E-commerce is not just a trend but a necessity for businesses looking to thrive in the competitive market landscape. According to Forbes, 22.6% of total retail sales will be conducted online in 2027.
With these forecasts in mind, having a robust e-commerce platform is essential for driving sales and enhancing customer experiences.
With such a staggering shift towards digital shopping, having a top-notch e-commerce platform isn’t just advantageous – it’s imperative for driving sales and crafting unforgettable customer experiences. Let’s delve into the benefits, main features, and functionality of Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
What is a Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
Salesforce Commerce Cloud powers growth for companies selling online by automating sales across the entire customer journey with AI-driven commerce. It helps brands launch faster, grow efficiently, and reach more customers. With cloud technology and AI, personalized experiences are made easy without needing data scientists.
According to Salesforce Commerce Platform Metrics, customers saw a 29% increase in digital revenue by shifting from legacy channels.
Commerce Cloud Benefits
Source: salesforce.com
- Seamless Omnichannel Experience. Salesforce Commerce Cloud shines with its ability to provide a seamless omnichannel experience. Whether your customers are shopping on their computer, phone, or in person, Commerce Cloud ensures a consistent experience across all platforms.
- Personalized Shopping. Personalization is key to catching the eye of today’s savvy consumers, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud excels in this area. Using Einstein AI, Commerce Cloud analyzes customer data to offer personalized recommendations and content. For instance, a clothing store can suggest items based on a customer’s browsing history or past purchases, boosting the chances of a sale.
- Scalability and Flexibility. As your business grows, so do your e-commerce needs. Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers unparalleled scalability and flexibility, allowing you to adapt to changing demands and expand your online operations seamlessly.
- Seamless Integration with Salesforce Ecosystem. One of the major perks of Salesforce Commerce Cloud is its seamless integration with the broader Salesforce ecosystem. Whether you’re utilizing Salesforce Marketing Cloud for targeted campaigns or Salesforce Service Cloud for customer support, Commerce Cloud seamlessly integrates with other Salesforce products, creating a unified ecosystem that streamlines your business operations.
What’s Included in Commerce Cloud?
The platform includes various components essential for unified commerce, from digital storefronts to order management and payments. In this article, we will highlight the main Commerce Cloud tools: Storefront Templates, Commerce AI, Order Management, and Pay Now.
Source: salesforce.com
Storefront Templates
These templates make online selling easier for everyone. They come with ready-to-use designs and smart tools powered by AI for B2C, D2C, and B2B businesses. Using these templates, companies can quickly start their websites and work more efficiently.
For B2C businesses, there are tools and templates that are easy to use. The templates have designs that are ready to go and made to work well on all devices. They’ve been created based on the best practices learned from studying thousands of other online stores. This makes it faster for people to create their own sites.
For businesses dealing with complex buyers and wanting to boost B2B sales, these templates offer easy solutions. They guide users through setting up their stores, managing catalogs, and even creating personalized promotions, all with the help of AI.
Websites created using Storefront Templates are safe and strong. This means businesses can confidently expand worldwide on this secure platform. It has a history of being up and running 99.99% of the time. It includes features like multi-factor authentication, firewalls, HTTPS encryption, and advanced threat detection. Plus, it lets businesses manage many sites, brands, and regions all from one place, making global expansion easier.
Commerce AI
Source: salesforce.com
Merchandisers are empowered with user-friendly AI tools and intuitive features, allowing them to build confidently. Integrated AI guidance into workflows enables teams to increase sales and achieve goals faster.
- Einstein Product Recommendations help grow cart size and enhance shopper experience by suggesting personalized products based on past purchasing history and current behavior.
- Einstein Commerce Insights can boost conversions with powerful shopping basket analysis and insights into buying behavior.
- Generative Product Descriptions will save time and improve online visibility.
- Smart Promotion Management assists with auto-generated custom offers for various channels.
- Einstein Chatbots will offer personalized experiences and automate common customer service tasks.
- Einstein Commerce Insights boosts conversions with powerful shopping basket analysis and insights into buying behavior.
Based on Salesforce Customer Success Metrics 2022, Einstein 1 helped merchandisers, developers, and admins automate processes 27% faster.
Order Management
Businesses can efficiently manage orders and enhance customer satisfaction with a customer-focused Order Management system, seamlessly integrated into Salesforce CRM.
Order Management system benefits:
- Cost Savings: Fulfillment expenses can be reduced, service agent productivity enhanced, and manual tasks automated to ensure every order leaves customers delighted.
- Omni-Channel Support: Businesses can seamlessly handle orders from various channels with Order Support.
- Centralized Order Data: Agents are empowered with comprehensive customer insights, including order history, payment terms, and service tools, all accessible from a single screen through the Customer 360 feature.
Pay Now
Businesses can accelerate revenue generation from any channel with an online payment solution seamlessly integrated into Salesforce objects or workflows. Payments can be collected instantly, from invoices to chatbots, across Customer 360.
Pay Now component benefits:
- Streamlined Payment Processing: Every customer interaction can be turned into a revenue-generating transaction using user-friendly online payment software.
- Sales Rep Focus: Sales reps can maintain their focus on building relationships rather than collecting payments.
- Invoice Payment: Payments can be automated by embedding Pay Now in invoice PDFs or emails, enabling sales reps to prioritize high-value activities.
- Messaging Bots Payments: Sales productivity can be enhanced by allowing payment collections through popular messaging apps for reorders or late payments.
- Pay from Email Campaigns: Conversions can be driven directly from marketing emails by including a revenue-driving call-to-action (CTA) to collect donations or event sign-up fees within the email body.
Final Thoughts
In today’s digital era, e-commerce isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessity for businesses aiming to succeed. With Forbes projecting that 22.6% of retail sales will be online by 2027, having a robust e-commerce platform is essential for driving sales and enhancing customer experiences.
In essence, Salesforce Commerce Cloud isn’t just a platform—it’s a catalyst for growth in the e-commerce landscape, enabling businesses to thrive and deliver exceptional experiences to customers worldwide.
Not sure where to start the implementation of CRM for online retail? Read more about our implementation packages.
