we will look at how people in China shop online with friends. And how brands actively involve their customers/fans and their networks in their own brand communication.
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True Omnichannel
We still too often think of online and offline channels as separate, and then look for ways to reconnect the two silos with something called omnichannel - often without much success.
In China, the two are always seen as part of the same system. So it makes sense that internet companies are investing heavily in physical retail and coming up with completely new approaches such as "omnichannel products". This is part of a trend called "Online Merge Offline" (OMO) and shows us how true omnichannel can become a reality.
Searching for new Retail & E-Commerce Strategies?
Re-Thinking E-Commerce analyses current retail trends in China and discusses what we can learn from them for our work here in the West:
E-Commerce Paradigms: Search-Driven in the West vs. Discovery-Driven in China.
Shopatainment: from Gamification to Live-Shopping - engage customers with entertainment & inspiration.
Social Commerce: Turn shopping into social experiences.
SHEIN’s Business Model: Retail lessons beyond cheap fashion.
OMO - Online Merge Offline: Sales channels as a system, not silos.
Immersive Lifestyle Experiences: New opportunities for bricks-and-mortar retail.
Are these topics of interest to you? Then let's talk about how we could work together:
Keynotes: Presentations at external or internal events with your specific focus.
In-house workshops: Collaborative work on well-defined questions & issues - internally or, in the case of agencies and consultancies, for or with clients.
Coaching: Continuous support and feedback on ongoing transformation projects.
Open Re-Thinking e-commerce workshops are also held occasionally as part of the Tomorrow Academy.
Excited to learn more? Leave us a quick message here and we'll be in touch asap.
From Immersive Shopping to C2M.
Three examples of trends we discuss to Re-Think E-Commerce
In the West, luxury brands avoid the big e-commerce platforms. In China they are the most important sales channels. This video explains why.
One of the most important e-commerce trends in China is C2M (Customer to Manufacturer), which is the perfect match between demand and production - the real secret of success for companies like SHEIN.
To better understand the human side of e-commerce in China, check out this video that showcases the daily life of a Taobao shop owner in Chengdu.
© Andreas Loechte Photography
Re-Thinking Digital.
Re-Thinking E-Commerce is part of a series that aims to fundamentally rethink 'digital' with insights and strategies from China. In addition to a deeper understanding of the country and e-commerce, other parts of the series focus on business strategy and brand management.
With the Tomorrow Academy, Vienna, I regularly host "Re-Thinking Digital Preview" remote events, which provide a good initial overview and help identify relevant topics for further exploration.
Re-Thinking Workshops:
"Solidly researched, interactive, and moderated to the point. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand and actively shape the future."
– Thorsten Kuehnel, Chief Digital Officer, Rheinmetall
"A great interactive and dialog format full of inspiration and food for thought. A must-attend program!"
– Martin Gassner, Managing Director Accenture Song
“Great expert and speaker on digitalization. A real China maven who is not only well-read, but also knows the reality on the ground there.”
– Matthias Freiherr von Tettau, Managing Partner, DIH Deutsche Industrie-Holding.
“This moment alone when you realize how little you know about China is worth attending of this workshop. Very well invested time that leaves a lasting impression and makes you think.”
– Daniel Koennecke, Partner, Deloitte Digital.