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Factor Blue partnered with Hypernode to Boost eCommerce Performance

About Hypernode

Hypernode has vast experience in hosting and over 2000 e-commerce customers. Besides, it is a number 1 in e-commerce hosting in the Netherlands with 96% in customer satisfaction. It is an all-in-one hosting platform which empowers businesses to optimize their online stores for exceptional customer experiences.

Since Factor Blue strives to always provide the best developing services and solutions, it is only logical why our agency partnered up with Hypernode.

This article looks not only through the benefits and features of Hypernode-hosted Magento webshops. We talked to those in charge of this partnership to get the 360 degrees view about our partnership.

Beginning of the partnership between Hypernode and Factor Blue?

The partnership between Hypernode and Factor Blue started after working on a successful customer case. “As an eCommerce hosting provider, we are always looking for ambitious development agencies to collaborate with. Correspondingly, we can offer customers the best solutions for eCommerce webshops.” – Dion van de Griend, the account manager at Hypernode.

The same was the point of view of the CEO at Factor Blue, Jesper van den Bogaard. “The ultimate goal is to meet unique requirements of the clients while delivering a best-of-breed eCommerce solution.

Core features or capabilities of partners?

Hypernode has been in the eCommerce market for over 20 years and is known for it’s optimized hosting platform and proactive and personal approach. Moreover, Hypernode investigates the needs of a customer and offers a suitable hosting solution for every webshop.

Factor Blue, on the other hand, lets the specialist do the hosting part, and focuses on the technical part of eCommerce projects. From data connectivity solutions, choosing the right platform to meet client’s requirements, to optimization of webshops, it is all covered.

As can be seen, collaboration between the developers and engineers, led to achieving the best experience and growth for Magento webshops.

“Our platform consists of maximum automations and features with the goal to make lives of developers and webshop owners much easier. We save them time, so they can focus on what really matters: improving their webshop.”

– Dion van de Griend,
Hypernode

What sets Hypernode apart from other Magento partners in the market?

The team at Factor Blue has enormous experience in developing Magento webshops. Not all the experiences were that good.

“We have had in the past some issues with hosting. It is not our core business, but it is part of services that we need to deliver towards our customers. We needed someone reliable, someone we can count on and stop worrying about the hosting part. Hypernode got that covered and aligned perfectly with our strategy.” – said Jesper.

Important to point out, Hypernode is a managed hosting provider with pure focus on eCommerce. With their experience in hosting Magento, Shopware or WooCommerce webshops, they offer a great solution for getting the best performance, proactive support, and security.

“We offer fully managed hosting, which means that we take over all hosting related matters. eCommerce environments that use our platform are closely monitored 24/7, 365 days a year by our technicians. It doesn’t only secure real-time access but also error logs and analysis. If anything goes wrong, Hypernode deals with it via automation as well as auto-healing processes. Thanks to smart automation, proactive attitude, and a continuous drive to improve – Hypernode distinguishes itself from its competitors.”

Developer-Friendly Environment

From the point of view of our development team, Hypernode is always a good choice. It provides a developer-friendly environment that enables seamless collaboration and efficient workflow. With tools like Git deployment, SSH access, and PHP version control, our developers can easily manage and deploy code changes, ensuring a smooth development process. Hypernode also offers integration with popular developer tools and frameworks, allowing developers to leverage their preferred technologies. This flexibility empowers developers to customize and optimize their Magento webshops to meet specific business requirements, delivering a tailored shopping experience to customers.

One of the developers at Factor Blue shared his thoughts on the importance of Hypernode in Magento webshop developing. “Most of our clients are from the Netherlands. Having a hosting partner with servers located in the same country leads to much better performance and stability. It also improves SEO rankings, since it directly affects website loading speed.”

Conclusion

In today’s digital age, the success of your online business hinges on the performance, scalability, security, and flexibility of your webshop. Undoubtedly, Hypernode-hosted Magento webshops provide an ideal solution. By harnessing the power of Hypernode, businesses can elevate their eCommerce operations, deliver exceptional customer experiences, also stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital marketplace. Embrace the future of webshop hosting with Hypernode and unlock the full potential of your Magento-powered online store.


