Audiomania # 1: E-Commerce Overview

We in Audiomania regularly prepare materials for Habr, GT and MM about our experience in the field of Russian ecommerce. Today we decided to start the cycle of bullet digests, which will contain the most interesting remarks from the most popular materials on our topic.

1. Automation of online store warehouse processes

Problems:
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• First you need to break the general problem called “warehouse logistics” into smaller ones;
• Examples from our experience: too much dependence on employee's decision making and product search in the warehouse;
• It should be understood that an extensive increase in the staff of storekeepers will not solve all the problems;
• Rapid scalability is impossible without an increase in labor productivity and a product control system.

Solutions:

• A key element of warehouse process automation is software that solves your problems;
• Developing your own solutions will require consideration of outdated warehouse terminal platforms;
• The race for savings can do for you problems with the ergonomics of custom solutions;
• Finished products are not always worth it due to obsolete operating systems;
• An uninterrupted combination of device bundles is required.

Our experience:

• Retail customers are always in priority (if retail space is adjacent to the warehouse);
• We only collect orders for the day ahead (less urgent orders receive lower priority);
• The assembly priority is the higher, the closer the hour of arrival to the warehouse of transport companies;
• The warehouse manager can adjust the priority if the couriers are late.

2. The logic of the organization of the warehouse

• The use of storage can be regulated, but it will be necessary to check the compliance of the labels and content;
• The use of individual bags for goods is unprofitable, for example, if we are talking about low-cost radio parts;
• After labeling a label on a box, it is not always necessary to shift the goods, if there is a placement system;
• We introduced horizontal and vertical numbering for sections of the warehouse wall to which the boxes are attached;
• First, the place is scanned, then the product (barcode on the box or tray, where there is always only one item);
• If we have adjusted information exchange with the delivery service, then we generate and print the barcode of the transport company;
• Each action of each employee is recorded on video - an opportunity to conduct additional training.

3. What Russian ecommerce can learn from American

• In the US, buyers want to save time; in Russia, they mostly “save” money;
• A huge number of non-core activities of American ecommerce gives to outsourcing;
• There are no “territorial” features of usability; common sense is the basis for successful decisions in this area;
• American colleagues should really learn how to work with video materials and mailing lists;
• The West does not pay attention to the difference in prices between goods online and offline - there is practically none;

• In the West, the concepts of omnichannel and multichannel are historically separated;
• By multichannel we (Audiomania in particular) are understood to be the “omnichannel” format;
• Before you buy something, the user can study the goods for a long time using a mobile device;
• Western colleagues have paid surprisingly little attention to using geo-services in e-commerce;
• You can note the commitment of Western colleagues to the ideology of adaptive design;

• In the US, do not hesitate to attract experts who understand something better than you;
• Representatives of the American ecommerce market do not engage in SEO in the usual sense we all understand;
• Already now it is worthwhile to pay more attention to the development of your own services and your brand;
• Competition is not only the competition for the lowest price;
• The ecommerce market in Russia is just starting to grow.

4. How to improve the quality of customer service if the necessary goods are not available

• There are very few companies on the Russian Internet market that write about the presence / absence of goods in stock (before ordering);
• If the product is out of production and is no longer delivered to stores, you need to honestly tell about it;
• For the “transition period” in brackets to the updated name, you can add the old designation;
• Alternatives need to be offered (we in the Audiomania recommend replacement products in different ways);
• Priority in the demonstration of alternatives must, of course, be given to the desired brand or category;

• Price is not the main criterion when searching for a product (the main thing for the buyer is to solve the task before him;
• Strive to ensure that the price of an alternative product is different from the desired one within ± 10%;
• Use subscription forms so that the user can receive an alert in the event of receipt of goods at the warehouse;
• Offer customers pre-order goods, if you know exactly when it goes to the warehouse.

5. Success factors for an online store in RuNet

• Making it so that potential buyers find out about the new online store is no easier than offline;
• An online store is not a separate type of business, so traditional retail expenses will be required;
• You should always work with your audience - both before purchase, and during, and after;
• It happens that regular customers are winning, and the store’s audience growth rate is maintained;
• Most online stores do not have product training information — no added value;

• Online stores blindly copy Western ideas and solutions that do not always work without adaptation;
• People in ecommerce are exactly the same as offline and subject to the usual marketing laws;
• The slogan “customer is always right” should be expressed in the work of the company every day;
• In Audiomania, almost all the tools are created within the company;
• You need to understand that the "Mail of Russia" works as it can.

PS Other audio materials, reviews and useful tips are in our blog “ Hi-Fi World ”.