The Foundation for Successful eCommerce - Five Strategic Focus Areas

The industry is replete with "experts" who will try to convince you that their software or professional services (or a combination therein) will make you a successful eCommerce retailer.  To be fair, there are many true experts in this industry who come with a rich pedigree of big brand name sites to their credit.  More often than not however there are many so-called experts who can share with you what they did on their last job or can detail how you should use their software, but can't illuminate how your company's strategy, leveraging tools, best practices, and tailored marketing, can help your company acquire and grow a competitive advantage.  What is lacking in this industry is a blueprint for how retailers can leverage eCommerce as part of a broad multi-channel strategy instead of having their eCommerce systems dictate a strategy.   

Far from being that blueprint I referred to, I want to highlight what I believe are five core pillars to an effective eCommerce strategy.  Most of these will not be revolutionary ideas to most, but I would submit that re-affirming these principles in your organization may end up eliciting a very introspective process.  If you believe in and adhere to these principles, your technology, people, and process investments will represent a cohesive focus toward the end state that you desire.

1.  Invest in eCommerce like it is your biggest, most important store (while it may not be your biggest, it is probably growing much faster than your biggest).  Investments are not always capital investments.  Human capital and time are important here as well.  Putting your best people at the helm, complete with executive level sponsorship, will pay big dividends.       

2.  With a focus on integration, make your enterprise applications assets, not liabilities, in building your multi-channel ecosystem.

3.  Remember that the traditional 'Web' is an important channel, but it isn't the only channel.  Execute your channel strategies today but plan and build for the channels of tomorrow.

4.  Effective multi-channel retailing does not come in a box, so don't expect to find it in a box...no matter how much the box costs.

5.  Your customers will be able to tell how much you focused on a seamless cross-channel customer experience, and will reward you or punish you as appropriate.