Looking ahead, plans are to evolve together in delivery of optimized webshops and improving the eCommerce performance overall.

– Jesper van den Bogaard,
CEO at Factor Blue

Importance of a reliable hosting solution for webshop

In today’s competitive online landscape, establishing a strong digital presence is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. As you embark on this journey, one of the most critical decisions you’ll face is selecting the right web hosting solution. While seeing the words “cheap hosting options” may seem tempting at first, it’s essential to understand that the words “developing a Magento webshop” don’t fit in the same sentence as before mentioned.

There is only an option of choosing a cheaper, not optimized hosting and an optimized hosting that is specific for the application needs. It is also important to understand the key differences between the two and make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals.

What makes a reliable web hosting service so important? Opting for a cheaper hosting platform would cost less, sure. However, it often falls short when it comes to delivering the performance, security, and scalability necessary to thrive in the e-commerce realm. If you’re serious about creating a professional online store, investing in a paid hosting plan will provide you with better control, performance, support, scalability, and security. For this reason, in this article, we list 5 reasons why investing in web hosting would pay off and unleash the true potential of your e-commerce website.

Seamless Customer Experience:

Every second counts in e-commerce. Literally, time is money. With a robust hosting provider, your e-commerce shop will load quickly and efficiently. It will ensure a smooth and frustration-free shopping experience for your customers. Studies show that even a three-second delay in page load time can result in a significant drop in conversion rates. And load times are directly linked to your web hosting. Don’t let slow loading times jeopardize your business growth.

Uninterrupted business:

Downtime is a nightmare for any e-commerce business. It can be a result of an issue in the CMS, or unreliable web hosting. A reliable hosting solution ensures your webshop stays up and running, 24/7, without any disruptions. If a server has lower uptime, your whole webshop will be unstable. By minimizing downtime, you don’t only maximize sales opportunities but also maintain customer trust and loyalty. Remember, a lost sale due to a downed website might mean a lost customer forever.

Scalability and Flexibility:

As your business grows, your webshop needs to adapt. Scalability refers to the ability to effortlessly incorporate additional storage, bandwidth, and a significant number of CPUs to handle the influx of visitors and accommodate your growing customer base. A reputable hosting provider offers scalable solutions that can accommodate the increasing demands of your online store. Whether it’s handling high traffic during peak seasons or expanding your product catalog, a flexible hosting infrastructure ensures your webshop can scale effortlessly, providing a seamless experience for your customers.

Security and Data Protection:

Protecting your customers’ sensitive information is paramount. Even companies that belong to the Fortune 500 list, like Yahoo or Facebook, experienced huge data breaches. This lead to exposing the private data of millions of users. A trustworthy hosting provider implements robust security measures, such as SSL certificates, firewalls, and regular backups, safeguarding your webshop from potential threats. Besides, choosing a good, reliable web hosting company leads to having a secure IP address. This is a necessity since maintaining a secure environment builds trust with your customers and protects your brand’s reputation.

SEO and Search Visibility:

Google considers many factors when ranking search results, and since 2010, page speed is one of them. Search engines prioritize websites that offer a fast and reliable user experience, on both desktop and mobile devices. Besides the internet connection, of course, page speed depends on TTFB (Time to First Byte) and accounts per server. By choosing a high-quality hosting solution, you ensure your e-commerce business meets these criteria, enhancing your search engine rankings and visibility. Don’t underestimate the impact hosting can have on your overall SEO strategy.


Conclusion

For all the listed reasons, our advice is – don’t compromise on the foundation of your e-commerce venture. Invest in top-notch hosting and empower your webshop with the speed, uptime, and security it deserves. Cheap hosting solutions which are not optimized might initially save money in the short term. But, will surely cause losses in the future.

At Factor Blue, we understand the critical role hosting plays in the success of your webshop. We use state-of-the-art hosting solutions designed specifically for e-commerce businesses. With our client’s goals as priorities, we make sure you get the stability and reliability your online store needs to thrive.

Composable Commerce – The Next Big Thing in Ecommerce

The increased number of internet users leads to an incline in demands that challenges online businesses in capturing them. Outdated processes are, however, holding back the optimization of business strategies.

