What is Unified Commerce?​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‍‍​‍​‍​‌‌​‍​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‍‌‌​‌‌‍​‌​‌‍‌‍‌‌​​‌‌‌​‍‌‌​‌‌​‍​​‌‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌​​‌‌‍‍​​​‌​​‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍​‌​​‌‍​‌‍​‌‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‍‍​‍‌‌‌​‌‍​‌‍‍‌‌​‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‍‍​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌‌

The demand from consumers for more personalised experiences is high. The online shopping market is oversaturated with choice. Brands that go out of their way to craft unique customer experiences are the ones that will stick around for the long haul. In order for merchants to be able to do this, they need to be able to collect and analyse data to gain valuable insights about their customers.

That’s not as simple as it sounds. Many online store owners will be convinced that their current setup of multiple applications, running independently to collect data is all they need. Yet, how can you really understand your customers if that data and their journey isn’t connected? For effective data analysis, those platforms need to seamlessly integrate with each other. This is where unified commerce comes in.

Understanding Unified Commerce

Unified Commerce is a strategy that centralises all of your customer and product data on a single platform. Not to be confused with the omnichannel approach, unified commerce is more about connecting your backend systems with your customer-facing channels. This is so that you can see all collected data in one place. Whereas BigCommerce states that ‘an omnichannel approach tends to stop after multichannel expansion and frontend alignment’ and that ‘unified commerce consolidates all your channels, payment systems, products, and customer interactions to deliver a totally integrated, measurable, and frictionless experience. Whereas BigCommerce states that ‘an omnichannel approach tends to stop after multichannel expansion and frontend alignment’ and that ‘unified commerce consolidates all your channels, payment systems (read more on how to use your payment data to enhance the customer experience), products, and customer interactions to deliver a totally integrated, measurable, and frictionless experience

Scale Your Business

Retail businesses that embrace all unified commerce has to offer will see a huge difference. Their marketing activity, customer journeys and the number of shopper interactions they experience will all flourish. Having a unified view of the steps your customers take on your website, app, marketplace etc. will provide many opportunities for online growth.

Having one centralised platform also means that scaling your business is easier than ever before. You will have one solid foundation that can change and grow with you. This improves operational efficiency and reduces costs while not compromising on data.

Let’s not forget our products here either. A unified system means stock can easily be viewed and managed. This is regardless of whether you sell exclusively online, at a brick-and-mortar store or across various marketplaces.

All merchants want to be able to serve their customers better. Unified commerce is a great opportunity for businesses to grow while streamlining their data and daily operations. It’s important to recognise that initial setup isn’t cheap and can be quite time-consuming, but the results will be worthwhile.

If you’re curious about introducing a unified commerce strategy for your online store, have a chat with one of our ecommerce experts.