Traditional e-commerce platforms are showing us that one system can’t do it all. They tend to offer quite a standardized set of features and capabilities, with less emphasis on customization. They are monolithic and don’t offer much integration flexibility or personalization. So if you want to scale up and build a scalable business, you need something else. Something else is named “Composable commerce”.

What is Composable Commerce?

Composable commerce refers to a type of architecture. The use of microservices allows businesses to include features such as: better search experiences, shopping carts, personalized product recommendations, dynamic pricing, payment gateways, product catalogs, multiple sales channels, shipping carriers, checkout processes, etc. These modules are designed to be decoupled from each other. This means that it is possible to change or upgrade individual pieces of the puzzle, without disrupting the rest of the system.

Furthermore, a composable strategy provides seamless integration with other tools or systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or inventory management (WMS), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

Composable commerce strategies use APIs (application programming interfaces) to allow for easier integration. The purpose is to allow merchants to “compose” their own unique ecosystem by combining different applications with different features.

The architecture based on PBCs helps create more user-friendly business solutions. Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs) are software components developed over a specific business function, consisting of data schema, APIs and a set of services. In other words, features of the independent, modular components that can be easily combined, or better said, composed and integrated with other ones into a custom application landscape to create a flexible and customizable commerce solution.

Some examples of composable commerce systems include webshops of H&M, Lululemon, Gymshark, etc.

Composable Commerce vs. Traditional E-commerce



Key differences between composable commerce and traditional e-commerce:

  • Customization
  • Integration
  • Scalability
  • Cost

Customization

The approach of the composable commerce ecosystem is allowing merchants to customize and tailor their e-commerce experiences to their specific needs and goals. In other words, this can include personalized product recommendations, dynamic pricing and discounts, and integration with other tools or systems. Traditional e-commerce platforms, on the other hand, tend to offer a more standardized set of features and capabilities. Furthermore, it offers less emphasis on customization and personalization.


Integration

Composable commerce ecosystems often use APIs (application programming interfaces) to allow for easy integration with other systems and tools. This can include integration with CRM systems, inventory management systems, and other business-critical tools. Traditional e-commerce platforms, on the contrary, may not offer as much integration flexibility.

Scalability

Composable commerce ecosystems are often designed with scalability in mind. This allows businesses to easily add or remove components as their needs change. Hence, it makes it easier for businesses to adapt to changing market conditions and customer demands. Traditional e-commerce platforms may have limited scalability, making it difficult to add new features or functionality as the business grows.

Cost

Composable commerce systems may have higher upfront costs than traditional e-commerce platforms, as businesses will need to invest in the development and integration of multiple components. However, over time, the flexibility and scalability of composable commerce platforms may result in cost savings compared to traditional e-commerce platforms, which may require costly upgrades or replacements as the business grows.

Conclusion



When adopting a composable commerce strategy, the benefits of being able to call on specific technologies that offer the right data at the right time means that you can remain agile when creating a new-generation experience for customers.

All things considered, composable commerce solution gives merchants more flexibility and control over their e-commerce operations. Allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing customer needs, market trends, and emerging technologies. Not only that, but it can help them create more personalized and engaging shopping experiences for their customers. All in all, it enables choosing the best-of-breed solutions for each component of their infrastructure.

6 reasons why AI will shape the future of conversational commerce

What is conversational commerce?

Before talking about the use of AI in conversational commerce, let’s get an introduction to this term. The term “conversational commerce” was first coined by Chris Messina in 2015. But the concept of it has been around for quite some time.

The practice of using chat and messaging for commercial purposes goes back to the early days of the Internet. Nevertheless, back then it existed in a very limited form, with no intention to use chat rooms and forums for commercial use. However, some businesses recognized the potential. And eventually, started using them to sell products and services, or to communicate with customers and provide support and service.

With the rapid growth in the use of mobile devices and messaging apps in recent years, the usage of chat and messaging for commerce has become more prevalent. Conversational commerce now refers to the use of messaging and chat platforms to facilitate online transactions and customer service interactions. How and why can it be so meaningful to e-commerce? Most of all, it allows them to provide more convenient and personalized experiences to customers.

AI chatbots vs CSR

Implementation of conversational commerce is possible with or without the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). For example, a business can use live chat or messaging platforms. This way, Customer Service Representatives (CSR) interact with customers in real time. A CSR is responsible for answering individuals’ questions and helping with making the purchase.

It can include the sophisticated and personalized interactions enabled by AI-driven chatbots on a website or mobile app, as well as integrating with messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, or WhatsApp. 

AI can be useful for creating customer segmentation, based on their purchasing history, browsing behavior, location, etc. This tool allows the use of information, such as if they have called before and why, or what is their preferred channel of communication. The use of this data can provide personalized interaction and enhanced customer satisfaction. Not only that, but it’s also useful in creating more targeted marketing campaigns. Customers who haven’t bought anything yet can be directed to a chatbot that provides information about the products. Instead of a CSR, a chatbot can answer most of the questions they might have, and provide assistance with the purchase process.

How is AI being used in conversational commerce?

The field of conversational commerce is rapidly growing and evolving, and the use of AI is increasing in popularity. Hence, expectations are that spending on chatbot technology will grow in the years to come. This growth is driven by increasing demand for automation in customer service, along with the growing adoption of messaging apps and the rising use of mobile devices.

It’s also important to mention the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the chatbot market. As the pandemic forced businesses to shift to digital channels, the chatbot market has seen increased adoption of chatbots in healthcare, e-commerce, and BFSI sectors to provide real-time information and support.

Additionally, many major companies have already begun implementing AI conversational commerce. The most popular ones are Amazon with Alexa, Google with Google Home, Apple with Siri, etc. This indicates that more and more businesses are recognizing the potential benefits of using AI in technology, such as automation, 24/7 availability, personalization, and data collection. All previously mentioned are driving the growth in spending on this technology. Thus, investment in this technology in the future is likely to continue.

Benefits of using AI in conversational commerce

Increased Automation. AI chatbots can handle a large volume of customer interactions. It is including answering questions, providing information, and even completing transactions. This can save businesses time and money by reducing the need for human customer service representatives.


Personalization. AI chatbots can be trained to understand natural language and respond intelligently. The aforementioned allows them to provide personalized recommendations and offers to customers.


Improved Customer Service. AI chatbots can help customers quickly and easily find the information they need, which can improve customer service and support.


Data Collection. Collecting data on customer interactions can provide businesses with valuable insights into customer needs and preferences.


24/7 availability. It means customers can get help or make purchases at any time. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and sales.

Cost-effective. AI-powered chatbots are a cost-effective way for businesses to provide customer service and support. They can handle multiple interactions at once, which means they can serve more customers than a human representative can.

Challenges and Limitations of AI Chatbots

As there are two sides to each coin, there are some downsides to using AI in conversational commerce. We could name the complexity of natural language as one of them. AI-powered chatbots still struggle to understand the nuances of human language and may have difficulties understanding the context of a conversation. Misunderstandings can then lead to irrelevant or inappropriate responses.

Besides, AI chatbots may not be able to provide the same level of personalization as human representatives due to the lack of empathy. Some customers also may not trust the technology or prefer speaking with a human representative. Businesses, however, must ensure that their customers understand when they are interacting with an AI chatbot, and also it is important to be clear about the data collection. Not to mention that with the boosted use of AI chatbots in customer service, there is a risk of potential job loss for human customer service representatives.

Future developments and potential impact

  • Improved natural language processing.
    As AI technology continues to improve, the expectations are that the ability of chatbots to understand and respond to natural language will become more sophisticated. This will enable them to provide more accurate and personalized responses to customer queries and requests.
  • Advancement in personalization and self-learning.
    AI chatbots will become more advanced in personalizing the customer experience, as well as in learning from customer interaction. This should lead to better predicting customer needs and preferences.
  • Integration with other technologies.
    Anticipations are that AI in conversational commerce will integrate with other technologies such as virtual and augmented reality to create more immersive and engaging customer experiences.
  • Betterment in security and transparency.
    With the increasing use of chatbots and messaging, businesses will need to invest in more robust security measures to protect customer data and prevent fraud. They will also need to ensure that their customers understand the type of data collection.
  • Upgrades in Human-AI collaboration.
    AI chatbots will be designed to work hand in hand with human representatives. It means they will be providing CSR with the necessary tools and information to offer customers the best possible experience.
  • Impact on industries.
    AI in conversational commerce will, besides customer service, have a significant impact on various industries such as retail, healthcare, and banking. More efficient customer service will help businesses to improve customer satisfaction and increase sales.

Conclusion

The ultimate goal of conversational commerce is to provide customers with a more natural and convenient way to shop and interact with an enterprise. A conversation with a virtual assistant or chatbot makes it easier to find the information they need and make a purchase, rather than navigating a website or app. This can lead to increased customer engagement and sales.

Equally important, it leads to improved customer service and support. Customers can quickly and easily ask questions and get help with any issues they may have. Overall, conversational commerce can help businesses to improve customer satisfaction, increase sales, and gain valuable insights, which can drive business growth and success.

Magenta Madness: Incorporating the color of the year into your Magento webshop design

At the beginning of the new millennium, Pantone announced its first color of the year. 22 colors later, according to Pantone, Viva Magenta is the color of the year 2023. This bold shade of pink is described as a bold and vibrant hue that can add a touch of personality to any design. That includes a design of a shop, perhaps a Magenta color, on the Magento platform!

MAGENTA

If you are a color enthusiast, who keeps track of the latest trends, you certainly know about the magenta color. However, if you are not familiar with it, this might seem interesting. The dye was developed chemically, during the peak of the Industrial Revolution, in 1856, and it was first called “Fuchsine”. After a while, it was officially renamed to “Magenta” and its official name has a bloody origin. In 1859, France and Austria fought a ferocious battle by the Italian town of Magenta. The battlefield numbered around 10,000 dead or wounded, it was covered in red from the blood. From that moment to these days, the previously discovered red-pink color was called “Magenta.”

The Pantone Institute described this color as powerful, not aggressive, but in an assertive way. It represents a vigorous combination of both warm and cool tones, existing in the both physical and digital world. Pantone has just recently revealed the Color of the Year 2023, hence there isn’t a wide variety of the products in the exact shade yet. Incorporating this vivid and bold color into your website would surely make your site a standout and draw attention!

MAGENTO

Speaking about websites and about magenta, the first thing that comes to mind is – Magento. This platform was released 15 years ago, and it’s one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world. Over 250000 merchants worldwide are using it, including Coca-Cola, Nike, Lenovo, etc. Factor Blue is, obviously, fond of this platform with 13 years of experience working with it.

Besides the similarity in names, there is another connection between Magento and Magenta. A fun fact about this platform is that, when it was developed back in 2007, its logo was colored magenta. Logically, there were beliefs that this color was also an inspiration for the name of the platform. These sayings were inaccurate. “Mage” in its name stands for the term meaning “Wizzard” in the game “Dungeons & Dragons”. This makes Magento a magical platform, right?

When it comes to building a website on Magento platform, you can count on a highly scalable, multilingual, fashionable webshop. A variety of extensions for additional functionality allow store owners to further customize their webshops. That customization facilitates meeting business requirements and reaching goals and the needs of their target audience.

Combination of the two

One way to use magenta color in a Magento platform would be to integrate it as an accent color in the overall color scheme. This could be done by using it as the primary color for call-to-action buttons. Furthermore, you could be using it as an accent color in the site’s typography. Additionally, you could use magenta in the site’s product images, as well as in the background of key sections of the site.

Another way to use magenta in a Magento site would be to use it as the primary color in the design. This could be done by using a magenta background on the homepage or by using it as the main color for the site’s navigation.

Ultimately, the key to successfully incorporating a Color of the Year 2023 into a Magento website design is to use it in a way that complements the overall aesthetic of the site. That helps to create a cohesive and visually appealing experience for the user.
The use of color can help to set the tone and establish a brand identity. Equally important, the Magento platform comes up with a range of features and functionality for managing an online store.

Overall, combining the color magenta with the Magento platform can create a distinctive and effective e-commerce website. In other words, it brings a stand-out from the competition and provides a unique and engaging shopping experience for customers.

Innovations in ecommerce you should know about in 2023

“The only way to predict the future is to create it.”

Abraham Linkoln

This quote can surely be applied in the ecommerce industry, too. Online retail is, more than ever, evolving in order for businesses to remain competitive.

Our list of innovations that can blaze a trail in ecommerce includes:

  1. Virtual and Augmented Reality to ameliorate product’s presentation
  2. AI to personalize shopping experience
  3. Blockchain technology to improve security
  4. Livestream shopping to engage customers
  5. Mobile devices due to their convenience
  6. Headless ecommerce platforms development

1 – Augmented and Virtual Reality in ecommerce

As ecommerce keeps growing, shoppers’ expectations for a more interactive and fun shopping experience. Another area of innovations in e-commerce is the use of virtual (VR) and especially augmented reality (AR) for product visualization and demonstration. These two terms are actually very different. 

VR is a completely virtual setting which usually requires some hardware. On the other hand, AR requires less physical equipment, and it blends the real-life environment with virtual elements. Both are fundamentally interactive and, as a result, lead to increased customer engagement. Even if a visitor doesn’t buy anything from your webshop, the time spent on your site will help to build a relationship with your brand and products.

These technologies are allowing customers to see how a product will look in their home or on their body. Trying out clothes, eyeglasses, or make-up products, for example, is of a great importance. Before making a purchase, consumers must be sure of how a product would look on them. It also allows preview of the placement of a certain furniture piece. Would those chairs look good next to your dining table? “Try before you buy” possibility assures you have a clearer picture of what you are purchasing. Besides improving buyer decision-making, virtual and augmented reality also reduce the return rate of the products that were bought online.

2 – Artificial intelligence in ecommerce

One of the trending innovations in ecommerce that has been gaining momentum is the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to personalize the shopping experience for customers. This can include recommending products based on a customer’s past purchases or browsing history, as well as dynamically pricing products based on demand and other factors.

Personalized recommendations

Personalized recommendations are being created by using different algorithms like collaborative filtering, content-based filtering etc. The AI is taking the feedback ranging from the information such as: which links user clicks on, which categories are the main interest, which website does the user spend more time on, purchase history, user reviews on the products, etc. After getting all the data, the real-time analytics provide the personal recommendation for that user. This increases the engagement of the user on the platform and thus results in more purchasing. Statistics now show that 89% of businesses are investing in personalization.

This is another domain where AI plays its role. Online commerce platforms are getting millions and millions of searches per minute on their websites. In order to provide user-centric results for the customer, machine learning algorithms are being used. These algorithms analyze customer search patterns and behaviors to “see the world like you do”. Better understanding of preferences and intent empowers businesses to develop a customer-centric experience by search query auto-completion. The AI predictive analytics make it easier and faster for customers to find what they are looking for.

Conversational commerce

Many ecommerce retailers are already becoming more sophisticated with their AI capabilities, and one approach widely developing is known as conversational commerce. So what is a chatbot? By definition, it is a specific program that is designed to stimulate or maintain a conversation between human users and the robots. By automating order processes and providing all repetitive customer service, businesses lower cost, time and energy. Nowadays, chatbots are maturing and leveraging themselves to that extent that this become a necessity for the e-commerce industry. Online retailers, that have to manage a huge number of users at a single time, can’t find it practical to hire sales or customer representatives. The chatbot is the innovation in ecommerce that doesn’t only lay down the cost, but also provides a much better experience and at a much faster pace.

Managing the orders

Just imagine getting thousands of orders per hour and managing all of these orders manually. Won’t it be a mess? But again – here is the AI to save the day! AI is providing some out-of-the-box solutions to manage the orders and track the progress of them. They can manage the path of dispersing the orders in an optimized manner, with real-time updates for customers. Besides, the AI can decide routs in an optimized way, which reduces both costs to the company and delivery time. And convenient delivery options are providing a company a way to stand out in a competitive and demanding online market.

This is merely the tip of the iceberg of how the AI is playing a vital role in the future of the e-commerce industry.

3 – Blockchain technology in ecommerce

This innovative technology has a potential to improve payment security and supply chain transparency in ecommerce.

It can securely store and process payment information, making it more difficult for hackers to attack and access sensitive data. It can also be used to prevent fraudulent activities by creating a tamer-proof record of transactions. Blockchain payments are decentralized, they allow for transactions to be tracked from beginning to end, and recorded transparently. It also eliminates the need for third-party verification and can make it easier for customers to return and receive refunds.

Another area it can help with is the logistics business. Blockchain can track the entire supply chain process, from the origin of a product to its final destination. This increases the traceability and efficiency of, and reduces shipping costs and potential risks of counterfeiting.

4 – Livestream Shopping

Livestreaming isn’t a new thing. Its popularity rocketed within the gaming industry and social networking. However, livestream shopping is still something uncommonly practiced. Everywhere, except in China, it represents innovation in ecommerce. Livestream ecommerce has become a huge trend in China, logically, since it is the market with the biggest ecommerce empire in the world. After the dramatic growth among Chinese, this form of shopping became popular with the merchants in the whole Southeast Asia. Moreover, this marketing strategy also found its way to the west – Amazon has upgraded its livestreaming functions in 2022.

Live-streaming shopping represents a fun experience where a host, usually an influencer or a celebrity, streams a video to showcase a product with the purpose of selling it to viewers in real-time. While demonstrating the goods, the host answers questions from viewers and offers special discounts. Viewers have options to purchase the shown products directly through the streaming platform or website. It is the entertaining way of engaging with customers online, covering the importance of the social aspect. The interaction helps businesses build a sense of community and connection over the same product with their customers.

5 – Mobile devices

Not so much the innovation in ecommerce, but more of a trend, is using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. They have become increasingly popular in ecommerce in recent years. Due to their portable nature and constant internet connection, they are convenient to be used for online shopping anytime, anywhere. Many businesses are optimizing their websites and creating mobile apps, making it easier for customers to shop on-the-go. Mobile devices also store user’s information such as location, browsing history, and preferences. These can be used to provide a personalized online shopping experience. This trend is likely to continue as a number of mobile users constantly grows. Statista.com predicts that m-commerce retail sales are going to reach the growth to approximately 710 billion U.S. dollars.

6 – Headless ecommerce

Headless ecommerce is, by definition, an ecommerce platform where the frontend and backend are decoupled. This separation allows developers greater flexibility when building frontends, using any technology they choose. The backend remains used for managing products, processing orders, and handling customer payments. The connection between the frontend and backend is an API bridge, which allows development to be done faster. This innovative approach leads to improvements in scalability and better user experience. The website built this way behaves like a progressive web app (PWA) with all its virtues. Even when the connection is unstable or off, browsing and filling the shopping cart is allowed. It also boosts SEO rankings and supports personalized push notifications, which proved great importance in the competitive world of ecommerce.


Overall, it is likely that ecommerce will continue to evolve and be shaped by advances in technology, changing consumer preferences, and the needs of retailers. These and other innovations are helping to make online shopping faster, easier, and more convenient for consumers, and are driving the growth of the ecommerce industry. There is a list of ongoing things and we at Factor Blue are excited to be part of this exciting future.

How to choose an ecommerce agency

E-commerce is not an industry; e-commerce is a tactic.

Tobias Lütke

After the pandemics’ lockdown, the interest in online shopping has boomed. Due to the convenience of making a purchase with just a few clicks, the e-retail sales surpassed 5.3 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide in 2021. According to statista.com, the digits are going wild! The forecasts indicate that by 2026 the retail ecommerce market worldwide will make up to 8.1 trillion U.S. dollars. They also predict that the ecommerce is going to make up to an impressive 24% of global retail sales by 2026.

Yes, the numbers of online sales are increasing. However, a significant number of visitors leave the website before purchasing anything, and that number has been gradually rising to almost 70 percent in 2021. The reasons for abandoned online purchases are additional costs, taxes, fees, but people are also drawn back by errors on the website, total order cost not being calculated right away, too long checkout process, etc.

Two heads are better than one, so reaching out for the help of an ecommerce agency is a usual thing. That’s why choosing the right agency to be in charge of your online webshop is of a great importance.

What is an ecommerce agency?

These companies specialize in assisting businesses thrive in the online retails space through ecommerce platforms or their own websites. Ecommerce agencies can provide a variety of services and expertise. The range of services includes: website design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), marketing and advertising, consulting, and more.

What is the main feature of ecommerce agencies?

Their main feature is their competence to help businesses handle the complex and never-ending evolution of the world of online commerce.

Ecommerce agencies usually have a team of experts who are knowledgeable about the most recent trends and best practices in online retail. With their knowledge and resources, ecommerce agencies can grease the wheels of online businesses in so many aspects. They can help in reaching the goals, engaging with the target market, improving the online visibility and webshop performance… Depending on particular needs, they can build a new online store or optimize an existing one. Hence, the outcome of their services is the increase in sales and revenue.

Of course, not all the agencies cover all areas and meet everyone’s expectations. That’s why when choosing an ecommerce agency, it’s equally important to consider their experience and track record, as well as the specific services they offer.

What areas can an ecommerce agency help with?

Partnering with an ecommerce agency can be a valuable investment for businesses aiming to grow and succeed in the online retail universe. However, it is important to make sure that the agency is a good fit for the business and its goals.

Here are five specific areas that ecommerce agencies can bring the improvement to:

Website design:

They can create an attractive and user-friendly website that looks great on different devices and screen sizes. Also, if needed, they can redesign your current site in order to provide an appealing shopping experience to the customers.

Website development:

The team within the ecommerce agency can develop the webshop and assure it is optimized for conversions. They can also be assigned to integrate the webshop with other systems and platforms, such as payment processors, shipping and fulfillment services, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools.

SEO:

Ecommerce agencies can offer improvement of the search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to the website through SEO strategies.

Marketing:

They can help businesses develop and execute marketing campaigns. A well-structured plan of promotions will reach and engage the target audience, whether through social media, email, or other channels.

Sales and customer service:

Ecommerce agencies can step in and manage the online sales and customer service operations of businesses, including order fulfillment and returns.

Overall, ecommerce agencies can provide a range of valuable support and expertise to businesses looking to succeed in the world of online commerce. Making a choice will depend on identifying specific services and capabilities needed from an agency.

Tips on how to choose an ecommerce agency:

In order to be able to choose the right ecommerce agency to help your business on the way to success, there are a couple of steps that should be followed:

Set your goals and objectives

Before choosing an ecommerce agency to partner with, you should determine your short-term, as well as your long-term goals. After you clearly define your objectives and target audience, those goals would be used as a starting point for developing the strategic plan. Implementing the strategy will ensure the competitive advantage of your online business.

Define your budget and schedule

Money doesn’t grow on trees, that’s the fact. So, you must be specific with the amount of this limited resource you are able to appoint for this cause. Being specific doesn’t mean being strict, of course. Because ecommerce is a continuous process that can encounter unplanned obstacles and maintenance in a longer period of time. In order to choose an agency that provides services you require, you must firstly assess what budget you have and what period of time you may need agency services for. Make sure you are aware that your newly developed webshop can’t be just left existing on its own.

Conduct research

Once you know what you are looking for, start conducting research on different ecommerce agencies. After verifying their credibility, you should look for the records of success with the clients within the same industry as yours. Aside from getting familiar with the information on the website of the agency, you could visit their brick-and-mortar office in case of proximity of their location. It would result in getting a clearer picture of how they operate and communicate with potential clients.

Ask for references and case studies

Before making a final decision, ask the agencies in your shortlist for references and case studies from past clients. In a careful consideration, you will get a sense of their skillfulness/competence/abilities and how they led other businesses to success.

Compare the cost

Of course, price tag is always an important factor to deal with. While getting the necessary information from multiple agencies, make sure to get the quotes, too. Comparing fees will add another column into your pro/con list. Higher hourly rate doesn’t guarantee expertise, while lower hourly rate doesn’t mean low quality services. You should carefully review all these aspects, when considering which ecommerce agency provides the best value for the money.

Communicate with the agency

Finally, open and straightforward communication with the agency you choose to team-up with is greatly important. In regard to avoiding any misunderstandings, make sure you are clear with explaining your goals and needs. Also, it is essential that you comprehend their process and timeline. Good communication with an E-Commerce consultant is crucial in ensuring a successful partnership.